ITEEA Announces Long Beach Conference Workshop Opportunities

ITEEA is pleased to announce five specialized preconference workshops and one post-conference workshop at its annual meeting to be held March 14-17, 2012 in Long Beach, CA.

The preconference workshops will be held on Wednesday, March 14 and include the following:
• Basic Grant Writing will introduce professionals in technology and engineering education to the basics of grant writing for all levels of funding at local, state, and national levels.
• CEENBoT Robotics, an NSF-supported STEM education workshop, will show teachers how educational robotics and the CEENBoT platform can be a classroom tool that enhances student learning experiences. Teachers will be engaged in hands-on activities that support the use of TI graphing calculators as well as a library of functions for the classroom.
• Survival Master: A 3-D Computer Game is designed specifically for middle school engineering and technology education students. Simulations and Modeling in Technology Education (SMTE) is a five-year National Science Foundation-funded project that is researching the potential of a hybrid instructional model that blends computer gaming and physical modeling using tools and materials. The project, conducted by Hofstra University, has designed a four-week-long 3-D computer game called Survival Master and a companion physical modeling curriculum specifically for middle school engineering and technology education students and teachers based on Standards for Technological Literacy.
• Studio Animation and HD Video for the Technology Laboratory is a hands-on workshop that will engage technology teachers with how to use current tools such as Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Encore to enable their students (Grades 8-12) to edit high definition (HD) video and create animation effects for devices and the World Wide Web. It will focus on techniques, concepts, and tools to introduce your students to new technical developments and design considerations to produce, edit, and publish their animations and HD videos for a variety of devices, displays, and media (e.g., Blu-ray disks).
• Teaching Renewable Energy Technology will provide participants an overview of renewable energy technology; sample lessons, materials, and curriculum activities; and a four-semester curriculum guide for renewable energy technology.
• DESIGN SQUAD: As Built on TV will introduce participants to resources that will help middle and high school students deepen their understanding of the design process and increase their motivation to pursue engineering. Participants will learn how to use Design Squad’s challenges and free online resources to enrich their existing curricula, and each will receive a set of Design Squad activity guides as well as DVDs of select episodes. Learn to use PBS’ Design Squad’s robust library of resources in your classroom.

The specialized post-conference workshop, to be held Saturday, March 17, 2011, covers the topic of Robotics, Engineering, and Automation. This full-day workshop was so popular at the 2011 ITEEA conference in Minneapolis that it is being offered again in Long Beach. This Lab provides in-depth hands-on exercise for teachers and administrators on the new EbDPathwayExtension™ in Robotics, Engineering, and Automation. Participants will build, program, and compete with robots using the same curriculum featured in EbD’s Robotics PathwayExtension™.

ITEEA’s Long Beach Conference will be held March 15-17, 2012. For the latest conference information including workshops and registration, go to www.iteea.org/Conference/conferenceguide.htm. Questions can be directed to iteea@iteea.org or 703-860-2100.

Share Your Ideas at the Teaching Technology and Engineering Showcase

The ITEEA Teaching Technology and Engineering Showcase is an exhibition of best practices in the teaching of technology and engineering education. Showcasers include, but are not limited to, K–12 technology and engineering teachers, teacher educators, administrators, undergraduate and graduate students, and informal educators. The Showcase provides a forum to feature an idea, technique, or best practice related to learning activities, marketing materials, career guidance, facility design, program design, assessment methods, equity, or classroom and laboratory management techniques. Showcasers are asked to illuminate a single element of technology or engineering teaching and learning that they feel they have exemplified. Plan now to be a part of the Teaching Technology and Engineering Showcase in Long Beach, CA by completing the application located on the ITEEA website at www.iteea.org/Conference/TeachTechShowcaseForm.pdf.

The Teaching Technology and Engineering Showcase will take place at the ITEEA Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA on Saturday, March 17, 2011 from 9AM-11AM.

Underwater Robotics PD Program to be Pilot-Tested at ITEEA's 2012 Conference

WaterBotics™ is an underwater robotics curriculum, developed by Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, that utilizes the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® system and targets students in middle and high school classrooms as well as participants in informal learning environments such as summer camps and after-school programs. Previously, teachers interested in running the project had to undergo five days of in-person, hands-on training in order to be sufficiently prepared. Now, however, with funding from the National Science Foundation, a more efficient hybrid training model is being developed that will consist of both face-to-face and online components. This program will be pilot-tested at the ITEEA Annual Conference in March 2012, and 20 ITEEA members will be selected to participate through a competitive application process. These teachers will attend a one-day professional development session, complete four online modules, implement the curriculum at their schools, and provide valuable feedback about the training and support. Pairs of teachers from a single school are preferred, and each teacher will receive a $500 stipend and reimbursement of the ITEEA Annual Conference registration fee; the pair will receive a classroom kit of equipment valued at approximately $3,500.

For more information, such as teacher benefits and commitments, application forms, and details about the WaterBotics™ curriculum, please visit www.waterbotics.org/iteea, or send an email to Jason.Sayres@stevens.edu.

ITEEA's STEM±Center News

• Consortium State Opportunities
Over the next six months, ITEEA’s STEM±Center for Teaching and Learning will be rolling out EbD-TEEMS™ for Grades 3-5. This new elementary STEM curriculum is based on Standards for Technological Literacy (technology and engineering), the National Science Education Standards, and the Common Core Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts. EbD-TEEMS™ is unique in that the Building Blocks are specific to each Grade Level, so there is a STEM Building Block for Grade 3, one for Grade 4, and one for Grade 5. Over the next year, additional Building Blocks will be developed for Grades K-2, and subsequently Grades Pre-K and Grade 6. A STEM curriculum developed by certified elementary teachers/teacher educators and supervisors, the content is integrative in nature and incorporates and reinforces the daily requirements for which elementary teachers are responsible. Additionally, the materials are linked to the Grand Challenges for Engineering and provide the opportunity for all students to engage and experience what engineering is and how it applies to everyday life. The EbD Elementary Teacher Effectiveness Coaches (EbD-TECs™) will be fully trained to provide high-quality professional development for your state as needed – OR you may find it cost-effective to have your trainer become an “EbD-TEEMS Authorized Trainer” for future professional learning opportunities.

• EbD in Long Beach
This year is the rollout for the highly acclaimed elementary product EbD-TEEMS™ for Grades 3-5. The first all-day workshop for Consortium States only will be held at the ITEEA Long Beach Conference (March 14-17, 2012) as a preconference session. The workshop will focus on Grades 3-5. 

• Summer Institutes for Consortium State Classroom Teachers
Summer Institutes will be held that focus on training teachers to teach the elementary curriculum for FY2012 (starts Fall 2012.) This will be held at the STEM Education Collaboratory at Virginia Tech, and there will be one other “Authorized” satellite site being held simultaneously. We anticipate over 50 pilot schools in the first year, and thus training a group of trainers from your state will enable you to begin rolling out the curriculum through summer training and institutes in an organized manner. 

• Curriculum Leadership Institute – Train the Trainers
To accomplish a consistent professional development experience, we are making the opportunity available for consortium states to have up to five trainers per state (more as space permits). These trainers will spend three days preparing for the planned Summer Institutes. Upon completion, they will have the tools to deliver “Authorized” Elementary Summer STEM Institutes for Grades 3-5 that are consistent with the content of EbD-TEEMS™. The Institute will provide training on each of the three Building Blocks (Grade 3, Grade 4, and Grade 5). The registration covers the cost of transportation, lodging, and $250 in classroom materials with which to return to the classroom and implement the Building Blocks (Units). All participants will be offered the opportunity to better their skills at the ITEEA Long Beach Conference during the preconference workshop. The training itself will be hosted at the newly opened STEM Education Collaboratory at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia on December 9-11. The training will be led by Joey Rider-Bertrand, author for EbD-TEEMS™, and facilitated by Shelli Meade, the Coordinator for EbD™ and Development.  

REGISTRATION: https://www.regonline.com/ebdteems    
PACKAGE COST: $2500/person – includes transportation, lodging, meals, workshop materials, classroom materials ($3,000 if registration received after 12/1/2011)
COST FOR NON-CONSORTIUM STATES: $5,500 per person
MORE INFORMATION: Contact Barry Burke at bburke@iteea.org.

ITEEA Special Recognition Awards

The ITEEA Awards Committee seeks nominations for the Association’s Special Recognition Awards. These include Special Recognition Award, Wilkinson Meritorious Service Award, Lockette/Monroe Humanitarian Award, Award of Distinction, and the Academy of Fellows. Please go to www.iteea.org/Awards/awardspecialrecognition.htm to find qualifications and procedures for nominating your colleagues for these awards. Nomination packages must be received by December 1. Awardees will be recognized at the Association’s conference in Long Beach. For additional information, email Committee Chair John M. Ritz, DTE at jritz@odu.edu

Distinguished Technology Educator Invitation

Mike Fitzgerald, DTE, Chair of the ITEEA DTE Committee, would like to invite any ITEEA member with 10 or more years of continuous membership to consider receiving recognition as an ITEEA Distinguished Technology Educator (DTE). The DTE is a coveted mark of distinction in technology and engineering education. It recognizes technology, innovation, design, and engineering educators who have demonstrated a high level of competence and professional activity in the field of technology and engineering education. The recipients who earn the Distinguished Technology Educator designation are some of the most highly respected people in our field. This honor is not just for the elite—it is all about those people who have earned the honor through their professionalism, service, and dedication. Recipients include classroom teachers, administrators, and university professionals. You too can earn this honor. Information on applying for the DTE is on the ITEEA website. Feel free to contact Mike Fitzgerald, DTE Chair, at 302-857-3334 or mfitzgerald@doe.k12.de.us for questions or help.

21st Century Leadership Fellows

The 21st Century Leadership Fellows recently participated at the Triangle Coalition Conference on October 3 and 4, 2011. Additionally, they visited key legislators on Capitol Hill and are pictured here in the Hart Senate Building. Pictured left to right are Elizabeth Gallo, Bill Havice, DTE, Geoffrey Wright, Roger Hill, Raymond Dixon, Todd Fantz, Kelly Schurr, and Terrie Rust, DTE.

TSA Welcomes TEAMS and UNITE

The Technology Student Association (TSA) is pleased to announce it has acquired the TEAMS and UNITE programs of the Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS). TSA, a national nonprofit education organization, has a membership of over 150,000 middle and high school students in 2,000 schools spanning 48 states. It offers more than 60 co-curricular science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-based competitive events and related leadership activities. The TEAMS and UNITE programs promote mathematics, science, and engineering understanding in students and help them discover their potential for careers in the engineering profession.

JETS engaged students in a variety of educational programs designed to increase awareness of what engineers do and to show how math and science knowledge make tangible differences in the world. After many decades of service to the STEM community and with the assurance that the TEAMS and UNITE programs will continue in capable hands, the JETS organization is in the process of dissolving. The acquisition took place on August 31, 2011.

TEAMS and UNITE will continue as scheduled in 2012, but now will be managed by TSA. Schools, coaches, students, sponsors, and affiliates can expect the same level of quality programming and effective outcomes they have previously experienced. Registration is available at http://teams.tsaweb.org.

TEAMS
TEAMS (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science) is an annual high school competition that challenges students to work collaboratively as they apply their math and science knowledge in practical, creative ways to solve real everyday engineering problems. Focused on a theme each year, original academic and innovative concepts are developed for the competition based on the National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges. Engaging in the challenges requires critical job-readiness skills such as teamwork, analytical thinking, and multidimensional problem solving.

UNITE
UNITE (Uninitiates’ Introduction to Engineering), a four- to six-week summer program that encourages high school students to pursue engineering careers, is funded by the U.S. Army Research Office. Its classes introduce students to an academic experience that closely parallels that of a first-year student in a university engineering program. Through these classes, hands-on activities, and team-based learning, students explore the connections between math, science, and real-world applications.

For more information, visit the Technology Student Association homepage at www.tsaweb.org or contact Lynda Haitz, lhaitz@tsaweb.org.

Astronaut Dr. Bernard A Harris, Jr. Tells Youth "Sky is the Limit"

More than 6,000 New York area middle school students recently rallied behind science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education at the Harlem Armory and Apollo Theater during "The Dream Tour," a high-energy motivational program presented by Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr., the first African-American to walk in space. Students participated in the two-hour inspirational program designed to encourage STEM-related careers. The high-tech event, supported by ExxonMobil Foundation, featured interactive science experiments, a simulated shuttle launch, and firsthand accounts from ExxonMobil engineers about the rewarding aspects of their careers. The program concluded with a motivational address from Dr. Harris about how he overcame barriers through education and achieved his dreams to become a successful physician, businessman, NASA researcher, and astronaut.

"Forty years ago, who would have thought our handheld devices would have the same computing power as the technology used to send humans to the moon?" Harris said. "With The Dream Tour, I want to inspire students to use their talents and creativity to become innovators who can push the boundaries of what people think is possible. By the end of 2011, The Dream Tour will have visited 39 cities since its inception to achieve its goal of impacting more than one million students, teachers, and parents. Find out more at www.exxonmobil.com/community.

Source: TCEB - October 27, 2011 - Volume 17, Number 37

From the Boston Museum of Science

• Letter From the National Center for Technological Literacy at the Boston Museum of Science
Dear STEM Supporters,
We commend the National Academies Board on Science Education for including engineering design as a key practice, concept, and discipline in its July report, A Framework for K-12 Science Education. We urge you to embrace this initiative and join us in making K-12 engineering education a reality. The framework is the first step in developing new standards for K-12 science education and revisions to curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development for educators.
Learn More

Ioannis Miaoulis and the NCTL team (nctlinfo@mos.org)
National Center for Technological Literacy, Boston Museum of Science

• Lemelson-MIT and Museum of Science Celebrate Invention at EurekaFest
In June 2011, during the Lemelson-MIT EurekaFest at the Museum of Science, high school students from across the country and—for the first time—from China competed to design, build, and test wind-powered devices able to hoist metal trash cans over 30 feet in the air. The winning team (in photo) was Team Fluorescent Green. The competition capped a multi-day celebration that included the Lemelson-MIT Awards honoring established and rising inventors.
Learn More

• Raytheon Gift to Create Thousands of Elementary Engineering Teachers Nationwide
Raytheon has committed $1 million to the Museum of Science, Boston to dramatically expand the reach of its successful 20-unit Engineering is Elementary® (EiE®) curriculum. The program, sponsored by the Waltham, Massachusetts-based technology company, will create 300 professional development providers certified to educate teachers in this National Center for Technological Literacy® curriculum nationwide and three new partner sites in Washington, DC, Phoenix, AZ, and Huntsville, AL.
Learn More

Source: NCTL Update, October 20, 2011

NASA News

From NASA Education Express Message – October 13, 2011:

• 2012 National Community College Aerospace Scholars Program
National Community College Aerospace Scholars is an interactive, online learning experience featuring engineering career possibilities. It is highlighted by an on-site experience where selected students are encouraged to study mathematics, science, engineering, or computer science by interacting with engineers at NASA.

The only cost to participants is a $30 registration fee. NASA covers travel, food, and lodging. NCAS is open to community college students throughout United States. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have access to the Internet. Applications are due November 15, 2011.

For more information and to apply online, visit http://ncas.aerospacescholars.org/. Questions about this opportunity should be directed to jsc-ncas@mail.nasa.gov.

• YouTube’s Space Lab Challenges Students to Design an Experiment for the International Space Station
NASA has partnered with Space Adventures and YouTube on a global competition that challenges 14- to 18-year-old students to design a science experiment that can be performed in space. The winning experiment will be conducted aboard the Space Station in 2012.

Students, either alone or in groups of up to three, are invited to submit a video describing their experiments to YouTube.com/SpaceLab. Six regional finalists will gather in the United States in March 2012 to experience a zero-gravity flight and receive other prizes. From the finalists, two global winners will be announced and will see their experiments performed in space and streamed online that summer. Additionally, the global winners will get to choose a unique space experience as a prize: either a trip to Japan to watch their experiment blast off to the space station, or a trip to Star City, Russia, for an authentic space training experience at the Russian cosmonaut facility.

Videos will be accepted through December 7, 2011. For more information about the challenge, visit www.youtube.com/spacelab.

• 2012 Texas High School Aerospace Scholars
The Texas High School Aerospace Scholars project is an interactive, online learning experience. It is highlighted by a six-day internship where selected students are encouraged to study mathematics, science, engineering, or computer science by interacting with engineers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The Texas High School Aerospace Scholars project is open to high school juniors throughout Texas. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have access to the Internet. The application deadline is December 9, 2011. For additional information on the project and to apply online, visit http://has.aerospacescholars.org/. Questions about this opportunity should be directed to
jsc-aeroscho@mail.nasa.gov.

From NASA Education Express Message – October 20, 2011

• Centennial Challenge: Sample Return Robot Challenge
NASA and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute are seeking teams to compete in a robot technology demonstration competition with a potential $1.5 million prize purse. During the Sample Return Robot Challenge, teams will compete to demonstrate a robot that can locate and retrieve geologic samples from a wide and varied terrain without human control. The objective of the competition is to encourage innovations in automatic navigation and robotic manipulator technologies. Innovations stemming from this challenge may improve NASA's capability to explore a variety of destinations in space, as well as enhance the nation's robotic technology for use in industries and applications on Earth.

The competition is planned for June 2012 in Worcester and is anticipated to attract hundreds of competitors from industry and academia nationwide. Early-bird registration and fees for the competition are due by January 2, 2012.

For more information about the Sample Return Robot Challenge and to register online for the competition, visit http://challenge.wpi.edu. Questions about the Sample Return Robot Challenge should be sent to challenge@wpi.edu

• NASA Releases New Interactive Space Communications Game
NASA has released an interactive, educational video game called NetworKing that depicts how the Space Communication and Navigation, or SCaN, network operates. NetworKing gives players an insider's perspective into how astronauts, mission controllers, and scientists communicate during space missions.

To successfully construct fast and efficient communication networks, players first must establish command stations around the world and accept clients conducting space missions, such as satellites and space telescopes. Resources are earned throughout the game as players continue to acquire more clients. Players can use accumulated resources strategically to enhance and increase their networks' capabilities.

NetworKing is available to the public for play on the NASA 3D Resources website. Players can access the game using an Internet browser. To play the NetworKing game, visit www.nasa.gov/multimedia/3d_resources/scan.html.

For more information about SCaN, visit https://www.spacecomm.nasa.gov/spacecomm/default.cfm. For more information about NASA's education programs, visit www.nasa.gov/education.

• Virginia Space Grant Consortium Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities
VSGC awards over $325,000 in scholarships and fellowships to students attending Virginia Space Grant member institutions and majoring in a science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) field. Research proposals from students majoring in any STEM field and working on a project that supports NASA’s mission are welcomed. VSGC can assist students and faculty in identifying research projects and connecting to NASA.

• The Undergraduate STEM Research Scholarship Program provides a one-year scholarship of up to $8,500 to support undergraduate students actively engaged in a research project with a faculty mentor.
• The Graduate STEM Research Fellowship Program provides $5,000 in support to graduate students actively engaged in a research project with a faculty mentor. The Graduate Fellowship is add-on support for students and is renewable for one year.
• The Community College STEM Scholarship Program provides $2,000 scholarships to students attending any Virginia Community College and majoring in STEM.
• The Teacher Education STEM Scholarship Program provides $1,000 awards to students majoring in a teacher education preparation program and demonstrating an interest in teaching in a STEM field. Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply.

The VSGC is especially seeking applications from underrepresented minorities, females, and persons with disabilities. For more information, visit www.vsgc.odu.edu or contact Nick Koltun, VSGC Educational Programs Specialist at nkoltun@odu.edu or 757-766-5210.

From NASA Education Express Message – Oct. 27, 2011:

• 2011 OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Video Contest
NASA has opened registration for the 2011 OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Video Contest. Featuring OPTIMUS PRIME, the leader from the popular TRANSFORMERS brand, the contest highlights spinoffs from NASA technologies that are used on Earth. The goal is to help students understand the benefits of NASA technology to their daily lives.

For 2011, the contest has been expanded to include students in Grades 3-12. Each student, or group of students, will submit a three- to five-minute video on a selected NASA spinoff technology listed in NASA’s 2010 “Spinoff” publication. Videos must demonstrate an understanding of the NASA spinoff technology and the associated NASA mission, as well as the commercial application and public benefit associated with the spinoff technology.

Participants must register for the contest by January 3, 2012. Video entries are due January 17, 2012. For more information, visit the OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Contest website at http://ipp.gsfc.nasa.gov/optimus. Questions about this contest should be directed to Darryl Mitchell at Darryl.R.Mitchell@nasa.gov.

• Electronic Professional Development Network Courses
NASA’s Learning Environments and Research Network and the Georgia Institute of Technology have teamed up to create the electronic professional development network, or e-PDN, an initiative dedicated to preparing K-12 teachers to engage their students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, through the use of NASA-developed learning materials and resources.

If you are looking for a way to enhance your instructional skills, meet your professional development goals, or find new and exciting resources to use in your learning environments, apply to one of our free courses today!

Applications are now open for the following courses:

• Using Robotics to Enhance STEM Learning – January 18-February 28, 2012
  Learn how to build and program LEGO Mindstorms robots and use them to promote student engagement and conceptual understanding of mathematics, science, and engineering. Explore robotic manipulators and end effectors like the ones NASA uses on the International Space Station, and integrate multiple sensors into your robot to allow for systematic control. Join your colleagues in the Grand Challenge to design, build, and program a robot to explore an environment and return with a sample for investigation.
• Technology Integration – Vodcasts – February 8-March 13, 2012
  Participants will use various audio and video editing software tools to create video podcasts, or vodcasts. Each participant will begin by creating an enhanced podcast and build up to a vodcast through the creation of video and audio files. During the course, you will examine and use many of the NASA public domain resources for infusing STEM concepts into your projects.
• Project-Based Inquiry Learning – March 14-April 17, 2012
  Develop skills in designing and using project-based inquiry learning, or PBIL, to enhance conceptual understanding, critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving in standards-based classrooms. Experience and analyze two NASA-oriented PBIL projects firsthand; learn PBIL curriculum design strategies and methods; and design a PBIL unit for use in your classroom.
• Technology Integration – 3-D Visualizations – March 21-April 24, 2012
  Participants will learn how to use 3-D visualization tools to create models of complex objects. Introduction to systems engineering and the multidisciplinary engineering design processes such as product lifecycle management and integrated product and process development principles will be introduced.
• Technology Integration – Turn Your Classroom Digital – April 4-May 8, 2012
  Attendees will learn how to create their own online course from start to finish. Participants will get an overview of online teaching models, learning management systems, instructional design models, Web 2.0 collaborative tools, and online assessments. Participants will then combine the pieces and create an online course in a free learning management system.

To learn more about these free courses and to apply online, visit http://nasaepdn.gatech.edu/nasa_certificates.php. For more information on the e-PDN and the resources it offers to K-12 teachers, visit www.nasaepdn.gatech.edu. Questions about these courses should be directed to Kristen Anderson at kristen.anderson@dlpe.gatech.edu.