Section 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings

Part 1: Rapid Prototyping in Education

Rapid prototyping would be a great way for students to see their digital 3-D designs come to life.  The advances in rapid prototyping have come a long way in the last decade.  The 3-D printers are still quite expensive but are available at a fraction of the cost that they were ten years ago.  Because of this it is now affordable for universities and even grade schools to buy these machines.  Students could use this technology for a number of ways.  Art students could create computer aided designs and then have their designs created with the machine in a less than a day.  Students interested in inventing any type of invention can create prototypes to test their theories.  They way that I find most interesting is using these machines to make robot parts.  Robotics is a quickly growing field among students and professionals.  Students put to work there math, science, and creativity skills to make these magnificent machines.  I find that students are more engaged when they get to see real life applications for the material that they are learning and with the use of rapid prototyping this is possible.

Here is a link to a school that had success in this program:

http://www.epiloglaser.com/cs_csm.htm

Part 2: Technology Military Consultant 

If I were a consultant for the military and they wanted something that didn’t require electronic power for hours or days I would suggest using a portable battery operated devise like a ipad or smart phone.  The applications on these devises are growing and becoming cheaper daily. These devises now can do science related experiments using only the components in the hand held device at a fraction of the cost.  Before these devises were invented it would cost tens of thousands of dollars for one or two machines and the machines were not easily portable.  The battery life for these machines can last up to a day or longer with special batteries.  I would offer ways of charging these machines using hand generated power or solar power. 

Part 3: Step-Up-To-Excellence methodology and the GSTE

Our school district changing will be initiating a school with technology program for teachers and students.  We will be going to a 1:1 laptop program for all students.  In order to accomplish this program I have looking at two different methodologies to consider.

Step-Up-To-Excellence

Pre-Launch Preparations:

                Before we start we have to have a group of leaders who will perform the task.  Different teachers, administrators and school board members will be assigned to develop a plan

Step 1: Redesign Entire School System:

                In this step the school’s learning staff will be divided into teams to decide the best ways the teachers and students can best use this technology to because better teachers and learners.

Step 2: Create Strategic Alignment

                In this step we will ensure that everyone is working toward the same goal and vision of the school district.  It provides accountability for the district and its members and it provides a way for the staff to communicate with each other about how the program is developing.

Step 3: Evaluate Whole Distinct Performance

                After we have aligned our district wide program we will evaluate the performance of the entire district.  The purpose of this initiative it to improve students’ learning by using laptop computers.  

Guidance System for Transforming Education

This methodology first uses a set of core values about the change process

•   Caring for children and their future
•   Respect
•   Systemic thinking
•   Responsibility
•   Evolution of mindsets about education
•   Readiness
•   Inclusiveness
•   Collaboration
•   Stakeholder empowerment and ownership
•   Community
•   Participant commitment
•   Ideal vision
•   Co-evolution
•   Wholeness
•   Facilitator
•   Common language
•   Process orientation
•   Conversation
•   Context
•   Democracy
•   Time
•   Culture
•   Space

Then there is a series of activities for engaging in systemic change

I. Initiate an Effort

We will assess the district`s readiness for change

II. Develop Starter Team

Core Team concerns: selecting participants,

Creating Team dynamic, providing training in systems design

III. Develop a District-Wide Framework

The teams expand and train in smaller group settings.  More one to one training is offered

IV. Create Ideal Designs

Design teams are created to monitor the progress of the program

V. Implement and Evolve the New System

Members focus on caring out implementation plans.

Then there are Continuous Events

Evaluate and improve the change process.

•   Build and maintain political support.
•   Sustain motivation.
•   Develop and sustain appropriate leadership.
•   Build and maintain trust.
•   Evolve mindset and culture.
•   Periodically secure necessary resources.
•   Develop skills in systems thinking.
•   Periodically and appropriately allocate necessary resources.
•   Develop group-process and team-building skills.
•   Build team spirit.
•   Engage in self-disclosure.
•   Engage in reflection.
•   Develop design skills.
•   Communicate with stakeholders (two-way).
•   Build and evolve community.
•   Foster organizational learning.
•   Build an organizational memory.

These are both excellent methods and as always keep in mind that the goal is to focus on student learning and the improvement of our school.

Part 4:  Faculty Development Programs in Universities

Name of University	Michigan State University	University of North Texas	University of Maryland
What are the different names used for faculty development?	Faculty & Staff Development / Training	TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT	Employee Training & Development
What division is it under?	Human Resources	University Human Resources Department	University Human Resources
What services does it offer?	Offer learning opportunities to help support staff employees meet their professional development goals through the use of mentoring and classes.	Training for service excellence, diversity, communication, and effective management.	Providing training and development resources that can assist departments in meeting their mission and purpose objectives
How often are programs given and what specifically are they?	Faculty/Instructional Development Opportunities Organizational/Leadership Development Opportunities Orientations These programs are giving at least once a year and some are given on a regular basis.	(a) In-Service Training Program: Immediate supervisor and/or department head (b) Out-of-Agency Staff Development Program: Immediate supervisor, department head, dean or director (c) College Degree Program: Department head, dean or director, and President (d) Internship Training Program: Department head, dean or director, and President Some programs are given according to the need of the University	UM Classroom Training E-learning: SkillSoft Web-based Training Training at Maryland Blog and Calendar of Events Training is available online and in person monthly.