A Look Back

As 2011 comes to a close we want to take a moment and look back at the three most popular post of 2011. Why three, who knows? Perhaps it is becuase everyone else does a top five or top ten list, but hardly anyone does a top three list, so here it is.

Top Three Post of 2011

3. QR Codes

2. OAMCTE Essay Contest

And the number one post of 2011.......

NTHS Board Presentation

I want to thank you for following along this year. I enjoy the opportunity to share with you and hope that you are learning right along with me. Here is to a great 2012!

Google Reader

I love RSS! I have over 200 websites and feeds that are automatically monitored for me 24/7. These updates are sent to me and aggregated in my feed reader, Google Reader, so that I get the information as quickly as it is put up.

From time to time I am asked how to use a reader or ever what is a reader? This great little video might just help you answer that question for yourself.

By the way, I found this video this morning with my reader!

Programs of Study

Beginning on January 12, just one month away, we will conduct our first meeting in Oklahoma about the Program of Study. The research and development of the Program of Study in Oklahoma is planned to conclude on December 13, 2012.

What is the Program of Study, or POS? Quite simply, we do not know completely yet. What we know is that there are 10 components that make up the POS.

1. Legislation and Policies
2. Partnerships
3. Professional Development
4. Accountability and Evaluation Systems
5. College and Career Readiness Standards
6. Course Sequences 
7. Credit Transfer Agreements
8. Guidance Counseling and Academic Advisement
9. Teaching and Learning Strategies
10. Technical Skills Assessments

We will use these 10 components to guide the work of the Program of Study Workgroup. Each component will have a meeting centering on it with a sub-committee and discussions will cover what it means to the state and career and technology education.

We will meet on components 1-5 and then convene a Committee of Practitioners. This committee will represent high schools, technology centers and colleges who receive Carl Perkins money. They will come from small, medium, large, rural and urban schools. After components 6-10, we will reconvene again and discuss the components in depth.

After all 10 components have been completed, we will convene the committee as a whole and discuss how each component affects the others and develop a Program of Study that uses the strengths of the system to move CTE forward in Oklahoma.

In the Program of Study, you will see elements of Tech Prep, the Cooperative Alliance Program, Plans of Study, Technology Centers That Work, High Schools That Work and other initiatives across our state. The Program of Study will be aligned with the college and career agenda and will provide improved opportunities for students.

We are excited about the possibilities of the Program of Study in Oklahoma. We will be sharing our findings as we continue along and hope that you will keep up with us.

Cara Goes to Class

Check out this cool video from Meridian Technology Center. I think it is the first, so it will be fun watching Cara as she goes to the different classes.

More Christmas Greetings

Holiday Video's

Another one to share with you



Holiday Thank You Email from The OSU Foundation on Vimeo.

Viewbook Example

Some of the technology centers are beginning to embed their viewbook on their websites.

This is a great idea that means an up to date copy of your book will always be available for anyone to read, at anytime. If you are collecting parents contact information at your tour, how about sending a follow up email to the parents that evening, just in case the student threw away the vieewbook you gave them.

Great job and I hope to see more embedded viewbooks.

Open publication

A difference in a day!

This morning I got an email from Northwest Technology Center that they had added the CareerTech logo and a link to our agency webiste.

Thank you!

Here is a screenshot

I will keep you posted as others are added to the list as there are now 8 who display the logo and a link.

A Proud Partner of Oklahoma's CareerTech System

From time to time I like to browse the websites of our technology centers.  Not only does it help you understand the System that we have in Oklahoma, but it helps you understand how the technology center works with its local region and some of the neat opportunities that exist at each site.

It also is an opportunity to look for things that could help improve the sites and help convey the message that we are a system of career and technology education in Oklahoma,  high schools, technology centers and skills centers.

Today as I was reading up on our technology centers, I started noticing a trend that bothers me. That trend has to do with the way that our sites are linked together as a system.

When looking at our 29 technology center websites

• 7 websites display the CareerTech logo with a link
• 3 websites displays the CareerTech logo in proper colors
• 1 website displays just a link
• 1 displays the logo without a link

As s system we should all link to each other and support each other. A logo would be good, a logo with a link would be better but how about the logo below?

It is simple and clean and helps convey the message that we truly are one system that partners together to educate Oklahoman.

From time to time I will check the sites out to see if they have a logo with a link back to ODCTE, hopefully some will like the one above and incorporate it as a Proud Partner of Oklahoma's CareerTech System.

Love and Hate with QR Codes

I have a love/hate relationship with QR codes, let me explain.

I love QR codes. They are simple to make and they are simple to use. You can use them anywhere, from out-of-office signs to t-shirts. They are incredibly efficient and bring another dimension to the internet. Your student can be reading in their textbook on the Deceleration of Independence and when they are done scan a QR code that takes their smart phone to a video of Thomas Jefferson reciting it. I love being able to walk through a garden and do a quick scan for a plant list and I use them in my presentations to allow people a quick download of contact information instead of them having to write it down.

I hate QR codes. Most people/companies use a QR code to take you to their website. And more often than not, it takes you to their full blown website which on a mobile device loads slllllloooooooooowwwwwwwwllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyy, if at all.

This morning I was pleasantly surprised while making breakfast. When I was looking for some peanut butter in the cupboard I noticed that the Jello box had a QR code. Always being curious, I decided to scan it.

What popped up was a mobile website that was filled with Jello goodness. Not only was the site holiday themed and allowed you to order your holiday cutters, it had social media integration with a simple link to their Facebook fan page. But it was what was is in the middle that got me excited! Holiday recipes and I decided to follow the recipe links and see what happened.

The recipe links took you further in their mobile site and you have the opportunity to check out multiple recipes and you can see what they look like with great photographs.The recipes are part of their mobile site as well. Each one is sized to fit into the viewer of a mobile device.

Why is all this so important you might be asking? Well, a QR code that leads to a mobile website, that has information that you can easily obtain and use, is very handy. Imagine you are in the grocery store and scan the code. The recipe for Triple-Chocolate Cookie Balls intrigues you and you want to check it out. After looking at the picture you want to make them and while you are in the store you realize that you also need some white chocolate, you have bakers chocolate at home and you better pick up some chocolate sandwich cookies because the kids probably are them all while you are shopping.

I think I will start sharing more, well done QR codes. Hope you enjoy this example and don't look at it on an empty stomach!

(By the embedding of this QR code we are not endorsing Jello or its products or companies. We simply want to share with you an example of a quality QR code campaign.)

Post 400!!

On January 9, 2007 I started an experiment known as the Tech Prep Blog.

As the first blog from CareerTech, we have helped many people start their own blogs and watched them grow to great success. We have also watched some start and end just as quickly.

I never thought about how many post we would make, or even thought about making it to 400. Honestly, I thought I would quit after six months. Thinking about it, it seems a little crazy!

Nonetheless, it has helped fuel an interest in the Web 2.0 world that expands from websites, blogging, the cloud, social media and beyond. Until this experiment started, RSS was a foreign concept and now it is something that I use to expand my personal learning network daily in ways that just a few years earlier was not possible.

I know that not everything that is posted on this blog is helpful to all people. I hope that some of it has been helpful to you. I know it has been helpful to me to share these thoughts and ideas. My sincere hope is that somehow, someone is able to use this infomration and make education better for students.

I just wanted take a second and say thank you for reading and sharing.

Thanksgiving Greetings

We received a Thanksgiving Greeting from CORD/NCPN and wanted to share it with you as yet one more way you can build relationships with your customers, whether they are buying something from you, are students or fans.

Thanksgiving Greetings 2011

Gone All Thanksgiving!

Southwest Oklahoma State University has "Gone  All Thanksgiving!"

Via their Twitter feed, I got a hot tip on their Thanksgiving themed website. How simple and how creative!

Have you seen another technology center or college that is getting into the holiday spirit with themes for their website? If you have please share in the comments below. I don't know if it will equate into more enrollments, but it sure is fun and worth sharing.

I wonder what they will do for Christmas?

GuidanceFest 2011

We have concluded GuidanceFest 2011 and want to say thank you to everyone who helped out and attended.

GuidanceFest is an annual tradition in which we speak with high school guidance counselors, and anyone else who will listen, about CareerTech education.

As with all projects, we make changes and tweaks until the very end. We want to make sure that you have An opportunity to view our final presentation and share it with those that you think will benefit.

GuidanceFest 2011

View more presentations from Jeremy Zweiacker

Thank you again and we can not wait to see you at GuidanceFest 2012.

Holiday Cards

I have always enjoyed seeing the holiday cards from colleges around the country and some of our technology centers have started to send some as well.

Check out last years from Eckerd, they have a great tradition of having some funny and memorable ones.

What are you waiting for. Have a student contest for a picture for your card. Have your animation design class create something fun and cool. Use your resources and you will be amazed.

Thanks collegewebeditor.com for collecting a great list of cards that you can click on over to and watch. 

Cooperative Alliance Workshop

This week was the annual Cooperative Alliance Workshop for technology centers and college partners. This annual workshop is held at the OSRHE offices in OKC and bring together all the partners under the Cooperative Alliances.

The workshop started off with a welcome from Dr Debra Stuart, OSRHE Vice Chancellor for Educational Partnerships and myself. 

After the welcome, we dove straight into Policy Issues and Updates with Dr Debbie Blankee, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The OSRHE Policy 3.6 is the governing policy for the CAP's and Title 780 780:15-3-6 covers the rules for careertech education in Oklahoma and reflects the Regents policy.

During the discussion several issues were discussed including the importance of the college partner having up to date credentials for instructors at the technology center who are serving as adjunct faculty.  It was also discussed that when justifying the need for a CAP, there should be a need for the credit and not simply credit to be awarding credit.

Participants had the opportunity to hear from Dr Phyllis Hudecki, Oklahoma Secretary of Education. Dr Hudecki spoke about the need for more credentialed employees (certificates, certificates, A.A.S., A.A.S and bachelor degrees) and Oklahoma's work in the Complete College America initiative.

According to the official press release, one of the planned projects for Oklahoma is to enhance the Cooperative Alliance Program and bring in line all certificates in higher education and careertech education to bring them in line with national norms.

(Oklahoma's Complete College America Profile)

We also heard from Oklahoma City Community College and about its recent Higher Learning Commission (HLC) visit. Greg Gardner, AVP for Academic Affairs and Alexa Mashlan, Director of Cooperative Alliance Programs, presented on the campus perspective of the comprehensive evaluation visit sometimes referred to as the ten year evaluation.

During the visit, HLC representatives visited two technology centers, Mid-America Technology Center and Moore-Norman Technology Center. Under the Cooperative Alliances, students are enrolled at the college partner as a college student and instructors are classified as adjuncts of the college. The visit was conducted as institutions with off campus additional locations. 

During the visit, the evaluator talked with instructors, administrators and students regarding several factors. These factors included

• Academic Controls
• Regular Evaluation by the Institution
• Faculty
• Facilities
• Resources
• Academic Services
• Student Services
• Financial Stability
• Long-Range Planning
• Assessment of Student Performance
• Marketing and Recruitment. 

Mr Gardner was happy to let us know that the report was accepted with out exceptions!
Dr. Jo Lynn Digranes, VP for Academic Affairs at Connors State College and HLC Consultant Evaluator, spoke to the crowd about the visit she conducted at the off-campus locations and shared insight into the process.

Congratulations OCCC on passing your accreditation visit!

Dr Stuart and Kathy Spangler, CareerTech Research Analyst presented preliminary date on the students in the Cooperative Alliances. One of the interesting pieces of data was the retnetion GPA os students enrolled in the Cooperative Alliances. The Regents data show that students from the fall of 2007 and on have had over a 3.35 college GPA while enrolled in the CAP's. The highest GPA for a semester was 3.43. Input is being sought on the types of data needed to conduct more in depth analysis of the data, but initial data is exciting.

NTHS State Conference

Last week was the annual Oklahoma NTHS State Conference. This year it was held at the South Penn campus of Moore Norman Technology Center and we had a packed house!

This year the theme was NTHS - Be All You Can Be

Members received their orders and arrived at camp. They were registered before attending the Presentation of Colors and National Anthem. The Keynote speaker for the event was Major General Rita Aragon.

Students were also honored with special NTHS guest Allen Powell, Executive Director and Pat Poteat, Associate Director who came from Flat Rock, North Carolina and presented to the students.

The students were treated to a M.A.S.H. episode were the doctors removed bad work habits and implanted good as well as a rousing rendition of N.T.H.S. sung to the tune of YMCA by their advisors. Students were involved in team building exercises and break out sessions using the FISH philosophy that focused on workplace habits and a presentation from the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum by Warren Martin, Executive Director. 

We are extremely grateful that the Technology Center Superintendents Meeting was held in conjunction with the state conference. Superintendents had an opportunity to interact with NTHS members and work with them during the team building exercises. We are also thankful for the members of the military who stayed with us throughout the day and talked with students about opportunities through the armed forces and the students enjoyed taking a turn on the rock wall.

We were not quite at 100% attendance by all Chapters, but we are hopeful that word about the conference will reach those Chapters who did not attend and we will reach 100% attendance in 2012.

Next up for NTHS is the 16th Annual Day at the Capitol on February 29, 2012.

GuidanceFest 2011 - That's How We Roll!!

We are past the halfway point of GuidanceFest 2011 and we are having a great time promoting career and technology education across the state of Oklahoma.

GuidanceFest is a joint venture between divisions at ODCTE and works to promote CTE to area high school guidance counselors. Topics include legislative updates, ACE, e-transcripts, how CareerTech is college ready, how counselors impact student achievement and the universal encouragement program.

The feedback has been very positive this year and the attendees really appreciate the time set aside to visit with their technology center about the issues that are discussed.

We have two more stops left. Thank you to everyone who has joined us so far and we can not wait to see the rest of you at our final two stops. In case you are unable to make it this year, we wanted to share with you the presentation from GuidanceFest 2011.

GuidanceFest 2011

View more presentations from Jeremy Zweiacker

Professional Development Sourcebook

Are you looking for professional development that will take your training to the next level?

The Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook is a resource avaliable to help you in that effort. I just received my copy of the printed book today and it is chocked full of resources and the website has even more.

Check it out, sign up for the feed or follow them on Twitter.

CareerTech Athlete of the Month

One of the reasons students sometimes use as to why they do not want to attend classes at a technology center is because they have athletics and the two don't mix.

Tulsa Technology Center is helping to combat that misconception by their Student Athlete of the Month. Students who attend Tulsa Technology Center are eligible for this nominated award.

This is a great opportunity to showcase what students do outside of the classroom and a way to show that yes, you can be an athlete and successful students with CareerTech.


Tulsa Tech Student Athlete of the Month

Welcome NATPL/NACPL and NCPN Members

This week, starting today, the National Association of Tech Prep Leadership will become the National Association of Career Pathways Leadership and they will hold a national conference in Florida with the National Career Pathways Network.

Oklahoma Tech Prep has been honored with an award from NATPL and today a video was shared with participants explaining our Review and Improvement Process. In addition, participants will be brought to this blog via a QR code on their handouts. They will land on the tab that explains the process with an expanded Power Point presentation and link to the manual.

We want to welcome those that are exploring the blog for the first time from the conference and hope that you find infomration that you can use to promote Tech Prep and Career Pathways in your home state or local consortia. Please feel free to bookmark this blog or sign up for the RSS updates.

We hope that we will be able to attend in 2012 and that you have a great conference.

Everyone Loves a Parade

Everyone loves a parade! Whether it is a homecoming parade, fall festival parade or a Christmas parade, it is just fun!

Photo via Stillwater NewsPress

When was the last time that you highlighted your technology center at a parade?

We have built floats for parades and besides the obvious benefit of marketing the CareerTech System, those that stayed after work and put time in on the weekend had a great time and employees who might not otherwise met each other developed new friendships. The kids of employees get to meet each other and build friendships as well.

The float builds morale and gives employees a sense of accomplishment. Oh yea, winning is nice to. Since we began to enter, we have not loss during our competitive years and have carried Santa twice in the Stillwater Christmas Parade!

Wes Watkins Technology Center's Gold Star Ambassador Leadership Team recently built a float and took 2nd place in the Holdenville Fall Festival. I bet the students learned a lot about leadership and teamwork as they put the float together. Maybe it is time you put together a float and threw a little candy yourself.

Foundation Fundraising

How do you raise money for your Foundation?

Meridian Technology Center is hosting the Blue Streak Run with several different runs for fun and competition.

They have made avaliable posters and flyers for download as well as taking it social and using a Facebook page to promote the event.

What are some other ways that you are doing to raise funds for your Foundation?

Family Night Cookout

Want a great way to encourage parent involvement in your students education? How about a family cookout?

Everyone loves food and at Meridian Technology Center they are hosting a come and go cookout for a couple of hours so that parents can come and meet the faculty and staff that are teaching their son or daughter.

The cookout doesn't have to be huge. Hamburgers and hotdogs would fit the bill nicely. What is important is that you are providing an opportunity for parent-teacher interaction and creating an environment where parents will begin to feel comfortable around the instructors and begin to develop relationships.

I can't wait to hear how it turns out and I look forward to sharing with you the results.

Summer Conference Super Session Video

OkACTE is making avaliable the 4 super sessions from summer conference online for your viewing.

Digital Teaching in 2011 with Corinne Hoisington, Professor of Information Systems Technology, Central Virginia Community College

No Teacher Left Behind: Keeping Up with "Generation Next" in the Classroom with Bryan Fiese, Co-Founder, Motivated Proformance, Inc. 

2011 Legislative Informational Session moderated by Mr. Brady McCullough, Tulsa Tech.

Panelist include:

• Dr. Phil Berkenbile, State Director, ODCTE
• Mr. Steven Crawford, Executive Director, CCOSA
• Ms. Kimberly Green, Executive Director, NASDCTEc/NCTEF
• Dr. Doug Major, Superintendent, Meridian Technology Center
• Mr. Pat McGregor, Executive Director, OkACTE

Girls will be Girls, Boys will be Boys: Teaching to Gender Differences with Dr. Bill McBride

Watch the Summer Conference Super Sessions

Please share this link with those you think would benefit. 

Innovation in Tech Prep National Award Winner

In the August 2011 newsletter of the National Association of Tech Prep Leadership (NATPL), Oklahoma Tech Prep was announced as a recipient of the Innovation in Tech Prep/Career Pathways National Award for the Tech Prep Review and Improvement Process.

This process, which was headed by ODCTE and involved 28 technology centers, 16 colleges, high schools and business partners, took place over 22 months and included over 150 hours of on-site visits and over 250 people in classroom observations and interviews.

The process did not compare consortia against each other, rather it helped consortia identify changes needed to achieve the overarching goal of Tech Prep in Oklahoma, "to increase the number of high school students in Oklahoma who complete high school with college credit." After each site visit, follow up interviews took place and the findings of the site visit teams were discussed.

Congratulations Oklahoma Tech Prep.

Cooperative Alliance featured on Ok Horizons

New CareerTech Twitter Accounts

We want to officially welcome CIMC and MAVCC to the Twittersphere!

http://twitter.com/iMAVCC

http://twitter.com/eCIMC

For a complete list of CareerTech Twitter Accounts, check it out

Online Viewbooks

We get them in the mail and you can pick them up off the rack at every technology center, the viewbook.

The inside is packed with pictures of excited kids learning CareerTech education and they list all the classes that one might be able to take. But is there something more?

How about putting your viewbook online? There are several ways to do this and we thought we would share one with you.

Open publication

After you get your viewbook online, how are you sharing it. Are you using Twitter, Facebook and other social media to share? Are you including the link in your emails?

What are others doing? What are you doing?

The College Pay Off

Did you know that a worker with an associates degree is expected to earn $1.7 million dollars over their lifetime? Even those students with some college are expected to earn more than $200,000 more than a student with just a high school diploma.

A new study by Georgetown University, The College Pay Off, looks at the payoff of attending college versus stopping at high school.

Report after report confirms the need for more educational attainement beyond a simple high school diploma. Career and technology education plays a vital role in helping students expand their education, many doing it while in high school.

The report also confirms the need for programs like the Cooperative Alliance Program that gives students the opportunity to earn trasnscripted college credit while in high school. Many students enrolled in the Alliance are graduating high school just a few hours short of their workforce degree (associates of applied science) and have increased their potential lifetime earnings, all before graduating high school.

Technology Centers on Twitter

Our list of CareerTech Twitter accounts is growing!! We have added two new Twitterers to the listing for you to follow.

Southwest Technology Center and Pioneer Technology Center

That brings us to 18 technology centers who use Twitter as well as 3 of the 8 CTSO's who are using it to get the word out.

Technology Center Twitter Accounts
Autry Technology Center
Caddo Kiowa Technology Center
Canadian Valley Technology Center
Chisholm Trail Technology Center
Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center
Francis Tuttle Technology Center
High Plains Technology Center
Mid America Technology Center
Mid Del Technology Center
Meridian Technology Center
Metro Technology Center
Moore Norman Technology Center
Pioneer Technology Center
Pontotoc Technology Center
Southwest Technology Center
Tri County Technology Center
Tulsa Technology Center
Wes Watkins Technology Center

CareerTech Student Organizations
FFA
BPA
DECA


CareerTech Divisions
OK Horizon
Testing
MAVCC
CIMC


By the way, now all three educational agencies in Oklahoma are on Twitter. (CareerTech was the first!)

Oklahoma Education
Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education


Did we miss anyone?

Google Weather

Google maps now has weather! Check out this video from Google explaining it all. I use Google maps almost exclusively for directions, and now that it is combines with data from weather.com, I have just one more great reason to use it.

My Twitter Feed is BIGGER than your Twitter Feed

This year during summer conference we had our first live Twitter feed!! Thanks Kerry for helping (he runs the CareerTech Testing blog) admin the whole process.

It was pretty crazy Tweeting, admin and taking pics all at the same time. We were running two laptops, an iPad, iPhone and Blackberry to keep up with it all and in order to join the conversation. I did not count the Tweets we had, but I was able to print 44 pages from the #okacte hashtag!

We also had the first CareerTech Tweetup at the front of the stage at the end of the general session.

From four signs in the exhibit area last year to the signs, inclusion in the program book and the live feed we grew tremendously this year. We already have some ideas on how to do it better next year.

We are thinking about a Tweet Team, moving the Tweetup to the beginning of the first general session and some other stuff that we will keep secret and you will just have to see at summer conference 2012.

Looking Back and Ahead - Summer Conference 2011 and 2012

Summer Conference 2011 is in the books and it was a good conference. There were plenty of professional development opportunities on both days that were well received.

A huge thank you goes to the people that put on summer conference. From the project management office who coordinates the whole event and spends countless hours negotiating with everyone, the OkACTE staff who coordinate all the awards and more, the IT staff who makes our lives much easier to the people stuffing packets and making sure that the details are covered, I can't say enough about the work that you do and it is very appreciated!

I had the opportunity to speak the three groups and the National Technical Honor Society and to speak with the Tech Prep section about the changes that we will be seeing as a result in the elimination of Tech Prep and the transition with Carl Perkins to Programs of Study.

I enjoyed my time at conference and hope you did to. I always enjoy getting to see people from across the state and wish that there was more time to talk with them. I also enjoy getting to hear from the different speakers on a variety of subjects. Their insight always makes me leave with a different idea or thought on how to make careertech ed better, and for that I say thank you.

See you down the road at next years Summer Conference August 2-3, 2012 (Thursday - Friday) in Oklahoma City.

To .EDU or not .EDU

22 technology centers are now accessible through the .edu domain.

Welcome Western Technology Center http://www.westtech.edu/


.EDU
Autry: http://www.autrytech.edu
Canadian Valley: http://www.cvtech.edu
Central Tech: http://www.centraltech.edu
Chisholm Trail: http://www.cttc.edu
EOC: http://www.eoctech.edu
Francis Tuttle: http://www.francistuttle.edu
Gordon Cooper: http://www.gctech.edu
Great Plains: http://www.greatplains.edu
Kiamichi: http://www.ktc.edu
Meridian: http://meridiantech.edu
Metro Tech http://www.metrotech.edu
Mid America: http://www.matech.edu
Moore Norman: http://mntc.edu
Northeast Tech http://www.netech.edu
Northwest: http://www.nwtech.edu
Pioneer: http://www.pioneertech.edu
Pontotoc: http://www.pontotoctech.edu
Red River: http://rrtc.edu
Southern OK: http://www.sotc.edu
Southwest Tech: http://swtech.edu
Tulsa Tech http://www.tulsatech.edu
Western http://www.westtech.edu/

.ORG
Tri County: http://tctc.org
Wes Watkins: http://www.wwtech.org

.NET
High Plains: http://www.hptc.net

.TEC.OK.US
Mid-Del: http://www.mid-del.tec.ok.us

.COM
Caddo Kiowa: http://www.caddokiowa.com
Green Country: http://www.gctcok.com
Indian Capitol: http://www.ictctech.com

Okcareertech.org QR code

It's here! The official Oklahoma CareerTech QR code is here!!


You should start seeing it soon on a website or publication near you.

NTHS Summer Conference Presentation

Today I had the opportunity to present to STEM instructors about NTHS. I really enjoyed talking with them and sharing one more opportunity for their students to be recognized for their outstanding work.

National Technical Honor Society Summer Confernce 2011

View more presentations from Jeremy Zweiacker

4H Roundup 2011

One of the annual presentations that I enjoy giving is at 4H Roundup.

I was a Roundup kid, and in fact, a member of the 4H Key Club!

Roundup was great as a 4H member and I have a lot of fond memories. It is also great as an adult going back and presenting the Cooperative Alliance to the members and getting them interested. I look forward to it every year and appreciate the opportunity to share.

Oklahoma 4H Roundup 2011

View more presentations from Jeremy Zweiacker.

NTHS QR Code

Check out my first QR code! It will connect you to the Oklahoma NTHS website.

QR Codes

QR codes, or Quick Response codes, are popping up all around us. They are in newspapers, magazines, tv commercials and elsewhere. What are they?

According to wikipedia, a QR code is a specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) that is readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and camera telephones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded may be text, URL, or other data. Read more on wikipedia.

They are also popping up in education. The scan above is from Meridian Technology Center and is the first QR code I have seen in use by a technology center.

There are lots of exciting applications for QR codes. Maybe you have a statue at the front of your campus. A quick scan of the QR code leads them to more infomration about what it is. Maybe in the classroom it can be used to direct students to online videos of a science experiment that they are conducting or lead people at your graduation ceremony to more infomration on the job market. Put them in your viewbook so a person can scan them and then watch a video specifically about the career major that they are interested in. There are lots of applications out there, your imagination is the limit.

Are you using QR codes? How are you using the codes? Just like social media, if you are going to use them, QR codes should be a part of your overall integrated marketing and recruitment strategy, not your entire strategy. Wherever the QR code goes should be branded and feel just like your website and the rest of your web presence. It should add value to the user experience and not something that you are doing, just becuase you can.

Green Country Technology Center's New Site

If you have not visited Green Country Technology Center's website lately, they have a new look and feel.

Some of our technology center websites are being recreated over the summer. Which one is your favorite?

Twitter at Summer Confernce

Have you heard? There is going to be a lot more Twitter integration at Summer Conference in 2011 and I am excited! Here is what is going on...

• Be sure to Tweet your summer conference experience and use the hastag #okacte
• There is going to be a live Twitter feed! Leading up to the sessions, Tweeters will have their thoughts shared with the general attendees via the hashtag #okacte There will be a screen that will show the Tweets with the hastag and your Tweets will be seen by those in attendance.
  
• The first ever CareerTech Tweetup will be held right after the close of the first general session. The session is being held in the Tulsa Convention Center, Exhibit Hall C, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on Monday, August 1, 2011. Share the word about the Tweetup and meet us in front of the main stage.

Follow the CareerTech Twitter account to learn more about what is happening at summer conference and Twitter, as well as get great updates all conference long. http://twitter.com/okcareertech

New Student Services Academy

I always enjoy the opportunity to present to the New Student Services Academy. Sharing about the Cooperative Alliances and Enrollment Management is a joy and I hope that they are able to take some fo the things that have been shared back with them to their schools.

New Student Services Academy

View more presentations from Jeremy Zweiacker

Thank you to the CAC Division for letting me share, i hope you enjoy as well.

New Meridian Website

You know how we love new websites and Meridian Technology Center has just released one.

Check it out, it is pretty sweet! There are some good design points to remember if you are thinking about redoing yours.

On the front page you have

• RSS Feed
• Social Media Links (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
• Phone number
• Search
• A link to the Board Agenda's

http://www.meridiantech.edu

What are some must have's that you would of add to a website redesign for your technology center?

GuidanceFest 2011

Year Round Recruitment - Planning

The students are away and now is time to start planning for the next round and updating your year round recruitment plan.

What worked well this year? Were the birthday postcards a success? Did you get the welcome letter from your Superintendent sent? Did you send as many texts as you had planned?

How about your events? Were they well publicized? Were they well attended? What was your ROI? Are there other events needed to fill in the gaps and do any of the events we are doing need to be eliminated?

Don't forget about social media. Is it inclusive in your plan? Are your website, Facebook and Twitter page all integrated? Do you even have them?

These just some of the questions you and your enrollment management staff should be asking about your recruitment plan. Start reviewing your plan and become prepared for next year.

STEM and Scouting

Today I read about a new program within the Boy Scouts of America called the NOVA and SuperNova program. The program is open to Cub Scouts (1st through 5th grades) Boy Scouts (6th grade to age 18) and Venture (men and women, from the age of 14 years old or 13 years old and completed eighth grade through 21).

It consist of Scouts earning different academic pins, activity badges, merit badges and more in depth projects of STEM. These awards are designed to increase interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and recognize superior achievement in these areas.

Much like Scouting CareerTech is an opportunity for technology centers to interact with Boy and Girl Scouts through various interest projects and merit badges, the NOVA and Super NOVA program are an opportunity for technology centers to interact with potential STEM students and get them interested in STEM areas.

The program could even lead to a STEM Fair where Boy Scouts could earn the Robotics Merit Badge, Engineering Merit Badge and others, while Girl Scouts can complete Imagine Engineering and Science in Action.

Green Country's New Website

Green Country Technology Center, in Okmulgee, has a new website!

Check it out: http://www.gctcok.com

I3 Conference

On October 18, Oklahoma Tech Prep will hold the I3 Conference in the Tuttle Seminar Center at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education in Stillwater.

Integration, Innovation and Imagination is the theme of the day and we will discuss how Tech Prep activities can be continued and how we can build relationships with Carl Perkins consortia.

The day will include time with your local Carl Perkins coordinator and college partner. Please invite them and have them save the date as well.

More details will come as we get closer to the conference. We can work together to ensure that the progress made under Tech Prep since 1991 can be continued without Tech Prep in 2012 and beyond.

CareerTech Summer Camps

We wanted to let you know about another summer camp opportunity.

Central Technology Center will hold Tech Quest Nanotechnology on June 13-17, 2011

CareerTech Summer Camps

Summer is getting closer and for some technology centers that means summer camp!! Want to know what happens at a CareerTech summer camp, check out the video above.

Here are a few of the ones we know about...

Autry Technology Center - Autry Teen Tour - June

Francis Tuttle Technology Center - Summer Quest - June

Meridian Technology Center - Seriously Fun Camps - Tech Trek June 7-9 and Nanotechnology June 13-17

Pioneer Technology Center - Trails to Technology- June 6-9

As we hear about more camps throughout Oklahoma, we will let you know. If you have a camp that you want to make sure is included in the list, put the infomration in the comments and we will update the listings.

Workforce Partners Conference

Today I had the opportunity to present with two others at the Oklahoma Workforce Partners Conference.

We had a great time and shared some great information with the people in attendance. It was also an opportunity to design a new presentation with the input of two other people and a different agency entirely.

Hope you enjoy it, there is some new information that I have never had in a presentation as well as some new ways at looking at information that we share as often as we can.

We even shared a little on the history of Cinco De Mayo!

Can You Be In Two Places at Once?

View more presentations from Jeremy Zweiacker.

CareerTech Students Win National Scholarships

CareerTech Students Win National Scholarships

The National Technical Honor Society announced that Jayci Ball, Southern Oklahoma Technology Center and David Willoughby, Canadian Valley Technology Center were both recipients of a Jon H. Poteat Scholarship.

These scholarships, named in honor and memory of the co-founder of the Society, are awarded annually to student NTHS members who consistently exemplify the seven character attributes of the NTHS – Skill, Honesty, Service, Responsibility, Scholarship, Citizenship, and Leadership.

Seventy-five scholarships, each valued at $1,000, are awarded as part of the Jon H. Poteat Scholarship program. The National Technical Honor Society annually awards more than $90,000 in scholarships to members.

The National Technical Honor Society is the acknowledged leader in the recognition of outstanding student achievement in career and technical education.

For more information on NTHS in Oklahoma go to http://www.okcareertech.org/nths

Technology Centers on Twitter

Another technology center has joined the Twitter Revolution!!

Welcome Pioneer Technology Center!

If you are living in Pioneer's district, you can follow all the latest news at http://twitter.com/PIONEERTECHCTR

If you want to see the other 16 technology center Twitter accounts and student organizations, check them out here.

3rd Annual GuidanceFest - That;'s How We Roll!!

The tentative dates for the 3rd Annual GuidanceFest have been announced...

October 26 - Canadian Valley Technology Center, Yukon

November 1 - Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center, Fort Cobb

November 3 - Northwest Technology Center, Alva

November 9 - Kiamichi Technology Center. McAlester

November 17 - Northeast Technology Center, Claremore

Watch for more details and we'll let you know when to start registering at the GuidanceFest website.

CareerTech Hall of Fame - Class of 2011

Congratulations to the CareerTech Hall of Fame Class of 2011!

• Henry Bellmon, former governor and U.S. senator
• Earl Cowan, former superintendent of Canadian Valley Technology Center
• Jim E. Hamilton, former state senator and representative
• Vince Orza, Ph.D., president and CEO of KSBI, Oklahoma City

Learn about the Hall of Fame, see their pics and all of the inductees here.

Youth Aviation Adventure

Gordon Cooper Technology Center held it annual Youth Aviation Adventure last weekend and over 200 students, mostly Boy Scout and Girl Scouts, attended.

We of course, have been advocates for Scouting CareerTech and the opportunities that merit badges, interest projects and the like offer for recruitment to technology centers and specific career majors. The opportunity could be intertwined with many youth groups including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H and others.

What are your best practices in working with student organizations and recruitment to your technology center?

NTHS Board Presentation

This morning I had the honor of presenting the National Technical Honor Society to the 10 member Oklahoma State Board of Career and Technology Education.

I feel that the presentation went well and I appreciate the opportunity. I was able to share some good information with the board and want to share the presentation with you.

Oklahoma National Technical Honor Society

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.EDU or not .EDU?

The 21st school to be accessible through a .edu domain is Moore Norman Technology Center!

That link is http://mntc.edu/


.EDU
Autry: http://www.autrytech.edu
Canadian Valley: http://www.cvtech.edu
Central Tech: http://www.centraltech.edu
Chisholm Trail: http://www.cttc.edu
EOC: http://www.eoctech.edu
Francis Tuttle: http://www.francistuttle.edu
Gordon Cooper: http://www.gctech.edu
Great Plains: http://www.greatplains.edu
Kiamichi: http://www.ktc.edu
Meridian: http://meridiantech.edu
Metro Tech http://www.metrotech.edu
Mid America: http://www.matech.edu
Moore Norman: http://mntc.edu
Northeast Tech http://www.netech.edu
Northwest: http://www.nwtech.edu
Pioneer: http://www.pioneertech.edu
Pontotoc: http://www.pontotoctech.edu
Red River: http://rrtc.edu
Southern OK: http://www.sotc.edu
Southwest Tech: http://swtech.edu
Tulsa Tech http://www.tulsatech.edu

.ORG
Tri County: http://tctc.org
Wes Watkins: http://www.wwtech.org

.NET
High Plains: http://www.hptc.net

.TEC.OK.US
Mid-Del: http://www.mid-del.tec.ok.us
Western: http://www.wtc.tec.ok.us

.COM
Caddo Kiowa: http://www.caddokiowa.com
Green Country: http://www.gctcok.com
Indian Capitol: http://www.ictctech.com

FIRST Robotics

This week is the OKC Regional for FIRST Robotics!! I am excited to see all the hard work that students in high schools and technology centers have done over the last couple of months and see the robots in action at the big game - Logo Motion

You can follow all the action on Twitter at OklahomaFIRST or follow the hastag #okfirst

The opening ceremonies begin at 8:45 am on March 18 and 19th. Admission is free and parking is $6. See you at the Cox Convention Center.

Weekly Message from Supt Janet Barresi 2 25 2011

In this weekly message, Superintendent Barresi mentions the National Technical Honor Society and the new Pre-Engineering Academy at Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center.

Stars of Excellence Deadline

The deadline to submit your NTHS Stars of Excellence Nomination is tomorrow.

View the qualifications and instructions here: NTHS Website

You can also learn about our past inductees and see a little bit about what makes NTHS a great organization!

To .EDU or Not .EDU

I received a hot tip yesterday about another technology center that can be accessed through the .edu domain, Kiamichi Technology Center!

Kiamichi Technology Center: http://www.ktc.edu

That brings our total to 20 (69%) .edu domains! Whoo will be next?


.EDU
Autry: http://www.autrytech.edu
Canadian Valley: http://www.cvtech.edu
Central Tech: http://www.centraltech.edu
Chisholm Trail: http://www.cttc.edu
EOC: http://www.eoctech.edu
Francis Tuttle: http://www.francistuttle.edu
Gordon Cooper: http://www.gctech.edu
Great Plains: http://www.greatplains.edu
Kiamichi: http://www.ktc.edu
Meridian: http://meridiantech.edu
Metro Tech http://www.metrotech.edu
Mid America: http://www.matech.edu
Northeast Tech http://www.netech.edu
Northwest: http://www.nwtech.edu
Pioneer: http://www.pioneertech.edu
Pontotoc: http://www.pontotoctech.edu
Red River: http://rrtc.edu
Southern OK: http://www.sotc.edu
Southwest Tech: http://swtech.edu
Tulsa Tech http://www.tulsatech.edu

.ORG
Tri County: http://tctc.org
Wes Watkins: http://www.wwtech.org

.NET
High Plains: http://www.hptc.net

.TEC.OK.US
Mid-Del: http://www.mid-del.tec.ok.us
Western: http://www.wtc.tec.ok.us

.COM
Caddo Kiowa: http://www.caddokiowa.com
Green Country: http://www.gctcok.com
Indian Capitol: http://www.ictctech.com
Moore-Norman: http://www.mntechnology.com

To .EDU or not ..EDU?

Add Pioneer Technology Center, Gordon Cooper Technology Center and Autry Technology Center to the list of technology centers that can be accessed using the .edu domain! We are now up to 19 of 29 districts! Who will be next?

Autry Technology Center: http://www.autrytech.edu

Pioneer Technology Center: http://www.pioneertech.edu

Gordon Cooper Technology Center: http://www.gctech.edu

.EDU
Autry: http://www.autrytech.edu
Canadian Valley: http://www.cvtech.edu
Central Tech: http://www.centraltech.edu
Chisholm Trail: http://www.cttc.edu
EOC: http://www.eoctech.edu
Francis Tuttle: http://www.francistuttle.edu
Gordon Cooper: http://www.gctech.edu
Great Plains: http://www.greatplains.edu
Meridian: http://meridiantech.edu/
Metro Tech http://www.metrotech.edu
Mid America: http://www.matech.edu
Northeast Tech http://www.netech.edu
Northwest: http://www.nwtech.edu
Pioneer: http://www.pioneertech.edu
Pontotoc: http://www.pontotoctech.edu
Red River: http://rrtc.edu
Southern OK: http://www.sotc.edu
Southwest Tech: http://swtech.edu
Tulsa Tech http://www.tulsatech.edu

.ORG
Kiamichi: http://www.okktc.org
Tri County: http://tctc.org
Wes Watkins: http://www.wwtech.org

.NET
High Plains: http://www.hptc.net

.TEC.OK.US
Mid-Del: http://www.mid-del.tec.ok.us
Western: http://www.wtc.tec.ok.us

.COM
Caddo Kiowa: http://www.caddokiowa.com
Green Country: http://www.gctcok.com
Indian Capitol: http://www.ictctech.com
Moore-Norman: http://www.mntechnology.com

A CareerTech Summer

Spring Break is just around the corner for many Oklahoma schools and the next stop is summer vacation!

What are you planning? I don't mean where are you going on vacation, I mean what is your technology center or school planning on doing to interact with students?

Are you holding a Tech Fair for 6th graders, maybe a camp for 7th-8th graders. How are you getting high school students involved? What are you doing for students who are going to be on your campus for the first time this Fall?

Summer is a great time to build relationships by helping students create memories. Start planning now for a successful summer and let us know what you are doing in the comment section below.

Scouting CareerTech

Scouting CareerTech is an opportunity to invite Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to the campus of your technology center and learn about their educational choices while fulfilling requirements for merit badges and interest projects.

Gordon Cooper Technology Center recently held a Technology Day where Boy and Girl Scouts, age 9-17, were invited to come and work on activities that interested them. 155 students attended the inaugural event!

Under the leadership if Ms. Frerichs, merit badges and interest projects were tied into Career Clusters. During a morning professional development event, instructors were signed up to be merit badge counselors and complete Youth Protection Training. At least one trained leader was in each classroom. They also looked over the requirements for the classes and designed a curriculum around the requirements.

The day started early Saturday morning at 8:30am with registration. Scouts were in their classroom until 11:30 working on projects. At 11:30 students ate lunch and toured a community showcase, which included booths like Lego Robotics and FIRST Robotics along with the Civil Air Patrol.

All of this at the cos of only $5!

Bottom line, the event was a huge success. Scouts earned activity badges, merit badges, interest project achievements and interest projects. Look for Technology Day to become an annual event.

Click here and scroll down to learn more about hosting your own Scouting CareerTech.

Learn more about and see pictures of Gordon Cooper's Technology Day with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts by reading The Pathfinder newsletter.

Ability Advisor Newsletter

The Ability Advisor newsletters is a resource from ODCTE that provides updates on topics such as special needs, academics and assessment.

You will find links to the archived emails and the attachments. It is a great resource and we encourage you to share it with your colleagues.

Ability Advisor Newsletter

Today is CTE Social Media Day

I love sharing about CTE!

Over on the CareerTech Twitter feed I am going to try to post at least one CTE fact every 30 minutes. I hope I can do it! Check it out to see the Tweets we have done so far.

twitter.com/okcareertech

Little shout outs like "71,000+ middle school through adult students are members of at least 1 of 7 CTSO's Learn-Lead-Succeed" or "Approved CareerTech education courses are counted as credits toward Oklahoma's Promise requirements" will be shared throughout the day.

What is your CTE story? I was in FFA during high school. FFA taught me the leadership skills including parliamentary procedure, team work and public speaking that I use today. I had the opportunity to go to the Washington Leadership Conference, attend multiple National and State FFA Conventions, run for a state office, lead students at FFA Alumni Camp and learn an appreciation for agriculture. It also taught me responsibility through the SAE by raising livestock and getting up at all hours of the night, in the freezing cold to make sure that the new baby lambs got through the night.

I can't wait to hear your story!

CTE Social Media Day

February 17th is CTE Social Media Day.

If you Blog, tell your CTE story. If you Twitter, Tweet about CTE and if you are on Facebook use your status to tell how CTE has impacted your life.

Bottom line, we want to hear your CTE story. It will be fun to read the impact that CTE has across the country and in Oklahoma.

If you are on Twitter you can follow Oklahoma CareerTech at twitter.com/okcareertech

NTHS Banner

The CTSO's have gotten together and working with our Marketing and Communications office developed some really cool banners and materials to promote our students in Career and Technology Education.

This is the banner for the National Technical Honor Society. If you want to see them all, check them out here.

I think these are great banners and they all have a common look and feel, integrated!

What do you think?

NTHS Day at the Capitol

Are you ready for the 15th Annual NTHS Day at the Capitol?

We are excited to announce that Janet Barresi, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, will be the keynote speaker!

On March 3rd, students will get to hear from the Superintendent on the floor of the House Chamber. Students will also have a chance to meet with their legislators during the morning and explore the capitol through tours.

Check out our website for information about NTHS's Day at the Capitol, starting a Chapter or the benefits of membership: www.okcareertech.org/nths

Oklahoma FIRST Social Media

Are you ready for Logomotion? It is coming soon and our bet is you want to stay up to date with all of the information that you can about the Oklahoma FIRST Regional. But how do you do that?

We have a couple of suggestions.

Following Oklahoma F.I.R.S.T. on Facebook?

Follow Oklahoma F.I.R.S.T. on Twitter?

And of course we will post infomration on our website: www.oklahomafirst.org

A great team opportunity was posted today and only those following Oklahoma FIRST through these two new social media channels will know! Hurry and sign up, more opportunities will be coming soon!

Going Paperless

This morning I attended a presentation from Green Country Technology Center and their nursing instructors.

GCTC is working to transition to a paperless classroom where students have access to their instructional materials in a 24 hour setting. Even during the snowstorm of last week, students has access to lectures, notes and text books. They also have access to learning on 3D models of organs like the heart and brain, that before would be just pictures in an 11lb book.

They also talked about the many opportunities avaliable to educators through YouTube, apps and other resources that they have found. They are working with CIMC to develop online curriculum and they are excited about teaching while their students are excited about learning.

What ways are you bringing technology into the classroom?

OAMCTE Essay Contest

OKLAHOMA ASSOCIATION OF MINORITIES IN CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION (OAMCTE)

ESSAY CONTEST 2010-2011

Who is eligible to enter the essay contest?

Students must meet all three of the following criteria:
1. Currently enrolled and attending a Career and Technology Education class or program.
2. A high school junior or senior.
3. A member of a minority race.

What are the criteria for writing the essay?

1. Essay theme is “Why I Chose Career and Technology Education as Part of My Career Pathway”.
2. Papers should be typed double spaced.
3. Length of essay is 500 words minimum and 700 words maximum.
4. Include a cover sheet with your name, address, phone number, school name, program name, grade, and the name, phone number, and e-mail address of your Career Tech instructor.
5. Include a color picture with your name printed on the back. Pictures will not be returned.
6. Postmarked deadline to submit essay is Friday, March 4, 2011. No emailed essays will be accepted.

What are the winning categories?

First Place - $250.00
Second Place - $175.00
Third Place - $100.00

Where are essays to be sent?
Mail completed essays to: Carolyn Leach, OAMCTE Essay Chair
Edison Preparatory School
2906 E. 41st Street
Tulsa, OK 74105

When will winners be notified?

Winning essay writers will be notified by Friday, April 8, 2011

Who to contact if you have questions?

Contact: Carolyn Leach at (918) 746-8533; leachca@tulsaschools.org or Cliff Harris at (918) 519--4233; mrcliffharris@yahoo.com

ACTE Convention - Atlanta

Are you headed to St Louis for the 2011 ACTE Convention? If you need to count down the hours till the opening session, make use of the countdown widget.

Happy CTE Month

Happy CTE Month!

In celebration of CTE month, we would like to share with you a CTE PSA.

CTSO Days at the Capitol

Throughout the legislative session, the CareerTech student organizations host a Day at the Capitol for members.

This is an opportunity for members to learn about the legislative process and watch the Capitol "In Action!" We hope that you will take advantage of the opportunity and particiapte. Here are the dates for the CTSO's.

CTSO Day @ the Capitol - Tuesday, February 8, 2011
FFA Day @ the Capitol - Monday, February 21, 2011 State Capitol
Family & Consumer Sciences Day @ the Capitol - Tuesday, March 1, 2011 State Capitol
NTHS Day @ the Capitol - Thursday, March 3, 2011 State Capitol
Health Careers Day @ the Capitol - Tuesday, March 30, 2011 State Capitol
T & I Day @ the Capitol - Wednesday, April 6, 2011 State Capitol
DECA Day @ the Capitol - Monday, April 11, 2011 State Capitol
BPA Day @ the Capitol l - Monday, April 4, 2011
TSA Day @ the Capitol - Wednesday, May 4, 2011 State Capitol

Information on Oklahoma's CareerTech student organizations can be found here.

Secretary Duncan talks CareerTech

After the President's address, Secretary Duncan talks about education and answers a question about career and technology education and the choice of college and career for students.

You might want to fast forward to 29:10 for the question.