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KOCE-TV’S ORANGE COUNTY TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTE PRESENTS TWO-DAY TECHNOLOGY TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR K-6 TEACHERS

KOCE-TV (PBS) Sponsored Event Provides Teachers with Tools to

Raise Student Test Scores and Improve Attitudes Toward Learning

Irvine, Calif.—May 5, 2005—The Orange County Teacher Training Institute (OCTTI) will present a two-day technology training workshop at the Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate School Friday, May 13 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 14 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. KOCE-TV is the founding title sponsor of this biennial program that began in 1995 which is geared toward providing K-6 teachers, administrators and graduating education majors with the skills necessary to implement technology in the classroom.

“KOCE-TV has always made our community involvement a priority, we are proud to provide teachers with this unique training program that will ultimately improve our children’s learning experience in the classroom,” said Mel Rogers, KOCE-TV president. “We have a strong relationship with the education community in Orange County and Southern California and KOCE-TV will continue to support programs which advance teachers’ skills and resources.”

OCTTI is modeled after the successful NTTI (National Training Teacher Institute) workshops, which have been proven by an independent research firm to raise student test scores and improve attitudes toward learning. Attendees of the workshop will learn strategies and techniques for integrating the latest technology into the classroom.

“More than 90 percent of students in Orange County now have access to computers and the Internet,” said Hall Davidson, director of educational services at KOCE-TV. “One of the primary educational challenges faced today is the gap between the students’ ability and enthusiasm to take advantage of these technologies, and the teachers’ actual use of effective training material. This workshop is designed to provide the skills necessary to close in on that gap thus improving education in our community.”

OCTTI Hosts Two Day Technology Training Workshop

Orange County teachers have been instrumental in the creation of the OCTTI lessons, which include a series of hands-on seminars to demonstrate effective, research-based methodologies for integrating the Internet, multimedia and other software into lesson plans. Benefits of attending the OCTTI training workshop include:

· Learn how to create instant presentations, Web sites, templates and digital movies

· Gain a greater understanding of how to use the Internet as a resource

· Access a 24-hour video library with 44,000 clips that can be incorporated into daily lesson plans

· Attend “Total Tech” sessions to upgrade skills with commonly used software

· Take home a binder filled with concrete lesson plans for immediate use

· Earn an optional graduate credit from Cal State University, Fullerton

Lori Musick, OCTTI coordinator and former coordinator for the NTTI conferences, says that teachers find these types of sessions invaluable. “The feedback is tremendous,” Musick said. “Teachers come from all over the county and beyond, on their own time, because they recognize the need to understand how to incorporate technology into teaching in a fun way.”

Valuable insight into Southern California educational trends will be provided by Davidson, keynote speaker of the event, and special guest speaker Rueben Martinez, recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship. Local sponsors of OCTTI include the Ebell Club of Newport Beach, Wells Fargo, Fluor, Washington Mutual, Union Bank of California, the Saddleback Valley Education Foundation and the Orange County Department of Education.

To register, visit www.octti.org and fill out an on-line registration form. Walk-ins will be permitted as space allows. The cost to attend is $25.

KOCE-TV, one of the most watched PBS stations in America, has an estimated 4.5 million viewers* each month, and offers a mix of both local and national programs. In addition, KOCE Classroom serves more than half-a-million K-14 students. The winner of hundreds of awards including Emmys and Community Service Awards, KOCE continues to be a leading resource for education, culture and local issues in Southern California. For more information, please visit www.koce.org.

* This figure was calculated by KOCE's program consultant and is based upon information obtained via PubTV Online.

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