UNLV's College of Education has been awarded more than $1.1 million in federal funds to help train teachers in the best ways to use computer technology in their classrooms.
The money for the college's Project THREAD: Technology Helping Restructure Educational Access and Delivery comes in the form of a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The funds are from the federal Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology program. Last year the UNLV project received a one-year, $132,000 start-up grant.
"This money will allow us to increase the amount of instruction our Education College students receive in the use of computers in the classroom," said education professor Neal Strudler, who is the THREAD project director. "The idea is that teachers need to know the best ways to integrate computer technology throughout their various class subjects. That will be of great future benefit to students across Clark County who will have teachers who have been well trained about how computer technology can best help students in kindergarten through 12th grades.
"It's important to realize that it is not just students in our college who will benefit. Teachers in the Clark County School District and at St. Viator's who serve as mentors to our student teachers will receive additional training as well," he said. "As a result, many students now in the K-12 system will benefit, too."
Gene Hall, dean of the College of Education, said, "We take very seriously our mission of producing top-quality classroom teachers. This grant gives us a chance to really enhance the skills that our teacher-graduates will take to the classroom by going well beyond basic computer instruction."
Strudler agreed, saying that it's almost impossible to overstate the importance of computer technology and knowledge in the classroom.
"I am thrilled for the resources that this will bring to UNLV's College of Education and our various partners in the project. With the increasing teacher shortage in Clark County and across the nation, this grant program will be invaluable in helping prepare tomorrow's teachers for 21st century classrooms.
"Computer technology is such a powerful tool for teaching and for learning. It has radically changed our classrooms and, clearly, our world," he said. "It's no longer enough for a student to take one high school class in computer technology during their K-12 education; they will need a great deal of exposure to that technology throughout their various classes in order to be able to compete in the workplace of the future."
Working with Strudler on the project are David Heflich and Kendall Hartley, both UNLV assistant professors of education, and Christy Falba of the school district.
For additional information, call project coordinator Risa Weiss 895-2632.
