| In 1980, Dr. Seymour Papert of Massachusetts Institute of Technology stated that computer presence in the classroom would revolutionize the learning environment. However, in a recent analysis of classroom technology integration, only a small proportion of teachers were evaluated as major computer users (Becker, 1999). Research indicates that lack of technology training causes teachers to experience computer anxiety and inhibits classroom computer use (Gos, 1996; Haugland, 1999).;The faculty development research investigated two technology integration training programs for the reduction of computer anxiety of in-service teachers. Two groups of public school in-service teachers were recruited for the quasi-experimental study during the fall semester of 1999. Both groups were given a pretest, administered a treatment (technology integration training program) and then given a posttest. Treatment one was a traditional-style technology integration training program. Ten weeks after the training, the in-service teachers completed a posttest.;Treatment two was a mentor-style technology integration training program. Preservice teachers taught this second group of in-service teachers the technology integration concepts the pre-service teachers learned each week in an educational technology college course. At the end of the ten-weeks, the second group of in-service teachers completed a posttest. Pretest and posttest scores from the traditional-style and mentor-style training programs were compared to measure the progress of both treatments in lowering computer anxiety levels.;The faculty development research showed a significant lowering ( p ≤ .05) of computer anxiety levels within both treatment groups. There was no significant difference between the two types of training programs in lowering the computer anxiety of in-service teachers. However, the decrease in computer anxiety levels of mentor-style participants was larger than the decrease in computer anxiety levels of traditional-style participants. The faculty development research lends support to the validity of lowering computer anxiety as a result of training. The outcome of the study presented a unique collaborative approach to technology integration training and the lowering of computer anxiety of in service teachers. |
