Technology for too long has been separated from the mainstream of preparing future teachers. This is not the case in most institutions. Strong leadership on the part of the deans will be necessary to successfully improve teacher education. However, deans will not be able to overcome cultural inertia without additional support. Without real support of top administration, significant change will not occur.
Informed leadership is critical for quality change to occur.
Georgia and Louisiana are two states that are providing statewide leadership in this area. The Georgia P-16 Council initiative focuses on systematic educational reform from preschool through college including educational technology integration. This collaborative effort has already paid off by specifically identifying needs and resources and significantly improving planning for the use of technology. The lack of adequate technology funding for colleges of education was cited frequently during the Convocation. Reliable and continuous technology funding does not exist for most colleges of education.