Teaching for Tomorrow: Teaching Content and Problem-Solving Skills

Ted McCain is coordinator of instructional technology for Maple Ridge Secondary School in Vancouver, BC. He worked for several years in the computer industry as a programmer, salesperson, and consultant before entering the teaching profession. In education, he has been a teacher, administrative assistant, and technology consultant. He also has taught computer networking, graphic design, and desktop publishing for Okanagan College, Kelowna, BC. He is the author of six books on the future, effective teaching, educational technology, and graphic design. In 1997, McCain received the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence. He was nominated for this prestigious Canadian national award for his work in developing a real-world technology curriculum for students in Grades 11 and 12 that prepares them for employment in the areas of multimedia, networking, and Internet publishing directly out of high school. McCain was recognized for his work in creating his 4 Ds approach to solving problems, his unique use of role-playing in the classroom, and his idea of progressive withdrawal as a way to foster independence in his students. For the past twenty years, McCain has done consulting work for businesses and school districts on effective teaching for the digital generation and the implementation of instructional technology. His clients have included Apple Computer, Microsoft, Aldus, and Toyota, as well as many school districts and educational associations in both the United States and Canada. In 1995, McCain joined the Thornburg Center for Professional Development in Lake Barrington, Illinois, as an associate director. In this role, he has expanded his work as a educational futurist. McCain focuses on the impact that the astounding changes taking place in the world today as a consequence of technological development has on students and learning. He is passionate in his belief that schools must change so that they can effectively prepare students for the rest of their lives.