Journal 1

Technology Incentives
Motivating Teachers to Attend Professional Development Training by Virginia Richard
September/October 2007

This article is about finding ways to motivate teachers to become more technologically inclined. Its also about how to motivate the teachers to take the newly aquired knowledge to their classrooms. The article features a school district in Florida that rewards its teachers for taking advantage of seminars and classes that focus on technology. The article also gives recommendations for school districts, administrators and the like, to motivate its teachers to do this all over the country.
The article suggests that school districts put in place tech support teams to assist teachers in their technology endeavors. These "coaches" would help ensure that the knowledge they receive is utilized and put to work. It also suggests ways at finding funding, such as grants, to help this happen all over the country.

1.) Do the schools in my area offer this type of training for their teachers?
answer: Most school districts in my area offer their teachers opportunities to take technology classes and either get reimbursed, or offer them directly through the district itself.

2.)Would I take advantage of this training if it were offered to me?
answer: I would take advantage of this training if it would benefit myself or my students directly. I tend to shy away from technology because it is an area that intimidates me, but I also know that my students deserve the best, most up to date instruction. I know I would be extra motivated if there were some type of incentive, such as a bonus, or computer technology for my classroom, or something like that. I am able to realize the importance of computer, software, media and print technology so the logical answer is to say , of course, yes I would take advantage of the training.