Computers in Teacher Education :: Technology Learning Teaching Essays

Computers in Teacher Education The computer has changed many aspects of American society, and the Teacher Education field is no exception.A future teacher now has to consider the computer along with all of the traditional subjects when preparing to get a teaching degree.Literacy in American schools no longer means that a student can read, write, and do simple math problems.Literacy has a new branch that is required of all students to learn-the computer. The computer is a vital part of the education process of today’s youth.The process of getting a teaching degree now requires that the University student be literate and competent when it comes to using and teaching computers.Future teachers are trained how to utilize the computer to enhance lesson plans and supplement learning.Computers are not only used to drill students on previously learned material, but also to explore new ideas and find new resources.Kevin Ryan explores these new concepts of teaching in Those Who Can, Teach, â€Å"The technology-assisted teacher, however, was facilitating instruction as needed, to bring about a deeper understanding and relevance.†[1]The teacher is no longer alone when thinking up lesson plans and related activities.The computer provides teaching software as well as endless material on the internet that teachers can utilize in their classrooms.The internet provides websites to bring resources together for all teachers to share.The w ebsites include classroom management tips, grade book software, lesson plans, and connections to fellow teachers.Teachers are no longer alone in their classrooms, all they have to do is visit a website, such as http://webpages.marshall.edu/~jmullens/edlinks.html, and everything they could need is accessible from their computer. Some teachers may feel apprehensive to include the computer in their classroom activities, but according to the National Center for Education Statistics[2], more and more teachers are turning to the computer to enhance the learning process. Computers are changing every aspect of the education field.Not only are teachers using the computer to help their students learn, but also the students themselves are going on their own to find resources and information via the computer.According to Ryan[3] a project in Florida, called CHILD (Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development) students who are grouped together and allowed to work on projects involving the computer and traditional classroom methods ultimately did better on year-end standardized tests than peers in conventional classrooms. The number of students using the computer is continually rising, usage averaging about 1-2 times per month.The Nation’s Report Card researches the usage of computers by twelfth-grade students.