ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION ·
AUGUST 2011
Welcome to the ATE Central Connection! Published the first Monday of each month, the ATE Central Connection is meant to disseminate information to and about ATE centers and projects, providing you with up-to-date ATE news, events, reminders, as well as highlighting new centers, projects, and resources. In addition, we will also highlight an educational topic with complementary resources found within ATE Central to help illustrate how ATE resources can be used in the classroom.
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Problem-Based Case Learning (PBCL) is an effective practice for producing changes in teaching strategies and subsequent redesign of courses into integrated, assessment-driven, learning experiences set in a business context. PBCL is based on yet unsolved problematic local industry situations that require learners to build on their knowledge, engage the situation to build a depth of competence, and reflect on their own thinking and process. The approach facilitates development of complex communication and expert thinking essential in a global economy and advancement in adaptive expertise. Over 400 faculty from participating ATE projects have adopted PBCL resulting in improved student learning and professional development of faculty. Building on what was learned in previous NSF-funded projects and the ideas and input of John Bransford at the LIFE Center at the University of Washington, Nashville State Technical College in partnership with WGBH, produces and disseminates video, web-based, and print resources for professional development of faculty and for use in classrooms. Training teams of experienced practitioners are established at Nashville State Community College and the Midwest Center for Information Technology in Nebraska to extend the effectiveness of PBCL by making the fundamental principles more easily accessible to a wider audience of practitioners. The effect of the instruction on student performance and employer satisfaction is measured. The project also evaluates the changes in colleges due to the development of a community of PBCL practitioners. An online orientation workshop is available here to help those who may be interested in the process familiarize themselves with Problem-Based Case Learning (PBCL).
Here is a sample of the valuable resources in ATE Central that focus on General Advanced Technological Education:
From Sierra Community College:
From NSF's Advanced Technological Education program and Sierra Community College, the Tech-Explorer project brings applied mathematics to middle and high school students through a hands-on activity of building and testing catapults. This project also promotes interest in STEM careers. On this site, visitors will find information about the project, instructions and equipment for the activity, and relevant documents for students and instructors in Tech-Explorer programs or interested in developing a similar program in their school.
From the Concord Consortium:
This project, from the Concord Consortium, is "working with Parkland College, and four ATE Centers (NANO-LINK, BIO-LINK, MATEC, and OP-TEC) to develop approximately 16 field-tested interactive computer-based learning units addressing core content and technical applications such as nanotechnology, photonics, electronics, materials science, biotechnology, and chemical engineering. In addition, the project will create accompanying models intended for use by an online community of educators to create, customize, post, and critique additional model-based learning activities." On the site, visitors will find more information on the project and research, help for participants, and a link to their project portal. The project portal requires a log in, but once logged in visitors will find activities in three strands: Electrons, Quantum, and Semiconductors.
From the National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology and Science:
This CalWomenTech Scale Up Project (CWT Scale Up Project) is based on the successful, five-year GSE Extension Services grant. The original project worked with eight community college technology programs in California to increase the number of women recruited and retained to STEM programs in which they were underrepresented. The project also disseminated research-based proven strategies and resources to California educators and a limited national audience. The CalWomenTech Project has resulted in significant increases in the enrollment of female students and in the retention of both female and male students. The CWT Scale Up Project seeks to diffuse the core activities of the intensive CalWomenTech Project to a much larger audience of educational practitioners. The CWT Scale Up Project is based on research: both the CalWomenTech Project's own successful outcomes and on a literature review of the proven practices of other STEM practitioners, much of which can be found in IWITTS' online Proven Practices Collection (includes peer-reviewed articles, case studies, and webinars) developed by the CalWomenTech Project. Objectives include providing educational practitioners with workshops, webinars, and group coaching on recruitment and retention plan implementation, along with development of an online learning community. A professionally designed outreach campaign by an experienced social media networking consultant will feature CalWomenTech successful results, professional development opportunities, and the online Proven Practices Collection. The end goal of the CalWomenTech Scale Up Project is to increase the number of women in STEM. Our nation is enriched when women fully contribute to the advancement of science and technology. By giving practitioners nationwide the tools and knowledge they need to close the gender gap for women and girls in STEM classrooms, the CalWomenTech Scale Up Project has the power to change the lives and livelihoods of women for the benefit of all. On this site, visitors can find out more information about the CalWomenTech Project, including the project model, case studies, recruitment and retention practices, a learning library, and project committees and meetings.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) recently released a report that addresses a fundamental question about community colleges: why are so many of them unable to successfully secure federal funding for computing programs? The report, Digitally Enhancing America's Community Colleges, offers recommendations designed to spur new grant proposals, inventive initiatives, and dynamic partnerships that infuse innovation into community college computing courses and programs. The full 24-page report is available online here: http://www.acmccecc.org/.... NSF's release about the summit, ACM, and the report is available here: http://www.nsf.gov/news/.... Printed copies of the report along with a strategic planning template are available for free via an online request form at http://www.acmccecc.org/contactus/.
ATEEC is looking for environmental and energy specialists to vet (review) materials for the electronic Environmental and Energy Resources Library. If you are interested in participating please contact Lora at lkaisler@eicc.edu.
CWIS is open source software, created with NSF funding, that can help your project or center showcase resources online. It's free and very easy to use — click here to check out a few of the sites running CWIS. We'd be happy to provide you with more information about CWIS and give you a quick tour of its features — please e-mail cwis@scout.wisc.edu to get started!
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ATE Central Connection is published by Internet Scout via support from the National Science Foundation under grant number 0941067. |  |