Tech Prep News and Notes

OK House passes OHLAP bill

More OHLAP news

OK Education Budget Taking Longer than Expected

Education Week Report
Oklahoma gets a B- (national average is C+) from Education Weeks State Technology Report. States were graded on access, capacity and use in the supplement to the annual Technology Counts report.


ALLIANCES AND COLLEGE TRANSITION

OK Higher Education Eclips
News about higher education in Oklahoma from the State Regents.

College Guidance
A resource to find your perfect college

Virtual College Fair
Around 100 colleges got together for a virtual college fair.


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Teachers Sourcebook
The 2008 Teachers Scourcebook is now available online

What makes a good math teacher
A recent national report on U.S. math education says quality math teachers have an impact on student achievement.

Tech Prep News and Notes

Strategic Public Relations
Research-based knowledge is critical to the maturation of public relations as a strategic management function and a profession.
http://www.instituteforpr.org/essential_knowledge/

Longer Day Debate
Oklahoma’s school year is 175 days long, 5 shorter than the average and lawmakers are pushing to help Oklahoma Catch up.
http://ap.ardmoreite.com/pstories/state/ok/20080324/261004880.shtml

CareerTech Board Receives Legislative Update
http://www.okinsider.com/readstory.oki?type=headline&storyid=0B10X5PTE


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

IT in the Classroom
A new collaborative resource for using IT in instruction. Site includes lesson plans, instructional videos and best practices.
http://www.nortellearnit.org/

Software and Industry Information Association Vision K20
A vision of what role technology can play in K-20 education. Site includes an interactive survey that you can complete and keep results to benchmark your course, school or district in technology integration progression.
http://www.siia.net/visionk20/


ACCOUNTABILITY

On the Clock, Rethinking the Ways Schools Use Time
http://www.educationsector.org/research/research_show.htm?doc_id=442238

Tech Prep News and Notes

With the legislative session in full action, we will try and give you articles that concern educational bills and the progress that they make through the system.

Education at the Capital
http://www.okinsider.com/readstory.oki?type=headline&storyid=0AX13P9SX

House Higher Ed Panel News
Update on bill to allow 10, 11 and 12th graders access to CareerTech aviation programs.
http://www.okinsider.com/readstory.oki?type=headline&storyid=0AX13MZT2

House Education Committee
http://www.okinsider.com/readstory.oki?type=headline&storyid=0AS13JIHS

Common Education SubCommittee News
http://www.okinsider.com/readstory.oki?type=headline&storyid=0AX15TG0E

Lottery Changes Good for Education?
http://www.news-star.com/stories/031908/new_59075.shtml
http://newsok.com/article/3218018/1205926042

A New Branch Campus in Ardmore?
http://ap.ardmoreite.com/pstories/state/ok/20080319/259279914.shtml


ALLIANCES AND COLLEGE TRANSITION

EcampusToday
A website dedicated to technology in higher education
http://www.ecampustoday.com/


CAREER MAJORS

OR Live
YouTube videos of various medical procedures
http://www.youtube.com/user/ORLivedotcom

OKBIO
A new organization in Oklahoma working to promote the bio-tech industry
http://www.okbio.org/


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Blogging in the Classroom
Looking for a way to start a Blogging project in the classroom. Here are 10 ideas: http://21centuryconnections.com/node/426


ACCOUNTABILITY

Mini-Digest of Educational Statistics
Want a plethora of educational statistics at your fingertips? Then you need to check out the National Center for Educational Statistics Mini-Digest of Educational Statistics.
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2008/2008023.pdf

Current Population Survey
Have you ever wondered where people come up with the numbers that show how much more you make with a degree than without? The US Census Bureau Current Population Survey.
http://www.census.gov/apsd/techdoc/cps/cpsmar06.pdf

A New Way to Measure Student Success
https://www.noellevitz.com/Papers+and+Research/Papers+and+Reports/ResearchLibrary/A+New+Way+to+Measure+Student+Success.htm

CareerTech Champions III

These CareerTech Champions join many others who illustrate the potential and power that comes from a foundation built by combining educational opportunities with life's experience.

• Francine Jambard worked her way up to lead technician at Hillcrest Spine-Orthopedic Center through the Surgical Technology program.
• Zac Winkle solidified career plans in computer design while achieving three simultaneous graduations.
• Tracy Rogers realized her full potential through the FOCUS program while working with SkillsUSA.
• Tanner Pullen pursues interactive media training for future employment opportunities.
• Boral Brick utilized the Training for Industry program to increase employee efficiency and expand production.
• Jeremy Taylor cooks his way into the prestigious Scottsdale Culinary Institute through his CareerTech Culinary Arts program.

Read about these CareerTech Champion at this link. http://www.okcareertech.org/champions/Issue3.htm

We need your help to reach people who might benefit from knowing more about the great things CareerTech education does for the people and businesses of Oklahoma!

Please forward this link to your business partners and associates, legislators, civic groups, friends, family and anyone else who is interested in elevating Oklahoma’s economy.

Do you know someone who is a CareerTech Champion? Tell us about them. Go here http://okcareertech.org/pio/champs/champsearch.htm

Hot Careers Blog

We have added a new Blog to the ODCTE list.

You can now get all the career related news that you need at http://hotcareernews.blogspot.com/

See all the CareerTech Blogs

OAMCTE 2008 Leadership Conference

OAMCTE presents the 2008 Leadership Conference designed for leadership and diversity teams. This year's conference provides a truly unique learning experience for ALL attendees.

April 10, 2008
Moore Norman Technology Center
South Penn Campus
Kaleidoscope:Twisting Lenses , Seeing Changes.

The conference will provide thought-provoking keynote speakers, break-out sessions, hands on sessions, in-depth panel discussion of Oklahoma's future job markets, and plenty of networking opportunities

You will take home detailed information to lead you, your students/clients to employment and success in life.

For a flyer or to register please contact Alberta Jones, Cynthia Vick (405) 743-5162 or Linda Houck.

Career Cluster Inst

Find out what is new, learn from best practices, and discover innovative strategies for implementing and integrating Career Clusters and Pathways successfully.

June 16-18, 2008

Strand A: Career Clusters as a Model for Collaboration
This strand is designed for state/regional system leaders of education, workforce development, economic development, CTE, and post secondary systems

Strand B: Career Clusters as a Tool for School Reform & Improvement
This strand is designed for district/system administrators, counselors and general education teachers

Strand C: Implementing the Career Clusters Model – Issues & Ideas
This strand is designed for state/district administrators and teachers

Strand D: Career Cluster-Specific Instruction & Implementation
This strand is designed for state/district administrators and teachers

Register online at www.careerclusters.org
Deadline is May 2, 2008

Make your hotel reservations at www.careerclusters.org or call 1-866-469-5475 and request the Career Clusters Institute room block to be assured the special room rate of $129.00 plus tax per night. At the time of your lodging reservation, you will be charged a first night’s deposit. This deposit is refundable up to 72 hours before your reservation is to begin.
Deadline is May 2, 2008

Ideas for thinking-based lesson plans

Here are some links to teacher resources that have been shared through ASCD. They have been on the desktop for awhile and I thought they might be useful to you.

Research-based lessons for developing thinking skills http://www.pz.harvard.edu/vt/VisibleThinking_html_files/VisibleThinking1.html .

Integrate art-based thinking into regular classrooms: http://www.pz.harvard.edu/at/index.cfm

Lesson plans infused with critical thinking: http://www.nctt.net/lessonsarticles.html

Debate as a foundation to promote student reason: http://www.nationaldebateproject.org

Current Events
Aids teachers with study questions and resources to help students learn how to think critically about current events: http://www.teachablemoment.org/

Eight tools to help students categorize their thoughts: http://www.thinkingmaps.com/htthinkmapx.php3

Paper introducing the importance of critical thinking: http://www.insightassessment.com/pdf_files/what&why2006.pdf

Thinking Based Instruction
Offers research, professional development and assessment tools meant to improve thinking-based instruction: http://www.criticalthinking.org/

Tech Prep News and Notes

North Carolina Tech Prep Conference
North Carolina recently held a Tech Prep conference and they have placed their powerpoints, supporting websites and more online.
http://www.wcpss.net/school_to_career/resources/presentations/index.html

3-D Modeling
Have a great picture that would be better if it was 3D? researchers at Stanford University have developed a web based application that just might foot the bill.
http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/20385/?a=f

Lessons in Government
While you are teaching your government class or doing a lesson on politics, did you know that you can listen in or watch the Oklahoma State Senate.

Steam live video from the State Senate here: http://www.oksenate.gov/news/listen.htm

Listen the to the legislative session of the House of Representatives here: http://www.okhouse.gov/OkhouseMedia/AudioOrArchives.aspx

The State of Creativity
The Oklahoma Creativity Project, launched in January 2008, is a statewide effort to showcase the creativity and innovation Oklahomans have in commerce, culture and education.
http://www.stateofcreativity.com/

House Passes Legislation to Extend School Day
Legislation passed by the house to increase the school day by 3 days was passed.
http://ap.ardmoreite.com/pstories/state/ok/20080226/251386769.shtml

OHLAP Bill
http://newsok.com/article/3209581/1204177323

Google.org
You have heard of www.google.com, but have you ever visited www.google.org?


ALLIANCES AND COLLEGE TRANSITION

Pew Report
According to a new Pew Report, Oklahoma spends $.51 on corrections for every dollar spent on higher education, placing OK in a 3 way tie for 24th. This is above the $.49 average for Southern states. Minnesota spends the least on corrections at $.17 and Vermont the most at $1.37.
http://insidehighered.com/news/2008/02/29/prisons

Oklahoma’s Promise Update
A bill to add textbooks to cost covered by Oklahoma’s Promise has passed it first obstacle.
http://ap.ardmoreite.com/pstories/state/ok/20080304/253791578.shtml


CAREER MAJORS

Oklahoma Dept of Commerce
Commerce article talking about the benefit of Certified Work Ready Communities
http://www.okcommerce.gov/index.php?option=content&task=rss&id=2338&src=RSS


PREPARATORY SERVICES

In the United States, which of the following forms of taxation currently represents the largest source of tax revenue for the federal government?
A) Property tax
B) Sales tax
C) Corporate income tax
D) Personal income tax

If you new that D) Personal Income Tax was the correct answer, you are a part of the 36% of 12th graders tested in 2006 who correctly identified this economics questions answer.
You can learn about the NAEP assessment, get examples of past questions and watch a video on what it all means here: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/itmrls/


ACCOUNTABILITY

Closing The Expectations Gap
http://www.achieve.org/node/990

Tech Prep & You Tube

In a recent post from the Tech Prep Blog, a You Tube link to Tulsa Tech's Second Life Video was included. Second Life is a internet based virtual world where people can interact from all over the world. Higher Education institutions, including the University of Florida, Princeton, and Rice University have chosen to develop real estate for educational purposes within this environment.

(Wikipedia entry for Second Life)

Tulsa Tech has chosen to build a Second Life campus and made a video showcasing their efforts. The Tech Prep Blog contained a post of the video with the intent of showing creative thinking and innovation in the recruitment of students to CTE. It was not our intent to offend anyone with the showing of the video.

It was brought to our attention that the "Related Videos" section of You Tube contained a video that could be viewed as inappropriate. If you came across the video, we apologize. That was not the intended video we were sharing.

Please understand that the content of some of the features of You Tube is out of the control of the user. The link to the video sent was intended to share the good things that Tulsa Tech had to offer using Web 2.0 technologies. We hope to continue using Web 2.0 technologies, including You Tube, for educational purposes and for elevating CTE and student performance in Oklahoma.

Leadership CareerTech, Part II

The Leadership CareerTech program introduces participants to the 5 delivery systems of the CareerTech system and allows class members to be introduced to many different aspects of CareerTech. Participants include technology center staff, state department staff and others.

The 2008 Leadership CareerTech Class met on March 5-6 for our second meeting and a “Bus Tour” of the CareerTech system.

We loaded up on the big red Tulsa Tech activity bus and headed to our first stop at Tri-County Technology Center in Bartlesville. Tri-County, the first CareerTech center in Oklahoma, hosted us to a facility tour where we saw pre-engineering facilities, the professional development center and were treated to a three-course meal of orange tomatoes, purple potatoes and mouth watering pork chops. Students in Tri-County’s Hospitality and Tourism Career Majors cooked the meal.

Next, we were given access to and toured the Wal-Mart Distribution Center North of Tulsa, DC 7015. Freezers that go to minus 30 degrees, 2 story banana racks, dozens of forklifts and miles of metal shelving, what more could you ask for? Recollections of the last scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom dominated the conversations and some wished they would of brought their coat!!

The day concluded with dinner at Steak and Ale. Unfortunately for some we watched the Sooners defeat the Cowboys and then headed back to the hotel for networking with each other.

Our second day began at the Jess Dunn Correctional Facility. The CareerTech system includes several Skill Centers embedded within Oklahoma’s correctional facilities. When asked about the safety of working inside the Skill Center, a story was told about the Stringtown Riot in 1988. All the facilities at the prison were burned down except for the Chapel and CareerTech. The center is in a transition from construction trades to manufacturing to meet employer demands.

Our last stop of the “Bus Tour” was at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs. Charles Page is a unique high school. Recently, they have become part of Tulsa Technology Center and have integrated CareerTech courses into the high school. Student from surrounding sending schools attend class at Charles Page, along with regular Charles Page students. Traditional CTE courses like agriculture education are taught with Charles Page staff and Tulsa Technology staff teaches the automotive cluster.

Our next meeting is set for May 8 at the state capitol in Oklahoma City and will include a day of learning about legislative issues facing the CareerTech system, visiting legislators, and the much anticipated graduation.

If you have the opportunity to attend Leadership CareerTech, do so. The chance to learn about our system is invaluable and will help you in understanding your role in the system. Watch for the shadowing report and an entry detailing the “Day at the Capitol.”