Mr. Ringel seems to know how to put them at their ease. As computer-operations director in the city's Community School District One, Mr. Ringel is responsible for, among other things, conducting lessons for teachers on how to use information technology in their classrooms. Teachers, long the neglected stepchildren of the movement to computerize the nation's schools, are beginning to get invited to the party. I really do believe that's changing. But teaching the teachers is a tough assignment.
Many experts say a lot of training to date has been ineffective.
One radical new program enlists children, with their demonstrated enthusiasm for using computers, not only to train teachers, but also to build and maintain an entire school-district technology infrastructure. More Money This and other experimental programs are operating in a landscape of increased funding for school technology and teacher training. Meanwhile, funding for education technology in general keeps growing rapidly. Among the hundreds of proposals submitted by schools applying for challenge grants, concern for training teachers is moving up the scale of priorities, says Mr. Carroll. For instance, Mr. Ringel's district, which received a federal challenge grant along with state and city funds and private donations, not only offers training classes year round, but has hired specialists to consult with teachers on-site about ways to apply technology in the curriculum.