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Monday, March 9, 2009

Quote of the Day
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
Albert Einstein

Topics in This Issue
01. Don't Miss ITEA's 71st Annual Conference in Louisville...
02. CRUs Available for Louisville Attendees
03. EbD™ in Louisville
04. Action Labs in Louisville Are the Best Ever!
05. ITEA Joins the Blogosphere
06. TECC Announces New Website
07. EbD™ Package Discount for Middle School Materials
08. Triangle Coalition Annual STEM Education Policy Conference
09. Partnership for 21st Century Skills
10. Engineering/Technology Day in Indiana
11. New Jersey News
12. Update From Down Under
13. New England's Only Air and Space Center Opens
14. Team America Rocketry Challenge
15. Green Competition Urges Kids to Change Their Communities in 2009
16. The Operation: Resilient Planet Game Takes Students on Underwater Gaming Adventure
17. Help a Teacher – Solving Problems Through Collaboration
18. 2009 NASA eEducation Electronic Professional Development Network Series
19. New Science On a Sphere Movie "Return to the Moon" Opens Nationwide
20. Take Part in Upcoming Astronomy Events
21. Brand New ITEA Product Guide Now Available
22. Now There's Enough Space in Your Classroom and Your Budget for 3D Printing

Don't Miss ITEA’s 71st Annual Conference in Louisville…
and it’s just two weeks away!

Due to overwhelming response, ITEA has established a brand new registration opportunity—Advance On-Site Registration. You have until Sunday, March 15 to take advantage of discounted registration rates.  
   
The pricing is being extended, but this is Advance On-Site Registration—you still have to register "on-site," but your payment is being made in advance so that you receive the same discount as preregistration pricing. Upon arrival in Louisville, go to the Advance On-Site Registration Desk. Your registration will be finalized on-site, but you will not need to make a payment (because that will already have been processed at the discounted rate.)

ITEA will accept your Advance On-Site Registration:

• Online through ITEA’s e-store – http://store.iteea.org/ (credit card only)
• A hard copy of your registration form, mailed to ITEA with check or PO enclosed
• A hard copy of your registration form, faxed to ITEA at 703-860-0353 with credit card or PO information 

And if you can't register by March 15, On-Site Registration will be open in Louisville beginning Wednesday, March 25 at 11:00am. (Registration is in the Bridgeside Lobby of the Kentucky International Convention Center.)

In addition to our keynote speakers, Alfie Kohn and Nate Ball, this conference offers 188 informative, educational sessions covering all levels of education and interest. These sessions are available to all conference attendees and will run March 26-28, including sessions by TECC, TECA, CTTE, NSF, PATT and Engineering byDesign™. There are eight preconference workshops, each at a cost of $95, that will take place Wednesday, March 25, 1:00pm-4:00pm, in addition to four afternoon educational tours. And the Action Labs are the best we have ever offered—not to mention the exhibit floor that will be loaded with valuable resources.

And remember you will receive a FREE copy of Advancing Excellence in Technological Literacy: Student Assessment, Professional Development, and Program Standards, designed as a companion to Standards for Technological Literacy. We hope you can make last-minute plans to join us. This is one conference you don't want to miss!

Complete Louisville conference details are available at http://www.iteea.org/Conference/conferenceguide.htm.

CRUs Available for Louisville Attendees

ITEA participants can earn two (2) Continuing Education Units for conference attendance. Participants must make application and pay a $5.00 fee to receive the CEU credits. Information that will be needed from the participants includes: SSN, name, address, and phone number. The contact for the CEU credits is: Tim Ross, Professor & Chair, Department of Technology, Eastern Kentucky University, 302 Whalin Technology Complex, Richmond, KY  40475; 859-622-1197(Office); 859-622-2357( Fax); tim.ross@eku.edu.

EbD™ in Louisville

EbDLabs™ in Louisville
An exciting new addition to the ITEA Conference this year is the EbDLabs™. Previously, training sessions for EbD™ courses were restricted to Consortium States and consisted of all-day, preconference workshops. Now, in addition to the preconference workshops, the EbD™ team is offering the EbDLabs™. For a small ($15) registration fee, you can get a refresher on an EbD™ course or experience what a specific EbD™ course is about for the first time. Registration for the EbDLabs™ is accepted with ITEA conference registration. But hurry! These labs are limited to 30 participants each, and they are filling up fast (Exploring Technology, Foundations of Technology, Invention and Innovation, Advanced Design Applications, and Engineering Design are already sold out). For the latest information on availability, go to http://www.iteea.org/Conference/registration.pdf. For descriptions of the individual labs, visit http://www.iteea.org/Conference/ebdlabs.htm. Advance On-Site registration is open until Sunday, March 15, after which you will need to register on-site in Louisville.

EbD™ Booth in Louisville
Stop by the EbD™ booth on the vendor floor in Louisville at the ITEA Annual Conference, March 26-28, 2009. Take advantage of this opportunity to speak with teachers and other educators about implementing EbD™ in the classroom. Free raffle and goodies are available as well. For more information about the Engineering byDesign™ program, contact ebd@iteea.org or 703-860-2100.

Action Labs in Louisville Are the Best Ever!

ITEA Joins the Blogosphere

Be sure to check in from time to time with ITEA’s first-ever Blog, “Advocating Technological Literacy.” Its purpose is to provide an avenue for delivering timely news and commentary on subjects pertaining to technological literacy, as well as a "behind-the-scenes" glimpse of what we're working on at any given point in time. Maintained by ITEA’s Editor, and through the use of “Guest Bloggers,” ITEA’s Blog utilizes text, images, and links to other sources. Readers will have the ability to leave comments as well as participate in ongoing polling on various topics and can choose whether or not to automatically receive notices of new posts. Take a look today by going to http://iteatide.blogspot.com/.

TECC Announces New Website

The Technology Education for Children Council (TECC) has launched a new website. TECC is ITEA’s council for and about technology education at the elementary level. Check it out at http://www.tecchome.org/index.html.

Triangle Coalition Annual STEM Education Policy Conference

On February 23 and 24, Triangle Coalition held its 12th annual STEM Education Policy Conference at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC. The conference started with a keynote address to the packed house by ITEA member Dr. Mark Sanders, a leader in STEM Education research, speaking on "Integrative STEM Education" as a stronger and more relevant platform for learning. In addition, attendees were given insight from Congressional staffers on this year's upcoming STEM education issues and what they believe might be happening in the field during the 111th Congress. The topic was further explored by STEM education leaders from four key federal agencies including NASA, NIH, NSF, and the Department of Energy.

Speakers and panels addressed issues including the relationship between China, India, and U.S. STEM policy; building scalable, sustainable programs for STEM education at the state level; and a very timely discussion on the subject of National Standards—a topic much in the news these days. On Tuesday the conference attendees made visits to Capitol Hill to share their personal insights with the Congressional Delegations from their states and districts. Find out more online at http://www.trianglecoalition.org/conf.htm.

Source: Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin, March 5, 2009 - Volume 15, Number 9  Online Version
Published by: Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Groundbreaking Program Will Increase the Capacity of Practitioners to Embed 21st Century Skills into Classroom Practices
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has launched a groundbreaking new program to establish a network of experts who are specialists in helping states and districts design and implement 21st century skills via targeted professional development programs. Nearly 30 people from 11 organizations were the inaugural participants in the P21 Professional Development Affiliate program.
 
As affiliates, participants now form a specialized cadre armed with the resources required to align their already robust professional development programs with the Partnership's Framework for 21st Learning—which makes clear the skills, knowledge, and expertise students must master to succeed in work and life. Program participants are also able to assist others seeking to align the Framework into existing models. The unique design of the program allows for differentiation within states to ensure 21st century skills fit seamlessly into existing state standards and policies.
 
As more and more states and districts embrace 21st century skills, there is an exponentially growing need for assistance in embedding these skills into schools and classrooms. The affiliate program fills this void by creating a national network of providers proficient in helping teachers and administrators implement the Framework.
 
The affiliate program is designed for national, state, and regional organizations that provide training and professional development programs to school administrators and instructional leaders. Upon completion of the program, participants become part of a national community committed to infusing 21st century skills into K-12 instructional practices and sharing their work with colleagues. http://21stcenturyskills.org

The Partnership Releases a 21st Century Learning Environments White Paper
Successful learning environments break through the barriers that separate schools from the real world, educators from each other, and policymakers from the communities they serve. Yet, many schools continue to reflect their Industrial Age origins with rigid schedules, inflexible facilities, and fixed boundaries between grades, disciplines, and classrooms, according to a new paper released by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and sponsored by Cisco Systems.

The paper, 21st Century Learning Environments, finds that learning environments—the structures, tools, and communities that inspire students and educators to attain the knowledge and skills that are required of them—must embrace a diverse and complex world of people, places, and ideas. While a tremendous amount of attention has been paid to standards, assessments, professional development, and curriculum and instruction, the paper finds that learning environments are an essential component to supporting positive 21st century outcomes for students.

Read the full report at http://21stcenturyskills.org/documents/le_white_paper-1.pdf.

Photo courtesy of Engineering/Technology Educators of Indiana 

Engineering/Technology Day in Indiana

The Engineering and Technology Educators of Indiana (ETEI) returned to the Indiana Statehouse on February 11, 2009 for the 5th annual Engineering and Technology Education Day. Approximately 120 students displayed their activities to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction along with legislators from all corners of the state. They witnessed several problem-solving activities, including programmable marble sorters, robotics, high-speed communication systems, and energy-efficient transportation systems as well as several design projects.

New Jersey News

NJTEA STEM Grant
This grant is geared to support a STEM activity with the purchase of materials or equipment needed. The selection will take place at the end of this school year and be awarded over the summer or in early September to make the funds available as soon as possible for planning and ordering. Please take the time to review the application and apply. The deadline is May 31, 2009. http://www.njtea.org/Pages/Recognition/Recognition.html#STE
  
Future Technology Educator Scholarship
NJTEA provides $500 scholarships to graduating high school seniors who are current residents of New Jersey and who have gained acceptance to an accredited technology education teacher preparation program. A supporting recommendation from a NJTEA member is required. If you have a high school student who wants to be a technology teacher, nominate him or her for this scholarship! http://www.njtea.org/Pages/Recognition/Recognition.html#Future

www.TeachTechNJ.org is a valuable resource
www.TeachTechNJ.org has proven to be one of the most valuable resources for people considering technology education as a career. The site is built for parents, students, teachers, guidance counselors, and alternate route candidates. If you know someone considering technology education as a career, www.TeachTechNJ.org should be their first stop!

Win a FREE Hybrid School Bus
Your wish for a greener environment could pay off big time. The search for the Greenest School in America is on!
The grand prize: a FREE hybrid school bus to the winning school and a $5,000 scholarship to the student who submits the winning essay. Sponsoring teachers may receive $3,000 to use toward educational materials. Enter by visiting http://www.americasgreenestschool.com. On the site, you'll learn about making your school more environmentally friendly and you can submit a 500-word essay that describes what makes your school "green." Submissions are due by April 30, 2009.

Apply for NJTEA Five Star Recognition
Utilizing the document Assessing Technology Education Programs (available through NJTEA), a team of technology education professionals will visit and meet with the technology education teachers in your school to collaboratively examine the detailed rubrics noted in the document. A written summary will be provided after the visit. Technology education programs that meet the criteria detailed in the guide or have a plan of action for doing so will be recognized as a 5-Star Exemplary Technology Education Program. "5-Star" programs will be noted in NJTEA publications and media for a period of five years and will receive promotional materials for display. The 5-Star Exemplary Technology Education Program is open to all New Jersey schools and districts. Each year, a limited number of citations will be given to exemplary elementary, middle, and high school technology education programs. A fee of $300 is required at the time of application. This fee is used to cover administration costs and visiting committee member substitute teacher pay.
Find the application here: http://www.njtea.org/Pages/Recognition/Recognition.html#5star

Source: NJTEA Update #18
Sunday, February 15, 2009 6:43 PM

Update From Down Under

Techlink Update
At this stage of the New Zealand school year, educators will be getting classes settled and, if all has gone well, putting the finishing touches to programme planning for the year—so Techlink is here to provide encouragement and additional support as required. The Techlink site has been set up to showcase contemporary teaching and learning in technology and provides a comprehensive curriculum support package to assist teachers in their ongoing planning and implementation of classroom programmes. The site has grown and continues to develop. Techlink’s homepage has had a revamp to better explain the site. There are also introductory pages for teachers and for students to give some ideas on how to use the site more effectively. Check it out at http://www.techlink.org.nz. Our role is to promote and support technology—so if you have material you think we can use or know of the work of others that we should be following up on, please contact Vanessa at comms@techlink.org.nz.

Source: T-News, No. 34, Feb. 09

Photo courtesy of McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

New England's Only Air and Space Science Center Opens
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

Be inspired, have fun, and learn something new in the spirit of Christa McAuliffe and Alan Shepard. A new full-service science center, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, opened on March 6, 2009. With a Mercury-Redstone rocket at the front entry and a prominent observatory dome, New England's first air and space science center will make its home in Concord, New Hampshire, housing 45,000-square-feet of new interactive science exhibits. The new Discovery Center is a major transformation of the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium.

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is a lively educational science center featuring twenty-first century interactive exhibits on aviation, astronomy, and Earth and space sciences, a state-of-the-art planetarium, and a variety of science and engineering programs.

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center honors the legacies of two New Hampshire heroes and is a place for visitors to explore, discover, and be inspired.  As the only air and space science center in New England, it welcomes visitors of all ages to have fun while learning about the universe in which we live. More information is online at http://www.starhop.com.

Team America Rocketry Challenge

The Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) encourages students to study advanced math and sciences and to consider studying aerospace fields in college. The process of designing, building, and flying a moderately complex flight vehicle teaches many concepts of teamwork, physics, and engineering, including aerodynamics, flight mechanics and stability, and electrical circuitry. The process of vehicle optimization for a performance goal teaches engineering design and tradeoffs.

Teams consist of three to fifteen students in 7th through 12th grades. Over 30,000 students have participated over the last five years. Winning teams share in a prize pool of $60,000 in savings bonds and cash as well as other educational prizes sponsored by NASA and the Department of Defense. The event website is located at http://www.rocketcontest.org.

The National Association of Rocketry
The National Association of Rocketry (NAR) is the oldest and largest independent organization for hobby rocket fliers in the United States. Its website at http://www.nar.org is a major resource for the hobby. NAR has assembled links to all of its programs and resources for educators and students on one page of its website, http://www.nar.org/teacher.html. 

Green Competition Urges Kids to Change Their Communities in 2009

The "Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge" is encouraging middle school students across the United States to kick off 2009 by "going green" and implementing environmental change in their local communities. The website for this entirely web-based challenge, http://www.wecanchange.com, is host to lots of kid-friendly activities such as virtual interactive labs, an eco-footprint game, an environmental IQ quiz, online journals, video clips—plus many more resources for both students and adult advisers. Teams of two to three students in sixth through eighth grade, under the mentorship of a teacher or adult supervisor, will identify an environmental issue in their community, research the issue using scientific investigation, and create a replicable green solution using web-based curriculum tools powered by Discovery Education. "Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge" submissions from middle school students will be accepted through March 15, 2009. A total of 51 teams representing each state and the District of Columbia will be selected as state finalists, and an additional 50 teams will be eligible for honorable mention awards. Three of the state finalist teams will be selected as national finalists, and one of those will be named the inaugural grand-prize winner.

The Siemens Foundation, Discovery Education, and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) have partnered on the "Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge" to educate, empower, and engage students, teachers, and communities to become "Agents of Change" in improving their communities nationwide. The initiative expands to elementary schools in 2009 and to high schools in 2010. The Siemens Foundation provides more than $7 million annually in support of educational initiatives in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math in the United States.

Source: Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin, March 5, 2009 - Volume 15, Number 9  Online Version
Published by: Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education

The Operation: Resilient Planet Game Takes Students on Underwater Gaming Adventure

In Mission 4 – Paradise Found, a National Geographic Society Emerging Explorer, Enric Sala, leads gamers as they maneuver a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to investigate a shark infestation that may be harming the monk seal population. Using real-life scientific instruments and methods, including advanced underwater cameras and tagging devices, gamers play the role of an underwater scientist gathering crucial data and analyzing specimens…including the contents of shark vomit!

Designed to supplement the print and digital components of JASON’s recently released ecology curriculum unit, Operation: Resilient Planet, the new game was created for both novice and experienced players. In-game tutorials demonstrate how to play while adhering to good science. Educators can easily incorporate the game into classroom lessons by downloading free resource documents, including a research agenda outline, argument constructors, and connections to the curriculum.

JASON and Filament Games are now working on a second Operation: Resilient Planet game. Mission 2 – Survivors will take players to the Gulf of Mexico with Dr. Robert Ballard, JASON’s Chairman and Chief Scientist. Its premise: the government has ordered an oil rig to be dismantled using explosives, and players must determine if nearby sea turtles will be harmed as a result. They’ll conduct extensive research and then develop a plan to safely evacuate the turtles.

Visit http://www.jason.org and log in to the JASON Mission Center for complete access to JASON’s middle grade science curricula, including the award-winning weather unit, Operation: Monster Storms, and the preview site for Operation: Infinite Potential, an energy unit scheduled for release in summer 2009. Available in print and free online editions, JASON curricula are aligned to state and national science standards.

Source: Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin, December 4, 2008 - Volume 14, Number 45  Online Version (http://www.trianglecoalition.org/curtceb.htm)
Published by: Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education

Help a Teacher – Solving Problems Through Collaboration

New "Help a Teacher" Online Community Helps Educators Connect, Solve Problems Through Social Collaboration
Wren, a provider of tools to provide safe learning environments for schools, has launched a new online community to help teachers connect, access resources, and solve problems through social collaboration. Help a Teacher (http://helpateacher.ning.com) serves as a one-click stop for educators and provides the latest technology news, a resource center, discussion forums, and group-building features.

The Help a Teacher community gives administrators, parents, and School Resource Officers (SROs) the opportunity to raise questions and host discussions on categories such as elementary or secondary education, lesson plans and activities, behavior management, new teachers, and success stories. The resource center provides links to other helpful sites, including rubrics for different subjects, clip art and images to enhance lesson plans, tips for using technology in the classroom, and information about federal grants and Internet safety for students.

Help a Teacher is one of several online, easily accessible resources that Wren provides to the education community. For more information on Wren’s products and services for schools, please visit http://www.wrensolutions.com/Applications/Education/tabid/67/Default.aspx. 

2009 NASA eEducation Electronic Professional Development Network Series
 
NASA's Digital Learning Network presents a series of videoconferences to assist educators in staying current on NASA education resources and related products. During each event, product producers, authors, and experts will demonstrate their materials designed to optimize awareness and understanding of science concepts. Instructional objectives, accessing the materials, and primary contacts for the materials will also be discussed. During the videoconferences, participants will be able to submit questions to the presenter.
 
The following topics will be covered:

• Kepler Mission: March 25, 2009, 4-5 p.m. EST
  The Kepler mission will seek evidence for Earth-size planets in orbit around sun-like stars. For the first time NASA will be able to search the galaxy for Earth-size or smaller planets. With this cutting-edge capability, Kepler may help to answer one of the most enduring questions humans have asked throughout history: Are there others like us in the universe?
• NASA Explores Virtual Worlds: May 27, 2009, 4-5 p.m. EST
  Virtual immersive environments are increasing in popularity in modern America. Explore the virtual world that NASA education is building in Second Life and learn how to become an active citizen of this world.
   
  For more information about these videoconferences and to sign up online, visit http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/webcast/. Questions about these events should be directed to Caryn Long at caryn.long@nasa.gov.
  

New Science On a Sphere Movie Return to the Moon Opens Nationwide
 
With the upcoming Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, NASA takes the first step toward returning humans to the moon. To commemorate the mission and champion the value of future planned lunar expeditions, NASA has released a new short film called Return to the Moon. Designed expressly for the Science On a Sphere platform, a striking spherical projection system now playing in nearly 30 theaters around the world, Return to the Moon shows off Earth's silver sibling like a jewel of the night.
 
Starting with a brief historical look back at the legacy of human achievement in lunar exploration, the movie presses audiences to take stock of their own relationship to the moon. Then the movie takes them on a journey. While traveling along with the LRO spacecraft, viewers will discover some of the essential scientific subjects that scientists plan to study. Viewers will follow LRO as it makes orbits around the moon, gathering data about the surface and what may lie beneath. And then, in a dramatic demonstration of a daring mission goal, moviegoers will witness an inventive and powerful moment when NASA engineers intentionally crash a research probe into the surface of the moon to dig beneath the top layer. The space agency calls that impact probe LCROSS, and as both a research tool and a cinematic experience, it promises to deliver something exciting.
 
For more information about the film and a partial list of Science On a Sphere theaters, visit http://www.nasa.gov/lunarsphere.

Take Part in Upcoming Astronomy Events

GLOBE at Night Event Taking Place March 16-28, 2009
Join thousands of teachers, students and families around the globe March 16-28, 2009 in a hunt for stars. Take part in this international event to observe the nighttime sky and learn more about light pollution around the world. GLOBE at Night is an easy observation and reporting activity that takes approximately 15-30 minutes to complete. (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, also known as GLOBE, is a worldwide, hands-on science and education program for primary and secondary schools.) This event is part of the International Year of Astronomy. IYA celebrates the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first use of a telescope to observe the sky. For more information about the event, visit http://www.globe.gov/GaN/. Please email questions about this event to globeatnight@globe.gov.
 
"100 Hours of Astronomy" Event
The "100 Hours of Astronomy" is a four-day event designed to bring astronomy to the public around the world during the period April 2-5, 2009. The Astrophysics Science Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, is coordinating a series of events as part of the “100 Hours of Astronomy” effort to bring astronomy down to earth in the DC metropolitan area. Events will include webcasts, tours, educator showcases, rocket launches, and so much more! For more information, including a list of events, visit http://universe.nasa.gov/100hours/.
 
The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture, highlighted by the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei. The aim of IYA is to stimulate worldwide interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science under the central theme "The Universe, Yours to Discover." For additional information about the International Year of Astronomy, visit http://astronomy2009.nasa.gov/.

Brand New ITEA Product Guide Now Available

ITEA has a brand new Product Guide to help you when you are choosing your technology education curriculum materials, classroom activities, standards documents, favorite ITEA logo products, membership pins, and more. The guide is now available online at http://www.iteea.org/Publications/productguide.htm. This online version has the most up-to-date information regarding ITEA's latest publications, including the latest EbD™-NASA STEM Design Challenge Units. Check it out today!

Submissions to Inside TIDE

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

End of Inside TIDE, Monday, March 9, 2009