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Arizona Universities Team To Help Teachers Learn New Tech

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 07/08/10

The University of Arizona and Arizona State University are teaming up to help middle and high school teachers learn how to use new technologies in the classroom. The Helios Education Foundation has committed $115,000 to Teach Tec, a partnership among U Arizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and Arizona Telemedicine Program and Arizona State's Bob Ramsey Executive Education Program.

Teach Tec will hold a free 12-hour certificate program for seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade teachers in Arizona to show them how technologies such as Flip video cameras, Poll Everywhere, SurveyMonkey, Wordle, and YouTube can serve as tools to enhance the learning experience. While the workshops will be held in Phoenix and Tucson, the events will also be video-streamed for access by teachers online.

"This course will provide opportunities for teachers to learn how to integrate everyday technology tools into their classroom practice, which will enhance the teaching and learning of math and science," said Jo Anne Vasquez, vice president and program director of Transition Years Teacher and Curriculum Initiatives for the foundation.

Faculty members from both universities are expected to train as many as 60 teachers and potentially hundreds more online.

"Through this outstanding partnership, science, technology, engineering and math teachers will better understand how to incorporate no-cost, cutting-edge technology into the classroom," said Catherine Eden, director of Arizona State's Executive Education Program, which is awarding the certificate. "The program is also designed to foster collaboration between peer schools."