Opportunities in special education become a priority for colleges. Increase of minority-populated urban schools. Just as it was 100 years ago, and then again 50 years ago, we face a teacher shortage today. An estimated two million new teachers will be needed nationwide during the next decade. And while the challenges they will face in the classroom will be many of the same faced by teachers throughout the last century, technology and diversity have sparked new conversations on teacher preparation for the 21st century.
Technology becomes an essential component of education at all levels.
School-university partnerships help keep teachers current and bring new skills to children quickly. With the call for teacher education reform, today's College of Education at NIU is already taking steps to meet the educational needs of the 21st century. A major restructuring of our programs is underway and will ensure not only NIU's continued place as a leader in education but also that our children and our children's children will have access to the kind of instruction that leads to success in a global environment. A detailed account of the College of Education's past 100 years, written by education professor emeritus Dick Mueller, soon will be available for sale. Additional information on the history of education and NIU is available in Earl W. Hayter's book Education in Transition and at the Blackwell History of Education Research Museum, located on NIU's campus.