LAEP helps bring teachers, schools and communities to the forefront of technology

LAEP Receives $1.2 Million Grant from U.S. Department of Education to Provide Technology Training to New Teachers in Inner-city Schools Project Will Support New Teacher Professional Development School Activities in South Central Los Angeles THE LOS ANGELES EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP (LAEP) today announced receipt of a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to be used to prepare novice teachers to use technology effectively in the classroom. The grant will fund a new program called "Technology for Tomorrow's Teachers (TeaTech)" which will provide technology training and support for new teachers who have emergency teaching permits and are working toward their teaching credential while working in inner-city classrooms. The grant provides a key source of support for teacher development through the newly formed Millennium Professional Development School (MPDS), a collaborative project of LAEP, California State University Dominguez Hills, the Manual Arts Cluster, and the Los Angeles Unified School District. "This grant provides important resources that will enable us to help teachers learn to use technology effectively in the classroom as they begin their careers," said Andy Dunau, director of technology services for LAEP. TeaTech will operate across six school campuses in the Manual Arts Cluster in south central Los Angeles in conjunction with the new professional development school activities. Participating teachers will observe mentor teachers and participate in classroom based activities utilizing technology. Intensive training will be provided to MPDS faculty, staff and new teachers participating in the program. Technology coordinators will provide follow-up support for MPDS students as they learn to use the Internet and other technologies to meet the needs of their students. "The Millennium Professional Development School is an innovative model designed to link the college level preparation of teachers with what really works in public schools, " said Judy Johnson, associate director of LAEP. "Since teaching credential candidates will have the opportunity to work closely with teachers, coaches and university staff in their own classrooms, we believe the technology training will help new teachers integrate technology into their everyday teaching activities and in the process bring rich new sources of educational content and learning experiences to inner city classrooms." The technology grant received by LAEP is part of a new $135 million grants program to train 400,000 new teachers to use technology in the classroom that was recently announced by Vice President Al Gore and U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley. The grants are part of the Administration's educational technology initiative that aims to increase the number of multimedia computers in the classroom, encourage the development of high quality software, train teachers to use technology effectively and connect every classroom to the Internet by the year 2000. "Teachers tell us they do not feel very well prepared for the challenges of the modern classroom," said U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley in a news release announcing the grants. "These grants will help teachers to get the preparation they need to successfully integrate technology into their lesson plans at a time when it is increasingly important."