Teaching-Learning Interchange: an online support community for new teachers

The Teaching-Learning Interchange (TLI), a federal Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technologies project, is developing an online support community for "pre-intern teachers," a designation in California for new teachers who are not credentialed and have not passed subject matter competency. The intent of the pre-intern program is to provide a way for those wishing to enter the teaching profession to attain subject matter competency and a credential while they are working in the classroom. The program originated because of a severe teacher shortage in California; 30000 new teachers are needed each year for the coming ten years. TLI has partnered with 15 county offices to have access to pre-interns and corporate partners who are developing emerging technologies that are being piloted with select mentor and pre-intern teachers. This paper describes how new technologies are being applied to the needs of pre-interns.