About

About the Tech Explorations Series and ATLAST Project
The Achieving Technological Literacy in Arizona for Students and Teachers (ATLAST) Project is a National Science Foundation funded grant. This project has provided teachers and future teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to prepare students for an increasingly technology-driven society. The grant focused on teachers and students who participate in the Arizona Department of Education’s Education Professions Program, a high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) program for students who have an interest in pursuing a career in the field of education. Through our workshops and presentations at conferences we (project coordinator and trainers) realized that teachers everywhere and of every subject area wanted to participate in our events. As a result, the Tech Exploration Series was created.

The Tech Exploration Series is designed around the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) concept so anyone, anywhere may participate in the workshops. Each workshop in the series has been designed around the grant goals and objectives (listed below) which focus on Web 2.0 collaborative technologies, general technological literacy, and high-tech industry. The series will consist of eight professional development courses with the overall goal of helping teachers to prepare students for the changing demands of current and future jobs while also learning how to use current technologies in the classroom with students.

Tech Exploration Series Theme: "Anytime, anywhere: The changing nature of work" *
"The changing nature of work in 21st-century America presents another set of issues and opportunities related to the jobs challenge. The old paradigm of a job for life with a single employer has faded into history. In this decade, we see that the traditional 9-to-5, Monday-to-Friday work week may fade too - along with the traditional office and the customary relationship between employee and employer. For a growing proportion of the labor force, the jobs that workers find in the coming years - and those they hold now - may look nothing like what they are used to.

With the help of digital communications and advanced information systems, jobs are being disaggregated into separate tasks, and the work day is being sliced and time-shifted. The workplace is becoming virtual, with employees able to work anytime, anywhere. And their ability to work with colleagues and customers continents away in "real time" and perform almost any function remotely provides a whole new level of flexibility in how a company operates."

Open Online Workshop Format
Workshops include:
 * Industry or education scenario which will set the scene for the Web 2.0 technology application being explored
 * Overview of what the participants can expect to explore and learn during the workshop
 * Information (videos, tutorials, reading, etc.) to introduce the Web 2.0 application being explored
 * How-To webinar for the Web 2.0 application and for participants to ask questions
 * Hands-on activity for workshop participants to learn and practice the Web 2.0 application
 * Using a blog or mico-blog tool to reflect and share experiences and lessons learned in the hands-on activity
 * Hangout (using Google+ or other application) to collaborate and share integration ideas with participants who are interested
 * Design an activity to implement the Web 2.0 application in the classroom with students
 * Post and share activity ideas with all participants and receive/provide feedback on ideas

ATLAST Project Goals and Objectives

 * Goal 1**: Provide Arizona participants with knowledge and understanding of regional high-tech industry, impact on Arizona residents, and future career opportunities for students.
 * **Objectives**: ATLAST training will provide 354 teachers and future teachers the ability to:
 * **1.1**: identify key technologies associated with rapid-growth industry in Arizona.
 * **1.2**: understand the implications and impact of Arizona high-tech industry on regional economy, natural environment, and population.
 * **1.3**: identify and explain the basic concepts of research, manufacturing, applications, and markets of key technologies that drive regional industry.
 * **1.4**: outline the different academic and career pathways for students who wish to become science teachers, technologists, scientists, or engineers.


 * Goal 2**: Enable participants to understand the purpose of technological literacy and its impact on student success.
 * **Objectives**: ATLAST training will provide all participants with:
 * **2.1**: understanding of links between technology and the natural, social, and designed world.
 * **2.2**: knowledge of how technology affects the lives and wellbeing of all people.
 * **2.3**: knowledge of research on technological literacy and its implications for teaching.
 * **2.4**: ability to apply technological literacy standards to science and non-technical disciplines.


 * Goal 3**: Enable participants to leverage 1 Web 2.0 and other open-source, free emerging technology tools to attract students to technology subject matter and improve their overall technological literacy.
 * **Objectives**: ATLAST training will provide all participants with:
 * **3.1**: knowledge of how students use technology outside the classroom and how to channel these interests and motivation to the study of science and technology.
 * **3.2**: awareness of a broad range of Internet information and social interaction resources and how they can be tapped for technological literacy education.
 * **3.3**: ability to use Web tools to develop Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) and eportfolios.
 * **3.4**: ability to maintain up-to-date knowledge on technology using Internet RSS news feeds.


 * Goal 4**: Integrate research within the ATLAST project that addresses key issues and questions about technological literacy in education.
 * **Objectives**: The ATLAST research will:
 * **4.1**: define a model of technological literacy training for teachers.
 * **4.2**: explore methods to improve technological literacy via collaborative learning.
 * **4.3**: identify factors that increase and sustain interest in technology.
 * **4.4**: disseminate findings that benefit the improvement of technological literacy nationwide.


 * (June 2011, McKinsey Global Institute)


 * For more information about this project, contact us at ncte@domail.maricopa.edu.**