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Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Quote of the Day
"Dare to be naive."
- Richard Buckminister "Bucky" Fuller 

Topics in This Issue
01. ITEA's Teacher and Program Excellence Awards Process Has Been Streamlined
02. Application to Present - Louisville 2009
03. New Online Library From ITEA
04. Let ITEA Help Connect You to Positions in Technology Education
05. Lands' End Announces "Teachers Light the Way" Contest
06. Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
07. National Environmental Education Week: What's Your Carbon Footprint?
08. Super Mileage Challenge
09. Discover Engineering Online
10. WGBH Boston Wins With Design Squad
11. Summer Workshop
12. National TEC Summer Institute 2008
13. Greeting From Taiwan
14. NASA Educational Materials
15. NASA Challenges for K-12 Students
16. NASA Names 2008 Great Moonbuggy Race High School Champs
17. Passage
18. The CAD Academy

ITEA's Teacher and Program Excellence Awards Process Has Been Streamlined

Two of the ITEA’s most prestigious awards, Teacher Excellence and Program Excellence, have recently been streamlined to make the process simpler for the state/province affiliate associations as they determine the awardees who will be honored at the national/international level. This process is posted on ITEA's website at http://www.iteea.org/Awards/awards.htm and involves two steps: 

Step one is for the applicant who will complete the application forms and provide support information (using the same criteria as in the past) that is then sent to the state/province association committee. This step is to be completed using the timelines created by the affiliate association to ensure that all information can be forwarded to ITEA prior to the December 1st deadline. For Teacher and Program Excellence application forms, please go to ITEA's website at http://www.iteea.org/Awards/awards.htm. All forms and support information are then held by the affiliate association—not sent to the award coordinators as in the past. 

The second step is for affiliate association representatives charged with forwarding information to ITEA Teacher and Program Excellence Award Coordinators by December 1st of each year. This will be done by submitting the National Confirmation Data Form (this is new). This step is electronic and uses information gathered in the first step of the process. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DECEMBER 1st IS THE DEADLINE FOR THIS FORM TO BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER DECEMBER 1st WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY REJECTED BY THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM AND SUSPENDED UNTIL THE NEXT CYCLE OF AWARDS IS STARTED. Affiliate Reps will find the NEW Teacher and Program Excellence National Data Confirmation Forms at http://www.iteea.org/Resources/AffilRepBook/affilrepbook.htm.

In the past, all stages of the award application process have been in one document, which has created confusion as applications reach different levels for consideration. This two-step process is intended to make the procedures more clear for the applicant and the affiliate association.

Application to Present – Louisville 2009

The Application to Present at ITEA’s 71st Annual Conference and Exposition March 26-28, 2009 in Louisville, Kentucky is available online at http://www.iteea.org/Conference/apptopresent.htm. The theme of the 2009 conference is “Delivering the T & E in STEM.” Presentations must address one or more of the following strands: Technology, Innovation, Design, Engineering, or STEM Integration. STEM is one of the hottest topics in education in America right now. Technology education can and does play a critical role in helping school districts deliver all aspects of STEM education to students, with particular emphasis on the T and the E. The discussions are sure to be of crucial importance to those interested in the field of technology and engineering education. Don’t miss this chance—apply now! The application deadline is June 15, 2008.

New Online Library From ITEA

ITEA has added an Online Library in the “Members Only” section of its website. ITEA members will find a variety of valuable resources, such as:

• Standards Documents
• Conference Presentations
• Maley Graduate Student Award-Winning Lesson Plans
• The Technology Teacher Archives
• PATT Conference Proceedings

It’s what you asked for... it’s all in one place... and it’s free for members! Just one more way that ITEA strives to advance teaching and learning about technological literacy.

If you don’t know your user name and password, use our online form at
https://www.iteea.org/Forms/register.htm or call (703) 860-2100.

Let ITEA Help Connect You to Positions in Technology Education

Are you considering a job change or looking for a qualified technology educator for your school? ITEA members can post a resume in Career Connection on the web. Email your resume to: members@iteea.org. ITEA can accept Word, html, PDF, and plain text files only. Resumes will be placed on the website free of charge for two months. Position announcements from schools and nonmember universities can be posted to ITEA's website for $100 for one month or $175 for two months. For more information, email lprice@iteea.org.

Lands' End Announces "Teachers Light The Way" Contest

Lands' End has recently announced the Teachers Light The Way Contest. The company will recognize outstanding teachers who have made a difference in the life of a student, a school, or a community. As a result, 45 teachers will receive the coveted Lands' End Lighthouse Award—representing the company's 45-year history—as well as the chance to win the grand prize of $5,000 for the winning teacher and $5,000 for the nominated teacher's school. Lands' End will accept nominations at www.landsend.com/teachers through midnight April 17, 2008. Those wishing to recognize an extraordinary teacher who has offered exemplary guidance can fill out the online entry form and submit an up to 500-word essay.

During Teacher Appreciation Week, May 5-9, Lands' End will recognize and award the winning 45 teachers with a Lighthouse award. Three outstanding teachers will receive grand prize status: First Grand Prize Winner receives $5,000 for the winning teacher and a $5,000 school award; Second Grand Prize Winner receives $3,000 for the winning teacher and a $3,000 school award; and Third Grand Prize Winner receives $2,000 for the winning teacher and a $2,000 school award. The nominators of the three Grand Prize Winners will receive a $250 Lands' End gift card. The remaining 42 teachers will each receive a $100 Lands' End gift card, and those who nominated them will each receive a $25 gift card.

More information, the official contest rules, and the entry form can be found at www.landsend.com/teachers.

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the nation's highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science. The awards recognize highly qualified K-12 teachers for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession. Since 1983, more than 3,700 outstanding teachers have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics and science education. If you know great teachers, nominate them to join this prestigious network of professionals.
 
Nominations for elementary school teachers are being accepted online and should be submitted as soon as possible. Teachers who are nominated must complete an online application. Applications are due May 1, 2008. (Secondary school teachers are eligible to apply in 2009.) For additional information on the award and to nominate an outstanding teacher, visit http://www.paemst.org/controllers/home.cfc?method=view. If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact your state coordinator. To find your state coordinator, visit http://www.paemst.org/controllers/coordinator.cfc?method=findcoordinator.

National Environmental Education Week: What’s Your Carbon Footprint?

National Environmental Education Week 2008, April 13-19, encourages students and educators to explore their carbon footprint. National Environmental Education Week is the largest organized environmental education event in the United States and a program of the National Environmental Education Foundation, EE Week is made possible by Canon. This year’s theme is carbon footprints. National Environmental Education Week has a host of cool new features like a state-of-the-art carbon calculator and a nature journaling blog on its website—learn more at www.eeweek.org.

Super Mileage Challenge

The 2008 Super Mileage Challenge is scheduled for April 28, 2008 at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. In the SMC, high school students apply Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to design, engineer, construct, test, and evaluate vehicles that obtain the highest MPG. Check out the opportunities today at http://www.doe.state.in.us/octe/technologyed/SuperMileageChallenge.html.

Discover Engineering Online

Want to save the planet? Want to help others? Want to design with computers? A “crazy cool” new engineering portal site for middle school students and educators on the how and why of becoming an engineer helps to answer these questions and more. A project of the National Engineers Week Foundation, the site features videos, cool stuff to try at home, teacher materials, fun FAQs, dozens of links and downloads, and much more. Check it out at www.discoverengineering.org.

WGBH Boston Wins With Design Squad

• PBS Children's Series Design Squad Honored With George Foster Peabody Award

The prestigious award to Design Squad was presented at the 67th Annual George Foster Peabody Awards ceremony. In announcing the award, the Peabody Board noted that "competition is the key to this superb program modeled on versions of reality television...female and male contestants work in teams to design, test, and redesign specific projects and they do so with all the rowdy exuberance we would expect."

Design Squad premiered on PBS in April 2007. The series was created in response to a national imperative to attract more young people to engineering studies and careers. Using a lively reality show/competition format, the series combines energy, enthusiasm, teamwork, and especially humor—to excite kids ages nine and up about engineering.

The prestigious Peabody Awards—considered to be one of the highest honors in electronic media—will be presented on Monday, June 16 at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Brian Williams, the award-winning anchor of NBC Nightly News, will host the ceremony.

Design Squad is produced by WGBH Boston. WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcasting station, producing one-third of PBS's prime-time lineup—more than any other single production house.

• Design Squad Season 2 Premieres

Summer Workshop

This summer, ten-year ITEA member and regular IdeaGarden contributor Rob Zdrojewski will be offering two-day workshops on producing School TV News Shows and Class Video Projects using Visual Communicator, at Amherst Middle School's Tech TV Studio near Buffalo, NY. Any K-12 Educator interested in beginning or improving school news shows or classroom video projects using Adobe's Visual Communicator 3 software is welcome to join in. More details and pdf registration packet with complete details are available online at http://www.SchoolTVmadeEasy.com.

National TEC Summer Institute 2008

Geared for instructors who want to teach 3D Architectural CAD, 3D Mechanical CAD, Computer Aided Machining (CAM), and  Laser Technology in their Classroom, the National TEC Summer Institute 2008 will take place Monday, July 7–Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Concord, New Hampshire. The following accredited courses will be offered: KeyCreatorTM (3D Mechanical CAD) Levels 1-2; EnvisioneerTM (3D Architectural CAD) Levels 1-2; Laser Technologies Levels 1-2; SURFCAM® (Computer Aided Machining) Level 1; ZCorp 3D Rapid Prototyping Levels 1-2. Course descriptions can be found at http://tecedu.com/user_help/TSI_2008.shtml.

The registration deadline is June 12, 2008. Online registration is available at http://tecedu.com/store/TECSummerInstitute.shtml. Information can be obtained at http://tecedu.com/about/request_info.cfm or by calling Technology Education Concepts at 800-338-2238.

Greeting From Taiwan

ITEA recently heard from Lung-Sheng Steven Lee, President, National United University. Dr. Lee wrote:

“On March 28, 2008, our university held a symposium on general education and MSTS (math-science-technology-society) curriculum integration in universities. Dr. Chang-yol Ryu, Korea, Dr. Ming H. Land, USA, and Dr. Hidetoshi Miyakawa, Japan, came to talk about GE and MSTS curriculum in their universities,” and are represented in the above photo.

NASA Educational Materials

The Educational Materials section of NASA's website offers classroom activities, educator guides, posters, and other types of resources that are available for use in the classroom. Materials are listed by type, grade level, and subject. The following items are now available for downloading.

• International Space Station: National Laboratory Education Concept Development Report

The International Space Station is the largest and most complex space vehicle ever built. Planned for completion in 2010, the space station will provide a home for laboratories equipped with a wide array of resources to develop and test the technologies needed for future generations of space exploration.

This report explores the potential of the space station to engage, inspire, and educate students, teachers, and faculty in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Information about current NASA and nonagency programs aimed to increase STEM achievement is included in the report. Diagrams and detailed information about the station are also included. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/ISS_Education_Plan.html

• 2007 NASA Education Highlights

NASA has a tradition of investing in programs and activities that inspire and engage students, educators, families, and communities at large in the excitement and discovery of exploration. Read about the innovative ways NASA is creating new activities that spark the interest and imagination of people from all segments of society. Also learn about the education milestones and accomplishments achieved by NASA Education in 2007. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/
listbytype/2007_NASA_Education_Highlights.html

• Additional Video Learning Clips Added

The educational video clips listed below have been added to the Videos section of the NASA Educational Materials site. Click on the link below each list of video clips to access the videos online.

Universe DVD: Designed for students in Grades 5-12 and narrated by William Shatner, these video clips let the viewer travel billions of years through time. The viewer watches the universe evolve from one primordial mass into the stars and galaxies seen today. Titles in this series are: Scientists Use Observatories to Learn About the Sun; The Planets; A Look Beyond the Planets: Nebulae, Stars, Quasars, and Galaxies; Lifecycle of a Star; The Evolving Universe; Is There Life Out There?: NASA's Search Continues. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/The_Planets.html

Targeting students in Grades 5-12, the Liftoff to Learning: Plants in Space video clip series follows a group of students at an elementary school as they participate in an experiment on plant growth with space shuttle astronauts. Identical seed growth pouches are planted with corn and soybean seeds. Some of the seeds are germinated on Earth and others on the space shuttle in Earth orbit. Rather than drawing conclusions on the effects of microgravity on plant growth, viewers are invited to participate in the experiment by growing seeds on Earth as control experiments. Titles in this series are: How Plants Grow in Space: The Effects of Gravity and Light; Tropisms of Plants in Space and on Earth; Why Scientists Study Plants in Space; Evaluating Experimental Treatment: Controls of Plants Growing in Space; Discussion Points About Growing Plants in Space.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/How_Plants_Grow_in_Space.html

The video clips in the NASA's Destination Tomorrow™: Bringing the Future into Focus series are designed for educators, parents, and students in Grades 9-12 and college. These clips build on the premise that much of NASA's aeronautical research focuses on increasing today's knowledge to solve tomorrow's problems. Titles in this series are: Helios, NASA's Unmanned, Remotely Powered Flying Wing; The Smart Probe, an Early Cancer Detection Tool; A Retrospective Look at the Gemini Program; Alleviating Aircraft Noise: The Quiet Aircraft Technology Program; Spacesuits and How They Work. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/A_Retrospective_Look.html

NASA Challenges for K-12 Students

• NASA Quest LIMA Challenge for Students in Grades 4-8

In this challenge, students become scientists and propose Antarctic research. The Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica is the first true-color high-resolution satellite view of the Antarctic continent. Using this view of Antarctica, students must develop a research question and debate the value of studying the chosen feature. Registration is currently open, and educational resources are available online. For more information, visit http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/lima.

• Spring 2008 Cassini Scientist for a Day Contest

The Cassini Scientist for a Day contest challenges students to become NASA scientists studying Saturn. Participants are challenged to examine three target images taken by Cassini and choose the one that they think will yield the best scientific results. This choice must then be explained in a 500-word essay. The contest is open to all students in the United States from Grades 5-12, working alone or in groups of up to four students. The essays will be divided into three groups: Grades 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12. All submissions must be students' original work. Each student can submit only one entry. Deadline for Spring 2008 submissions is noon Pacific time (3 p.m. EDT) on May 8, 2008. For more information, visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientist/. If you have questions about this contest, please email your inquiries to scientistforaday@jpl.nasa.gov.

NASA Names 2008 Great Moonbuggy Race High School Champs

Students from Erie High School in Erie, Kansas Team II braved pouring rain and fierce competition from around the world to win the high school division of NASA's 15th annual Great Moonbuggy Race at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL on April 4. Finishing the simulated lunar race course with the fastest time—3 minutes and 17 seconds—the winning team's original moonbuggy design overcame 21 other high school teams from across the United States and as far away as Germany.

The Marshall Center presented the first-place team with a trophy depicting NASA's original lunar rover, and gave plaques and certificates to the two runners-up (Huntsville Institute Team II finished in second place this year; Team I took third place). The first-place team also received a one-week trip to the advanced Space Camp program at the Space & Rocket Center, courtesy of ATK Launch Systems and Jacobs Technology. Individuals on all three winning teams received commemorative medals and cash prizes from ATK Launch Systems.

• For photos of the top-finishing high school teams, visit the Marshall Newsroom at: www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news.  
• For more event details, race rules and information on the course, visit: http://moonbuggy.msfc.nasa.gov.  
• For information about other NASA education programs, visit: http://education.nasa.gov.  

Passage

ITEA would like to extend deepest sympathy to the family of Dr. M. Ray Karnes of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, who passed away on February 23, 2008. Dr Karnes, 95, was ITEA President from 1959-1960. During his long and distinguished career, Dr. Karnes was a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi; professor and chair of industrial education as well as professor and chair of vocational and technology education at the University of Illinois; and was professor and chief party for University of Illinois/USAID contract, Njala University College of Sierra Leone, West Africa. Excerpted from HattiesburgAmerican, February 24, 2008.

Submissions to Inside TIDE

To submit news or calendar items to Inside TIDE, email: kcluff@iteea.org.

Forward to a colleague

End of Inside TIDE, Tuesday, 15 April 2008