Case Studies Video Games Robots for CTE

Case Studies: Video Games & Robots for CTE Student Engagement Cliff Zintgraff President, Innology LLC TM

Reminder: Why Engage? Context Informal Learning and Engagement Into the Classroom TM

Reminder: Why does CTE engagement matter? TM

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Courtesy Jim Brazell, jim@ventureramp. com TM

“ 60% of the jobs in the Texas biotechnology cluster require only an associates degree or certificate. ” Dr. Mae Jemison Chair, Texas Biotechnology Cluster TM Courtesy Jim Brazell, jim@ventureramp. com

TM Courtesy Jim Brazell, jim@ventureramp. com

Systems Thinking: The Workforce Ecosystem Middle Schools High Schools Magnet Schools Academies After School Programs Summer Programs Two-Year Colleges Four-Year Colleges INDUSTRY Graduate Programs Cities Policy Counties Articulation Agreements States Assessment Services TM Workforce Boards Economic Developers

How important is the workforce ecosystem? TM

Pressures on the Workforce Ecosystem “This is a story about the big public conversation the nation is not having about education … whether an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can't think their way through abstract problems, work in teams, (and) distinguish good information from bad …” Time Magazine, December 2006 Quoting the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce “This is a story about the big public conversation the nation is not having about education … whether an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can't think their way through abstract problems, work in teams, (and) distinguish good information from bad …” More Indian college graduates than U. S. high school graduates Houston Community College organizing to graduate 500 biotechnicians Houston stands up Robotics Education Support Center Arlington organizing to recover manufacturing base with state grants Time Magazine, December 2006 San Antonio Greater Chamber Survey indicates corporations hire IT graduates from outside San Antonio Quoting the New Commission on the Skills of More English speakers in the American Workforce China than in the U. S. TM GLOBAL WARMING – WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION VERSION

How do we explain this to students in terms they can understand? TM

Slides courtesy and © Numedeon, Inc. TM

Whyvillians Meet a VIP for Discussion at the Greek Theatre TM

Ion Engine Design © numedeon, inc. 2006 TM

Whyville Beach © numedeon, inc. 2006 TM

Learning-based virtual world for teens and tweens 100, 000 unique users a month, 3. 3 million served since 1999. Its own newspaper, economy, government Educational games in math, science, journalism, art, government and economics TM

In late 2006, The Texas Workforce Commission funded Whyville to help attract “tweens and teens” to Texas high-tech, high wage careers in Biotechnology & Advanced Manufacturing. Here’s what Whyville has done to accomplish that goal … TM

Whyville Biotech TM

Whyville Biotech © numedeon, inc. 2004 TM

Whyville Planeworks TM

OUTREACH CAREER Schools for advanced SIMULATIONmanufacturing Career Pipelines Schools for biotechnology OUTREACH TM J O B S

20, 000 Engaged 1, 000 Referred TM

WHYVILLE. NET -- PROFILE • • • Ages 11 to 16 Engage students in STEM Engage students in careers Refer students to career pathways Free TM

How do we explain this to students in terms they can understand? TM

TIER The Texas Institute for Educational Robotics TM

What is TIER? • Robotics summer camp, Grades 3 to 12 • Teacher Training • Robotics Support Center • Online Robotics Competition • Connection to regional career pathways • Sustainable, scalable model TM

Why Robotics? ü ü ü ü Math Mechanical engineering Electrical engineering Computer science Architecture and design Systems thinking Teamwork Art + Science TM

Teacher Training • Hands-on instruction in robotics systems • Apply lessons learned to mini-challenges • Using this technology to teach TEKS TM

The Robotics Support Center Robotics clearinghouse Outreach Regional tournament Interface to industry Connection to pipelines TM

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Model: Career Pathways Regional Career Pathway List ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ K-5 Work Referrals Career Pathway Programs 6 -8 9 -12 2/4 Year College Work TM Advanced Manufacturing Aerospace Biotechnology Business & Financial Energy Homeland Security Information Technology

Demographics 2006 Students 96 2007 Students 115 2008 Students (est. ) 165 Elementary Gender Male 49%, Female 51% Elementary Ethnicity Hispanic 94%, Black 4%, White 2% M. S. Gender Male 56. 5%, Female 43. 5% M. S. Ethnicity Hispanic 82. 6%, Asian 8. 7%, White 6. 5%, Black 2. 2% TM % Low SES 70%

Sustainable model Price of robot hardware Local competitions Shared funding responsibility Appealing to sponsors TM

Workforce Connection Levels of TIER Participation Robots Business Model TM

TIER -- PROFILE • Grades 3 -12 • Engage students in STEM • Connect high school students to workforce needs • Statewide network • Participate in creating a sustainable model that scales TM

How do we explain this to students in terms they can understand? TM

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How do we explain this to students in terms they can understand? TM

BEYOND ENGAGEMENT INTO THE CLASSROOM • Why. Texas. com • Waco ISD & Career Exploration in Whyville • AIM – Robots for 4 th Year Math TM

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WHY-TEXAS STATS initial outreach efforts • 350 classes signed up – all over Texas • 200 active classes • 1, 000 active students Whyville overall • 7, 900 students completing an activity • 1, 475 click through to educational sites • About C$3 m earnings TM

Waco Whyville ISD Pilot • Adopted by Donna Mc. Kethan, CTE Director • Being integrated into 8 th grade Career Connections curriculum • Piloted in multiple classrooms in 2007 -2008 school year • Presenting at five CTE summer statewide conferences • 58 semester long classes • 1, 010 students • Smoked everybody in the Whyville Texas Challenge TM

Q: How do you make sure the math taught in high school leads to college and good jobs? TM

A: Find out what math is being used in good jobs. Teach it in high school. TM

AIM Analytical Integrated Math • Find the math used in medium to high paying jobs • Build a curriculum • Use exploratory learning techniques • Include weekly online assessments • Bridge exploratory content to success on Accuplacer • Accelerate learning; accelerate the workforce TM

Analytical Integrated Mathematics is a Career and Technical Education course where students solve and model robotic design problems. Students use mathematical methods to represent and analyze problems involving data acquisition, spatial applications, electrical measurement, manufacturing processes, materials engineering, mechanical drives, pneumatics, process control systems, quality control, and robotics with computer programming. TM

AIM Analytical Integrated Math • • • Robots Learning kit with software used in industry Online learning and assessment tool Accuplacer-like end-of-week questions Industry-inspired questions and applications • Capstone – build a robot to meet challenges. TM

AIM Analytical Integrated Math Goals for 2008 -2009 • Conduct Year 1 as innovative course • 9 schools in four locations (six in WISD) • Teacher training in July • Use experience to scale TM

Wrap-Up – What You Learned Engagement leads to good jobs Engagement addresses national challenges Video games encourage career exploration Robots engage students in CTE Both help move students into pathways All coming to a classroom near you TM

Wrap-Up – Opportunities Whyville – www. whyville. net Why. Texas Challenge – www. why-texas. com Use Whyville in the classroom for career exploration – cliffz@innology. com Do informal educational robotics – Andrew Schuetze, aschuetze 1@mail. accd. edu Move robots into the classroom – cliffz@innology. com TM

Case Studies: Video Games & Robots for CTE Student Engagement Cliff Zintgraff President, Innology LLC TM