Technology Training For In-Service Teachers – An Evaluation

Abstract

A process to determine impact is needed for all training programs. The Tech Mentors Program, a three-year initiative of the PT3 project at Florida International University, focuses on the professional development of cooperating teachers in the Miami-Dade County School District as a key strategy for improving teacher education. In the first year of this program, 100 participating teachers received a full week of technology training and agreed to accept a FIU intern in his/her classroom in fall 2002 or spring 2003, use what he/she learns to support technology integration into the student intern’s field experiences, and mentor the intern and help to evaluate his/her use of instructional technology. Since data has not been gathered regarding the impact of technology training on classroom mentoring practice and student intern achievement, the purpose of this evaluation study is to determine whether the program actually helps cooperating teachers to acquire the required knowledge, skills and dispositions to mentor teacher education students. Kirkpatrick’s model of evaluation is used as a framework to build the evaluation questions. Based on the results in each level of the evaluation, the program has been successful in providing the Miami-Dade public school teachers with the much needed technology integration training.