Science Teachers Workshops for Computer Training (1995)

Abstract

The use and development of multimedia interdisciplinary materials in the life and health sciences is expanding rapidly. Bringing multimedia technology to the classroom requires that teachers be familiar enough with the technology that they are empowered with the ability to use it as a tool to enhance their own lesson plans as well as to encourage students to use it to learn and create. The Workshops are designed to give the teachers sufficient time to become familiar with computer technology to provide resources for the teachers to become familiar with the technology in the context of their own subject matter and to create a self-help environment for future problem solving. To accomplish these goals the workshops are run for four weeks each summer and include as many teachers as possible from a single school within one workshop. This model – provides the time for assimilation of the skills and a network of users within each school to solve everyday problems. An additional benefit of having an entire science department involved is the cross disciplinary interaction that takes place between teachers and the discovery of useful interdisciplinary software. The software materials for study are chosen by each individual according to their classroom needs and available school hardware. Preview and formal evaluation of software at no cost to the teacher is a key component of the program and the pace is defined by each individual’s ability and need. The program is a partnership with the secondary science departments of the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Dissemination of the software reviews teacher prepared lesson plans a new teacher generated software modules will be through a network server and network connection developed through a partnership with the Carnegie Science Center.