Below is a a guest blog from one of our partner sponsors, Kuder, Inc. They will share information on their upcoming sessions at Achieving Excellence in CTE: The National Career Clusters Institute.

The 2014 Achieving Excellence Institute theme is “Achieving Excellence in CTE: The National Career Clusters Institute.” How exactly can we do that, you might ask? Connect with Kuder, Inc. during the conference to find out.

Kuder’s approach to achieving excellence is personalized and customized, one user at a time. With over 75 years of research that proves our evidence-based solutions make a positive impact on lifelong learning, development, and achievement, we are confident we can make reaching excellence an easier climb for you, your organization, and the students/clients for which you serve.

The following Kuder activities will not only provide you with innovative career development strategies, they will show you how to achieve new points of excellence in your school, district, or organization:

• Pre-conference session: “Purpose-Driven Career Development: Implementing a Model that Works,” on June 15, 2014, from 1:00-4:30 p.m. in Grande Ballroom D (Note: You may register in advance by calling 301-588-9630 or once onsite, pre-registration is not required).
• “Adding the “WOW” factor into your CTE program,” on June 17, 2014, at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom O.
• Grab information about Kuder from our sponsor’s table.

We look forward to meeting you in June! Reach out to us before and during the event on Facebook or Twitter using #CCI2014.

Sincerely, The Kuder Team

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager

Below is an extended session description from presenter Urvi Shah, Director of Educational Technology and Innovation at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, on her upcoming session at Achieving Excellence in CTE: The National Career Clusters Institute. Sign up for this session and more today!

At Stone Ridge, we have a dynamic, engaged and motivated teaching faculty dedicated to using technology to bring forth the full potential of their students. Teachers utilize technology to teach as well as to encourage deeper student learning.

The educational technology team (made up of the Director of EdTech and Innovation as well as three Educational Technologists) at Stone Ridge has observed that the following four teacher-driven factors influence effective use and application of technology in the classroom: motivation, energy, time and resource. We recognize that the vast majority of our teachers are self-motivated to effectively utilize educational technology and have the necessary energy to put thought into their curriculum planning. However, our teachers were lacking the time and resources (especially in the form of guidance) to explore, experiment with and discuss the uses of technology for teaching and learning.

Based on these observations, the team worked with administration at Stone Ridge to develop an embedded educational technology professional development program called “Tech Sessions.” The purpose of “Tech Sessions” is to embed professional development into teacher schedules.

These sessions, which occur once every 6-8 days for 30 minutes during the school day, are assiduously developed and lead by the division’s educational technologist. The embedded nature of these sessions allows for teachers to receive regular professional development tailored and geared toward the individual teacher’s learning style, subject area and/or grade.

This embedded professional development model serves three purposes:

1) It fosters a relationship between the teachers and the educational technologists.

2) It develops a safe environment for rich discussion and collaboration.

3) It encourages creativity and innovation.

Through these sessions, teachers have been booking the educational technologist to co-teach in the classroom, as well as work with teachers to plan curriculum. Teachers are beginning to feel supported and encouraged in their educational technology endeavors and finding ways to inspire their students to learn deeply.

This presentation at the Achieving Excellence Institute looks deeper into the technicalities of setting up an embedded educational technology professional development program as well as the impact it has on teaching and learning.

Ms. Urvi Shah, Director of Educational Technology and Innovation, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart

Below is an extended session description from presenter John Schwan, Business Instructor and Adjunct Professor at Oakton Community College, on his upcoming session at Achieving Excellence in CTE, the National Career Clusters Institute. Sign up for this session and more today!

Maine East High School’s business education programs have focused on the development and implementation of problem based learning strategies. The foundation of these strategies has been the integration of common core standards combined with the building of business education partnerships.

This upcoming session will focus on how CTE educators can use problem based learning strategies that are based on common core standards to drive the development of business - education partnerships in the private and public sectors.  The session will also show how these strategies can be successfully replicated by CTE educators.

The session will share a template for a CTE problem based learning curriculum based on common core standards.  He will demonstrate how this curriculum was used to successfully engage their students (grades 9-12) in higher levels of learning backed by data and evidence. He will show how CTE educators can replicate these ideas to drive the development of business – education partnerships in the private and public sectors.

There will be several interactive and collaborative activities during the session where participants will apply the concepts and tools presented in the presentation. As part of these collaborative activities, participants will be asked to share how they would use these concepts and tools in their CTE programs at their schools.

You can view an example of the Maine East CTE problem based learning strategies that will presented in the presentation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m2fvJuzyV0.

Mr. John Schwan, Business Instructor, Adjunct Professor of Business at Oakton Community College

Below is an extended session description from presenter Lakshmi Mahadevan, Assistant Professor/Extension Specialist, Career Technical Special Populations Training & Resource Education Center, Department of Family Development and Resource Management, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service , on her upcoming session at Achieving Excellence in CTE: The National Career Clusters Institute. Sign up for this session and more today!

Research shows that there is an increase in the number of students with disabilities being enrolled into CTE programs of study and that their diagnosis-related needs present unique challenges to CTE instructors. In order to ensure a successful and safe learning environment for all, CTE instructors will need to advocate effectively for both students as well as their curriculum at IEP meetings. This presentation will train CTE instructors to do just that.

With the increasing enrollment of students with disabilities in CTE classes, most CTE educators attending IEP meetings should be able to actively participate in the process such that their students receive Free and Appropriate Public Education. Active CTE instructors’ participation entails asking insightful questions, explaining the rigorous and relevant nature of CTE programs of study, collaborating with key personnel, formulating IEP goals related to CTE courses and providing suggestions for accommodations and modifications. In addition CTE instructors need to understand state and federal laws and their rights as regards their access to the student’s information because they have an “educational need to know”.

Specifically participants attending this session will learn to describe and list the unique features of CTE courses using a

• Basic Skills Inventory,
• Program Inventory and
• Comprehensive Skills Inventory.

These tools are designed to

• Enable IEP committees to make informed CTE- related initial and continuing placement decisions even during the absence of a CTE representative;
• Develop ways to improve students’ learning experiences in CTE classrooms and labs and
• Help CTE Instructors to advocate for their students and the coursework such that the outcomes of the IEP meetings are optimal for all.

Lakshmi Mahadevan, Assistant Professor/Extension Specialist, Career Technical Special Populations Training & Resource Education Center, Department of Family Development and Resource Management, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service 

On Tuesday, May 27 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EST, NASDCTEc in partnership with Achieve will be hosting a webinar to provide guidance to states interested in building more indicators of career preparation into accountability and public reporting systems.  NASDCTEc and Achieve will be simultaneously releasing a new joint publication on the topic.

On this webinar, we will share how states are currently approaching this challenge and what state policy leaders need to consider as they look to reform their own reporting and accountability systems to ensure that the “career” in college- and career-ready accountability and public reporting is a powerful lever to focus priorities, drive progress, and ultimately see more students and their communities succeed.

To share two state perspectives, we’ll be joined by Dennis Cooper, Assistant Commissioner, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; Dennis Harden, Career Education Coordinator, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; and Deborah Jonas, Special Advisor for Research and Planning, Virginia Department of Education.

Please share this information with your colleagues at the state level who may be interested in this discussion.  Details on how to join the webinar can be found below.

To join the webinar, please dial:  1 (800) 697-5978 and enter: 6460 369#

To access the webinar slides, please CLICK HERE

Come and witness the future engineers and airmen training at the West-Mec Aviation Technology program, the site of one of our Excellence in CTE tours at this year’s Achieving Excellence Institute.

Students in West-Mec’s Aviation program are held to rigorous standards in the course of their hands-on program of study, spending four hours per day immersed in the study of airplane mechanics while receiving a quality comprehensive education besides. After two school years and over 1900 hours of training, students can pursue Federal Aviation Administration airframe, powerplant and/or general aviation certifications.

Click here to learn more about the Achieving Excellence Institute and to register today!

Evan Williamson, Communications Associate

Last week, I had the honor as serving as a delegate at a conference held by the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperative (APEC) Alliance for Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Taipei, Taiwan. Along with education and government leaders from Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. This event was co-hosted by Taiwan’s Ministries of Labor and Education and Taipei Tech University.

One thing that struck me was the similarity in our challenges and the goals of our CTE/vocational education and training systems. Nearly every leader spoke of high youth/young adult unemployment, an aging population, the disconnect between what students are learning in school and the skills demanded in the workforce, and the need to upskill our systems. Other countries are also struggling with raising the image of CTE – the representative from Thailand, for example, noted that they refer to this challenge as “3D” in that the jobs are considered “dangerous, difficult and dirty.” While the language and solutions might vary across countries, the role of CTE as a driver of economic development and vitality was something we all had in common.

On the second day of my trip, I had the opportunity to visit two models of technical institutions, the Chinese Culture and Social Welfare Foundation Vocational Training Center (CVTC) and Chung Gang University of Science and Technology (CGUST). CVTC is a privately-run, publicly-subsidized institution that provides training (ranging from 300-900 hours) to unemployed individuals in areas such as culinary arts, gardening/landscaping, webpage design and computer maintenance.  CVTC is one of 13 public training centers in Taiwan – and was the first training center established over 50 years ago. Like most other training centers in Taiwan and the other Asian countries represented at this conference, CVTC provides on-site certifications. (See a map of their campus to the right)

CGUST, on the other hand, is a private four-year institution that provides training for health care professionals through its College of Nursing and College of Human Ecology. This campus features state-of-the-art simulation equipment, an on-site kindergarten class run by students and staffed by nurses (who also happen to be instructors), and one of the highest placement rates for its graduates.  All students participate in professional internships during summer breaks and about 87% pass their professional certification, which is twice Taiwan’s national average.

All in all, the trip was an eye-opening experience that brought our own CTE system – and its strengths and ongoing challenges – into focus.

Kate Blosveren, Associate Executive Director

This Friday, March 7 from 2-3:30 ET, The National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) will be co-hosting a webinar with the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, the Central Comprehensive Center, the Mid-Atlantic Comprehensive Center, and the South Central Comprehensive Center on Supporting 21st Century Educators: How States Are Promoting Career and Technical Educator Effectiveness.

The webinar will explore:

• Key findings from the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders recent Special Issues brief 21st Century Educators: Developing and Supporting Great Career and Technical Education Teachers
• Practical, real-life policy efforts on induction programs  and student learning objective approaches for CTE teachers presented by leaders from Oklahoma, New Jersey and Missouri.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Jennifer Wehrenberg, Leadership and Professional Development Specialist, Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education
• Dennis Harden, Coordinator, Career Education, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Janice Rehak, Coordinator, Career Education Curriculum, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Tyler Barnett, Coordinator, Office of Educator Quality Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Marie Barry, Director, Office of Career and Technical Education, New Jersey Department of Education
• Sean McDonald, Manager, Office of Career and Technical Education, New Jersey Department of Education
• With an introduction by Sharon Miller, Director, Division of Academic and Technical Education in the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education

Register now!

In our final CTE Month special feature: Celebrating CTE Superheroes, we are proud to feature National Technical Honor Society’s (NTHS) profile of Sharon May, a one-time high school dropout who sought out CTE at Heart of Georgia Technical College as a way to get meaningful experience and improve her chances of getting a good job.

Initially unsure if she had made the right decision, Sharon reports that her hands-on education and membership in NTHS motivated her to engage inside and outside of the classroom, and “pulled her out of her shell.”

Through CTE and her NTHS experience, Sharon recounts career advancement, volunteerism, community engagement and increased quality of life. Read the whole story (including a brief excerpt from our very own Kim Green!) here.

Evan Williamson, Communications Associate