Uniting Teachers to Embrace 21st Century Technology (2000)

A Critical Mass in a Cohort of Colleagues As we face the future, it is clear to see that the technological age is engulfing education, and that educators need to secure a role in addressing this paradigm shill As with other changes, educators must be ready not only to address the change, but also to lead the change (Bryant and Ariza 1999). Teachers, administrators and parents are discovering that good use of technology requires more than just securing Internet access, or putting technology in the classroom. Technology affects the way teachers teach, students learn, and administrators operate (Norum, Graginger and Duffield 1999). Teachers must know how to source information, integrate the information into the curriculum, and be skilled in addressing technophobia as well as the various learning styles of today's students. In an effort to collaborate with Broward County teachers, Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and the Department of Educational Technology and Research in South Florida have implemented an innovative program to encourage public school teachers to embrace new technology and utilize it in their daily curricula. By creating a cohort of teachers employed within a zone that encompasses four elementary schools, teachers have begun to take courses that will culminate in a master's degree in education with a specialization in technology. As the cohort works and studies together, teachers who would not ordinarily venture into such an unknown realm are bolstered by the knowledge that they are in the program as a team, and can call on one another for help, guidance and support. Defining the Cohort Program A cohort is a group of students who enter a program intending to take all of the courses as a group. This critical mass of teachers and colleagues forms a unique bond as they move through the program, providing encouragement and support to all members. The cohort program at FAU is offered on campus, via Web-based distance education, and through video conferencing via Broward Educational Communications Network (BECON), so that classes can be held at convenient school-based locations. BECON has 42 Video Conferencing sites located through the school district, facilitating geographic access for all teachers. Each cohort group consists of 20-25 students who stay together throughout the duration of the scheduled educational technology program. Classes are offered according to the on-campus academic calendar. The cohort classes correspond to the traditional on-campus classes, with the exception of one major advantage: the cohort classes allow the instructor the freedom to customize the curriculum to the needs of the class. Additionally, the course content contains activities created to address the real world problems of the teachers, such as creating Web pages for their schools, or setting up a database for their students. Because tasks are applicable to their classroom obligations, the teachers remain highly motivated and stay focused on course materials. When students join a cohort group, they know in advance the courses they will be taking, and in which semester they will be offered. Courses are offered at the same location throughout the program, and the schedule usually includes one course, one night a week per semester, and two courses during the summer. All participants are asked to commit to FAU and to their cohort for the entire sequence of courses. Cohort members are aware that a lack of participation will not only disrupt the cohort but, if numbers fall short, will cause the group to disband entirely. Perhaps it is the understanding of this necessity of commitment to each other that keeps group attendance and participation strong. Establishing a Cohort: The Administrator's Point of View As an administrator in a public elementary school, my independence came to a screeching halt as the age of technology slowly began to infiltrate the school system. …