Technology and Teaching

Recent college graduates in Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education programs are now required to be daily users of technology in the classroom. The reason? Mississippi now leads the nation with an exciting new technology-based curriculum called the Family and Consumer Sciences New Program Initiative. State-of-the-art classrooms with a teacher's station and 16 student computers with extensive software and Internet access are now available in approximately 40 classrooms around the state with more sites being added each year. In these classrooms, students are using technology as a tool in decision-making and are taking an active role in the learning process.

   It is important that Family and Consumer Sciences teacher education graduates receive a wide range of technology training before they leave college. In response to this change, the School of Human Sciences, Mississippi State University, is implementing a school-wide laptop computer requirement beginning Fall 2001 for second year students in Human Sciences. This change was initiated after faculty and administration determined that students already required to bring laptops are much more likely to use computers daily and learn new software. The end result is that these students generally have more extensive technology skills than students who do not have easy access to a computer. Technology skill is a marketable skill, regardless of college major.

   An important note: students attending college on federal financial aid programs will be able to use this money to purchase the laptop because ownership will be required.