SSU and Frostburg Receive Technology Collaboration  Grant

SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury State University in collaboration with Frostburg State University recently received a $752,295 three-year implementation grant from the U.S. Department of Education for “Interning in the New Millennium: Enhancing Collaboration, Professional Development and Use of Technology in Our Schools.”  The grant will attempt to assure that teacher education graduates will effectively demonstrate the ability to plan, deliver and access learning/instructional activities that infuse educational computing and technology in the teacher education curriculum.

The grant has three goals: revising teacher education curriculum and field experiences for teacher candidates and supporting professional development of university faculty and K-12 public school teachers; developing performance assessments that will measure and demonstrate the technology-related competencies of teacher candidates; and incorporating performance assessments into teacher candidate portfolios, making them available electronically to demonstrate their technology-related proficiency.

“The proposed activities will provide a catalyst for systemic change in teacher education programs throughout Maryland,” said project director Regina Royer, SSU education faculty member.  “It will develop the required technology-related knowledge and skills recently proposed by the Maryland Teacher Technology Outcomes Task Force and promote a shift from state certification on the basis of coursework and credit hours to certification based on a demonstration of knowledge and skills. Standardization of the performance assessments will ensure that all teachers receiving initial certification can perform at similar levels of  proficiency in using technology for teaching and learning.”

The grant represents a partnership between SSU, Frostburg State and school districts in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, Worcester, Allegheny, Garrett, Frederick and Washington counties.