Tech Directions - February 2008 - (Page 26)

70th Annual Conference System; Using A Game-Based Approach With STEM; and Engineering Education For Today’s Classroom. Industry Tours and Exhibits Teaching TIDE with Pride I T’S a big anniversary year for the International Technology Education Association (ITEA), which hosts its 70th Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, Thursday, February 21, through Saturday, February 23. And it looks like the association has an excellent lineup in store, including specialized workshops, professional development sessions, supplier exhibits, Action Labs, industry tours, and more. All this falls under the theme “Teaching TIDE (Technology, Innovation, Design, and Engineering) with Pride.” school curricula in conjunction with NASA, the NOAA, and National Geographic. Workshops and Professional Development Opportunities Those arriving early can choose from several Preconference Workshops on Wednesday: Teaching Robotics in a STEM Setting; Best Practices for Increasing Female Student Enrollment in STEM; Pre-Engineering Curriculum: Introducing a New Automation and Control Curriculum with Design Challenges; Flash Animation and Navigation: Demystified for the Technology Laboratory; and Engineering Concepts. In addition, more than 100 Professional Development Learning Sessions have been planned. Thursday’s options include Teaching Technology to Diverse Populations; Electric Vehicle Middle School Program; Technology Education Programs in Rural Schools; Exploring Alternative Fuels; and Developing StandardsBased Rubrics. Among other sessions, Friday offers NASA and ITEA’s Engineering Design Challenge; Gaming Curriculum for Technology Education; Solar Cell Design; 21st Century Industrial Technology Department; Engineering Design in High School Technology Classrooms; and Social Networking in the Technology Education Classroom. Saturday highlights include A Student-Made Tech Ed Lab Querying The Salt Lake City area is home to several industrial sites of interest to technology educators. Tours include LDS Communication Technology, which gives a behind-the-scenes look at the impressive satellite communication system used by the Church of Latter Day Saints to communicate worldwide. At Hill Field Air Force Base, attendees will see the latest innovations in aircraft maintenance and visit the Hill Aerospace Museum to walk through history, viewing many of the great military aircraft of the past. All conference attendees will have an opportunity to see firsthand a variety of excellent media, equip- Featured Speakers The opening general session features a presentation by one of ITEA’s most notable members: Barbara Morgan, public school teacher and NASA astronaut. Last August, Morgan took part in the flight of the space shuttle Endeavor, which contributed to further assembly of the International Space Station. Backup to payload specialist Christa McAuliffe who died in the Challenger accident, she was selected to formally train as an astronaut in 1998. Her keynote address promises to be memorable. Other notable speakers are Steve Petrina, professor of Technology Studies at the University of British Columbia, speaking on Technology Across the Lifespan; James LaPorte, recipient of the ITEA Academy of Fellows Award, who will address the Foundation for Technology Education Spirit of Excellence Breakfast; and Robert Ballard, who discovered the Titanic. Ballard founded the JASON Project, a subsidiary of the National Geographic Society, which develops exploration-related middle ment, and supplies. More than 70 companies will exhibit their wares on Thursday and Friday. Prize drawings will be held in the exhibit hall both days. Salt Lake City The conference is located in downtown Salt Lake City, near historic Temple Square, Symphony Hall, the Gateway Center, and many restaurants, shops, and other attractions. At Temple Square, visitors can research their family history free of charge at the world’s largest genealogy library. Skiers might want to arrive early or stay on after the conference—eight world-class ski resorts are located within a 40minute drive of the city. For more information on the conference and registration details, visit www.iteaconnect.org. 26 techdirections ◆ FEBRUARY 2008 Photo by Jason Mathis http://www.iteaconnect.org

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Tech Directions - February 2008 Technically Speaking Contents Direct from Washington The News Report Technology’s Past Technology Today Mastering Computers How Engineers Engineer—Lessons from My First Big Engineering Project Tips on Creating Complex Geometry Using Solid Modeling Software Press to Test—Shop-Built BJT Checker Is Easy Cable Television Technician International Technology Education Association Conference—Teaching TIDE with Pride Professional Development Opportunities Product Central Free for the Asking More than Fun

Tech Directions - February 2008

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