TEAP Online Newsletter

Welcome to the another edition of TEAP-Online Newsletter! This newsletter contains mainly information on ways to make our state legislators more aware of what it is we are doing in Technology Education here in the great state of Pennsylvania, as well as a few useful links to great websites for use with your students and for your own lesson planning purposes. I would like to start off by thanking those who provided materials for this newsletter, keep that info coming. Without further ado......

Legislators in the Classroom!

The Technology Educators Association of New Jersey has offered an idea for a great way to let those in a position to help us at the state level to find out what is going on in our classrooms and our field of education! The information has come to our attention via Dave Janosz, Executive Directory of TEANJ, and was offered as a suggestion for our state association by our TEAP Immediate Past Present, Joanne Trombley! The email Dave speaks of can be found in an attachment to this email in Microsoft Word form, if you are unable to open or read the message please contact TEAP-New@teap-online.org and it can be converted to suit your needs.

"Please consider writing an email to your state senator and assembly people, inviting them to visit with you and your students. I recently sent the below email to my local lawmakers and I already have two visits set up within the next few weeks. All I did beforehand was ask my building principal if it would be OK.

How do you find out who your legislators are? You can either use the insert in the February issue of the NJEA Review or you can search for them at this link:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/.

Please take the time to do this! It will go a long way to have new allies as we begin to take next steps! As these people get to know us and what we do we will be able to do much more for the students of New Jersey."

In PA, visit http://www.state.pa.us/papower/taxonomy/taxonomy.asp?DLN=31786 to find out who your local legislators are!

Get Involved in a Student Technology Showcase at the State Capitol!

Here again, we have another way to get the word out about who we are as a profession, and let people know about the innovative ways we are connecting with general education through out Technology Education curriculum! The information below has passed along by TEAP VP 3C and PA-TSA President, Rick Penepacker. Thanks for a great idea Rick! If you are interested, make sure to contact Karen Galbrait using the contact information below for an application or further details!

The Pennsylvania Association for Educational Communications and Technology invites you to participate in the annual Student Technology Showcase. If you or your school district is utilizing technology in an innovative way, this is a great opportunity to share your knowledge. Submit your application by Monday, April 19, 2004.

The Showcase consists of informal tabletop presentations. Participants must supply their own equipment. A 6 foot table and a power source will be provided.

Tours of the Capitol are available from 9:30A.M.– 2:00 P.M. Please allow 30 minutes for the tour. All tours are free.

Submit application form to:

Karen Galbraith

490 Sixth Street

Lewistown, PA 17044

Phone: 717-248-6480

E-mail: gkg26@mcsdk12.org

Fax: 717-248-0147

PDE Technology Ed. Advisor Position Announcement

The Pennsylvania Department of Education is seeking someone interested in filling the currently vacant Technology Education Advisor Position at the state level. I you are interested please visit http://www.pdeinfo.state.pa.us/depart_edu/cwp/view.asp?a=13&Q=28906&depart_eduNav=|116|151| for more information and application details. Below is a little excerpt from the website about detailing the nature of the work that the advisor will be expected to undertake:

"Curriculum Specialists provide statewide advisory and consultative services in the planning, development, improvement, and evaluation of educational programs in school districts, intermediate units, and teacher preparation programs. They conduct workshops, training sessions, and conferences to disseminate information; conduct on-site visits to schools to assist with curriculum development; interpret and disseminate information related to curriculum regulations, policies, and guidelines of the Department of Education; and assist in the diagnosis and remediation of educational problems at the local level. Employees at the 2 level are responsible for the statewide direction and leadership of the educational curriculum area. They develop goals and objectives for education in the Commonwealth consistent with regulations and Department of Education priorities; direct the preparation of curriculum publications and assist school personnel in implementing them; serve on interagency committees and as liaison to State Advisory Committees; and research, evaluate, and disseminate model programs."

If you are interested and qualified, please consider applying for the position. This is another great opportunity to get involved at the state level and influence our profession from inside the Department of Education!

Great Sites Online!

Below are links to some other great online resources that may be useful to you in your day to day classroom activities. If you have any suggestions to be added to this area of the newsletter each month, please forward them at your convenience... Thanks to Rick Zilla for these and other great links!

Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century - http://www.greatachievements.org/
- How many of the 20th century's greatest engineering achievements will you use today? A car? Computer? Telephone? Explore this website's list of the top 20 achievements, and learn how engineering shaped a century and changed the world.

Airplane Design Workshop - http://www.desktopaero.com/adw/welcome.html
You become an airplane designer, faced with the many decisions that must be made, and aided by a computer analysis that provides quick feedback on the effect of each decision. Since you probably do not have the experience of a professional aerodynamicist, the program provides advice on what might be done to improve the design. The program's expert advisor uses a simple knowledge-based system, an example of how artificial intelligence may be used now and in the future to assist engineers.

Bridge Building - Art & Science - http://www.brantacan.co.uk/bridges.htm
A great website with a treasure trove of information and links about different types of bridge designs. A great website if you are doing any type of bridge design or or building activity.