In this article, the author discusses the "Digital Underground Storytelling for Youth" (DUSTY), a collection of after-school, evening, and summer programs that is a university-community collaborative aimed at closing the "digital divide." At DUSTY the goal is to position participants to tell stories about self and community, and to use those…

Digital technology offers a host of opportunities and challenges for theological education. In this essay the author considers possible futures for theological education through creative uses of technology. The first half of the essay identifies five areas in which theological educators have had to gain technology skills in the last several years:…

The stand-alone computer course is the earliest IT training model in teacher education. Designed in the early 1980s, the course responded to increasing demands from schools that teachers have adequate technology skills. The primary goal was to improve technology proficiency among preservice teachers. Research later determined that student teachers…

In this article, the authors talk about the Summer Safari program that is designed for 9-to 14-year-old students. It targets individuals with an interest in comic books and a penchant for writing stories and/or drawing. The highlight of this multidisciplinary workshop is the seamless integration of writing, fine arts, and computer technology to…

Section 1008.30 (formerly 240.117), Florida Statutes, requires the State Board of Education to develop and implement a common placement testing program to assess the basic computation and communication skills of students who intend to enter a degree program at any public community college or state university. Every year the State provides reports…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Confronting the Autism Epidemic: New Expectations for Children with Autism Means a New Role for Public Schools (Kate McKenna); (2) Internet Research 101:…

To support schools as they move into the 21st century, the Massachusetts Department of Education is developing improved systems to collect, analyze, and report data, which will ultimately allow districts to make decisions about instructional practices that will better meet students' needs. Many Massachusetts school districts are using these…

According to a January 2007 survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 55 percent of teens (ages 12 to 17) report having created a personal profile online, and an equal number regularly use social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook. Of those, 91 percent use the sites to stay in touch with friends they see frequently. With all…

For some teachers, the increasing attention to digital and multimodal composing in English and Language Arts classrooms has brought into sharp relief the profession's investment in print as the primary means of expression. Although new forms of communication that combine words, still and moving images, and animation have begun to dominate digital…

At the Homestead Campus of Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC), in Florida, one barrier to fully integrating technology in the classroom was identified as the low-level of student computer skills. To address the problem, the campus undertook a project to establish a technology basic skills workshop for all students. In informal interviews to…

In spring of 1995 a partnership was formed between the Weakley County, Tennessee, school system and the Center of Excellence for Science and Mathematics Education (CESME) at the University of Tennessee at Martin to provide Internet access and training to rural teachers. The school system provided each of 20 science and mathematics teachers with a…

This study investigated the structure and content of the introductory computer literacy courses at four universities: Arizona State University, Indiana University, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Virginia. The four courses are similar to each other, however the structure and content vary. The course content at the four…

A program, developed to train teachers to use the computer, is based on the belief that adults acquire computer literacy in the same way that children do: sequentially and with hands-on experience. Programming is taught first. Reliance is placed on peer teaching as well as teaching by a skilled instructor. The role of play is emphasized in…

The Soviet Union has embarked upon a five-year plan to improve education at all levels. Some of the major aspects of the reform movement include: (1) improving the status of teachers by providing salary increases from 25 to 35 percent and trying to entice more men to enter teaching; (2) trying to increase the birthrate by emphasizing preschool…

In January 1983, Hamline University received a grant from the Exxon Corporation for a computer literacy faculty development project which involved three main activities: faculty workshops, faculty development projects, and hardware/software/courseware acquisitions. A series of four faculty workshops were offered during the 2-year grant period;…