College of St. Catherine (St. Paul,
MN)
Using
Technology
Summary
The Education Department hosts two connected activities: 1) a monthly
technology study group on using technology to learn and 2) a TechnoSat
event which showcases practical, innovative strategies for using technology
in the classroom. Area elementary school faculty, college faculty, and
preservice teacher trainees collaborate in these grant-supported activities
that are in the process of becoming institutionalized locally.
The Practice
In 2001, the Education Department at the College of St. Catherine was
awarded a U.S. Department of Education Preparing Tomorrow’s
Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) grant. Goals of the grant are (1)
to establish partnerships with P-12 schools to strengthen fieldwork and
student teaching settings and (2) to infuse technology into teacher preparation
programs. The College partners with three area schools—a large urban
public elementary school, a small urban Catholic elementary school, and
a mid-sized urban elementary school.
A unique feature of the PT3 grant is a monthly technology study group
with teachers from the partner schools hosting St. Catherine’s students.
During study group sessions the teachers share their concerns about technology
and advise the college about how to better prepare candidates for the
use of technology. Likewise, education faculty participate in an on-campus
monthly technology-focused study group. The focus of the meetings has
shifted from “learning to use technology” to “technology
to learn.” The St. Catherine’s instructional technology specialist
facilitates all study group sessions, thus creating a link to all of them.
A popular and effective outgrowth of the study groups has been TechnoSat,
a Saturday conference at which faculty (P-12 and college) and preservice
teachers showcase practical, innovative strategies for using technology
in the classroom. Because TechnoSat is grant-supported, no fees have been
charged to participants. Examples of topics include: 1) “Personal
Digital Assistants for Authentic Assessment” presented by a middle
school physical education teacher; 2)“WISE Websites” presented
by a College of St. Catherine graduate student; and 3)“Powerpoint
as a Transition Tool” presented by a College of St. Catherine education
professor. Each presenter receives a small stipend, which validates the
presenter’s expertise. The sessions highlight strategies that can
be implemented in most classroom settings. Invitations to TechnoSat are
extended to the entire St. Catherine’s education community—faculty,
staff, students, partners, and friends. TechnoSat establishes an environment
in which teachers become students and students become teachers.
Effectiveness
The study groups and TechnoSat are among the department’s most successful
efforts toward building community among partners. Teachers from the various
settings exchange ideas about how best to utilize technology to either
increase their own productivity or to enhance student learning. St. Catherine’s
is now considering using handheld technology in physical education methods
classes after a demonstration by a P-12 teacher. A St. Catherine’s
preservice teacher got such positive feedback from her presentation at
TechnoSat she is making a similar presentation at a national science conference.
Several P-12 faculty participants report that they are using Powerpoint
as a classroom management strategy during the beginning moments of class
when students are most distracted. Although PT3 grant funding will conclude
in May 2004, the department will sustain TechnoSat by assessing a small
registration fee.
Resources
Click
here for technology-rich resources.
Contact Information
Linda Distad
Associate Dean for Education Programs
College of St. Catherine
2004 Randolph Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
Phone: 651-690-6798
lsdistad@stkate.edu
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Effective
Practices Exchange
