Every year when Robert Doltar assigned his students to dissect a frog, a few of them refused. So he wrote a software program that allowed them to simulate the process on a computer. Other teachers who are ahead of the pack in using technology are speaking at national and international conferences, writing books about technology for other teachers, creating online curricula or reviewing software for companies, and otherwise earning money and recognition apart from their regular jobs.
Observers say there are two main reasons for the demand in technology-proficient teachers.
Schools are pushing hard to integrate technology into the curriculum, and many teachers don't have the time or inclination to figure out how to do it on their own. In the private sector, meanwhile, companies are trying to win a share of the booming education technology market by producing hardware and digital content for the classroom. They need practical advice about what is useful to teachers. A unit of Discovery Communications Inc. in Bethesda, Md., the company contracts with teachers to write online lesson plans and run online forums. To snag lucrative opportunities, though, teachers have to stay well ahead of the curve, says George Cassutto, a tech-savvy social studies teacher at North Hagerstown High School in Maryland.