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NMC receives grant from U.S. Dept. of Education
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Posted on Dec 15 1999
The Northern Marianas College School of Education, working in consortium with the Public School System and the CNMI Museum of History and Culture, has been awarded $140,162 by the U. S. Department of Education as 41.53% of a Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers Today (PT3) Capacity Building grant.
The grant, matched by $205,650 in-kind contributions, or 59.47%, makes up for the $345,812 in total funding available for technology training project.
The project will contribute digital scanners and cameras and provide training to PSS teachers on using instructional technology and the internet to disseminate information, present projects, and discuss issues across the school system.
The Museum of History and Culture will provide access to holdings for student projects and technical assistance, and NMC teachers-in-training will work with PSS classes to produce various web sites.
Project Director and School of Education Director Chas Algaier said the U.S. Department of Education fears the rise of a “digital divide” between “haves and have nots”. “The problem is limited access to equipment, which not everyone can get,” said Algaier, “as well as room for greater understanding of what the equipment can do.
The Capacity Building grant will allow us to lay down a cadre of well-trained internet experts in the schools, provide for basic and creative instructional needs, and enhance motivation for teaching and learning.”
Algaier added: “It also allows us to compete for a larger implementation grant, federal funding pending.”
He said the implementation grant would need matching funds for a three year period. “We can match with service, which we do a lot, we can match with cash, which never happens, or we can match with hardware. If any company knows it’s going to be replacing computers over the next few years, and would like to become a consortium partner, give me a call.”
