University News
WIU's CAIT Goes to Middle School
February 5, 2001
Western Illinois Universitys Center for the Application of Information Technologies (CAIT) has again proven itself a leader in blending education and technology. The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) recently awarded CAIT $296,000 to fund its Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development MASS Project: Math and Science Solutions.
MASS will connect nine schools in diverse settings throughout Illinois to improve instruction and student learning in middle school math and science classrooms. The project will use a variety of convergent learning technologies to form a learning network connecting middle school math and science teachers and administrators with WIU faculty and pre-service teachers.
"This learning network will not only provide technology and general education training to participating teachers, but will also create a forum for collaboration on classroom and curricular ideas," said CAIT Director Michael Dickson. "MASS will increase teachers' content knowledge of math, science and the Illinois Learning Standards while improving preparation of WIUs pre-service teachers by their involvement in the projects staff development and training."
The project is under the direction of Dickson and Beverly Naslund, CAIT faculty assistant. CAIT is currently installing equipment at nine schools to facilitate the MASS learning network. Participating schools include Carthage Middle School; Casey Middle School, Mt. Vernon; Coolidge Middle School, Granite City; Costa Catholic Elementary School, Galesburg; Dallas City Elementary School; Glenn Raymond Middle School, Watseka; Ingersoll Middle School, Canton; St. Damian School, Oak Forest; and St. Michael Catholic Elementary, Orland Park.
"We are excited at the prospect of assisting Illinois middle schools with the integration of technology into their math and science curriculums," Dickson added. "MASS furthers CAITs goal of supporting the needs of the teaching community, which ultimately impacts student learning in Illinois."
CAIT is housed in the WIU College of Education and Human Services and is recognized by the IBHE as the only center of its kind in Illinois. CAIT serves as a catalyst for the application of present and future instructional-based technologies impacting teaching, learning and training in our society.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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