Oklahoma State Department of Education

Oklahoma State Department of Education - The integration of Internet technology into classroom settings is becoming more and more prominent. Educators see the benefit of combining traditional teaching methods with the communication and research capabilities that the Internet offers. Classrooms can communicate with other classrooms worldwide in order to bridge cultural and communications gaps. Students will be better prepared for college and careers by having the knowledge and expertise to operate and work with computers and the Internet. Teachers can communicate better with students and parents by offering classroom websites that can showcase class curricula, projects, grades, and schedules. State education departments all over the United States are forming programs with the intention of combining the worlds of conventional education with technology. One such department, the Oklahoma State Department of Education, with the inception of its 'Enhancing Education Through Technology' program, as well as other programs, is ensuring that its students are well on their way to getting comprehensive educational experiences that include technology through mentoring, on-site training of teachers, and grant awards.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education recognizes the power and importance of the Internet as a teaching and learning tool, and is going to great lengths to make sure that it's faculty are prepared to provide an interesting and enriching educational experience to students with knowledge and competence. They have designed various programs that aim to equip teachers with the necessary Internet and technology skills to make the programs work their best. One such program is the 'Oklahoma Teacher Telementors'. The Telementors are a group of teachers that have been trained in all technological aspects. They are available to all Oklahoma public schools for on-site training of teachers and staff in order to make certain that the integration of technology into the school curriculum is optimal. This training is available at no charge to the school that requests it.

Another group of technology wizards, the 'House Bill 1815 Trainers', are available for mentoring in the Oklahoma Public Schools. Established in 1997 in the Oklahoma State legislature, the 1815 trainers are part of an association with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, and strive to share their knowledge of technology with educators in order to make the marriage of technology with education work the most efficiently.

Though an exciting concept, Internet integration into the classroom does not give a teacher free reign. All states have strict academic requirements that each student must meet or exceed in order to be promoted to the next grade level, and Oklahoma is no different. Their standards are known as PASS (Priority Academic Student Skills). In order to make sure that all students meet these standards as well as benefit from technology in the classroom, the Oklahoma State Department of Education offers 'MarcoPolo Training' to all of its faculty in order to provide training and resource information to them so that they can successfully incorporate the Internet into the curricula of all elementary, middle, and high school classrooms in Oklahoma. These workshops assist teachers in preparing lesson plans that suitably fit technology into the curriculum and teach the academic requirements of the state of Oklahoma.

Through mentoring, on-site training, and various workshops, the Oklahoma State Department of education is striving to prepare its faculty members for the integration of technology into the classrooms. The use of the Internet in an educational setting is a powerful tool that combines communication and information, as well as adds a new level of excitement and interest to the classroom. Teachers and students alike can benefit from the addition of the Internet to lessons, and parents can also be made more aware of what their kids are doing in school, as well as have another way to communicate with teachers. The Oklahoma State Department of Education understands the benefits that come from bringing technology into education, and is working diligently and creatively to make certain that its teachers are prepared and knowledgeable in the classroom, not just to meet state academic standards, but to also enrich the educations of Oklahoma's students so that they will benefit for a lifetime.