Sarah Partney
Alice Johnson
EDU 2200
Spring 2010

Technology for Learners

	The acronym eMINTS is something that many people have probably seem before.  It stands for enhancing Missouri’s instructional networked teaching strategies.  The program eMINTS got started through a pilot project (MINTs) in six St. Louis area districts in the years 1997 and 1998.  The different organizations that eMINTS is affiliated with are MO DESE, MO DHE, and University of Missouri Office of Academic Affairs.
	The purpose of eMINTS is to transform education for all learners through high quality teaching, powered by technology.  The goals that eMINTS has are very positive.  The goals are to make student levels of performance higher, to create quality parental involement, and enrich instructional effectiveness.	
	The area that is included in eMINTS demographic is quite large.  There are 260 Missouri districts.  Within those districts there are 3,500 classrooms with 50,000 students in grades 3-12.  Thirty five percent of Missouri eMINTS classes are district funded.  There are also 10 Utah Districts, 2 Nevada Districts, 1 Illinois District, 1 Arkansas District, 1 Alabama District, and 1 Delaware District with 2 charter schools.
	The equipment that eMINTS program uses are top of the line.  It includes a teacher laptop and workstation, Smart Board/projector, scanner, printer, and digital camera.  There also should be one computer for every two students in grades 3-12. About 35% of Missouri’s eMINTS classrooms are district funded.  There should be a computer for every student (laptop preferred) for all students in middle school and high school.  The software used is limited to productivity tools, concept mapping tools, and multimedia editing tools.
	There is a lot of equipment that assists the eMINTS program.  An official eMINTS classroom comes with a teacher laptop, workstations, SMAR Board, scanner, projector, digital camera, printer, and computer.  The student ration is at least one computer for every two students in grades3-6. The eMINTS program also comes with a some software containing tools to be used on the computer such as concept mapping tools and multimedia editing tools.
	An eMINTS class works a little different than a regular class. A regular classroom with a teacher centered style of reaching is focused on mastering text-based subjects and is assessed by tests.  An eMINTS teacher centered classroom has a drill of electronic worksheets and rewards are given when actual work is done.  A student centered regular classroom would have a focus on comprehension and assessments are made through a variety of projects.  The students in this classroom do not spend a lot of time on computers.  An eMINTS student centered class has collaboration with other and authentic tasks, transforms student work, and has the eMINTS Instructional Model.  An eMINTS classroom has over 200 hours on a computer within two years.
	To be a eMINTS teacher you have to receive a lot of training.  There is a face-to-face program where the teacher in training will receive 100hours, four days, and ten to twelve classroom visits.  In the second year they will get 75 hours, two full days, and ten to twelve classroom visits.  Then over the next two years the teacher must have at least 250 contact hours.  During a eMINTS teachers professional development they will set up projects and develop web based quests.  The teacher will also set the students up to work in cooperative groups.
	The eMINTS program is really great!  Technology is something that is becoming more and more a part of everyday life.  Sometime in the future I am sure I will be common place to have a eMINTS classroom.  The eMINTS program help to push forward to a brighter technologically based future.