PBL World!, a Project Based Learning conference to be held June 18-22, 2012, will bring 400 teachers together to share ideas, listen to keynote speakers, and attend workshops and coaching sessions. Visit www.pblworld.org for more information.
Introduction to Project Based Learning
May 15th, 2012The Buck Institute for Education (BIE) interviewed Telannia Norfar, a math teacher using Project Based Learning extensively. The interview focused on benefits, resistance, bridging subjects, and more that a teacher considering Project Based Learning should consider. Read the brief interview here. She also hosted a half hour webinar discussing the creation of Project Based Learning projects. Click here to watch the webinar.
Students Tour Telefunken & Sierra College
April 26th, 2012Telefunken and Sierra College opened their doors to 85 high school students from Truckee, North Tahoe and Roseville high schools as well as mechatronics students from the Sierra College Truckee campus on Friday, April 20. The goal of the field trip was to give students a memorable experience that pointed out the paths to well-paid, local technical careers. Telefunken employees in Roseville and Sierra College faculty in Rocklin demonstrated tools, gave advice and answered questions ranging from prerequisites to salaries.
The students were excited about the different careers such as drafting and design that they are not exposed to at their high school according to Anne Butterworth, Engineering Technology teacher, North Tahoe High School. “The biggest benefit for the students was seeing the college and career opportunities that are available to anybody, not just the straight A honor roll student,” said Butterworth. “Also, the students were able to see that what we do in our class is relevant to the outside world.”
According to Matthew Nadeau, Director of Manufacturing, Telefunken Semiconductors America, the company has hired several Sierra College Mechatronics graduates and welcomed the opportunity to encourage students to consider a technical career. “This was a rare opportunity for students to see how chips used in anti-locking braking automotive electronics systems are produced,” said Nadeau. “Our employees were excited to demonstrate the equipment they use in a high-tech production environment and share what they enjoy about their careers. For students, seeing where they might work could motivate them to focus on a career path.”
While at Sierra College, students toured the Welding, Mechatronics, Construction, Automotive and Drafting & Engineering Support departments. Alison Salome, Drafting & Engineering Support Department Chair, impressed the students with samples of projects produced on rapid prototype equipment. She also highly recommended the field of drafting for women because of their ability to multi-task and pay attention to the fine details.
“My goal is to give you skills to put you to work,” said Salome. “With just four classes in two semesters, you can earn an employability certificate and start at approximately $13-14 per hour. In four semesters, you can complete one of three Skills Certificates or your AA degree and earn about $25 per hour, the average wage for drafters in the Sacramento region.”
Local employers are seeking skilled technicians explained Carol Pepper-Kittredge, director of the Sierra College Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) and administrator of the Sierra Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Collaborative grant (www.sierraschoolworks.com). “The purpose of the field trip was to increase the pipeline of students attending Sierra College and preparing for future jobs as skilled technical employees,” said Pepper-Kittredge. “Buses and other costs were funded by Sierra STEM Collaborative grant, awarded by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.” Friday’s field trip was also supported by the Sierra College Perkins 1C grant.
For information, go to www.sierracollege.edu, or contact Carol Pepper-Kittredge, director, Center for Applied Competitive Technologies, Sierra College, at cpepper-kittredge@sierracollege.edu or (916) 660-7517.
SMUD offers STEM training for teachers
April 23rd, 2012SMUD is offering numerous courses for K12 teachers interested in using energy projects in their classrooms.
May 5 Beginining Solar Energy & Sept 15
Nov. 3 Electric Circuits
Learn more on page 5 of the SMUD Summer 2012 Energy Education newsletter
Robotics engineer designs space rovers
April 23rd, 2012Dr. Ayanna Howard said that one Christmas she received a doll and a kit to make a radio. She learned how to solder as a result of making the radio and became interested in robotics. She first thought she’d like to design robotic arms and legs but after discovering that she’d need to go to medical school, she looked for a new career avenue. In this movie, filmed by a high school student in Los Angeles, hear what she does on the job and see the robotic models used to test vehicles and guidance programming for exploring other planets. This movie is one of many exploring careers on gigniks and was found through the California Career Center link to Student created videos.
And if you’d like to learn more about robotics, check out the Sierra College Mechatronics program and see the movie to learn what students say about Mechatronics.
Sierra College STEM member helped with new career site
April 20th, 2012Chris Hinderman, Sierra STEM Collaborative team member and Career Advisor, contributed to the new California Career Center web site. Chris contributed “time and expertise during the California Career Center field review process.”
The new site is “focused on resources for students but also contains resources for counselors, parents, teachers, in short, anyone interested in developing the career self-management skills….” There are many links for assessing your interests, exploring careers, finding the education path, getting better at money management and looking for a job.
Del Oro hosts Sierra STEM Instructors at SketchUp workshop
April 18th, 2012
College and high school instructors spent Saturday, April 14 together at Del Oro High School to learn how their classes might use the free Google SketchUp 3D modeling program combined with the sketchyphysics plug in that animates designs. The Sierra STEM Collaborative at Sierra College, dedicated to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers, organized the event. Instructors from Sierra College as well as Placer, Woodcreek and Del Oro high schools also shared best practices and toured the Tech Essentials, Welding and Wood labs to see equipment and student projects.
According to participants, sharing ideas with other Career Technical Education teachers is one of the best forms of professional development. Participants said that what they learned was relevant, they could see their classes importing sketches and CAD drawings into SketchUp and that sharing concepts, projects and teaching tools was very valuable.
Tom Stargaard, Tech Essentials teacher at Del Oro, demonstrated SketchUp, explained how he integrated it into the Tech Essentials class required for freshmen and then helped participants try it themselves. See Tom’s projects at https://sites.google.com/a/puhsd.k12.ca.us/sketchup/. In addition, the teachers discussed assignments using the Career Cruising program supplied to the schools through the Sierra STEM Collaborative to help students identify careers and the education path to get to their goals. 
Sierra College’s goal is to attract students to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education and careers explained Carol-Pepper-Kittredge, Sierra College CACT director, who administers the Sierra STEM Collaborative. “College and high school instructors told us that they want to see labs, share projects and find out about other teaching tools,” said Pepper-Kittredge. “When college and high school instructors collaborate, many students benefit and it contributes to a smoother transition to college.”
The California Community College Chancellor’s Office awarded grants to Sierra College to create a pipeline of students prepared to fill the need for skilled technical employees. For information, go to www.sierraschoolworks.com or contact Carol Pepper-Kittredge, director, Center for Applied Competitive Technologies, Sierra College, at cpepper-kittredge@sierracollege.edu or (916) 660-7517.
Teachers complete Fraction Contraption Pilot Project
March 28th, 2012As part of the Sierra STEM and NSF Tech-Explorer projects, Sierra College conducted a pilot program with 20 
3rd-9th grade teachers interested in using games to help students improve their confidence and competence in essential math skills, particularly fractions, during the 2011-2012 school year.
Jonathon Schwartz of Colfax High School created the Fraction Contraption game and other similar math games and shared them with fellow teachers. He developed the idea of focusing on the Seven Math Essentials — measurement, fractions, ratios/proportions, probability, decimals, percent, and geometric
reasoning. Mastering these essentials predict success in Algebra and higher level math.
As students played the Fraction Contraption game for 10-15 minutes a day for 10 weeks, fraction fluency increased. Results of an informal field test involving 358 students in grades 3-9 indicate that participating students had an average gain of 22.8% on a fraction post-test over a pre-test.
March 2012 Teacher Comments on the Fraction Contraption Pilot Program
“The kids are really benefiting from the experience.”
“At the teacher workshops, I liked the time for grade level articulation as well as sharing of strategies and insights.”
“Sierra STEM provided great information and inspiration all throughout the year.”
“I appreciated the games and extensions of the lessons such as using the statistics from the reaction time game to make a bell curve.”
“The statistics and articles we were given shed the light on the importance of learning math.”
“I benefited from Jonathon sharing his strategies and tricks to integrate math into quick simple games.”
“I think having observers coming into my classroom was a good experience for the students to know that what they were doing was important to a ‘study.’”
“I liked sharing ideas with other teachers.”
“The interim get together enabled us to discuss strategies and problems.”
“Play! Using the Fraction Contraption is the best way to learn how to use it.”
“Jonathon was great at sharing his other games ideas with us.”
“It was good to hear from other teachers how they were using the game and addressing issues that arose.”
“The strongest elements were games to play, ideas on how to use it in class and the Seven Essentials – what they are and why they are important.”
Motivation to participate in the Fraction Contraption Pilot Project
“I wanted to increase my students’ fluency and competence in fractions, decimals and percents.”
“My primary motivation was to broaden fraction instruction.”
“I was trying to making learning such a ‘scary’ thing (Seven Math Essentials) fun and motivating for the students.”
“I wanted another way to help students develop understanding of fractions.”
Sierra STEM CTE Collaborative reports results
March 22nd, 2012The Sierra College CTE Community Collaborative Grant recently produced the Final Report for 09-140-271 and 09-141-271 covering the period from February 1, 2010 to March 31, 2012. Read the Sierra STEM CTE Community Collaborative grant report published March 2012.
The goals of the Sierra STEM project are to:
1) create a pipeline of engaged and highly prepared students entering Sierra College’s degree and certificate programs in Mechatronics, Engineering, Energy Technology, Welding, and Drafting & Engineering Support and,
2) build seamless pathways bridging secondary and post-secondary education in high wage, high demand occupations in engineering & design and manufacturing & product development sectors. Activities are organized around four primary objectives:
a) provide career exploration for middle and high school students,
b) strengthen CTE programs,
c) provide professional development, and
d) facilitate externship opportunities for teachers and faculty.
Through activities conducted under these goals, the project exposed 21,000 middle school and high school students to career choices; engaged over 1,000 high school students in new and updated engineering & design and manufacturing & product development courses; facilitated 4 teacher and faculty externships with business and industry; conducted 11 professional development workshops for more than 290 teachers and faculty, and provided access to 10 professional development opportunities for 14 teachers and faculty.
A fall 2011 survey of 188 Sierra College students taking CTE entry-level courses in Engineering, Mechatronics, Drafting & Engineering Support and Welding degree and certificate programs showed the pipeline’s early impact. Of high school students that took a Sierra STEM-supported course within the last three years, graduated, and then enrolled in one of five Sierra College CTE courses, the greatest impact on enrollment was seen in Drafting & Engineering Support (13%) and Welding (17%).
Roseville Geometry & Construction builds in Math
February 16th, 2012Roseville High School teachers, Tyson Maytanes (Geometry) and Jeff Bailey (Industrial Technology), are co-teaching Geometry and Construction in an applied mathematics course where students learn practical application of math while building a house. The program was featured in the Roseville Press Tribune on 2-15-2012, Roseville High School students learn math by building a house — Geometry in Construction class teaches math concepts applied in real world.
The Sierra College STEM Collaborative has provided support to this applied mathematics project.
Learn more at www.rhsgeometryinconstruction.org.
