Tech Directions - November 2007 - (Page 9)

the news report Susanne Peckham susanne@techdirections.com “Ultimate Weldshop” Giveway Miller Electric Mfg. Co. is giving away an Ultimate Weldshop valued at more than $17,000. The Giveaway includes a welder/generator, welding and plasma cutting power sources, auto-darkening helmet, safety gear, welding accessories, and personalized expert training. The grand prize winner will also receive one-on-one training with a Miller expert conducted at the closest Miller Regional Training Center (travel costs included). Giveaway entry deadline December 31, 2007. For official rules and registration, visit www.MillerWelds.com/ultimate/. career. He also notes that personal observations and experiences are important to share. NASA Engineering Design Challenge Anticipating a need for research into lunar plant growth, NASA and the International Technology Education Association present the NASA Engineering Design Challenge: Lunar Plant Growth Chamber for the 20072008 school year. Elementary, middle, and high school students taking part in the challenge will design, build, and evaluate lunar plant growth chambers, while engaging in research and standards-based learning experiences. Students will: • Design, build, and evaluate lunar plant growth chambers. • Receive cinnamon basil seeds flown on STS-118. • Test lunar growth chambers by growing and comparing both spaceflown and earth-based control seeds. Visit http://www.nasa.gov/education/plantchallenge for more information and to register for the challenge. Educators can also sign up for the NASA Express listserv to receive e-mail updates. Encouraging Girls to Pursue Technical Careers Thomas A. Frawley, a technology educator at G. Ray Bodley High School, Fulton, NY, and member of the Tech Directions Editorial Advisory Board, has come up with a creative strategy for recruiting girls: Get Oprah to do a show on opportunities for girls in technical careers. To that end, Frawley has started a grass-roots letter writing campaign. “We’re not doing enough in this country to get people interested in technology careers. Public schools have a ‘checklist mentality’ and students have to complete a lot of requirements before they can take career and technical education classes, but we need to develop both at the same time,” Frawley says. “We have a lot to offer, especially to young girls.” Frawley encourages other technology educators to support his effort by sending a message to Oprah at www.oprah.com/plugger/ templates/BeOnTheShow.jhtml? action=respond&plugID=B2100004. He says that supporters might suggest that Oprah bring attention too the empowerment that young women can experience in a technical Lehmkuhl plan to use the scholarships awarded to finance their college studies. Following postsecondary education, both plan to pursue automotive careers. All schools with an automotive technology program are eligible to enter the annual competition. Each may send up to 10 students to a state qualifying exam. At state finals, the students with the highest written exam scores pair up in teams to “debug” assigned cars. Instructors supervise preparation for the competition and accompany students to all events, but they can only observe from the sidelines as students try to diagnose and fix their cars’ problems. For information on entering the competition, visit www.autoskills. com or e-mail Allan Stanley at astanley@national.aaa.com. “High school automotive programs allow young people to learn about vehicle repair and proper maintenance and provides them an opportunity to explore automotive repair as a possible career,” says Stanley. He speaks from experience, having participated himself in the competition after being inspired by his high school automotive technology teacher. He went on to college, gained ASE certification, then worked as an automotive technician before becoming involved with running the competition. Events Nov. 4-5. Technology Educators of Indiana Conference. Indianapolis. www.teiwww.org/conference/. Nov. 8-10. Annual Conference of the Technology Education Association of Pennsylvania. Camp Hill. www.teaponline.org/index2.htm; click on “Conference.” Nov. 10. Teaching Engineering Made Easy Workshop, Engineering Education Service Center. Portland, OR. http://engineeringedu.com/pw/ register.html. Nov. 16. Massachusetts Technology Education/Engineering Conference. Fitchburg. www.masstec.org/ conference.html. Susanne Peckham is managing editor of Tech Directions. Winners of Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition Announced In 2007, more than 7,500 high school students enrolled in automotive technology programs across the country competed in the Ford/AAA Auto Skills Competition, which tests advanced math, science, and mechanical skills. The 100 national finalists, in two-person teams representing all states, faced off in the final hands-on automotive repair competition in Dearborn, MI, in June. Austin Castrol and Daniel Lehmkuhl of San Luis Obispo (CA) High School took first place. Castrol and www.techdirections.com NEWS REPORT 9 http://www.autoskills.com http://www.autoskills.com http://www.MillerWelds.com/ultimate/ http://www.nasa.gov/education/plantchallenge http://www.nasa.gov/education/plantchallenge http://www.teiwww.org/conference/ http://www.teap-online.org/index2.htm http://www.teap-online.org/index2.htm http://engineeringedu.com/pw/register.html http://www.oprah.com/plugger/templates/BeOnTheShow.jhtml?action=respond&plugID=B2100004 http://www.oprah.com/plugger/templates/BeOnTheShow.jhtml?action=respond&plugID=B2100004 http://www.masstec.org/conference.html http://www.masstec.org/conference.html http://www.techdirections.com

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Tech Directions - November 2007 Technically Speaking Contents Direct from Washington The News Report Technology’s Past Technology Today Mastering Computers Video Game Programmers Learn to “Pitch” Project Teaches Students to Diagnose an Ailing Windows OS See the Math with Your Binoculars! Fire Safety Technician ACTE Convention and Career Tech Expo Hands-On Activities More than Fun

Tech Directions - November 2007

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