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Teacher Technology Proficiencies II

An excerpt from an interesting thread in class...

Mark, I know that California is very advanced; as I spent 6 years there from 1979 to 1985. I bought my first computer there, the first Mac computer released. However, that is not the culture of South Carolina. In education, SC places 49 or 50th out of all the states in the union. Furthermore, I divide computer use into two categories, computer skills and computer proficiency. To me, these skills are two separate and very different skills.

Mary Ann,

I dare say things have gone down hill in California's education system since that time... and while the technology proficiencies required for a credential might be forward thinking, I'm afraid California ranks nearly as low in test scores, and certainly in per pupil spending. The state no longer financially supports the investment made in digital high schools in the late nineties.

One of my professors last quarter, Maryfriend Shepard, works in Georgia and spoke often about the state requirement that ALL teachers become technically proficient by taking or testing out of courses in teaching with technology. Apparently many resistant teachers left the profession in the face of such strong forces for change. Whether or not this is a good thing, though, I am in no position to say.

-Mark