SEMO TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL TEACHER INITIATIVE IN OCTOBER

Southeast Missouri State University's College of Education will participate with other schools in a national initiative.

The 21st Century Teachers program is designed to help all teachers learn how to use new technology to improve teaching and learning at home and in the classroom.

The schools involved in the program are members of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Southeast hopes to further the program with a number of activities this month. The College of Education has designated it "Technology Month."

Activities include technology-mentoring sessions in which education faculty will meet in groups to learn about distance-learning equipment for classrooms and a wide range of computer software.

In addition, Oct. 23 will be Technology Day. Every professor in the College of Education will use technology in some way in each scheduled class.

President Clinton announced the teaching initiative in his State of the Union address in January.

"In our schools, every classroom in America must be connected to the information superhighway with computers and good software and well-trained teachers," the president said.

"We look forward to an exciting schedule of activities that will certify that we are, indeed, a high-tech program of preparation," said Dr. Shirley Stennis-Williams, dean of the College of Education.