BERNIE TEACHER PARTICIPATES IN NATIONAL CLASS

BERNIE -- Pam Maclin, math and science teacher at Bernie High School, was a little intimidated when three cameramen showed up at her Algebra I class. Although she knew they were going to be there filming her lesson on linear graphing using technology, it was still a little different.

The reason the cameramen were there was because Maclin was one of three local teachers who was selected to participate in a grant-funded program creating examples of best practice in use of educational technology in the classroom.

Southeast Missouri State University's College of Education, as a participant in the National In Time Grant, was asked to identify teachers in Missouri who were considered exemplary in the use of technology in their classrooms.

From an initial list of 22 Missouri teachers, 10 have been selected to participate, including Maclin.

Some 45 teachers of students as all levels were selected to be videotaped in their classroom using the best practices with technology. These videotapes will be placed on a server at the University of Northern Iowa, available for viewing worldwide. They are part of a national grant that provides the resources for the project to develop methods of integrating technology into teacher-education programs effectively.

More taping will be going on in the fall with Missouri teachers from Perryville. Maclin will be teaching a workshop in July on Implementing Technology in lessons plans for teachers form Bernie, Dexter and Gideon.

"Seldom do teachers in small districts get national visibility for outstanding work. Through this grant, some of our best local teachers who already assist our university in preparing teachers to use technology, will serve as models for teacher preparation in other states," said Dr. Shirley Stennis-Williams, who is a member of the national oversight of administrators for the project.

Maclin had to travel to the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to take some training on what was going to happen and how the lesson plan was to be prepared. The camera crew came on May 8 and filmed her class for two hours. Maclin says at first the kids were a little intimidated.

"They didn't want to talk first and when they did it was very low," said Maclin. "I was a little intimidated myself, but once we got going and forgot about the camera crew, it went fine." The lesson that was presented was on slope-and-linear equations. The taping was a reenactment of the course lesson that had already been taught. The actual lesson only took 90 minutes the first time around, but the taping took two hours.

Integrating technology in her classroom, Maclin says, is easier for the students. She says that it is more individualized. A line comes up on the screen and the students have to figure out the problem and they keep coming back until they finish it. She also says that since each program is individualized, it takes away the problem of peer pressure in that the students aren't afraid to be wrong.

"If they are wrong, it is between themselves and the computer and no one else," said Maclin.

"Cooperative learning also puts peer teaching in place," said Maclin. "It is okay for students if one person knows they made a mistake or to ask for help, but not to ask from all," said Maclin.

Locally, selected Southeast education faculty members will be trained to use the tapes and will be supported during the revision of their education method classes, requiring their pre-service students to integrate technology into their lesson plans.