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The Career Connection to Teaching with Technology (CCTT) project is a geographically diverse endeavor by a consortium of schools, districts, curriculum experts, and partners. This project is creating a national collection of best practices, curriculum content, educational resources, and professional development online tools.

Mission Statement:
CCTT seeks to develop standards-based curriculum materials and deliver them to the educational community through integrated technologies.

Operational Beliefs:
  • Technology is positively changing the teaching and learning environment.
  • Technology positively impacts student achievement.
  • Students and teachers are partners in learning.
  • Technology empowers teachers and students to become authors and publishers.
  • There is strength in diversity.
  • Authentic career applications enhance opportunities for students.
  • The use of research findings on teaching and learning provides a greater depth and breadth to professional development.
The focus of the project is on the work at the six hub sites, each of which is managed by an educator, funded by the grant. The six hub sites are: Advanced Technologies Academy, the Clark County School District, Las Vegas, Nevada; Omaha North High School, the Douglas County School District, Omaha, Nebraska; Fort Leavenworth USD 207, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Sprayberry High School, the Cobb County School District, Marietta, Georgia; Manual Arts High School, the Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles, California; and Mainland High School, Volusia County Schools, Daytona Beach, Florida.

The focus of the project is on creation of curriculum materials and models for creating materials. The means for accomplishing this are online. Expansion of this online work is a technological innovation. CCTT currently is working with Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) to program the second version of a web site that will combine resources from CCTT and 19 other Learning Interchange partners.

Curriculum products include lessons, units, educational resources, and entire courses of instruction. Tools for teachers include an “ActiveClassroom” web site which allows development of class calendars, notes, activities, and links to active pages and curriculum resources. Teachers are trained in the use of tools and curriculum development at all six hubsites and at workshops in such venues as the Florida Educational Technology Conference (FETC).

Objective 1: Identify reading, writing, mathematics and science achievement standards, benchmarks and accountability measures for students.

National standards are first and foremost in the design of curriculum units and lessons. Hubsite managers have been trained and teachers are being shown how to focus on a standard and a fundamental idea which is core to their discipline. Content specialists from the major curriculum organizations, NCTM, NSTA, NCSS, and NCTE are reviewing teachers’ work and providing guidance including working with teachers during the summer of 2000 to develop interdisciplinary lessons and units. Assessment is built into the units and lessons and centers on what students are to be able to do. Teachers are asked to edit or provide other examples of assessment used in their classrooms as their work is reviewed.

Objective 2: Create a career connection to integrated core academic studies that increases the relevancy and authenticity of learning.

An advisory committee of business, government, and educational leaders has been formed and meets annually to provide input to the hubsite managers. The career connections which are based upon the SCANS report are incorporated into all units and lessons. Several online courses are being developed in conjunction with school-to-work programs in the high schools. These include Web Site design, graphics design, chemistry, physics, and CISCO networking.

Objective 3: Train teachers and students to access and utilize existing technologies, to create original instructional materials, and to collaborate with business partners in codevelopment of resources.

CCTT has developed workshop used at the hubsites as well as conferences such as FETC. This provides teachers guidance in submitting and developing curriculum online. The Apple Learning Interchange has worked behind the scenes with CCTT personnel to customize the web site to CCTT specifications. Help screens for online “professional development” have been added and reviewers can comment online regarding lessons and units. Over 100 units and 300 lessons are in various stages of development, a few undergoing field testing for the first time this spring of 2000. Teachers will be working this summer to edit their work and enhance student activities. Several online courses, mentioned in Objective 2, will be refined and enhanced this summer and fall.

Objective 4: Contribute to national educational networks using telecommunications to disseminate products and best practices.

Authoring systems and a template for both unit and lesson development are available online for teachers to use. Teachers can view other work as well as develop their own in an online environment. The Apple Learning Interchange site is being used to house lessons and resources. Over 300 lessons and 1000 educational resources are available at www.cgli.net.

This site is being updated as ALI creates version two of its web tools and works with CCTT personnel to customize the online environment. Project personnel will be attending an ALI meeting in Detroit June 18 and 19 to work closely with Apple, understanding new features and planning for the CCTT semi-annual meeting June 21 – 23 in Atlanta.

CCTT has changed method of distribution, as originally planned in the grant proposal. A satellite network distributing content to dedicated servers proved not to be cost effective. As the Internet becomes for efficient and web sites become more powerful, the distribution of materials and educational resources is being accomplished through a partnership with Apple Learning Interchange. Resources and lessons can be searched and connections to other Learning Interchange partners provides additional materials.

A 3D simulation program, designed to help students learn high school algebra, was a project that didn't succeed to CCTT satisfaction. The need for help for students required to take high school algebra is still real. CCTT is currently working with a group at Augsburg College in Minnesota. This group developed 15 modules for discrete mathematics, integrating technology and prototype online tools to help students learn math through solving problems. CCTT will examine problems and tools appropriate for the high school algebra curriculum through Sept 30, 2000 and make a decision about whether to continue this through year 4 of the project.

The review and field testing process has proven to be a complicated and time-consuming venture. For this reason, although several hundred lessons and units have been developed, little is available in final form, available for public use. A new person, to be hired for year 4, will pursue this, providing guidance in completing reviews, editing, field testing, and professional development "learning on demand" online assistance to teachers posting their content.




Copyright © 1997-2003
Career Connection to Teaching with Technology
USDOE Technology Innovation Challenge Grant
Marshall Ransom, Project Manager
All rights reserved.

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