The Teacher-Education Technology Initiative, also known as the 'Spangler Initiative,' was established in 1995-96 as a mandate for all North Carolina pre-service students to become technologically proficient in basic and advanced technology competencies, with an emphasis on the application of technology use in educational settings to enhance teaching and learning. In addition, all teacher-education faculty were strongly encouraged to become proficient in the basic competencies and model the use of instructional technology in their teacher-education courses.
Each UNC institution was permanently funded to hire a full-time, non-tenure track faculty member to develop and implement a technology integration program for teacher-education faculty and pre-service candidates, with priority to working with teacher-education faculty to integrate technology into their teaching. Each institution also received a one-time allocation based on enrollment to acquire technology-related equipment facilitating the implementation of the 'Spangler Initiative.'
In 2004, a new set of technology standards replaced the original North Carolina Advanced Technology Competencies for Educators. The new standards, established by ISTE, are titled the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T), and serve as the foundational structure for the technology portfolio, which is a licensure standard for all initially licensed North Carolina teachers.
WCU Teacher Education Technology Admission Requirements
Beginning Fall 1998, all students applying for admission to a WCU teacher education program must take a technology skills self-appraisal as one of many criteria for teacher education admission.
The instrument is a self-disclosure assessment of technology skills and knowledge as identified in by the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). The self-assessment covers 15 content and skill areas.
Upon completion of the assessment, an online analysis and suggested training resource list is displayed. Students may elect to have results e-mailed to them. A verification of student completion of this diagnostic is electronically sent to the Director of Instructional Technology and to the WCU Licensure Secretary. For more information about the diagnostic, contact Dr. Ben Coulter at (828) 227-7111 or bcoulter@email.wcu.edu.
Licensure Criteria
Beginning in 1998, ALL persons applying for North Carolina initial teaching licensure must prepare and present a technology portfolio which will be evaluated by WCU teacher education faculty and in-service cooperating teachers.
The technology portfolio is a representation of a candidate's ability to effectively integrate instructional technology into teaching and learning, correlated to the NETS-T technology standards. Accompanying each evidence and artifact is a reflective statement that describes the pedagogical impact of the specific instructional technology. Please visit the Technology Portfolio website for more details.
All portfolios are assessed locally within the College of Education and Allied Professions and College of Arts and Sciences for licensure compliance. Emphasis for portfolios is to reflect examples of a candidate's best work utilizing technology, validating that the they have achieved a level of mastery using instructional technology to support teaching and learning, and in turn demonstrating proficiency in NETS-T national technology standards.