Preparing teachers for an ICT future
This month, the School of Education begins work on the DEEWR-funded ‘Teaching Teachers for the Future’ project. This is a nation-wide $8 million project involving the co-operative participation of all Australian universities that offer teacher preparation programs.
The project supports the ongoing development of the Information and Communication Technology in Education (ICTE) proficiency of graduate teachers across Australia by building the ICTE capacity of teacher educators and by developing appropriate resources.
Dr Chris Campbell, Lecturer in ICT, will lead UQ’s participation in the project. Specifically, Dr Campbell will work with the School of Education staff to develop ICTE with a particular focus on science and maths curriculum and pedagogy.
Some of the anticipated activities will include the development of a website with ICTE resources and discussions, the establishment of an ICTE reference group that includes participation from across the University and regular workshops for staff.
“I’m looking forward to working closely with staff from other universities and sharing ideas about how, together, we can best support the ICTE development of our future teachers. This is a unique opportunity for universities to foster their ICTE capacity by learning from each other,” said Dr Campbell.
“ICT has become an essential part of our day-to-day lifestyle and we need to ensure that our teachers have the necessary confidence to use these technologies to their full capacity in the classroom.
By doing this, our teachers can offer their students a learning experience that is both enjoyable and relevant to their wider social context. ”
