The students feel more confident in making presentations when they have something to read from accompanied by something they have perfected on the computer. Barton pointed out another benefit of having on-site teacher centers. They allow a trained professional to respond quickly and thoughtfully to the needs of a school and its teachers. They become part of their school's culture. It's very hard to be an outsider, come into a school for a day and affect a great deal of change.
Ongoing support is key.
Being there is very important. While on-site teacher centers provide unique training, they also are facing some challenges that are not so unique. Barton feels the biggest challenge is the upkeep of equipment. If the equipment is down, no one can learn anything. And if teachers are gung-ho to use technology in their classrooms, but their computer dies, technology becomes an obstacle to learning and a teaching frustration.