21st-Century Classrooms
“Teaching with Today’s Technology” grant to enhance teaching programs at Virginia Wesleyan College
By Leona Baker | May 4, 2011
Current and future educators at Virginia Wesleyan College will soon have a new set of 21st-century tools at their disposal. The Verizon Foundation through a program of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC) recently announced the winners of their 2011 “Teaching with Today’s Technology” grants totaling $100,000. VWC was among a handful of colleges to receive an award.
Virginia Wesleyan College, Bridgewater College, Hollins University, Marymount University, and Sweet Briar College have each been awarded $20,000 to “to enhance the education and skills of VFIC college students heading to careers in teaching K -12.” A formal check presentation was held at the Shenandoah Club in Roanoke, Virginia on April 13, 2011.
"As a result of this grant, students in the education program will learn to effectively use such tools as Thinkfinity to engage the learners in their charge. Further, we will be able to help practicing teachers and teacher cadets use technology in their classrooms, too!" - Dr. Hilve Firek The grant program focuses on offering VFIC college students more exposure to the technologies and software available for K-12 teaching, such as Verizon’s Thinkfinity digital learning platform, in order to make the classroom experience a more interactive and integrated one.
Virginia Wesleyan Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Hilve Firek wrote the grant, titled “Teaching with Web 2.0: Using Today's Technology to Engage Learners.” In it, she outlines how internet tools such as blogs, wikis, and social networking sites allow users to “construct knowledge, not just consume it” and how a better understanding of those tools can help students and educators engage in a more meaningful learning experience.
I am pleased that this grant will help us better educate our pre-service teachers to use technology to improve the teaching and learning process,” says Dr. Firek. “As a result of this grant, students in the education program will learn to effectively use such tools as Thinkfinity to engage the learners in their charge. Further, we will be able to help practicing teachers and teacher cadets use technology in their classrooms, too!”
For more information about the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, visit www.vfic.org. To learn more about Verizon's Thinkfinity program, go to www.thinkfinity.org.