US West Partnership Grant Gets South Dakota Educators Onto the Electronic Information Highway

Thirty-three South Dakota teachers in 11 schools traveled the electronic information highway this summer under a $334,080 grant from the US WEST Foundation.

The 11 teams of classroom teachers from K-12 schools were selected to participate in the US West Teacher Network, a three-year technology training project implemented last year in South Dakota with the US WEST Foundation grant.

Dakota State University College of Education, the South Dakota Education Association (SDEA) and US WEST formed a business-education partnership last year to implement the US WEST Teacher Network in South Dakota.

This cooperative program is designed to provide teachers training in the use of computers and on-line services, including electronic mail and the internet, to support and enhance classroom activities. Each participant in the Teacher Network training was provided a lap-top computer with a modem that will become property of the school district of that teacher. They also received two graduate credits from DSU. To successfully complete the program, the Teacher Network participant will be required to conduct training sessions for at least ten other educators in their school district.

Dakota State University administered the Teacher Network training, provided on-line technology support and offers continuing education credits for participating teachers. Dr. Betty Bowers of the DSU School of Education said, "Understanding technology is becoming increasingly important for students entering the world of work. The Teacher Network helps ensure that South Dakota’s students will be ready to meet that challenge. It provides training for a nucleus of teachers who, in turn, train additional teachers. At the end of the three-year project, there should be enough teachers trained to ensure continuation of the process."

Other members of the consortium supporting the Teacher Network project are Technology and Innovations in Education (TIE) and the South Dakota Department of Education and Cultural Affairs (DECA).

Last year 35 teachers from eight school districts were awarded technology training, computers and online support through the US WEST Teacher Network education-business partnership. Participating teams are selected by a state selection committee of representatives from DSU, DECE, SDEA and a classroom teacher.