DESCRIPTORS Classroom Techniques; *Computer Uses in Education;

Growing out of the need for better instruction for classroom teachers in the use of educational software, the Teachers Software Institute (TSI) was designed to provide intensive software training to teachers who could serve as mentors in the use of computer technology and specific software. The paper examines the background of the program and the role of professional development models in the design of TSI. Forty-three teachers enrolled in the 1995 TSI three-day workshops focusing on "KidPix2", "HyperStudio", and "Claris Works 4.0. " The format and content of the TSI workshops were successful. Teachers ' need for comfortable, intensive training was combined with practical uses for their. products. Site visit evaluations showed that the teachers were sharing their new-or increased skills with other teachers and their students by giving workshops and implementing the software into their curriculum. There was a high level of participation by the teachers in the workshops, and nearly all teachers indicated that they had learned more than they had anticipated. The 1996 TSI focused on different softwar