The Making of IT Teachers: Lessons Learned from Animation-enhanced Training

Abstract

This paper discusses the roles of effective Information Technology (IT) teachers in today’s challenging educational environments. The discussion begins by discerning the teaching and learning philosophy that is relevant and crucial to establishing encouraging settings for learning. Moreover, important components of effective teaching are highlighted that help nurture IT teachers’ skills and proficiency. The making of effective IT teachers was addressed in a lab-based training involving 17 IT student teachers who used a host of technological tools, namely animation. Upon the completion of the training, these future IT teachers had gained the essential abilities in the specific IT domain that can improve their employability – both in private and civil sectors. This training had also honed their technical skills, making them more articulate in handling any jobs that they were assigned to do.