The Future of TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING.

• Author: Smith, Lawrence L.
• Position: Teachers need to learn more about teaching computer skills

"The use of computer technology and the growing access to educational resources through the Internet are requiring educators to rethink how they teach and to help students to prepare for life and to work in the coming decades."

Since the first Apple computers began to appear in schools in the mid 1980s, American educators have been under increasing pressure to learn how to teach about and teach with new technological tools. Over the past 15 years, the typical workplace has been transformed by computer technology. In most offices, almost every employee, from receptionist to CEO, works with a computer. In manufacturing and industrial jobs, new tools of the trade rely increasingly on computer technology. To keep ahead of global competition, the workforce--even those entering work directly from high school--must possess technological literacy and proficiency.

The pervasive use of computer technology means that elementary and secondary schools and colleges must do better in preparing students to use emerging technologies. The task is daunting. Those first-generation Apples and PCs often sat collecting dust in classroom corners, largely because teachers had little time or resources to learn more about them, even if they had the inclination. Today, however, schools and teacher education programs are having to devote time and resources to assist teachers in learning the technology skills they need in order to prepare students for life in the information age.

At Ball State University, we have been developing programs that enable college faculty and local schoolteachers to work together toward what author John Goodlad calls "simultaneous renewal." Our experiences can help point the way for other communities striving to meet the technological challenge.

While many educators are willing to respond to the call of corporate and government leaders to improve their use of educational technology, they must not ignore the reality that they all are coming to terms with a new way of life and work. In education, especially, the advent of the computing age has brought with it a radical disruption of the pedagogical foundations of teachers' work. The use of computer technology and the growing access to educational resources through the Internet are requiring educators to rethink how they teach and to help students to prepare for life and work in the coming decades. Educators are beginning to make progress, but there still are many obstacles to be overcome before...