From the experience gained in similar course offerings it has become clear that it is important that potential participants meet certain prerequisites and benchmarks if they are going to meet with success in the course. For this reason, it is important that the following list of prerequisites be reviewed prior to the course and only those candidates who meet the requirements participate in the training.  If you have questions about items listed below or are unsure if you meet the requirements, please contact your course instructor.  If you need assistance in contacting your instructor or need more information about the course, place contact your city's project coordinator whose email address and phone number can be located by clicking on the "Project Staff" button on the menu to the left.  City project coordinators can also direct you to web site tutorials or local classes that can help you meet these prerequisites and prepare for this course. 
If you are looking to gain more experience, you can find many online opportunities at:

• ElementK (formerly Ziff-Davis Online University)
• The WebTeacher - Produced by Tech Corps
• Peterson's Guide to Life Long Learning

Basic Computer Skills

Required

• Ability and experience using a mouse - You must be able to accurately point and click with your mouse.
• Good keyboarding skills - Although you do not need to be able to touch type, you do need to locate the appropriate keys quickly and be capable of typing accurately in a timely fashion.
• Ability to open (run) and close (quit/exit) programs - You should be able to open and close at least one program.
• Ability to open and close windows (screens)
• Ability to save files to your floppy disk or hard drive

Recommended

• Be able to create folders (directories) on your hard drive or disk
• Ability to use a multimedia CD-ROM - Although you will not be using CD-ROMs in the course, knowledge of how they work is useful.
• Ability to cut, copy and paste text

Access to Technology

Required

• Access to the Internet in your school - At a minimum, you should have Internet access on at least one computer in your school building.  You should be able to access the Internet-capable computer during the school day.
• Access to the Internet after work - The course does require participants to complete homework assignments and practice skills outside of the training lab, thus it is important that you can access the Internet outside of the regular school day.
• Fast Internet access - It is important that you have at least a 28,800 bps modem and computer that is no more then 4 years old.
• Reliable Internet access - Although the Internet is never 100% reliable, it is important that you can count on a connection when needed (i.e. no busy signals or disconnection) and access to technical support people who can respond to your needs in a timely fashion.

Recommended

• Access to the Internet in your classroom - Although this is not required, it is highly recommended.  If you do not currently have access in your classroom, you should investigate getting it by the conclusion of the course.
• Access to the Internet and a computer at home - Because of the homework assignments and need to practice new skills, having a computer at home with Internet access can be a real asset.
• High speed Internet access - The faster your Internet connection the better.

Experience

Required

• Exposure to use of computers - You should have at least limited experience using a comuter.
• Use of computers and technology with students - You should have some exposure to using computers and other instructional technology in the classroom.

Recommended

• One years of computer experience - The more experience using computers you have the better.
• Science and/or math teacher  - Although the course is open to all educators, it is geared toward teachers who deal with math and science topics as part or all of their curriculum.  If you do not cover these topics, you can still benefit from taking the course but should be prepared to see a large portion of math and science resources and applications.  You may wish to review the syllabus for the course to gain a better understanding of what is covered.

Miscellaneous

• Time - It will be important to have the time to complete the homework assignments and practice what you learn in the 3-hour workshops. The homework assignments are not optional and will take between 30 minutes to an hour to complete.
• Attendance - Because this course covers so much material in each class, it is vital that you do not plan to miss any classes and attend for the full three hours.
• Interest in using technology as an instructional tool - You would benefit from having a personal interest in using technology in the classroom in new and creative ways.