Forging new generations of engineers

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Forging new generations of engineers
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What is Project Lead The Way?
PLTW is a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit corporation
whose primary goal is to grow the nations
technology workforce. There is no cost to
schools to register with PLTW and the curriculum
is free.
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Why Do We Need PLTW?
Our Workforce Has Changed.
1960
2000
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But we dont graduate enough engineers and
technicians

• There are currently 1.3 M engineering/engineering
  technology jobs available in the U.S. without
  trained people to fill them.
• According to the Federal Government we will need
  15 million engineers and technology workers by
  2020.

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What Does the Pipeline of Engineers Look Like?
Engineering Degrees 1988-2002
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Engineering Technology Degrees 1988-2002
SOURCE American Association of Engineering
Societies (2002)
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Science and Technology in Society
Manufacturing
Test and Evaluation
Routine Design
Development
Complex Design
Production
Operation, Service, And Maintenance
Complex Analysis
Distribution and Sales
Research
How is This Connected to Our High Schools?
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Science and Technology in Many High Schools
Chemistry, Physics, Biology
Wood shop, Auto shop, Drafting
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What Can We Do?
Make a small change in the culture of American
high schools by

• Strengthening the core academic curricula, (e.g.
  English, science, social studies, mathematics,
  etc.).
• Adding a rigorous, technical program of study in
  engineering leading to 2 4 year post-secondary
  degrees.

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Curriculum - Rigorous and Relevant high school
engineering courses that incorporate
project-based learning.
PLTW Accomplishes This With

• Professional Development High-quality,
  continuing, and course-specific.

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The PLTW Curriculum Is
Standards Based

• National Academy of Sciences
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
• International Technology Education Association
• National English Language Arts

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Gateway To Technology
Middle School Curriculum
Seven, Nine-week Modules

• Design and Modeling
• The Magic of Electrons
• The Science of Technology
• Automation and Robotics
• Environmental Engineering
• Energy and the Environment
• Aerospace Technology (NASA funded)

in development
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High School Course Program
Foundation ------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Specialization --------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
--- Capstone

• Principles Of Engineering
• Introduction to Engineering Design
• Digital Electronics

• Computer Integrated Manufacturing
• Civil Engineering and Architecture

• Biotechnical Engineering (New this Year)
• Aerospace Technology (New this Year)

• Engineering Design and Development

Note Course program requires college prep
mathematics each year.
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Foundation Course Principles Of Engineering
A Hands-on, project-based course that teaches

• Engineering as a Career
• Materials Science
• Structural Design
• Applied Physics
• Automation/Robotics
• Embedded Processors
• Drafting/Design

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Foundation Course Introduction To Engineering
Design
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A Sample Problem fromIntroduction to
Engineering DesignGrades 9-10
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Possible Approaches
Axis of Revolution
Profile to Revolve
H
R
Hint V ? r 2 H
All volume formulas must include the cubic inch
to fluid ounce conversion factor of 1.804.
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Foundation Course Introduction To Engineering
Design
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Foundation Course Introduction To Engineering
Design
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Foundation Course Digital Electronics
Theory-gt Design-gt Simulate-gt Fabricate-gt Test
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Specialization CourseComputer Integrated
Manufacturing
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Specialization CourseCivil Engineering and
Architecture

• Soils
• Permits
• Design
• Structural analysis

Cuban Restaurant Project
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Specialization CourseCivil Engineering and
Architecture

• Interior design
• 3D walkthrough
• Architectural drawings

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Two New Specialization CoursesStarted This Fall

• Biotechnology Funded by the state of Indiana
• Aerospace Technology Funded by NASA

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AERO Unit 1 Principles of Aeronautics

• Students are asked to design and build an airfoil
  and test it in a wind tunnel.
• With all the coordinates for the upper and lower
  surface of the wing scaled to size, students will
  create a scale drawing of the airfoil in AutoDesk
  Inventor.

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AERO Unit 2 Astronautics

• Students learn the parts of a rocket, Newtons
  Laws of Motion, and how they relate to flight.
• Students collect data from 10 model rockets to
  determine how different designs affect flight.

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Capstone CourseEngineering Design and
Development
Problem Solving in Teams
Juried Presentations
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How do we help teachers to teach at this level
?
Comprehensive Professional Development
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Professional Development

• Intense, two-week training at San Diego State
  University taught by experienced classroom
  teachers and SDSU faculty

• One-day teacher seminars.

• One-week refresher courses.
• Continuous, on-line interactive training.

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Do Teachers Like the Program?
Yes! They become facilitators, not lecturers.

• Help students define problems and set timelines.
• Help students become leaders, team members, and
  problem solvers.
• Act as a resource.
• Are not expected to know all the answers.

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What Students do Well in PLTW? The student who
is

• Creative- Likes to design things.
• Curious- Wants to know how things work.
• In the upper 80 of their class
• A hands-on learner.
• An underachiever who might get hooked by an
  interesting, project-based class.
• Willing to work hard if motivated.
• Interested in computers, science, or technology.
• Good in mathematics and science.

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Student Performance in Reading, Mathematics and
Science
How Well is PLTW Working?
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Student Performance in Reading, Mathematics and
Scienceby Type of Program
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PLTW Student Performance Compared to HSTW Goals
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What Else Makes PLTW Unique?
Transcripted college credit is available to
students enrolled in the following courses

• Principles Of Engineering
• Introduction to Engineering Design
• Digital Electronics
• Computer Integrated Manufacturing

• This makes a transcript with PLTW courses on it
  attractive to Universities.

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What is the Status of PLTW in California?

• First started in California at Cordova and Norte
  Vista High Schools in 1999.
• Now up to about 42 schools and 85 trained
  teachers in CA.
• SDSU will offer 6 Summer Training Institutes this
  year including all 3 foundation courses, the
  middle school program, plus Aerospace Engineering
  and Civil Engineering Architecture.

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Whats New in California? Increased Industry
Support

• PLTW selected as this years educational program
  by the Small Manufacturers Institute.
  Coordinating high school/college collaborations,
  industry support and educator symposiums.
• SDSU/PLTW awarded a 1.4M grant by QualComm to
  provide improved support to schools and increase
  enrollment by gt2x.
• San Diego Economic Development Corporation is
  training professional engineers to assist in PLTW
  classrooms

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• Project Lead The Way
• Forging New Generations of Engineers
• Californias PLTW Affiliate Institute
• College of Engineering, SDSU

Dean Bruce Westermo College of Engineering San
Diego State University
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The CA Affiliate Institute

• Conducts summer training sessions
• Hosts counselor conferences
• Supports a PLTW Honors program
• Promotes the PLTW program within California
• Conducts the HS certification process
• Conducts professional development workshops for
  PLTW teachers

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PLTW Summer Training Institute

• Intensive, two-week courses in each PLTW subject.
• Currently 23 training sites nationwide.
• SDSU has offered summer training for 3 years.
• Courses are taught by a Master Teacher and an
  Affiliate Professor (81 student/teacher ratio).

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Summer Training at SDSU

• Teachers sign up on the PLTW website.
• Teachers are eligible for graduate credit from
  Rochester Institute of Technology, U. of
  Colorado, and several other schools.
• SDSU plans to offer graduate credit in 2006.
• Registration Cost 1,800
• Housing Cost 800

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Summer Training Institute 2006

• Session 1 June 18 through June 30
• Gateway To Technology (GTT)
• Civil Engineering/Architecture (CEA)
• Aerospace Engineering (AE)
• Session 2 July 9 through July 21
• Principles of Engineering (POE)
• Introduction to Engineering Design (IED)
• Digital Electronics (DE)

Course registration opens in February of each
year
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Regional Counselor Conferences Held annually at
SDSU. Next event is Dec. 12 ,2005.
School counselors are an integral part of the
PLTW program. They direct students into the
program and ensure that the students follow the
correct math and science track to complement PLTW
courses
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Go Towww.engineering.sdsu.edu/PLTW

• Information on the Counselor Conference
• Information on the Summer Training
• Honors Program
• SREB report on PLTW
• westermo_at_engineering.sdsu.edu