Thirty-five high school teachers from around the country came to the College to submerge themselves in a world of computers for an intensive five-week camp sponsored by the College's Computer Learning and Information Program.
Dartmouth is nationally renowned for its commitment to teaching computer literacy and familiarity to its students. Every undergraduate, starting with the '95 class, must own a personal computer, even professors communicate with students through electronic mail and former College President John Kemeny and Mathematics Professor Thomas Kurtz co-wrote the computer language Basic.
Mathematics Professor Dwight Lahr decided to share that push for computer know-how with teachers from around the country when he began CLIPP 10 years ago.
The program is aimed at making teachers aware of the most recent personal computer technology. "We show teachers how computers can serve the curriculum rather than control it," said Lahr, who still directs the program.
The participants this summer, who came from major cities nation-wide and are between 20 and 50 years old, stayed at the College from June 28 to Aug. 1. Their experience in teaching ranges from two to more than 50 years and is in a variety of subjects, from the sciences to foreign languages to literature.
The teachers resided in campus dormitories while attending the program. Their room and board, workshop-related expenses and travel costs were paid for by a foundation which chose to remain anonymous.
On a typical day, CLIPP participants attended lectures in the morning and worked in computer laboratories in the afternoon. They performed daily homework assignments, which included keeping a journal. Away from their keyboards, teachers met once a week to discuss problems specific to their schools and received feedback from others who may have dealt with similar issues.
The fast pace of the schedule took its toll on the participants, who often complained about the heavy workload. A Detroit teacher gave a presentation with graphs on how 65 percent of his time was spent on class and homework while only 35 percent of it was used for eating, sleeping and other activities, a press release stated.
"The first couple of weeks are hard on everyone," Lahr said. Things settled down during the third week as the participants began to create their own software programs for their schools, he said.
Elizabeth Dycus, a CLIPP administrator, said the process of deciding which teachers should participate is long but necessary. She serves on the selection review board with Lahr and five other College faculty members and administrators.
"First, we want to choose schools that will support the teachers once they return home," Dycus said. "Next, we look for teachers who have a strong commitment, proven leadership potential and a high energy level."
The committee stresses commitment because when the program is completed, the teachers leave the College and bring the program with them to their schools, she said.
Participants continue their connections with the program though CLIPP alumni clubs and contact each other and the College through electronic mail. Also, the College sends representatives to each city at least twice a year to conduct follow-up workshops.
"We want these teachers to be able to make a real difference over the long haul, not only in their classrooms but by sharing their knowledge with other teachers," Dycus said.
Ten year anniversaries will be held this year in all the cities that have currently or formerly been involved with CLIPP, allowing teachers who have participated to share what they have done since the program .
School officials in Chicago, the only school district that has participated for all ten years, said CLIPP has made a difference in the way teachers who participated now conduct their classes and approach their students.
"CLIPP has not only allowed our teachers to keep pace with technology, but it has encouraged them to be creative and explore new ways of teaching," Patricia Derosier, manager of instructional technology for Chicago Public Schools, said. "It offers the kind of ongoing support that today's teachers need but don't often get."
