After reading an article about a program designed to train teachers to be technology experts, I recommended that we develop our own Resident Expert Program. Six teachers from each school were selected for the program, which began with a weekly half-day of training for eight weeks. The Resident Experts learned how to manage computer courseware, word processors, electronic gradebooks, and the district's electronic mail system. They have become valuable resources for other teachers, available immediately whenever a colleague needs assistance. To encourage and reward teachers who increase their computer skills beyond what they learn in our staff development program, we have developed a cooperative venture with a local community college to award a technology certificate to those who complete 21 credit hours of computer classes.
Teachers completing the certificate requirement also receive additional pay.
When Phase 4 of our technology plan began last fall, virtually all of our classrooms had networked computers, and we continued to adjust training to refresh the skills of returning teachers and to provide weekly coaching for our new teachers. We feel strongly that the design of a school's staff development program in technology should be tailored to the number of teachers involved, the level of their skills, and the amount of time and resources the district is willing to commit. Teacher training is and must be a central consideration in developing and implementing an effective technology plan. Given adequate time and support, teachers look forward to learning and improving their computer skills. The more they do so, the more likely they are to foster student learning and success.