(Posted 3-16-00)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Service Contact: Steve Gilliam, 336-334-5371

MICROSOFT AWARDS $30,000 GRANT
TO UNCG SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

GREENSBORO--The School of Education at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, has been awarded a $30,000 Partnership Grant for software and training materials to help K-12 preservice teachers develop effective uses of technology for teaching and learning.

The grant from Microsoft's teacher training program was awarded to Dr. Gerald Ponder,  professor and head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction; Dr. Barbara Levin, associate professor of curriculum and instruction; and Jean Camp, coordinator of instructional technology. With the software and material, pre-service and K-12 teachers participating in professional development courses at UNCG will have new resources to learn how to integrate technology into all aspects of the curriculum.

"Teachers are the key to making technology an effective tool for learning, " said Mary Stephenson, director, of Microsoft K-12 programs. "UNCG's School of Education has a strong
commitment to helping K-12 teachers build the skills necessary to effectively use technology in the classroom, and Microsoft is proud to support this training with up-to-date software and training resources."

The UNCG School of Education has been a member of teacher.training@microsoft since 1996. Instructional technology is infused into the UNCG program so that preservice teachers are prepared to use technology as a tool for enhancing teaching and learning.

"Our students are very excited about technology and its impact on teaching and learning," said Camp. "They see its potential for increasing student motivation and achievement."

Microsoft developed the teacher.training@microsoft program in response to educator requests for help and resources for using technology as an effective learning tool. Although many classrooms now have PCs and network connections, teachers need training and opportunities to work with their colleagues to successfully use these tools for teaching and  learning, said Stephenson.  During the 1998-1999 school year, nearly 10,000 school districts trained more than 400,000 educators at 1,000 teacher.training@microsoft sites. The program is part of Microsoft's continuing initiative to help build a "Connected Learning Community" in which all students, educators and parents have access to technology and the tools and skills to use information effectively today and for a lifetime.
 
 

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