IV. TRAINING STRATEGIES, STANDARDS AND ONLINE COURSES
ICT in Teacher Education
Recommended:
*** ICTs in teacher education: A planning guide
This UNESCO document provides resources to help teachers, administrators and policy makers better apply ICTs to teacher education programmes, and aims to describe a framework for ICTs in teacher education. The authors also suggest guidelines for the development of a strategic planning process.
*** Asia Education Foundation – Professional Learning Programmes
Asia Education Foundation offers online programmes, downloadable programmes, international programmes and postgraduate courses. The information for these programmes is on this website. Learning resources which can be used in classroom for various subjects are also available from the website, and the programmes will teach you to use these materials.
*** World Links
World Links is a global network dedicated to connecting students and teachers around the world, and training them in the use of ICTs for education. Active all over the developing world, they have a particularly strong presence in Asia Pacific.
Other Useful Sites:
ICT trends in teacher training curricula: An Asia-Pacific perspective
This article paints a broad picture of trends in ICT and teacher training, describing developments in the west before focusing on Asia-Pacific.
Staff development: Modelling new skills for online teaching
Recognising there is still the need for traditional staff development, this article also discusses theoretical approaches for integrating online teaching within a staff development program.
WorthWhileWebs
This page lists a number of useful websites that focus on either of two aspects of technology and staff training: teacher training in the use of ICTs; and using IT in professional development programmes. There are a wide range of resources on offer here, including lesson plans, guided activities for teachers, student assessments, theoretical papers and much more. The site also lists some online journals offering teacher support and advice.
The cost effectiveness of distance education for primary teacher training
This paper guides the planning of distance education programmes for teacher training. Distance education has been used for both pre-service and in-service education, and at most levels of education. Cost studies have been carried out in many parts of the world which examine the comparative cost of using distance education or conventional methods for teacher training. Based on these studies this paper concludes that distance education for primary teacher training is positive both economically and educationally.
Increasing computer use in early childhood teacher education
This paper, which focuses on the use of computers in pre-K-12 classrooms, takes as its point of departure the question, What factors are related to the incorporation of computers into teaching, by teacher educators with average computer skills? In focusing on teachers with average computer knowledge, the author is led to emphasizing the benefits of teaching ‘with help’.
Building towards an e-learning environment at the National Institute of Education in Singapore
This paper outlines Singapore’s response to the emerging knowledge-based economy and the changing roles of teachers within it, and describes the National Institute of Education’s efforts to constantly upgrade the skills of its teachers through ICT.
Teacher training for education technology
This article looks at the massive integration of ICTs into education in Costa Rica, and analyses the role of teacher training in the success of that programme.
Teacher training with technology: experience in five country programmes
This page from LearnLink provides provisional information on computer-mediated professional development projects undertaken in five developing countries. Summaries of its activities reflect the kinds of training and support services that can be offered to teachers.
Teaching tele-apprenticeships: Electronic network-based educational frameworks for improving teacher education
A paper from the University of Illinois discussing ‘tele-apprenticeships’, frameworks which facilitate online learning. The research summarises studies of the role of tele-apprenticeships in teacher education, predicated on the notion that new media should open up new modes of learning; indeed, tele-apprenticeships differ in significant ways from traditional schooling.