Background
The Teacher-Education Technology Initiative, also known as the
'Spangler Initiative,' was established in 1995-96 as a mandate
for all North Carolina pre-service students to become technologically
proficient in basic and advanced technology competencies, with
an emphasis on the application of technology use in educational
settings to enhance teaching and learning. In addition, all
teacher-education faculty were strongly encouraged to become
proficient in the basic competencies and model the use of instructional
technology in their teacher-education courses.
Each UNC institution was permanently funded to hire a full-time,
non-tenure track faculty member to develop and implement a
technology integration program for teacher-education faculty
and pre-service candidates, with priority to working with
teacher-education faculty to integrate technology into their
teaching. Each institution also received a one-time allocation
based on enrollment to acquire technology-related equipment
facilitating the implementation of the 'Spangler Initiative.'
In 2004, a new set of technology standards replaced the original
North Carolina Advanced Technology Competencies for Educators.
The new standards, established by ISTE, are titled the National
Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T), and
serve as the foundational structure for the technology portfolio,
which is a licensure standard for all initially licensed North
Carolina teachers.
WCU Teacher Education Technology
Admission Requirements
Beginning Fall 1998, all students applying for admission
to a WCU teacher education program must take a technology
skills self-appraisal as one of many criteria for teacher
education admission.
The instrument is a self-disclosure assessment of technology
skills and knowledge as identified in by the National Educational
Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). The self-assessment
covers 15 content and skill areas.
Upon completion of the assessment, an online analysis and
suggested training resource list is displayed. Students may
elect to have results e-mailed to them. A verification of
student completion of this diagnostic is electronically sent
to the Director of Instructional Technology and to the WCU
Licensure Secretary. For more information about the diagnostic,
contact Dr. Ben Coulter at (828) 227-7111 or bcoulter@email.wcu.edu.
Licensure Criteria
Beginning in 1998, ALL persons applying for North Carolina
initial teaching licensure must prepare and present a technology
portfolio which will be evaluated by WCU teacher education
faculty and in-service cooperating teachers.
The technology portfolio is a representation of a candidate's
ability to effectively integrate instructional technology
into teaching and learning, correlated to the NETS-T technology
standards. Accompanying each evidence and
artifact is a reflective statement that describes the pedagogical
impact of the specific instructional technology. Please visit
the Technology
Portfolio website for more details.
All portfolios are assessed locally within the College of
Education and Allied Professions and College of Arts and Sciences
for licensure compliance. Emphasis for portfolios is to reflect
examples of a candidate's best work utilizing technology,
validating that the they have achieved a level of mastery
using instructional technology to support teaching and learning,
and in turn demonstrating proficiency in NETS-T national technology
standards.
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