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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Quote of the Day
"Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of."
Charles Richards

Topics in This Issue
01. Thank You Louisville!
02. ITEA Green Initiative Launched
03. Louisville Board Action
04. ITEA Members to Consider a Name Change/New Membership Category
05. Engineering byDesign™ Continues Progress
06. Litowitz Launches ITEA Strategic Plan Through Task Force Work
07. Recent Additions to the ITEA Website
08. ITEA Council News
09. Wouldn't it Be Great to Have All the Answers?
10. Technology Education Graduate Facility
11. Kentucky Teacher Wins Best Buy Grant
12. Program Video Now Available for Viewing
13. Harold O. Welsh
14. ITEA's Proclamation Used to Further STEM Work in New York
 15. The Cad Academy® Student Mentor Program
16. Engineer Your Life Survey
17. Free Summer Workshops in Indiana and Pennsylvania
18. Green Idea
19. Project 2061 Goes Electronic
20. From the Idea Garden
21. New! International Handbook of Research and Development in Technology Education
22. NCATE Redesign and Transformation Proposal Out to Field
23. Boeing Expands Investment in Future Workforce Through FIRST ROBOTICS
24. 2009 Regional Winners Announced in ExploraVision Competition
25. JASON Training Seminars June 23-25 and July 15-16
26. Astronaut Teacher Candidates to be Announced at NewSpace Conference
27. NASA Opportunities
28. Looking for a Great Place to Advertise Your University's Position Openings?
29. VALUE For a New Generation of Leaders
30. 100% ONLINE Master of Education in Technology Education

Thank You, Louisville!

The Louisville Conference was a success! We hope those who attended came home renewed and excited about returning to their classrooms to implement all the wonderful things they learned. Thank you to the wonderful volunteers who made the conference possible as well as to the exhibitors, presenters, and attendees who journeyed to Louisville in March. We couldn’t have done it without you! To read all about the goings-on in Louisville, be sure to check out ITEA’s Advocating Technological Literacy blog at http://iteatide.blogspot.com/.

Future Conference Dates:

  • March 18-20, 2010 – Charlotte, NC – Green Technology: STEM Solutions for 21st Century Citizens (Application to Present deadline is June 15, 2009.)
  • March 24-26, 2011 – Minneapolis, MN

Visit the ITEA website at www.iteea.org for the most up-to-date information on these events.

ITEA GREEN Initiative Launched 

The 2009 Louisville Conference was the launch date for ITEA's latest initiative to help its membership become stronger leaders with GREEN initiatives toward building a sustainable environment. ITEA's President-Elect, Gary Wynn, DTE, spoke to the Affiliate Representatives at the President's Roundtable about this initiative that will include members being involved in the following:

  • Learning to teach the basics of GREEN TECHNOLOGY in your program.
  • Building a state team of ITEA leaders who are teaching about GREEN in their programs.
  • Becoming a part of a larger ITEA networking group, working at the national level to teach about GREEN TECHNOLOGY.
  • Leading your community, school, and students in creating a more sustainable society.
  • Being dedicated to making the technology/engineering teaching profession one of the best in the field of education.
  • Becoming an outspoken professional and advocate about the importance of teaching technology/engineering in your community. 
  • Helping your fellow teachers by inspiring greatness far greater than what you could develop by yourself.
  • Going the extra step to help your fellow teachers and colleagues.
  • Helping your colleagues be recognized and rewarded for being outstanding educators.

Wynn used examples of GREEN initiatives such as in the state of Pennsylvania where their association is conducting a statewide initiative. ITEA Past President, Andy Stephenson, DTE, has volunteered to spearhead this nationwide effort that will include a website, learning communities, and numerous other activities that will help ITEA members use their leadership skills in promoting quality education. Members who want to know more about this initiative or want to lead with Andy Stephenson should watch ITEA communications and publications as well as contact Stephenson at andy.stephenson@fayette.kyschools.us.

Louisville Board Action

The ITEA Board of Directors met twice during the Louisville Conference to conduct the business of the association. Reports were received pertaining to the Strategic Plan for the Years 2009-2012, committee and task force work, Regional Director activities, Council activities, headquarters operation, status of the conference, future conference plans, and the finances of the association. 

The following motions passed: 

  • Create a partnership with like-minded associations for technology and engineering teacher professional development.
  • Include a Bylaws vote to add Elementary School Membership as an ITEA membership category.
  • Include a Bylaws vote to change the name of the association to the International Technology and Engineering Educators' Association.
  • Appointment of Jeff Grimmer as the Honorary Chairperson of the 2011 Minneapolis Conference.

President Litowitz chaired a governance session to lead discussion about the work of the association. He announced the creation of five Task Forces in conjunction with the new Strategic Plan to address the following directions for the association during the coming three years. Those Task Forces will address the following:

  • Improving the public perception of technology education
  • Developing future leaders
  • Making technology education a presence in every school
  • Creating a high-profile event for technology education
  • Developing business and industry partnerships   

Other items that were discussed during the week included the national project for technological literacy assessment being conducted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), directions being taken by the new Department of Education administration, national stimulus package, and ITEA's recent proclamation on STEM education. 


For more information about ITEA activities go to www.iteea.org.

ITEA Members to Consider a Name Change/New Membership Category

The Board of Directors of the INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION passed a motion during its Louisville Conference meeting to have the voting membership consider a name change for the association to the International Technology and Engineering Educators' Association (ITEEA). This motion is the result of a year of discussion that included a membership survey, consideration of other name changes in the field, and a serious look at directions the profession should pursue. The voting will take place this month using the association's standard electronic ballotting procedure. The voting membership should be on the lookout for the ballot later this week.

One additional item included on the same ballot is a move to add Elementary School Memberships to the listing of memberships that the association offers. This ITEA membership status has been offered before and was deleted when numbers in the category dropped below ten. That number has increased, causing the Board to place the school status on the ballot to be included in the Bylaws vote.

For more information, go to www.iteea.org.

Engineering byDesign™ Continues Progress

ITEA's standards-based, comprehensive, hands-on curriculum continues in its progress towards being the K-12 solution for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Activities at ITEA's recent Louisville Conference included labs on courses such as Exploring Technology, Foundations of Technology, Invention and Innovation, Technological Systems, and Engineering Design. Labs were also conducted on elementary, middle, and high school challenges that have been developed in conjunction with NASA and its curriculum work. Over 300 technology/engineering teachers took part in these labs that included various activities as examples of EbD™ curriculum developed by teachers for teachers.

The popularity of this curriculum continues to spread across the United States because it does not require schools to purchase expensive equipment, can be adopted by states at a cost lower than they could develop curriculum themselves, and includes national leaders in designing and delivering teaching and learning. ITEA's curriculum specialists, who assist in the dissemination of this work, are: Dan Caron, DTE (NH), Amy Gensemer (MD), Aaron Gray (MD), John Hansen, DTE (TX), Greg McGrew (FL), and Nicole Penn (NC).   

For more information about this program visit www.engineeringbydesign.org, or email ebd@iteea.org.

 

Litowitz Launches ITEA Strategic Plan Through Task Force Work 

ITEA's 2008-09 President, Dr. Len S. Litowitz, DTE, launched the association's Strategic Plan at the recent Louisville Conference. This Plan was the result of Board work during the past year to set direction for the coming three years. Dr. Litowitz indicated that four Task Forces will be working on directions for the association. The task forces are as follows:

TF 09-1  Improving public perception of technology and engineering education.
TF 09-2  Developing future leaders in technology and engineering education.
TF 09-3  Building a presence for technology/engineering in all schools.
TF 09-4  Creating a high-profile showcase event for technology/engineering.

These task forces began their work at the 2009 Louisville Conference and will be working during the next three years on tasks to advance the association and profession. The Task Force leaders are: TF 09-1 Tony Korwin, DTE; TF 09-2 William Havice, DTE and Roger Hill; TF 09-3 Laura Hummell; and TF 09-4 Scott A. Warner.

Another Task Force will be created on Fostering Business/Industry Relationships with Technology/Engineering. No leader has been selected at this time. 

If you would like to participate on any Task Force, please contact Dr. Litowitz at  Len.Litowitz@millersville.edu. Watch ITEA communications during this coming year for more information about this work in progress.  


Recent Additions to the ITEA Website:

ITEA Council News

2009 – 2010 TECA Officers

  • President – George Lavelle, California University of Pennsylvania
  • President Elect –  Wade Thatcher, Ball State University
  • Vice President – Jonathan Jarrett, Millersville University
  • Reporter – Stephen Brumbaugh, Pittsburg State University
  • Secretary – Mance Hurley, University of Wyoming-Casper
  • Advisor –  Rod Thompson, University of Wyoming-Casper
  • ITEA/TECA Board Representative – Andrew Klenke, Pittsburg State University

TECC Calls for Design Briefs
The Technology Education for Children Council (TECC) is calling for K-5 design briefs that support the “Green Technology” initiative. TECC plans to make these design briefs and supporting resources available on the TECC website at www.TECChome.org. Please email design briefs related to the theme Going Green to Ginger Whiting at gwhiting@infionline.net.

TECC Announces 2009 Recipient of The Mary Margaret Scobey Award
The Mary Margaret Scobey Award is awarded to a person who has demonstrated dedication to elementary school technology education on a sustained basis. This person has demonstrated a passion philosophically and through activities conducted on behalf of elementary children and teachers.

ITEA’s Technology Education for Children Council has awarded the 2009 Mary Margaret Scobey Award to Allison C. Needham, a 5th Grade Teacher at J.B. Watkins Elementary School in Chesterfield County, VA. Miss Needham is a leader in Children’s Engineering. Her enthusiasm and passion for teaching is evident in her lessons every day. Allison has created and implemented several design briefs connected to both math and science, and has continued to assist both her fifth grade team and other teachers in designing, executing, and extending Children’s Engineering projects. She has presented to other teachers and leaders in education at Children’s Engineering conferences, and she has had an article published in the TECC journal, Technology and Children. For the past three years, she has served as the head of the Children’s Engineering and Design Technology committee at Watkins. Congratulations, Allison!


Wouldn’t it be great to have all the answers?

Well, here are some of them, now available from ITEA and EbD™

Technological Design, Second Edition
A Standards-Based High School Model Course Guide
Engineering scope, content, and professional practices are presented through practical applications. Students in engineering teams apply technology, science, and mathematics concepts and skills to solve engineering design problems and innovate designs. Students research, develop, test, and analyze engineering designs using criteria such as design effectiveness, public safety, human factors, and ethics. 2009
P236CD - $29.00; Members $24.00 (delivered on CD as an interactive electronic publication)
Technological Systems, Second Edition
A Standards-Based Middle School Model Course Guide
Technological Systems is intended to teach students how technological systems work together to solve problems and capture opportunities. As technology becomes more integrated, and systems become more and more dependent upon each other than ever before, this course gives students a general background on the different types of systems, with particular concentration on the connections between these systems. 2009
P235CD - $29.00; Members $24.00 (delivered on CD as an interactive electronic publication)

Order today by calling 703-860-2100 or faxing an order form to 703-860-0353.
A downloadable order form is available at www.iteea.org/Publications/puborder.pdf.
More information and sample pages can be viewed at www.iteea.org/EbD/Samples/ebdsamples.htm.

Technology Education Graduate Faculty

The INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION has an avenue for your graduate students to have their best papers published with their peers. The publication is titled Technology SA. The purpose is to advance Technology through Scholarly Articles, and it has as its exclusive authors the graduate students in our profession. We hope that you will encourage your graduate students to contribute to this refereed publication series that will appear as a part of ITEA’s Online Library via the association website.

We are excited about having an exclusive location for graduate students in our field to publish their work, which will be used to advance teaching and learning about technology, innovation, design, and engineering education. The jury is now ready to receive manuscripts, which can be forwarded to kdelapaz@iteea.org at any time.

We would appreciate your assistance in communicating about this publication and encouraging graduate students to be a part of this collection of scholarly articles. We look forward to the many contributions of your students.

Kentucky Teacher Wins Best Buy Grant

Congratulations to ITEA member, Eric Elder, who recently won a $5000 grant through Best Buy. Read the full story in an article about Eric in the Bowling Green, KY Daily News: http://bgdailynews.com/articles/2009/03/11/features/features2.txt


Program Video Now Available for Viewing

Steve Meyer (ITEA member and former Board member) is a technology and engineering teacher at Brillion School District in Wisconsin. Steve has written to let us know about a new video that highlights the technology and engineering program at Brillion High School. WisconsinEye television station will be showing this half-hour show on TV in the future. Click on the following link to view the video: mms://71.87.25.133/doc/doc_081212_brillion.wmv

Or you may link directly to Link to the WisEye Archive at www.wiseye.org/wisEye_programming/ARCHIVES-dec08.html

Harold O. Welsh

ITEA would like to express its condolences to the family and friends of former ITEA Board member Harold Welsh, one of the true gentlemen of our profession.

To view the write-up from the Columbus, IN Republic, click on:
www.therepublic.com/main.asp?SectionID=34&SubSectionID=115&ArticleID=131103

ITEA's Proclamation Used to Further STEM Work in New York
Excerpt from a letter to Chancellor Robert M. Bennett, N.Y.S. Board of Regents, February 27, 2009

Dear Chancellor Bennett:

It is evident that a myriad of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) initiatives are now in various stages of development throughout the United States. Subsequently, New York State’s three professional organizations, the N.Y.S. Technology Education Association (NYSTEA); Association of Math Teachers in N.Y.S. (AMTNYS); and the Science Teachers Association of N.Y.S. (STANYS) have recently formed the NYS STEM Collaborative (January 24, 2009) and are working collectively and collaboratively to  address a multitude of related approaches, concerns, and issues in order to strengthen our State’s MST Standards. Our STEM Collaborative is also involving the American Association of Engineering Education (ASEE) and the New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE) for their guidance, expertise, and support.

Much confusion exists, with STEM Education, throughout all political and pedagogical arenas. The roles of Science and Mathematics (S & M) are more clearly understood because of their long-standing history. Technology Education, as an instructional content discipline, is quite new by comparison and delivers MST Standard 5 including technological systems, processes, and engineering design. Education technology (ET) and information technology (IT) are even newer to the classroom as instruction aids. IT and ET provide devices, software, methods, and skills that support and facilitate teaching and learning and span across all areas and levels of instruction, not just STEM. The INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION [www.iteea.org] has defined the “T and E” of STEM in their proclamation dated January 17, 2009.

It is essential that we define and delineate STEM Education for New York State...

On behalf of the MST professional associations, I will be glad to provide you with any information related to the NYS STEM Collaborative and any desired details surrounding our upcoming meeting. You can contact me at JStark@pjschools.org or 845-242-5799.  We encourage you to visit our STEM Collaborative websites at www.amtnys.org, www.nystea.com, and www.stanys.org.

Sincerely,

Jan Stark 
President, NYSTEA

 Mickey Jo Sobierajski 
President, AMTNYS		 Barbara Poseluzny
President, STANYS

The Cad Academy® Student Mentor Program

Can your students imagine what a career as an engineer, architect, interior designer, construction manager, or design professional would be like? Students no longer have to imagine—they can have firsthand experience through The CAD Academy/Student Mentor Program.

There are already more than 1,100 participating high schools and 11,000 students in the U.S. The program’s mission is to enlighten and increase the awareness of high school students to career opportunities in architecture, construction, and engineering and related areas of the design and construction industry through mentoring and to provide scholarship opportunities for students in an inclusive manner reflective of the diverse school population. For information, visit www.thecadacademy.com or call 800-561-7051.

Engineer Your Life Survey

Please respond to an important national survey of high school educators. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete and will be used to evaluate the ongoing efforts of the Engineer Your Life initiative (www.engineeryourlife.org). Your responses will be completely anonymous.

The 500th, 1000th, and 1500th person to complete the survey will get a check for $50. Only a few more weeks remain for a chance to respond to the survey and your chance to win $50. The survey will close on April 30, 2009.

To respond to the survey, please visit the following link: www.surveygizmo.com/s/66424/counselor-survey.

The survey is conducted by Veridian inSight (www.veridianinsight.com) on behalf of WGBH Boston. Major funding for Engineer Your Life is provided by The National Science Foundation and Northrop Grumman Foundation. Additional funding is provided by Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr and the United Engineering Foundation (ASCE, ASME, AIChE, IEEE, AIME).

FREE Summer Workshops in Indiana and Pennsylvania

Participants in these workshops, designed for teachers, will build a guitar in a week. The first is a for-fee guitar workshop at Purdue University July 7-10, 2009. Purdue participants will be able to sit in on some of the after-lunch mini seminars led by Fender and Seymour Duncan personnel who are at Purdue for the week.

Exploring Comprehensive Design and Product Lifecycle Management through Guitar Design and Manufacture
West Lafayette Workshop, July 7-10, 2009
For more information on the West Lafayette campus workshop, please contact Nate Hartman at 765-496-6104 or nhartman@purdue.edu. For registration information, please contact Kathy Walters at 765-494-2758 or kw@purdue.edu.

Purdue registration: https://www.cec.purdue.edu/ec2k/CourseListing.asp?master_id=2637&master_
version=1&course_area=1419&course_number=108&course_subtitle=00

The second workshop is to be held at Butler Community College in Butler, PA. This runs concurrent to, but should not be confused with, the Purdue workshop.

Butler Community College (PA) Registration: www.conf.purdue.edu/ButlerGuitar (Ed. note: This link requires a password.)

Green Idea

From Joanne Trombley, ITEA Region 1 Director (Joanne.Trombley@teap-online.org)

I just received an email that was sent to our Central Office and cc’d to me. I expect that many of you are already doing this to some extent, but perhaps you can make it more formal throughout your district, as is happening in mine. Please read below:

For the past few years, Joanne Trombley has been giving me her larger scraps of plywood for projects that I do with my children here at East Goshen Elementary school. Each year I turn those scraps into hygrometer bases for the third graders and into baseplates for electric switches and electric meters for the fourth graders. I also use the plywood to make other projects for each of the elementary levels.

Her scraps have become small boats for our oceans unit and small cars for our forces unit. They've been made into carts to use to measure the force needed to pull bricks across the floor. They've become storage boxes, steps for slinkies, ramps for inclined planes. Just having the extra material available to use when I need it is fantastic! To help Joanne with her projects, I've saved large sheets of styrene foam salvaged from the shipping boxes of Promethean Boards. 

Sharing resources like this helps all of us save money. Think how terrific it would be to know what resources are out there in other schools and are not being used completely. Our district has a large number of very creative people.  All they need are the resources to work with. Wouldn't it be great if we could have our own "WCASD Craig's List" for resources waiting to be used?

Central Office responded that “Craig’s List” is copyrighted, but they have now established a FREE RESOURCES AND OTHER STUFF” list on our Employee Bulletin Board where teachers can share resources or list things they would like to give away. I have also given scraps of pine to the art teachers to use for projects, but now I realize that I can list my requests on the Bulletin Board. For starters, I will ask for broken items to use for the EbD™ Invention and Innovation curriculum. With declining budgets and ITEA’s “Green” initiative, this is a win-win for all!

Any other Green ideas out there? We need to gather “Green Technology” lessons to put in a “Green Technology” area on the member’s section. Who has lessons to share?

Project 2061 Goes Electronic

Project 2061 has notified ITEA that its print newsletter, 2061 TODAY, will be discontinued. In the interests of environmental benefits of electronic media, Project 2061 will focus instead on expanding and improving its bimonthly online newsletter, Project 2061 Connections. Wherever you work and whatever your interest in science, mathematics, and technology education—at the K-12 or college level, in formal or informal settings—each issue will bring you new information and links to valuable resources. If you do not already receive Connections, go to http://pfoject2061.org/listpref to sign up for your free subscription.

From the Idea Garden

If you have never tried Idea Garden, ITEA’s listserv for educators, maybe now is the time. Take a look and see just a few of the recent postings.

Below are some resources that appeared on The Idea Garden on Monday, March 23:

  • Paper Roller Coasters – Create incredible paper roller coasters using strips of heavy paper. By folding, cutting, and taping the paper strips together you will be able to make sturdy roller coasters that reach the ceiling!
    http://www.paperrollercoasters.com/products.htm
  • Amusement Park Physics With a NASA Twist – Most amusement park physics guides focus primarily on problem sets and are geared towards using trigonometry and calculus. This is a middle school guide that makes the NASA connection to the rides. All of the activities are centered on preparing students to complete worksheets for specific rides. The science and mathematics teachers can prepare students to use a single method or several methods for gathering the data.
    http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/physicsday/physics_nasatwist_guide.pdf
  • ANIMOTO – Animoto for Education was designed to support the unique needs of educators, and it's loaded with features that make it easy to create powerful, professional video in minutes. http://animoto.com/

And how about an international opportunity?

For more information on these programs, please visit: http://grad.usda.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=440.

New! International Handbook of Research and Development in Technology Education
Alister Jones, University of Waikato, New Zealand and Marc de Vries (Eds.)

This international handbook reflects on the development of the field of technology education. From reviewing how the field has developed and its current strengths, consideration is given to where the field might go and how it can be supported in this process.

The development of this handbook represents an important step in the maturity of the field of technology education. The field has matured, as our technological society has matured, to the point that research and practice can be documented as shared in this publication. Historians will look at this international handbook as a significant, comprehensive step for a field of education that focuses on technology, innovation, design, and engineering for all students.

ISBN 978-90-8790-877-5 hardback USD147/EUR135
ISBN 978-90-8790-878-2 paperback USD89/EUR79
April 2009, 850 pages
SensePublishers
For Wisdom and Awareness
www.sensepublishers.com
Michel Lokhorst – michel.lokhorst@sensepublishers.com

NCATE Redesign and Transformation Proposal Out to Field
 
NCATE is currently preparing for a major redesign of its processes and is asking for comment from the field. Note the deadline for comment is April 24.

NCATE Seeks Field Comment on Proposed Redesign and Transformation Process
NCATE is in the midst of a redesign and transformation initiative which will provide a cost-effective, efficient, and collegial accreditation process for educator preparation. It will also give institutions the opportunity to engage in transformation initiatives (see the NCATE website at  www.ncate.org) as part of the work of accreditation. The concept of continuous improvement is a major strategy NCATE will use to drive the process. NCATE is currently seeking comment from all stakeholders on the proposed process. All comments can be made directly via the web through boxes provided at various points within the document. Comments will be received through April 24. For additional information, contact Jane Leibbrand, APR at jane@ncate.org.

Boeing Expands Investment in Future Workforce Through FIRST ROBOTICS

The Boeing Company has announced a four-year national partnership with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), valued at $4 million, to encourage students to explore careers in math and science. This expanded relationship builds upon an ongoing commitment by Boeing employees to help shape the future of technology innovation in the United States. FIRST is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire young people to participate in science and technology. Beginning in January, teams of high school students collaborate with adult mentors during an annual six-week period to design, build, and program robots from a common kit of parts for competition.

LUNACY, the 2009 FIRST competition challenge, commemorates the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission by staging all events on a low-friction floor to simulate gravity on the moon. During the match, teams recall the discoveries from the first manned mission to land on the moon as they maneuver robots to toss nine-inch "moon rocks" into trailers. FIRST attaches these moving targets to robots designed by the opposing teams as part of the challenge. More details about FIRST are at www.usfirst.org. Additional information about Boeing's educational support programs is online at www.boeing.com/companyoffices/aboutus/community/.

Source: Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin
March 12, 2009 - Volume 15, Number 10  Online Version (www.trianglecoalition.org/curtceb.htm)

2009 Regional Winners Announced in World’s Largest Student Science Competition
ExploraVision Winners Draw Inspiration from Issues Including the World Environmental Crisis, Military Conflicts, Urgent Medical and Health Topics, and Even the Current Sports Steroids Scandal

The 17th annual Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association ExploraVision Awards Program announced its 2009 Regional Winners on March 4, 2009, honoring students for their creative ideas for beneficial future technologies. Sponsored by Toshiba and administered by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the ExploraVision program is one of the world’s largest K–12 science and technology competitions. This year, the program received 4,388 team entries representing the participation of 13,774 students from across the U.S. and Canada.

Inspiring Students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education is a hot-button topic among politicians and educators today, particularly in light of the fact that many studies show American students often trailing behind other countries in these crucial areas. In his recent address to Congress, President Obama made note of America's responsibility to reform education and encouraged American innovation through science and technology. Since the program’s inception, more than 250,000 students have gotten a jump-start on this initiative by immersing themselves in STEM through ExploraVision.

For more information or an application for 2010, visit www.exploravision.org or email exploravision@nsta.org.  

JASON Training Seminars June 23-25 and July 15-16

Join your fellow educators for a collaborative, hands-on learning experience this summer in Ashburn, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC! Intended for teachers as well as staff development specialists who will be training others, these two- and three-day seminars will focus on tested strategies for inquiry-based learning and optimizing JASON curricula in the classroom. Seminar graduates will become certified as JASON Field Trainers, qualified to deliver JASON curriculum training to others in their schools and districts.

Taught by JASON Lead Trainers, each seminar will feature:

  • Host researchers from JASON curriculum units (pending availability).
  • Working sessions with in-depth focus on Missions from the curriculum, including student labs and field assignments.
  • Hands-on introduction to online resources in the JASON Mission Center.
  • Best practices in curriculum implementation, classroom management, and technology integration.
  • Collaboration on teaching strategies for greater student engagement.
  • Strategies for creating successful JASON trainings.

More information is available at www.jason.org. If you have any immediate questions or to register now, please contact pd@jason.org.

Astronaut Teacher Candidates to be Announced at NewSpace Conference

Teachers in Space, America's next great astronaut program, will take a big step forward this summer. On July 18, Teachers in Space will announce the first six Pathfinder astronaut candidates. The announcement will be made at the NewSpace 2009 Conference, taking place at NASA Ames Research Center from July 17 to July 20.

"Teachers in Space wants to put a thousand astronaut teachers into American schools, within the next decade," said TIS project manager Edward Wright. "The Pathfinder astronauts will be the leaders, the first astronaut teachers to fly in space and return to the classroom. Last year, teachers from all across America applied for the chance to become a Pathfinder astronaut. Teachers in Space has evaluated hundreds of applications. Narrowing the pool has been a difficult task. We have many high-quality applicants who we're sure will fly in space eventually. This summer, we will announce the six teachers who are finalists for the first two Pathfinder astronaut flights."  

For more information about Teachers in Space, see www.TeachersInSpace.org.

NASA Opportunities
Registration Open for Upcoming Kepler Mission Events for Educators

The Kepler Mission launched on March 6, 2009, on a search for habitable planets. The Kepler spacecraft will look at the very slight dimming of starlight as a planet passes in front of it. The spacecraft could find hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets. The following opportunities are planned for educators.
 
NASA Kepler Mission—A Search for Habitable Planets Workshop
National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C., April 25, 2009
Join Kepler Mission program scientist Dr. Patricia Boyd for an exciting day of science and hands-on activities for middle and high school teachers. Dr. Boyd will discuss the science behind NASA’s Kepler Mission. Participants will take part in standards-based, classroom-ready activities. Each participant will receive a complete transit model that includes a LEGO orrery, a Vernier light sensor, and interface and graphing software. A letter verifying eight hours of professional development can be provided. Preregistration is required. Questions? Contact Cynthia Ramseyer at cramseyer@seti.org. http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html.
 
For more information about this and other NASA educational opportunities, visit http://www.nasa.gov/education.

Top Stars: Educators Invited to Submit Examples of Inspiring Uses of Hubble in Education

For almost 20 years, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has inspired and engaged educators and students of all ages. U.S. formal (K-12, college) and informal educators are invited to submit their best examples of using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics education. Those selected as "Top Stars" will receive national recognition and awards. Entries will be accepted from May 2009 through January 2, 2010.
 
For more information, visit http://topstars.strategies.org. Questions about this opportunity should be directed to topstars@strategies.org.

Looking for a Great Place to Advertise Your University’s Position Openings?

ITEA Institutional Members may advertise position openings on ITEA's website free of charge.

Nonmember schools, colleges, and universities may advertise position openings on the ITEA website for $100 for one month or $175 for two months.

In addition, you may place your ad in The Technology Teacher. A 1/4 page ad (3 1/2" x 4 9/16") is $300.00 per issue, and a 1/2 page ad (7" x 4 5/8") is $600.00 per issue.

For additional information, contact Maureen Wiley at (703)860-2100 or mwiley@iteea.org.

VALUE FOR A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS

Is this the year you cross the bridge from Student to Professional membership? 

If you are a student member who will be graduating this year, ITEA would like to offer you a first-year Professional membership for only $65!

You will receive:

Information You Need.
On-trend, continually updated, rigorously researched information is a benefit you can count on with ITEA. From The Technology Teacher to Inside TIDE, ITEA’s electronic newsletter, Technology and Children to IdeaGarden, a teacher-to-teacher listserv, you’ll stay current on the topics that matter most to you.

Resources You Want.
You determine which member benefits best suit your needs. You select the professional development, networking, and career advancement opportunities you value most. You choose when it’s right to travel to a conference and when it’s right to participate online. Go to www.iteea.org to see the hundreds of ITEA products and materials, including Engineering byDesign™, a standards-based national model program. As a member, you have access to multiple insurance options at greatly reduced costs, including $1 M Professional Liability for only $99.

Support You Deserve.
ITEA is committed to strengthening technological literacy by strengthening the individual. You’ll enjoy Members Only access to the Online Library and opportunities to apply for awards, grants, and scholarships to benefit you and bring recognition to your program. All grade levels, all experience levels are welcomed—and supported—at ITEA.

Don’t leave your professional growth to chance!
Membership Matters.

Renew through our online store at: www.iteea.org/Membership/membership.htm.

Submissions to Inside TIDE

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

End of Inside TIDE, Tuesday, April 14, 2009
 
http://www.cup.edu/go/teched techedonline@cup.edu