Intel Teach Essentials Course makes integrated technology teaching practices mainstay

Findings from Deakin University’s annual Impact Survey have confirmed that integrated technology teaching practices are becoming a mainstay in the classroom thanks to the Intel Teach Essentials Course. Survey results reveal the strong impact of the course on teaching and learning as teachers develop and implement curriculum that effectively uses ICT (Information and Communications Technology) to support inquiry-driven, collaborative learning. Teachers and schools are leveraging the Essentials Course to increase student engagement in their learning and to better prepare students for success in today’s knowledge economy.

Key findings of the Deakin University 2006 impact survey include:

• Ninety four per cent of 2005 Essentials Course participants are currently engaging their students in technology-based practices
• The trend to more frequent classroom ICT use with 73 per cent of respondents using technology weekly or more, compared with just 33 per cent two years ago

The Intel Teach Program Essentials Course is a teacher professional development program designed to equip teachers with skills to integrate technology into the classroom. The aim of the program is to improve students' critical thinking, collaboration and digital literacy, skills considered essential to the ongoing learning of Australian children, and competitiveness for Australia globally.

According to Deakin University, the participant feedback exemplifies how the impact of the course continues to strengthen as the teachers have recounted some striking changes in students, since the implementation of the program. Students are showing greater confidence in their ability to communicate their ideas and thought processes effectively and creatively, using technology. They are demonstrating more in-depth understanding of the subject matter but are also totally engaged in and driving their own learning, which in itself, is highly rewarding for the teachers.

An example of the program in action can be seen, where students are effectively researching by using credible resources on the internet, then presenting their learning’s using multimedia presentations, newsletters, websites or even digital story books.

The unit planning approach in the Essentials Course is being used throughout schools and is becoming embedded in teacher curriculum planning for developing further units.

According to Deakin University, they found the train the trainer model for delivering the program creates collegiality and support amongst the teachers in participating schools, particularly when the program receives strong leadership support from the principal.

Intel Teach Essentials is the largest international professional development program of its kind and is a joint initiative between Intel and the New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria Departments of Education and Training. More than 10,000 teachers have completed the training.

Additional Information about the impact survey

Central to the ongoing evaluation of the Essentials Course, undertaken by Deakin University, is the conduct of the Intel Teach Essentials Course Impact Survey, delivered midway through each year to all teachers, who completed the program in the previous year. The 2006 Impact Survey was conducted with all participants who undertook the program in 2005. (737 responses were received from Primary and Secondary teachers across Victoria, Queensland and NSW, a 24 per cent response rate).

This year, a long term impact survey was also distributed to a small sample of the 2003 and 2004 participants. Responses were received from 95 participants (approximately 5 per cent of the total participants).This slightly modified version of the impact survey was designed to gather a view of the continuing impact of the program.