CAN TECHNOLOGY ENHANCE STUDENT LEARNING IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE CLASS?

CAN TECHNOLOGY ENHANCE STUDENT LEARNING IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE CLASS? Bonita F. Williams and Joseph George, Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction, Columbus State University, Columbus, GA 31907.

A professor of middle level education and an eighth grade science teacher, along with her student teacher, received a mini-grant from the Co-Reform in West Central Georgia Transforming Teacher Education Project to explore ways to improve teacher education in order to improve student achievement. Each of the three is participating in Georgia's Framework for Integrating TEChnology (INTECH). INTECH is a 50-hour professional development project that provides interactive modeling of effective technology-based strategies designed to support and enhance curriculum while providing a catalyst for change in teaching and learning processes. Originally developed for in-service teachers and then extended to student teachers, the model is currently being used to train its first group of college professors under the collaborative triad model. INTECH focuses upon developing skills in five critical areas: 1) use of technology, 2) curriculum integration 3) designs for learning, 4) enhanced pedagogy, and 5) classroom managemen t. Preliminary survey, interview, and observation data indicate that implementation of INTECH strategies has had a positive impact upon student attitude and achievement. Implications for and impact upon teaching and learning at the university level continues to be investigated.