"Creating Tech Wizards" by: Beth Breiner

A new and exciting program that has students teaching teachers about new technology of the future, has emerged from eastern Pennsylvania called The Technology Wizards. These students are members of the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit that supports 14 school districts and two career technical schools in Lehigh and Carbon counties. This program was created by Assistant Executive Director Cathy Groller. The creation of this program was sparked by having technology-savvy students who would provide on site sources of tech support to teachers. The first year of the program started with enlisting sixth and seventh graders to ensure the stability and growth. In the second year sixth, seventh, and eighth graders could participate in the program. By the third year of this program the grade levels would extend to sixth through ninth graders. The development of a Tech Wizards Junior program is also underway for elementary school students interested in computers and technology. The Technology Wizards program was fully operational by October 2007. Principals in each school facility were asked to nominate one to two faculty members as teacher advisors for this program. Faculty members were then asked to nominate students as well. The criteria for students to enter the program was to demonstrate a proclivity for technology and agree to participate in, and at times lead professional development training sessions for teachers. By the first year 26 sixth and seventh graders participated in this program. Students and advisers met once a month from November through May at the Intermediate Unit to train. Six of the school districts participated in the program using PCs, where the other two districts used Mac-based systems. It was very important that the program content would be delivered in a way that would model the very best practices for the educational theories. An example of this was that students in both the PC and Mac sessions had to create a one-minute persuasive commercial that would convince teachers of the benefits of using multimedia in the classroom. The students went to work and the teacher advisors were amazed in how well the students were learning and picking up the new technologies. By the end of the session students identified three new things that they learned and how they had learned them, and two things they still wanted to learn about. Students then took what they had learned back to their home classroom and the technology knowledge raised the roof in eastern Pennsylvania. This program is a huge success and others are developing all over the country.

I would use this technique in my classroom all of the time. This is such a great and interesting way to get students involved in technology. Having students teach other students and teachers is a great way for everyone to learn. Teachers learn new and exciting things from their students all of the time, why can it not be about technology. I believe that if this program were to be established in the San Diego school districts everyone would benefit from the programs educational ideas. I know that if I was a sixth or seventh grader I would definitely want to take this class and learn new things about the computer and how to use different applications on the computer. Especially how computers are in our everyday lives, knowing how to operate this technology will further launch education in the years to come. All in all The Technology Wizards program may start a trend that will overcome the rest of the countries school districts and facilitate a new way of teaching and learning for students.