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Money
will be used to train pre-service teachers in use of technology Harrisburg
- The U.S. Department of Education has announced the award of a $739,859
grant to the State System of Higher Education to help train new
teachers to use technology in their classrooms. The State System anticipates
receiving additional funding over the next three years for a total
grant award of $2.3 million. The
money is part of the federal department's "Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers
to Use Technology" (PT3) grant program. The funds will be distributed
to the State System's Pennsylvania Academy for the Profession
of Teaching and Learning (Academy), which operates as part of the
Educational Resources Group. Through
the grant, combined with matching funds, six State System universities
will be joined by four non-system colleges and universities,
four community and technical colleges, five intermediate units,
five school districts and eight businesses to implement the program
through their K-16 Council Partnerships. The program will be replicated
in K-16 councils statewide. The four K-16 regional councils are
Clarion, Mansfield, Slippery Rock/Pittsburgh and Philadelphia/West Chester.
For
the first year, the State System will secure matching funds of nearly
$1.6 million or 68 percent of the total budget. The remaining 32 percent
will be financed with nearly
$4.8 million in matching funds. "This
grant is a clear affirmation of the U.S. Department of Education's confidence
in the State System to administer a cutting-edge program that addresses
the need to integrate our approach to education reform in Pennsylvania,"
said Interim Chancellor Mary W. Burger. "Over the past few
years, under the leadership of former Chancellor James H. McCormick, the
State System has positioned itself positively in the federal arena. Now,
with the leadership of the recently appointed Chancellor Judy G. Hample,
we look forward to continuing and extending these outstanding efforts." A major
aspect of the program will be a web-based learning community that
will bring pre-service teachers, K-12 cooperating teachers and higher
education faculty from the departments of teacher education and arts
and sciences together in an interactive environment. The web technology
will allow all involved to share information, ideas, lesson plans
and methods for using technology to enhance kindergarten through 12th
grade students' learning. Pre-service
teachers will be able to participate in the web community after
they enter their first classrooms, thus continuing the learning process,
mentoring and sharing of best practices. "Technology
is not a panacea to educating our students, but, used effectively,
it can greatly enhance the learning process," said Dr. Stephen
Pavlak, executive director of the Academy. "We hope this program will
demonstrate some of the exciting things that can be done in the education
field using technology properly." In
addition to the educational organizations involved with the PT3 grant,
Microsoft Corporation has committed $250,000 in software. "Microsoft
is pleased to be a part of this innovative program," said Ann Alexander,
education account executive for Microsoft's Greater Pennsylvania
District. "It is exciting to see Pennsylvania make such an investment
in the future of its students through the use of technology." The
funding will support the first year of the program that initially will
run for three years. During the process, the program will be evaluated
and best practices will be gathered with the hope of expanding it
to the eight remaining State System universities. The System has committed
a minimum of two years beyond the three-year program. With
more than 96,000 students, the State System of Higher Education is the
largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. Its 14 universities
offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than
120 areas of study. More than 360,000 System alumni live and work in
Pennsylvania. The
state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion,
East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield,
Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities
of Pennsylvania. The System also operates branch campuses in
Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional
centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and
the University Center for Southwest Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. The regional
centers are part of the Educational Resources Group, which is responsible
for coordinating statewide programming. K-16
Councils involved with PT3 grant Philadelphia/West
Chester PreK-16 Advisory Council West
Chester University of Pennsylvania Cheyney
University of Pennsylvania Bartram
and Lincoln Clusters of the School District of Philadelphia Chester
County Intermediate Unit Community
College of Philadelphia Holy
Family College West
Chester Area School District K-3
Literacy Initiative PNC
Bank Verizon Clarion
K-16 Regional Council Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clarion
Limestone School District Farrell
School District Redbank
School District Butler
Community College Westminster
University Intermediate
Unit 6 Clarion
Chamber of Commerce Mr.
Larry Heasley, Realtor Children
and Youth Services Professional Development Partners are:
Brookville
Area School District, Clarion
Limestone School District, Clarion Area School District, and Keystone
Area School District Mansfield
K-16 Council Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania
College of Technology Northern
Tioga School District Northern
Potter School District Blast
Intermediate Unit 17 Seneca
Highlands intermediate Unit 9 Tioga
County Development Corporation 49
Corridor Executive Council Tioga
County Partnership for Community Health Slippery
Rock K-16 Council Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Indiana
University of Pennsylvania University
of Pittsburgh Duquesne
University Butler
County Community College Community
College of Allegheny County The
Pittsburgh Public Schools The
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