Rebuilding after Katrina with Technology Training

In November, we began working with teachers in a parish in Louisiana devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Ninety-five percent of all houses and businesses in the area were wiped out. The school system is determined not only to come back, but to come back as a model 21st century school. We are working with the teachers to help them find ways of integrating the technology they now have across the entire curriculum. We have some hurdles to overcome, like unreliable internet access and teachers with long commutes because of the housing situation. The teachers that are back use any available time to work on rebuilding their homes.

During our many years of teaching we have been exposed to all different forms of training, some good some not so good. Many of us attend these mandatory training sessions hoping we can hide out in the back and grade papers or plan our curriculum for the year, so that the entire time is not wasted. So, for our first blogging experience we really would like some feedback from schools on the type of technology training their teachers are given. Is the technology training conducted by outside sources or from within the school? Is the training done after hours or on weekends? Do you feel like you have sufficient time to improve personal technology skills? Are teachers trained enough to incorporate the technology into their everyday classroom? We are interested in your experiences with technology training and what you found to be most helpful.