Updated April 27, 2004
- President Jurewicz in a Boston Globe article
House Calls: So why, if our fathers and grandfathers were such handymen, are we so clumsy with a hammer and nails?
- Summer Institutes Announced
Engineering Energy at Waltham through Tufts, Engineering for Classroom Teachers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Renewable Energy at three locations.
- Future City Competition
National Engineers Week seeks to increase public awareness and appreciation of the engineering profession and technology by emphasizing their positive contributions to society. To help students better understand the practical applications of mathematics and scientific principles, the National Engineers Week Committee is sponsoring the 13 th Annual National Engineers Week Future City Competition. The Future City Competition offers students a resourceful way to learn about engineering. Students will:
• Develop a project plan to guide team activities.
• Use SimCity ä software to design a logical model of their city.
• Build a physical model of their city using recycled materials.
• Work as a team under the guidance of an engineer and a teacher.
• Demonstrate their writing skills through writing an essay about an assigned engineering design problem and by writing a narrative explaining the features of their city design.
• Enhance communications skills through a team presentation.
• Learn how engineers turn ideas into reality.
- Funding Opportunity
ING Unsung Heroes Awards Program recognizes the nation's educators by providing them with small grants to enable them to implement or support classroom projects that have a positive influence on the children they teach. Those who are using groundbreaking methods or innovative strategies to improve student learning will be awarded grants this year. The deadline for applications is April 30, 2004. All winners will receive $2,000; the first place winner will be awarded an extra $25,000. An additional $10,000 will go to the second place winner and a $5,000 award will be given to the third place winner. Full time K-12 teacher, principals, paraprofessionals, or staff working in a public or private school are eligible to apply. For more information, contact ING Unsung Heroes Awards Program, c/o Scholarship America, 1 Scholarship Way, Post Office Box 297, St. Peter, MN 56082, (800) 537-4180, e-mail: ing@csfa.org . For program details, visit http://www.ing.com/us/about/connect/education/unsung_heroes.html
- ICON,
or the Innovation Curriculum Online Network,
is a central source for information dealing with technology and innovation,
and serves as an electronic roadmap to connect users, such as teachers,
professors, students, museum staff, and parents with information about
the human built and innovated world.
ICON also provides a broad and deep collection of technological literacy
resources for teachers and educators, digital resources informed by
educational and digital library standards, necessary descriptors,
metadata, and developmentally-appropriate content for technological
literacy support. The collection is populated and classified according
to the Standards for Technological Literacy.
- GreatBuildings.com
- Welcome to the leading architecture reference site on the web, . This
gateway to architecture around the world and across history documents
a thousand buildings and hundreds of leading architects, with 3D models,
photographic images and architectural drawings, commentaries, bibliographies,
web links, and more, for famous designers and structures of all kinds.
For up-to-the-moment coverage of the latest buildings, designers, ideas,
and trends, GreatBuildings.com is richly cross-linked with ArchitectureWeek,
the leading architecture magazine online.
- The Massachusetts Telecommunications
Council created the Technical
Achievement Scholarship Fund in 1998. The goal of the fund
is to recognize and reward students who demonstrate scholastic aptitude,
leadership skills and technical achievements, and to encourage them
in their pursuit of a technical degree from a Massachusetts university,
college or technical school. With the scholarship, the MTC is looking
to entice recipients to remain in the Bay State after graduation.
Students who are part of the Scholarship program do not just receive
a monetary award; they have the opportunity to meet today’s
successful telecom executives and learn in depth about the industry
through their insights and MTC educational programs. These experiences
help the future leaders of our industry gain insight into the opportunities
and challenges that lay ahead.
Fast Facts
Scholarship Fund Created: 1998
First Scholarship Awards Presented (high school only): 1999
First Supplemental Scholarship Awards: 2001
Number of Scholarship Awards since inception: 140+
Total dollars distributed since 1999: over a quarter million dollars
Qualifications to be a Scholarship Recipient Include:
Be a Massachusetts high school senior or previous MTC Scholarship
recipient
Exhibit an aptitude for math, science, or technology
Be active in technical curricular and extra-curricular activities
Plan to attend, or currently attend a Massachusetts college, university,
or technical school
Study computer science or technology
-
CAREER
VOYAGES
The Department of Labor recently announced the launching of the Career
Voyages website. Earlier this year, Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
announced the development of this electronic tool meant to help bridge
the gap between education and workforce skills. The website is part
of a larger, more comprehensive effort to link the educational community
with the world of work. “Career Voyages helps young people learn
about the high growth industries where many opportunities await them,
and employers find the skilled workers they need to keep our country
strong and competitive,” said Chao.
The new website features detailed information about
the fastest growing industries and occupations, the skills and education
required to prepare for them, job openings by area, wages, licensing
requirements, and growth rates for numerous occupations. Although
some career paths described on the website require a four-year degree,
career voyages expands postsecondary opportunities to include on-the-job
training, apprenticeship programs for skilled trades, and two-year
professional degree programs that lead to promising careers.
This exciting, interactive website includes information
for secondary students, parents, career changers, and career advisors
and includes free online career interest surveys for participants.
- Christopher
Columbus Awards Program
Today's middle school students are the Innovation Generation -- everyday
kids with untapped potential who are creative problem-solvers. Unlocking
that potential is the mission of the Christopher Columbus Awards program,
a cutting-edge national competition that combines science and technology
with community problem-solving in a real-world setting.
With the help of an adult coach, students work in teams to identify
an issue they care about and use science and technology to develop
an innovative solution. They work with experts, conduct research and
put their ideas to the test, just like adult scientists. This is science
and community involvement at its best, with real rewards.
Participating in the Christopher Columbus Awards program
is a cross-curricular activity that meets science education standards.
And best of all, it's FREE and can be used in any setting -- public
or private schools, home schools and youth organizations.
- WomenTech
Best Practices CD
Would you like to have women in your classes but
you find that they just don't sign up? Did you once have a female student
but she dropped out after the first class? Do you have a few female
students but you want more? If you answered yes to any of the above
questions, the WomenTech Best Practices CD is for you.
- IEEE
Teacher In-Service Program
The IEEE and its local Sections have a commitment to the enhancement
of the level of technological literacy, science and mathematics among
pre-college educators and ultimately their students. The Teacher In-Service
Program features IEEE Section engineers developing and presenting
technologically oriented subject matter to local pre-college educators
in an in-service or professional development setting. The focus on
local school districts is a key feature to this program as local engineers
and educators can develop long lasting collaborations. The Florida
West Coast Section of the IEEE piloted this program with its first
in-service presentation during Engineers Week. The Program has grown
to include many Sections -- and now includes lesson plans for teachers
based on the activities developed through in-service program presentations.
To date, 23 presentations have been made by IEEE volunteers. 419 pre-college
educators have participated in these presentations, representing over
44,000 students.
-
FREE
RESOURCES
Several new learning resources have been added to the Federal Resources
for Educational Excellence (FREE) website. FREE makes it easy for
teachers, parents, students, and others to find teaching and learning
resources from more than 40 federal organizations. Recently, the site
has been improved with an enhanced search engine that produces more
precise results. Among the new resources are:
Cool Cosmos – invites students into the world
of infrared astronomy. Teachers and students may discover light outside
the visible spectrum with these classroom activities, experiments,
and lessons. The site provides ask-an-astronomer videos, an infrared
astronomy timeline, and more. (NASA)
Edison Invents – examines several of Edison’s inventions:
the telegraph, telephone, phonograph, and electric light bulb. Students
can learn about his life and how to create their own light bulb. (Smithsonian
Institute)
Learn About Chemicals Around Your House – answers questions
about pesticides and toxic chemicals used around the house. It explains
how to read labels and what to do in case of an accident.
Visible Earth – is a searchable directory of images, visualizations,
and animations of Earth. Topics include soils, clouds, storms, hurricanes,
droughts, precipitation, vegetation, oceans, sea ice, human populations,
land use, erosion, fires, rocks, minerals, regions, and countries.
(NASA)
-
HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS GET FUNDING FOR INVENTIONS THAT SOLVE COMMUNITY PROBLEMS
More than 180 students at 10 high schools across the country are getting
the chance this school year to work on teams to create inventions
that benefit their schools or communities. These students, and their
teachers and mentors, are this year's recipients of the prestigious
Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams grants. Their proposed inventions represent
the fields of assistive robotics, environmental science, health and
safety, and consumer products. "We want to show students that
invention in science, technology, and engineering is a viable and
exciting career path," said Joshua Schuler, InvenTeams grants
officer for the Lemelson-MIT Program. "We're giving students
hands-on invention experience and connecting them with mentors from
fields related to their proposed projects."
High school science, mathematics, and technology teachers
applied for the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams grants last spring. In the
fall, 25 finalists were asked to complete second-round applications
honing their invention ideas. A panel of Massachusetts Institute of
Technology faculty and alumni, professional inventors and engineers,
and Lemelson-MIT Program staff then reviewed the applications and
selected the grant recipients. The ten InvenTeams will spend the next
seven months working on their inventions and completing working prototypes.
Each month they will file updates via the InvenTeams website to elaborate
on their progress and detail their expenditures and upcoming financial
needs. A final report, including a working prototype and documentation,
is due by June 1, 2004. Now in its second year, the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams
grants initiative evolved out of the Lemelson-MIT Program's annual
High School Invention Apprenticeship, a national program that provided
a hands-on learning experience to individual high school students.
- SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
New Scholarship
Foundation to Give Help to Needy Students – With the beginning
of the school year, a unique and brand new organization of philanthropic
individuals will be offering thousands of scholarships to financially
strapped students. The Jericho, New York-based United Scholarship Fund
plans to give away $165 million in scholarships this year to people
of all ages and income levels nationwide. This is one of the largest
private scholarship funds ever created. The program will be open to
nearly all income levels. There are no academic requirements. People
who are eligible to apply include students who wish to attend college
(prep or trade school, ivy league, public, state, private, Catholic,
university, and community) and parents interested in sending children
to private or Catholic school, grades Pre-K to 12.
Applicants must fill out and submit a two-page application and send
it to the United Scholarship Foundation. Applications will be reviewed,
and selections will be made by Foundation staff and the Foundation board
of advisors. The board is made up of teachers, celebrities, professional
athletes, politicians, businessmen, doctors, and professors from all
over the country.
There will be no strings attached by the Foundation, although there
will be some requirements. (A requirement may be that students must
enroll in a bona-fide educational curriculum, for example.) Students
may attend a career and technical school, college, or university in
New York, California, or anywhere else. The money may be used for tuition,
housing, or other costs related to the expenses of college. Call (516)
616-3738 or visit the website for application information.
TSA-sponsored
ITEA scholarship – The purpose of the TSA-sponsored ITEA
scholarship is to support the technology education profession by encouraging
TSA students to pursue careers as K-12 technology teachers.
Beginning with the 2003-04 school year, the TSA, Inc. Board of Directors
will sponsor this award for three (3) years at the rate of one (1)
$500 scholarship per year. The award is subject to review by TSA and
ITEA at the end of this period. The name of the recipient is announced
at the annual ITEA conference and is presented at the National TSA
conference. The recipient is not required to attend either conference,
nor is it the responsibility of National TSA or ITEA to fund the recipient’s
attendance. Money awarded is sent directly to the recipient’s
college.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Participated in an active TSA chapter for a minimum of two (2) consecutive
years, Served as a TSA officer at the local, state, and/or national
level for a minimum of one (1) academic year, Attended and participated
in at least one (1) TSA conference at the state or national level.
- PCET
Summer Program
Pre-College Engineering for Teachers
To download an application for the 2004 Tufts Engineering
Mentors Institute for middle school teachers, please click
here (pdf or doc).
To download an application for the 2004 Pre-College
Engineering for Teachers Satellite program for high school teachers,
please click
here (pdf or doc).
The contest will be open to state accredited public
or private U.S. high schools and middle schools. Team members must be
in 7th through 12th grade and home school students may be included on
high school or middle school teams at the discretion of the school principal.
The finals will be held on May 15, 2004, at Great Meadow, The Plains,
VA.
Detailed information, including the objective (similar
to last year's but with a different altitude), the rules, and an application
are posted at www.rocketcontest.org.
If you participated in the 2002/2003 event, your costs
to participate in the 2003/2004 event will be a lot less because all
the materials you used (Adept altimeter, RockSim, and Handbook of Model
Rocketry) can be used again. For planning purposes, the costs to enter
the 2003/2004 event will be around $60 for teams that have supplies
and $200 for teams that are entering for the first time.
If you know of other educators and students that might
be interested in the Challenge, please forward this email to them and
ask them to fill out the pop-up form at www.rocketcontest.org
to receive updates about the 2003-2004 contest.
Highlights of 2002-2003:
- Commissioner David Driscoll sent a memo
to Superintendents, Principals, Teachers, and others: Clarifying
Technology/Engineering Education
- What We Know About PREK-12 Technology/Engineering
Education in Massachusetts: Standards, Course Content, and Teacher Quality,
Preparation and Supply. This document and other related items can be
found on the Technology
Education Advisory Council web site.
- MCAS
for Science and Technology/Engineering Spring testing. January 21,
2003 memo from the Commissioner.
- Teacher
Leader Program- Math, Science and Technology-
The purpose of the Teacher Leader Program is to develop
the knowledge, skills and abilities of teachers in each school district
to: be knowledgeable about the Education Reform initiatives; model the
implementation of the standards-based curriculum materials and programs
that are aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks; and,
provide collaborative professional development opportunities to educators
and administrators.
-
Master of Arts in Technology Education
available completely on line from Ball State University.See site.
Need more information, contact Dr.
Jim Flowers.
- The Technology Student
Association (TSA) is pleased to introduce the 25th Anniversary Fund,
a grant program to assist financially challenged schools throughout
the nation that wish to charter a TSA chapter. This program was created
to recognize twenty-five years of student involvement in technology
education through TSA (formerly the American Industrial Arts Student
Association), which was founded in 1978.
How The Program Works
For schools that wish to have a TSA chapter, prospective advisors (teachers)
will apply for a grant from National TSA. Money awarded from the Fund
will cover a new chapter’s national and state Chapter Affiliation
Program (CAP) fees for one year. Applicants will provide verification
that school district funds are not available to finance CAP fees; they
also will demonstrate that as prospective TSA-affiliated schools, they
are unable to pay the affiliation fees or raise money from within the
community for this purpose. A plan for chapter sustainability beyond
the first funded year will be required. Grant funds will be awarded
to schools that aspire to have TSA chapters and not those with existing
chapters. The grant application is available on TSA’s web site.
The TSA, Inc. Board of Directors has approved the 25th Anniversary Fund
of the Technology Student Association. The board welcomes the participation
of all TSA members and their advocates to support this worthy cause.
Involvement
Grant awards for this program will come directly from support accrued
through the 25th Anniversary Fund. Therefore, money raised during the
Fund campaign (September 14, 2002 through June 24, 2004) will be the
amount available to TSA for dissemination to prospective chapters. Proceeds
from the Fund will be used only for new chapter national and state CAP
fees. Contributions to the Fund are not state specific (nor country
specific) and may be used to help any school that meets the guidelines
of the grant.
The minimum donation to the Fund is $25. For each $25 contribution,
the donor will receive one 25th Anniversary Fund pin. For example, should
an established TSA chapter donate $100 to the Fund, that chapter would
receive four anniversary pins. Donors will be recognized at the national
TSA conference that occurs during the year of their contribution (2003
or 2004). Contributions
to the Fund are tax deductible; a receipt of the donation will be
provided by National TSA. Contribution forms can be found online.
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