Teacher education programs are in the unique position of bearing the most potential to affect change on the current educational culture. To be an the instigator of change though, they must design their programs to look like the classrooms they hope to see in the future.

One of the most significant ways they can bring this home to their students is to put them in the field at the front end of their program. Have teachers working in classrooms with strong mentors at the start. Allow them to have a picture in their heads before they tackle the hard stuff. Then immerse them in a learning program that creates “media literate” and “technologically savvy” teachers as a simple by product of their having been in the program. Make technology ubiquitous in their own learning and it will transfer out with them when they graduate. The program should require the use of technology for all aspects. Here is one idea:

“Class time.” Most professors require attendance and work it into the factoring of a grade. Why does a student need to be AIS (ass in seat) in order to learn from their professor? If a professor offers his class with these options:

1. Real time in the classroom (w/ backchannel he/she is tapped into)
2. Real time on the web video & audio (w/ backchannel he/she is tapped into)
3. Real time on the web audio only (w/ backchannel he/she is tapped into)
4. Archived access on the web video & audio (w/ tools for annotation and Q?A space)
5. Archived on the web audio only (w/ tools for annotation and Q?A space)

Teachers will have the ability to manage their lives so they make sense. As they enter the classroom after graduation they will no longer look at technology as an add-in, but as a critical cog in the mechanisms of the learning environments they create. The question won’t be, “How can I integrate technology into my classroom?” it will be “What tools do I need to help my students learn and create?”

2. Faculty at teaching colleges should focus on delivering content using rich media if that’s what they want their new teachers to learn. Less “using the old way” and more using technology to enhance their classrooms.

Dean @shareski & Alec @courosa would love some help here: [link to post]

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Alec @courosa and I would love some help here: [link to post]

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RT @pgsimoes: Dean @shareski & Alec @courosa would love some help here: [link to post]

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