Intel impacts learning with tech through teacher education

The need to integrate technology into classroom learning to better prepare students for the 21st Century got a boost recently at a four-day training session tagged ‘Intel Teacher Professional Development Training.’

It was organised by Intel in partnership with the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED).

The training exercise, which is part of Intel’s global Teach Programme to improve effectiveness among teachers through professional development, afforded participants from the university, the opportunity to interact with various classroom technology solutions that aids problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration skills.

Speaking on the training, Shelly Shott, global education specialist, Intel, who facilitated the training sessions, emphasised the need for a student-centred environment, which according to her, was a perfect environment to introduce technology.

“Intel believes that we have to educate our students for the 21st Century. The old format of teaching does not necessarily support technology in the classroom, which is why we are advocating for a student-centred approach to learning,” she said.

As the first university of education, the partnership with TASUED, will provide Intel with the opportunity to have a system in place, whereby teachers year in year out are given technology skills before they graduate.

According to Babatunde Akinola, corporate affairs group manager, Intel, Intel through the programme has also provided the school with its curriculum for teachers training, which they can apply to both the pre-service and in-service teachers.

“The course we are running is Intel Teaching Portfolio of Courses and we have been training teachers around the world for the past 10 years. The company has invested over $1 billion in education and we still continue to do that. We see TASEUD as a strategic partner because their mandate is Education,” he said.

Niran Adetoro, director, academic planning, Quality Assured and Research, TASEUD, commending Intel for the initiative, said “the training could not have come at a better time, given that the school is looking for exciting and innovative ways to help teachers and by extension the children learn better.”

On the mode of implementation, Adetoro said: “We will do a report to the university management and thereafter, we will want to step it down to teachers within the university that technology can be very useful in facilitating learning.”