PLTW Engineering Program Overview

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PLTW Engineering Program Overview

• November 13, 2009

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What is Project Lead The Way?

• PLTW, Inc. is a 501(c)(3)not-for-profit
  organization
• PLTW partners with schools, higher education
  institutions and the private and public sectors
  to grow the nations STEM (science, technology,
  engineering, mathematics) workforce.
• There is no cost to join and the curriculum is
  free.

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What does PLTW do?

• Igniting Imagination and Innovation Through
  Learning

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THE NATIONS LEADING PROVIDER OF STEM EDUCATION
PLTW programs offer students real world problem
solving andcritical thinking skills
Programs are dynamic, rigorous and emphasize
creativity
Programs
Students are highly engaged and exposed to
typically non-pursued areas of study
Students are provided with a foundation and a
proven path to college and career success
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PLTW Across the Nation
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US States Participating in the PLTW Engineering
Program in 2009-10
350,000 students
3700 school sites in 50 states, Washington, D.C.,
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CONTINUOUS GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT

• PLTW continues to grow at a compound annual rate
  greater than 20
• Founded by Dick Blais and Richard Liebich in 1996
• PLTW started with 12 schools in upstate New York
• In the 2009-2010 school year, PLTW will serve
  approximately 300,000 children at more than
  3,500 implementations in 50 states

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From Tough Choices, Tough Times The Report of
the New Commission on the Skills of the American
Workforce, National Center on Education and the
Economy
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Who is at risk ?
People at all skill and pay levels who
do routine work. Because
that is the easiest work to automate or
send offshore, and for every job that is
going offshore, 10 are being
automated. The entire American
standard of living will slide if we do
not act NOW. !
Senator
William Brock
National Center on Education and the Economy
3-20-07

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15
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If STEM students follows the same trend start
with 15 who choose STEM area at 9th grade
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THESE FACTS MAKE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE
COMPETITIVE EDGE REAL, SO NOW WHAT DO WE DO?
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Food for thought
Why do I need to know this? When will I ever use
this? What do I need to do for an A?
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Questions Students Should Ask!

• What if?
• Why not?
• How about?
• When?
• Where?

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PLTWs Curriculum

• Aligns key learning concepts to national learning
  standards
• Includes
• day-by-day lessons
• support and enrichment activities
• course vocabulary
• instructional resources including numerous
  PowerPoint presentations
• evaluation and assessment tools aligned to the
  key concepts

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The Focus of PLTW isProblem-Based Learning

• Students do authentic real-world work and often
  work in teams.
• Learning is contextualnot a disjointed series of
  concepts.
• Expectations are clearly articulated.

Activities and projects have predictable outcomes.
Problems have unpredictable results.
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Students Learn Real World Skills

• Solve problems
• Cope with failure and try again
• Work in Teams
• Analyze information
• Communicate verbally and in writing
• Manage Time to meet deadlines
• Think creatively and critically to solve
  problems.
• Understand and practice professional conduct.
• Understand how research is conducted and funded.
• Have fun while working hard

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PLTW Graduation Expectations

• Understand technology as a tool for problem
  solving.
• Understand the scientific process, engineering
  problem solving and the application of
  technology.
• Prepared for the rigor of college level
  Engineering or Engineering Technology programs.
• Understand, technological systems as they
  interface with other systems.
• Use the principles of mathematics in their
  application to problem solving.
• Communicate effectively using reading, writing,
  listening and speaking.
• Demonstrate the ability to work in teams.

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PLTW COURSES
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Standards-BasedNational Science Education
StandardsPrinciples and Standards of School
MathematicsNational Health Care Cluster
Foundation StandardsStandards for English
Language Arts Standards for Technological
LiteracyNational Content Standards for
Engineering and Engineering Technology Once
finalized
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Elementary Aero Space LessonsNo training
necessaryDesigned to foster interest in math and
science Five lessons for grades 3-5
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Middle School Gateway to Technology

• Design and Modeling
• The Magic of Electrons
• The Science of Technology
• Automation and Robotics
• Flight and Space
• Energy and Motion

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PLTW Classes in Action Middle School
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HS Engineering Program
Foundation Courses

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

Specialization Courses (HS offers 1 or more)

• Computer Integrated Manufacturing
• Civil Engineering/Architecture
• Biotechnology
• Aerospace Engineering

Note Course program requires college entrance
mathematics each year.
Capstone Course

• Engineering Design Development

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Energy Power A unit for PLTW High Schools and
Middle Schools

• A unit will be developed in Energy and Power for
  high schools and a 9 week unit of study for
  middle schools.
• The course will contain at least the following
  content
• Fossil Fuels
• Bio Fuels
• Solar Energy
• Nuclear Energy
• Geothermal Energy
• Power Systems
• Energy and Power Conversion Systems
• Experts from industry and higher education will
  be engaged to identify the key learning concepts
  as well as project/problem themes intended to
  show that students have learned the key learning
  concepts.

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PLTW Math Science Connections
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Biomedical Sciences Program
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Sequence of Courses
Principles of the Biomedical Sciences Human Body
Systems Medical Interventions Biomedical
Innovation
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Professional Development
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Professional Development
Core Training Summer Institute
Self-Assessment and Pre-Core Training
Continuous Training

• Gateway To Technology (Middle School)
• Principles of Engineering
• Introduction To Engineering Design
• Digital Electronics
• Computer Integrated Manufacturing
• Civil Engineering/Architecture
• Biotechnical Engineering
• Aerospace Engineering
• Engineering Design and Development

Virtual Academy
Master Teacher
Ready for teaching
Ready for core training
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Who Does Well in PLTW? And How Do We Know?
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Which Students do Well in PLTW? The student who
is

• Creative- Likes to design
• things
• In the upper 80 of their
• class
• A hands-on learner
• An underachiever who might
• get hooked by interesting
• project based class,
• Interested in computers
• science, or technology.
• Good in math and science.

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Reaching all Students (80 HS)
What does High Rigor High Relevance look like
in a school curriculum ? Project Lead The Way is
a model.
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RIGOR / RELEVANCE FRAMEWORK
PLTW
AP
General Math
Blooms Levels of Learning
Application Model Adapted from W. Daggett
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This is Project/Problem Based Learning
From Principles of Engineering
Design and build a modifiable device that
will launch a ping pong ball into a 10 inch bowl
with 100 accuracy. On launch day the
distance will be varied by the instructor within
a range of 5 to 15 feet.
High Rigor, High Context with Predictable
Outcome
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RIGOR / RELEVANCE FRAMEWORK
PLTW
AP
General Math
Blooms Levels of Learning
Application Model Adapted from W. Daggett
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This is Project/Problem Based Learning From
Digital Electronics

• Design and build an electronic device to
  automatically measure the distance a
  person is away from the device.

High Rigor, High Context with Unpredictable
Results
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RIGOR / RELEVANCE FRAMEWORK
PLTW
AP
General Math
Blooms Levels of Learning
Application Model Adapted from W. Daggett
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National Partnerships Recognition
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PLTW STRATEGIC BUSINESS AND PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS
SPONSORSHIPS
BUSINESS PARTNERS
FOUNDATIONS
EDUCATION INITIATIVES
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University Partners
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Nationwide Participant Growth 1997 - 2009

• 1996-1997 11 Schools
• 2004-2005 800 Schools
• 2006-2007 1600 Schools
• 2007-2008 2300 Schools
• 2009-2010 3700 (Including Biomedical)

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• Research Findings

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• How are PLTW students doing when compared to
  other Career/Technical students at High Schools
  That Work (HSTW) schools?

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Research DataKey Findings based upon 450 PLTW
students

• 80 of PLTW seniors plan on attending college or
  community college versus 65 nationwide.
• 54 plan to study engineering or engineering
  technology versus 10 nationally.
• 19 plan on attending Community College or
  Technical School.
• 85 student retention rate in 2nd year of
  Engineering or Eng. Tech. versus 40 nationwide.

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Comparison of PLTW Students Mean Scores with a
Random Sample of Students from ALL CTE Fields
Math
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Comparison of PLTW Students Mean Scores with a
Random Sample of Students from ALL CTE Fields
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PLTW Grads Education Plans(excludes non-college
bound grads
Non-Science 20
Undecided 12
Engineering 68 7X the National Average
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Questions
How much does it cost? Who should teach PLTW? How
will we get kids into the program? Can we use
existing equipment How do we offer the courses
for college credit? What if we are a very small
school? Can we partner with another
institution? Is there a deadline to join PLTW?
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Visit our Website for more Information
WWW.PLTW.ORG Deadline to join Is March 1, 2010