Welcome!

As a new teacher, you will be experiencing what many of your students are: learning new things. Along with curriculum, how to order supplies, where do you sit for lunch without taking an old-timer's seat and where to park, you will be asked to integrate technology into your teaching.

Your college may have required a few courses in computing and how to run a VCR during a presentation. Now you may find in your school or room a bank of computers, a laser disk player, a video recorder, digital camera and access to the Internet, all of which you are expected to use.

The focus of these pages is on the basics because you may be a first grade teacher or a high school math teacher, each with common technology but need to use it differently. A few things will be constant for each of you, however.

First, not every classroom or school is equipped the same. Some programs or some teachers have more than others. Sometimes it is due to district plans, sometimes it is due to teacher demands. If you are comfortable with technology and want to use it, especially after reading these sections, talk to you administrator and make sure he/she knows of your interest and ask how to get the best stuff.

Second, much of the school technology is not new. Hardware and software are expensive and once purchased, you are expected to use it beyond its generation. Get in touch with the people on committees that make purchasing decisions and let them know upgrading is important.

Third, you will need to have these machines maintained. If you know how to un-jam paper, install software (if your district allows it) and troubleshoot problems, your equipment will operate steadily. Take time to ask your maintenance people questions and write down the answers for next time.

Finally, keep learning new ways to use technology. Experiment and read. You'll find things start going your way.