E-Learning applications for career and technical education.

E-Learning applications for career and technical education. AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL. education (CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion) The difference between the way two materials expand when heat is applied. This is very critical when chips are mounted to printed circuit boards, because the silicon chip expands at a different rate than the plastic board. ) faceschallenges in delivering high-quality instruction due to the sometimeslarge costs of programs, dispersed dis��perse?v. dis��persed, dis��pers��ing, dis��pers��esv.tr.1. a. To drive off or scatter in different directions: The police dispersed the crowd.b. and rural locations of students andschools, and cultural and economic conditions in some areas. Traditionalbarriers to offering diverse or specialized instruction include lack ofqualified faculty, lack of funding to implement new or in-demandinstruction or classes, or insufficient number of students to justify abudgetary expenditure. E-learning provides an available andcost-effective opportunity to address student needs. Schools can usee-learning options to enhance offerings to attract and serve morestudents and to address community needs for workforce preparation. E-learning options can add relevance to the overall learningexperience, which can be important for a couple reasons. One, allstudents can experience real-world application of concepts and skills.Students can be better prepared for further education or a job. Two, forstudents at risk of dropping out, an otherwise unavailable learningopportunity can be the stimulus to excite the student and keep him orher in school. Further, e-learning is adaptable to varied learningstyles and experiential ex��pe��ri��en��tial?adj.Relating to or derived from experience.ex��peri��en instruction, two common needs of studentsconcentrating in CTE programs. The Importance and Relevance of CTE According to according toprep.1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.2. In keeping with: according to instructions.3. the U.S. Bureau of the Census Noun 1. Bureau of the Census - the bureau of the Commerce Department responsible for taking the census; provides demographic information and analyses about the population of the United StatesCensus Bureau , professions fed bygraduates of CTE programs make up the foundation of the nation'seconomy. Less than 20 percent of all jobs require, and will be filledby, individuals possessing a baccalaureate degree or higher educationalattainment Educational attainment is a term commonly used by statisticans to refer to the highest degree of education an individual has completed.[1]The US Census Bureau Glossary defines educational attainment as "the highest level of education completed in terms of the . More than 60 percent of jobs will require an associatedegree or technical certificate, and jobs requiring an associate degreewill increase by 32 percent between 2000-2010, the largest increase ofany educational category. Jobs requiring a postsecondary vocationalaward will increase by 16.2 percent, reports the U.S. Bureau of LaborStatistics Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)A research agency of the U.S. Department of Labor; it compiles statistics on hours of work, average hourly earnings, employment and unemployment, consumer prices and many other variables. . These are the jobs that make things, build things and fix things;not only machines, computers, cars and houses, but also what we eat andhow we care for ourselves and our children. These jobs are filled bygraduates of CTE programs. The 20th century concept that"vocational classes" are for "other peoples'children" is not the reality of the 21st century. CTE coursework courseworkNounwork done by a student and assessed as part of an educational courseNoun 1. coursework - work assigned to and done by a student during a course of study; usually it is evaluated as part of the student's nolonger is "shop" classes that isolate troublemakers and"slow learners," nor is it the home economics classesconcentrating on 1950s ideals of "homemaking home��mak��er?n.One who manages a household, especially as one's main daily activity.homemak ." Providingrelevant courses with academic rigor rigor/rig��or/ (rig��er) [L.] chill; rigidity.rigor mor��tis? the stiffening of a dead body accompanying depletion of adenosine triphosphate in the muscle fibers. ensures students an opportunity toattain a high living standard, and it promotes the economies of thelocal area, state and nation. The growing movement to redesign re��de��sign?tr.v. re��de��signed, re��de��sign��ing, re��de��signsTo make a revision in the appearance or function of.re America's high schoolsincludes recognition of CTE as an integral component in providingmeaningful educational opportunities for all students. E-learning,distance learning and virtual high school applications across the UnitedStates United States,officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. address these challenges, giving all areas and all students theopportunity to shape their educational attainment and career achievement(Smith, Clark and Blomeyer 2005). It is vital to engage all students in a program of study thatembodies high academic content and prepares them for future work,college and lifelong education--all in the context of the changingrealities of today's information society and global economiccompetition. Former U.S. Department of Education Official Hans Meeder, now aconsultant with Visions Unlimited, spoke at the 2005 Association forCareer and Technical Education (ACTE ACTE Association for Career and Technical Education (formerly American Vocational Association)ACTE Association of Corporate Travel ExecutivesACTE Approvals Committee for Terminal EquipmentACTE Anodal Closure Tetanus ) Convention. He cited twomiscalculations still part of the old high school model: belief in fixedintelligence and low expectations, racial and ethnic prejudices; andbelief in a static economy and slow-changing workforce demands. The high school model hasn't changed in 50 years to meet thechallenges of the information age and global economy. E-learning is atool to change the old high school model. CTE Appropriate for All Students The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,philanthropic institution founded in 1994 by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, to improve the lives of the poor throughout the world, primarily through grants for projects relating to global health care, Executive Director Tom VanderArk, also speaking at the 2005 ACTE convention, noted of all studentsentering high school today, one-third don't graduate, one-thirdgraduate but are unprepared for a "family wage job" orpostsecondary education, and one-third are doing pretty well. He saidthe debate has reached a point of convergence on two points: 1. Even college kids should be employable. Too often book learningis not connected to real-world savvy, and 2. Even non-college-bound students should leave high schoolwork-ready and prepared for further learning. The proposals to redesign American high American High School may refer to the following: American High School (Fremont, California), the school in Fremont, California American High School (Miami-Dade County, Florida), the school in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida schools focus on academicrigor, course relevance and personal relationships. Meeder defined rigoras core curriculum designed to meet high expectations; relevance ascareer academies, experiential learning and thematically the��mat��ic?adj.1. Of, relating to, or being a theme: a scene of thematic importance.2. focusedschools; and relationships as support for students. Vander Ark citedAmerica's high dropout (1) On magnetic media, a bit that has lost its strength due to a surface defect or recording malfunction. If the bit is in an audio or video file, it might be detected by the error correction circuitry and either corrected or not, but if not, it is often not noticed by the human rate as evidence schools are not working,and he said a survey indicated half of the dropouts left simply becauseof boredom BoredomSee also Futility.Aldegonde, Lord St.bored nobleman, empty of pursuits. [Br. Lit.: Lothair]Baudelaire, Charles(1821–1867) French poet whose dissipated lifestyle led to inner despair. [Fr. Lit. . Of those, 70 percent would return to school if it wereinteresting. "Career and technical education is the model of what the threeR's can look like," Vander Ark explained. He said CTEmotivates achievement, encourages perseverance PerseveranceSee also Determination.Ainsworthredid dictionary manuscript burnt in fire. [Br. Hist.: Brewer Handbook, 752]Call of the Wild, Thedogs trail steadfastly through Alaska’s tundra. [Am. Lit. and improves preparation. "The essence of career and technical education is helping kidssee themselves in a job," he concluded. E-learning adds to thatpotential vision. E-learning brings the full opportunity afforded bymodern CTE courses to any student in any school in any area. Developing CTE E-Learning Programs Kentucky, among other states,offers online e-learning opportunities. While most high school onlinecoursework in Kentucky and elsewhere focuses on Advanced Placementacademic programs and other core academic content (Watson 2005),Kentucky is addressing the need for available and accessible CTEprograms. CTE courses are offered by the Kentucky Virtual High School(KVHS KVHS Kreisvolkshochschule ), and more are being developed, including CTE courses integratingcore academic content. These courses fulfill core academic graduationrequirements while permitting students to gain under standing or insightinto relevant application in their CTE area of concentration. Kentucky's system of Area Technology Centers (ATCs--state-runschools offering CTE-only courses often serving multiple high schools)is in the process of developing a Virtual Area Technology Center (VATC VATC Victoria Amateur Turf Club (Australian horseracing club, Melbourne, Victoria)VATC Voice Access to Content ).In both cases, the goal is to enhance student learning opportunities. InKentucky, e-learning most often follows two formats. One is supplementalsupport in a traditional classroom setting, providing a broader anddeeper learning environment for application in classrooms, labs orresearch; for remediation; or for accelerated learning. A second offerscoursework to remote students for credit needed to fulfill a careermajor or graduation requirements. According to officials with both KVHS and VATC, planning isessential to developing a good system. Planning not only sets themission, goals and objectives of the program, but also identifies adelivery medium easily used by both teacher and students. Former Gov.Paul Patton spurred creation of KVHS. He wanted all schools to have theability to offer all students the same quality of academic choices andstudent supports, both in curriculum and scheduling flexibility. The Kentucky Department of Education accepted the challenge andintroduced the first KVHS classes in 2000. Ruby ruby,precious stone, the transparent red variety of corundum, found chiefly in Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka and classified among the most valuable of gems. The Myanmarese stones are blood red, the most valued tint being the "pigeon's blood. Stevens, KentuckyDepartment of Education branch manager for virtual learning, praises thestate's leadership for careful planning, which included research ofother online schools. Terri DeYoung, Kentucky Department of Education program consultantand coordinator of KVHS academic and student services, remembers,"After the first year, without a national model, I was pleased withdecisions of leadership." She also cites Kentucky's commitment to technology; everyschool in the state has the technology to implement KVHS. KVHS charges$150 for a half-credit course and $300 for a full-credit course;however, scholarship funds are available and some online courses madeavailable through traditional, facilitated classes are tuition free. Inaddition, KVHS charges $100 for "credit recovery," whichallows students to make up work to achieve full credit towardgraduation. All VATC courses are free to enrolled ATC ATC Air Traffic ControlATC Average Total CostATC Certified Athletic TrainerATC At the Center (Hartford, Maine retreat center)ATC Applied Technology CouncilATC All Things Considered students, andcurrently are not available outside the ATC. KVHS uses eCollege as its delivery medium. VATC uses Blackboard (1) See Blackboard Learning System.(2) The traditional classroom presentation board that is written on with chalk and erased with a felt pad. Although originally black, "white" boards and colored chalks are also used. .Joe Morgan This article is about the former Major League Baseball player. For other uses, see Joe Morgan (disambiguation). Joseph Leonard Morgan (born September 19, 1943 in Bonham, Texas) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, inducted into the Baseball Hall of , Kentucky Office for Career and Technical Education programconsultant for communications and technical education, says VATC beganat the school level when a local ATC received a grant to use theBlackboard system A blackboard system in computer science is a type of Artificial Intelligence application based on the blackboard architectural model. The following scenario provides a simple metaphor that gives some insight into how a blackboard system works: . At the same time, the ATCs' state administrationwas considering establishing a virtual ATC. Without manpower or fundingfor full implementation, VATC was built on the experience of the grant recipient.Kentucky's state universities also use Blackboard for theire-learning programs. Morgan says a consortium of the state universities,the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, KVHS and VATC arelooking at adopting a common delivery medium for K-16 e-learning. There are several privately developed products available to delivere-learning. Morgan used and recommended WCET WCET Western Cooperative for Educational TelecommunicationsWCET Worst Case Execution Time EduTools' Web site,which allows side-by-side comparison of various selected productswww.edutools.info/static.jsp?pj=S&page=HOME. Kentucky'sdecision was driven by existing use of the Blackboard system at theuniversity level, existing implementation by one local ATC, ease of useby students and teachers, and cost. Those considering e-learning mayhave other priorities to consider. The EduTools Web site facilitatescomparison among more than 60 products. DeYoung says most of thedifferences among the systems now have dissolved dis��solve?v. dis��solved, dis��solv��ing, dis��solvesv.tr.1. To cause to pass into solution: dissolve salt in water.2. . Practical Applications Morgan stresses the need for a system that is easy to use for boththe student and teacher. Whether a course is developed internally or aspart of a consortium, or purchased from a third party, a teacher willimplement it and communicate with students. This can be as part of atraditional classroom structure enhanced by e-learning or a completelyonline class with students and teacher in different locations. DeYoung says teachers remain the key ingredient in successfulteaching, whether in a traditional classroom or online. "They haveto make it a valuable learning experience for the students," sheexplains. Morgan warns of the importance of having adequate computeravailability, access and connection speed. Students who want and need acourse require access, he added. Kentucky is building the KentuckyEducation Network (KEN) on Internet II See Internet2. for all public education entitiesin the state. Morgan says it will even have cameras built in for two-wayvisual communication. DeYoung notes the process of developing a course is a lot more timeand resource intensive than anticipated. But it has ad vantages instimulating teacher preparation and effective delivery (Willis 1993). The system should offer the ability to post announcements andassignments, manage discussion between students and teacher, and containcourse documents. Currently, most VATC courses are used in a moretraditional manner to enhance the classroom learning environment. ManyCTE courses at some point require hands-on application of skills. For instance, Roc Moore, Harrodsburg, Ky., ATC automotivetechnology Noun 1. automotive technology - the activity of designing and constructing automobilesautomotive engineeringengineering, technology - the practical application of science to commerce or industry instructor, uses VATC courses, some of which he has developedand posted, to support his lectures. He follows a teaching method inwhich he provides information, shows the application, and then lets thestudents apply the skill in the automotive shop. VATC courses"increase my time with the kids in the shop," he says.Students still must work on a car to demonstrate mastery of a skill,such as brake repair. "In my shop, the slowest student would drivethe course," he explains. "I wanted something for the advancedstudent to go at his own rate." The program also works for students who require remediation oradditional study to grasp a point, and it helps students who may beembarrassed to ask a question in class. They can communicate with Moorevia e-mail or look up an answer in the posted handouts or links. Withall lessons posted online, students who are absent can access courseworkfrom remote locations, complete assignments and obtain credit. Moore says the courses can take a considerable amount of time toset up, and must be reviewed for accuracy, but once in place,"it's such a positive tool, not only for students but for me,too." Accessibility Meets Demand VATC posts lesson plans accessible online in courses ranging fromcharacter building to architecture. They address CTE program areas ofautomotive, business, communication, computers, construction,cosmetology cos��me��tol��o��gy?n.The study or art of cosmetics and their use.[French cosm��tologie : cosm��tique, cosmetic; see cosmetic + -logie, -logy. , health science technology, maintenance, manufacturing,marketing and transportation. Additional courses, such as computerprogramming, are entirely online for remote access. KVHS relies on student needs, school requests, overall demand andan access assessment to determine what courses should be developed andoffered, Stevens says. Once a course is targeted, DeYoung explains, KVHSdetermines whether it can be purchased from a third party, whether italready is available from a partner (such as Kentucky EducationalTelevision "KET" redirects here. For other uses, see Ket.The Kentucky Educational Television network a.k.a. "KET, The Kentucky Network" is Kentucky's statewide public television network. or the coalition consisting of KVHS, Illinois Virtual HighSchool, Colorado On-Line, Gwinnett County, Ga., or Rapid City, S.D.), orwhether it must be developed in-state. If KVHS develops the course, a team of teachers is assembled todesign the course to meet all state and national curriculum standards. Adesign consultant is hired to build the process into the softwareenvironment. The first two CTE courses offered by KVHS are ElectronicOffice, a business course, and Introduction to Health Science. These aretwo of the 65 KVHS course offerings. In spring 2006, KVHS enrollment wasabout 2,200 students. The development of the Introduction to Health Science class offersinsight into the process. With funding from a small grant, the KentuckyDepartment of Education Division of Career and Technical Educationsuggested development of health science courses. Students wereidentifying health science as a career major on their individualgraduation plans but were not pursuing the major due to the lack ofavailable courses and instructors. A team was assembled to create theclass, and it was made available in 2005. In spring 2006, there werethree separate groups taking the class. Also in development is a medical science class. KVHS is movingforward in developing interdisciplinary in��ter��dis��ci��pli��nar��y?adj.Of, relating to, or involving two or more academic disciplines that are usually considered distinct.interdisciplinaryAdjective courses. The first will beconstruction geometry, which is being created by a team of CTE teachersand administrators, Kentucky Educational Television and KVHS. Similar developments are taking place in other states. Faculty atTexas A&M University developed an online curriculum for agrisciencestudents in poultry (Ermis, Dillingham, Edney and Marriott 2004). Inbusiness education, online education continues to grow and students fromall walks of life are taking online courses. Students believe thecourses are flexible and permit earlier graduation. The design andimplementation are critical in impacting student success in onlinecourses (Wallace, Jubin and Walker). In Iowa, online secondary health science technology courses arewell attended and successful (Burley-Hicks). Construction andmanufacturing applications were cited in other areas facing challengesin teaching content, where logistics are a concern, when costs can beprohibitive pro��hib��i��tive? also pro��hib��i��to��ryadj.1. Prohibiting; forbidding: took prohibitive measures.2. , where equipment is limited, and when just-in time learningis required (Fenrich 2005). E-learning has been recognized as an industry cluster by theArizona Governor's Strategic Partnership for Economic Development.In Indiana, high school students are getting a head start on college bytaking online courses, which are expanding into K-12 education. A Natural Process Morgan sees the use of e-learning as a natural process, whether asan enhancement to the traditional classroom or for remotely locatedstudents. "We're looking at a huge step, like moving fromblackboards to marker boards to white boards. This is just one more moveto uses of instructional technologies There are two types of instructional technology: those with a systems approach, and those focusing on sensory technologies.The definition of instructional technology prepared by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) Definitions and Terminology . We're going to see more andmore uses of this. Students don't get information the way I did.They don't typically pick up a book to find information; they go tothe computer, the cell phone, the PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) A handheld computer for managing contacts, appointments and tasks. It typically includes a name and address database, calendar, to-do list and note taker, which are the functions in a personal information manager (see PIM). . Even textbook companies areshipping electronic resources with books. Even textbook companies arerecognizing this transition is going on." Another barrier he sees is acceptance at the school level. Therestill is a traditional mind-set, and it takes time for decision makersto catch on. Students still must pass the courses, whether online, byproctored exams or a combination, but to John Hodge John Hodge may refer to: American people John R. Hodge, a United States Army officer John E. Hodge, an American chemist British people John Hodge, a British screenwriter John Hodge, a British politician , Harrison County Harrison County is the name of eight counties in the United States: Harrison County, Indiana the Harrison County meteorite of 1859, which landed in Indiana, United States (see meteorite falls) Harrison County, Iowa ,Ky., ATC principal, providing online CTE courses are another tool andanother opportunity to help students. "People do things when we make it comfortable for them to doit," says Hodge. "The hardest part is getting instructionalstaff to use the product; to integrate instructional materials in theclassroom. It's a high learning curve. Where do you get time todevelop competence and confidence? As they build success, other teacherswill get a handle on it. A teacher has to be able to see the advantageof time savings in the long term, but it takes time in the shortterm." References American Society for Training and Development, e-learningcommunity, www.astd.org/astd/resources/elearning-community/elearning_home Best Educational E-practices, www.spjc.edu/eagle/research/ beep,St. Petersburg College St. Petersburg College is an accredited college based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school has nine separate campuses spread out throughout Pinellas County; four campuses in St. Burley-Hicks, R.L. (2001), "Distance Learning in Iowa forHealth Occupations Education," Journal of Health OccupationsEducation, Vol. 15, No. 2 Distance Education Clearinghouse, www.uwex.edu/disted/index.cfm,Madison, Wis adv. 1. Certainly; really; indeed.v. t. 1. To think; to suppose; to imagine; - used chiefly in the first person sing. present tense, I wis. See the Note under Ywis. ., University of Wisconsin-Extension The University of Wisconsin-Extension, UW-Extension, is the outreach arm of the University of Wisconsin System. Through UW-Extension, all Wisconsin people can access university resources and engage in lifelong learning, wherever they live and work. Distance Interactive Learning Consortium, www.crlt.indiana.edu/dial Ermis, L.; Dillingham, J., Edney, K.; Marriott, V. (2004), OnlineAcademy Model for CATE CATE - Computer Aided Test Engineering. Curriculum Delivery, Texas A&M UniversityInstructional Materials Service, presentation at 2004 ACTE Convention Fenrich, Peter (2005), "What Can You Do To Virtually TeachHands-on Skills?" Issues in Informing Science and Technology, Vol.2, Informing Science Press Institute for Educational Services Kearsley, G. (2000), Distance Education: Guidelines guidelines,n.pl a set of standards, criteria, or specifications to be used or followed in the performance of certain tasks. for GoodPractice, Washington, D.C., American Federation of Teachers American Federation of Teachers(AFT), an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. It was formed (1916) out of the belief that the organizing of teachers should follow the model of a labor union, rather than that of a professional association. Pulichino, J. (2006), Future Directions in E-learning ResearchReport, eLearning Guild, www.eLearningGuild.com Smith, R.; Clark, T.; Blomeyer, R.L. (2005); A Synthesis of NewResearch on K-12 Online Learning, Naperville, Ill., Learning PointAssociates Wallace, D.; Juban, R.; Walker, J. (2005), "Business SchoolsOnline: Profiles of Success," Business Education Digest (NATEBE)Issue 14 Watson, J.F. (2005), Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning,Naperville, Ill., Learning Point Associates Willis, B. (1993), "Strategies for Teaching at aDistance," Distance Education: A Practical Guide, EducationalTechnology Publications Michael R. Stone is the executive director of the KentuckyAssociation for Career and Technical Education. He can be contacted etkmstone@mis.net.