Basic Skills Versus Integration There is one component for technology professional development that does requires special emphasis. It's not a difference, theoretically, but a strongly confounding factor. Teachers possess a wide range of technology proficiency. The very adept use computers often at home and school, and are eager to learn new ways to integrate technology into their teaching. At the opposite end of the spectrum are those who struggle with basic skills and the effort required to integrate technology when their old methods are familiar and seem to work well enough. While this is true to some extent for any training endeavor, it is especially true when introducing new technologies or new uses of technologies in training activities. While there is widespread agreement that technology professional development should focus on integration rather than basic skills, participants must have these basic skills before they can integrate the new technology and practices.