Category: Classroom Connection

Meet Luke Becker, ACTE’s 2022 Teacher of the Year award winner, who hails from Region III. Becker works as an agricultural science and technology instructor and career and technical education (CTE) coordinator at Braham High School (BHS) in Braham, Minnesota. Over the span of his career, Becker has taught his students to see the possibilities, to set big goals. He provides opportunities — through hands-on, project-based learning — for students to reach measures of potential they never thought possible. With that objective, Becker has created a program that encourages them to explore.

Further, students enrolled industrial technology and agricultural science classes at BHS demonstrate a strong sense of purpose in their learning. And that’s no accident. Luke Becker wants to create solutions for actual problems and give students a purpose to what they are designing, building or inventing.

Problem-based instruction brings learning to life.

When he thinks back to his own time in high school, the courses Becker enjoyed the most were the ones that featured “real-life, hands-on, problem-based learning.” He brought that desire for relevance with him into the classroom. “Everything I’ve ever done led me to [teach] CTE,” commented Becker. Because career and technical education has potential to solve the many challenges affecting the world today. In an interview with Rachel Rudisill, vice president of marketing and communications at Express Employment Professionals, he described a project students undertook to build a prosthetic foot for a pilot in the United States Air Force. “I know that’s not available to everybody,” Becker acknowledged. “But the problems that exist are available because there are so many of them. You pick one, and you run with it.”

Though he went on to tell Rudisill there’s no secret, we think he’s being modest. Luke Becker’s commitment to excel in meeting the needs of his students and employers, alike, is what made him ACTE’s 2022 national Teacher of the Year.

“I listen to what the students say, and to the community,” he continued. “When I started in Braham, I connected with every manufacturer and every business employing CTE students. And I asked them, ‘What are you seeing? What do you need? What can we do better?’”

The Teacher of the Year Award is sponsored by Express Employment Professionals.

ACTE’s Teacher of the Year award recognizes the finest CTE teachers at the secondary level. All winners demonstrate innovation in the classroom, commitment to their students and dedication to the improvement of CTE in their institutions and communities. And, as such, we would also like to recognize the exceptional group of finalists for this award:

• John Lockhart (Region I)
• Debbie Rowell (Region II)
• Sherri Gleaves (Region IV)
• Laura Miller (Region V)

“The nominees for ACTE Teacher of the Year are an incredibly distinguished group of educators who are inspiring the next generation to grow the current workforce,” said Bill Stoller, Express Employment Professionals CEO and chairman of the board. “I extend my congratulations and appreciation to this year’s honorees, as they continue to embrace innovative teaching methods that will develop the up-and-coming leaders of tomorrow.”

Did you know…?

Teacher of the Year Luke Becker and another 2022 award winner share a special bond. Becker studied with Brad Greiman, ACTE’s teacher educator of the year, at the University of Minnesota.

Learn more about ACTE’s awards.

Data analysis can be exciting and sometimes overwhelming. Approaching the project with a strategy can make the process go smoother. Mandinach and Gummer interpreted data literacy as “the collection, examination analysis, and interpretation of data to inform some sort of decision in an educational setting;” this is relevant because the data analysis process increases one’s data literacy skills. The stages in the data analysis process include: 

1. Identifying the objective 
2. Preparing and cleaning the data 
3. Analyzing and interpreting the data 
4. Sharing the data and results 

Identify the objective.

Start the process by identifying the objective for your data analysis. Select an objective that is aligned with instructional improvement, such as a question that needs an answer or a situation that requires more information. Examples may include: 

• How does one group of students perform compared to another group or the whole? 
• Is there a correlation between semester grades and career and technical education (CTE) program retention? 

Next, determine why the data needs to be analyzed. The goal could be to clarify if inequities exist; to track data that align with district initiatives; to track data that are reported to the state so that early warning systems can be set up; or to compare a school or district to another school, district, or statewide. Identify the purpose of the data, and this will help uncover what data you need to address the objective.

Start by listing all the data available that align with the objective. Readily available data could include student grades, attendance, enrollment, credits earned from transcript data, state test scores, industry certification data and/or postsecondary enrollment. Determine what other data you need to meet the objective. This could include overall school demographics, overall state data, or details about a school or district with similar demographics. 

After establishing the data available and any additional needed data, establish the desired levels of aggregation or disaggregation. Levels of data can be aggregated to the program, school or district level. Data can also be disaggregated by school, program, gender, special population status, ethnicity, grade level, CTE program completion status, grade earned in class and credit earned versus attempted. 

Prepare and clean the data.

This process consists of two parts: formatting the data and cleaning up the data. Formatting consists of ensuring numbers display correctly for their data type (e.g., percent, general number format, number of decimal places, dates). Text formatting entails adjusting the capitalization and removing leading, trailing, or repeated spaces before or after data entries so there is consistency. Set text in all lowercase, all uppercase or with the first letter of each word capitalized. But it should be consistent. The formatting determines how the data labels will appear when you create tables, charts or other visualizations.

Next, clean the data. Cleaning data can be the most time-consuming part of the process. Aspects of data cleaning include correcting null values and coding variables consistently. If any records contain the word “null,” and the other records have numbers, remove those or replace them with a zero, depending on how the data will be used. It’s also important to review the data to ensure variables are coded consistently. For example, code gender as “M,” “F,” and “NB,” or “Male,” “Female,” and “Nonbinary.” But don’t use a combination. Consistency will help ensure clean, reliable data and accurate visualizations.

The last step in preparing data is to remove any duplicates and create tables for data. Spreadsheet programs include several built-in features to help identify duplicates, such as conditional formatting that will highlight items that appear more than once. Most programs also have a feature that will remove duplicates. 

Analyze and interpret the data. 

Create a table and begin analyzing the data for trends. You may use functions in Microsoft Excel to calculate totals and averages, or descriptive statistics to calculate mean, median, mode, minimum, maximum and other overall group statistics. Identify any gaps. Dig deeper to identify driving factors for the gap(s). Getting to the root cause of a gap will help determine how to address issues of equity. 

Next, create a plan. How will you address identified gaps? Interventions might include group certification testing to help with transportation needs or providing additional professional development for CTE faculty. After determining how to implement community supports, decide how to measure their effectiveness. SMART goals present an opportunity for program stakeholders to monitor and collect new data and track overall progress. 

Share your data and results. 

First, determine who the audience for your data will be. This may include a professional learning community, administration, counselors, community members or other CTE partners. Depending on the audience, some subgroup data may need to be suppressed to protect student privacy. 

Next, select the best format for sharing data. Graphs and other visual aids often make it easier for people to understand data. Create visualizations that are clear and do not contain too much information or feature complex backgrounds. Use colors and fonts that enhance readability; the graph should convey the message without requiring the reader to perform calculations. Further, creating a descriptive title for the graph will help readers understand the main idea of the graph. Consider Figures 1 and 2. They contain the same information, displayed as a table (Figure 1) and as a visualization (Figure 2). Notice how easy it is to comprehend the differences when the data are displayed visually.

After sharing the results of your data analysis, the journey isn’t over. Determine how frequently to reanalyze the data for program improvements. Having reliable data generated on a continuous cycle can help increase student achievement and enable teachers, schools and districts to measure proposed changes. Identification, collection, analysis and visualization of data is an iterative process as schools strive to reach equity goals. Identify data objectives, create a data plan, and enjoy the data analysis process!

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Michelle Crary, Ed.D., is a CTE coordinator for Gilbert Public Schools. She has spent more than 20years in CTE in several capacities including secondary teaching, adjunct faculty, staff development, and assessment >amp; accountability. Crary has a passion for data analytics and making data accessible and understandable.

When I was hired as the architecture and wood shop teacher at Adolfo Camarillo High School five years ago, a transformation began. We revised a traditional wood shop program and infused it with 21st century skills and experiences. We make direct connections between high school, college and career. And the program was approved! More than 50 high schools in California have adopted this innovative career and technical education (CTE) curriculum.

The key is collaboration.

When students can think, design, build and create, their only limitation is their imagination. As innovators, we get to create things that never existed before. I guide my students to help them understand that whatever is around them is worthy of exploration. I tell them, take that desire and love for what you do and make it part of your life.

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Product Innovation >amp; Design >amp; Architecture pathways combine:

• Arts, media >amp; entertainment
• Architecture >amp; engineering
• Manufacturing >amp; product development
• Building trades >amp; construction

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Students learn basic to advanced skills, and they gain real-world experience designing for industry. The program also supports articulation agreements with community and state colleges; more than 150 students have received articulated credit to date. And, thanks to industry partners across the state, students benefit from field trips, guest lectures, internships and employment. These experiences generate critical thinking and other vital employability skills.

The knowledge and relationships they form in our program help them for life. No matter what they do, they are prepared. And they have more confidence and understanding of the world, which make each student well rounded. Students bring unique skills to share. For this reason, we tailor each project to each student’s needs and goals.

Lead by example.

I’ve always been a kid at heart. And natural curiosity is what brought me to teaching. I always want to know about things — how they work, how they were made — and if I could make a difference. Plus, I had some great teachers along the way who showed me the power of creativity, intelligence and ambition.

My teaching career began right after I completed my master’s degree at Pratt Institute. Since I was a toy designer, I asked my dean if I could teach a toy design class in the summer. He said yes, and that’s where it all started. I love sharing these experiences with my students. They’ve learned that they can build lifelong, creative careers through innovation. It is really fun and exciting to see students succeed. They excel at what they design, and I love to see the smiles on their faces as they discuss how to apply what we’ve learned to every day life.

Students grow and light up right in front of me each year.

Establish a culture of creativity.

Perspective is important. Think and work outside of the box. To succeed, students need to learn more than what is in the classroom. They must develop an understanding of what is going on and what’s needed in the world.

We often conduct collaborative project- and work-based learning across programs and disciplines, such as:

• Music
• Art
• Agriculture
• Business
• Robotics
• Drama club

Students build robotics props, planters, stagecraft designs, music stands and more — designed to meet the needs of a partner or collaborator. Through this process, they learn to understand that what they do has an impact on everything. It’s all connected. They begin to ask questions and consider new perspectives. As a result, student feel a great sense of ownership over their learning.

Valuable industry partnerships provide opportunities for students to develop professional connections. Such partners include:

• Ford Motor Company
• Universal Studios
• Mattel
• Six Flags
• Harbor Freight Tools for Schools
• KidSTREAM
• Tree House Masters
• The Santa Barbara Zoo

Students make decisions about what they want to make, given the chance to explore new ideas and skills. They progress through the program immersed in a mix of direction instruction and real-world problem solving by themselves, with others and in the community. Thus, students learn to take a 360-degree view of the world.

In the classroom, I share, show and demonstrate what it takes to succeed in life, school and beyond. We discuss the good, bad and ugly of each projects. Teachers, this is important: Share with your students the good, the bad and the ugly about everything. It shows that you are human.

Learn together and individually.

I gained much knowledge and many experiences from the design industry. And I applied this to the Production Innovation >amp; Design >amp; Architecture curriculum. Students experience transforming an idea into a finished product. They think, design, build and create prototypes in the shop; design and build a house in architecture; and learn state-of-the-art computer software, including computer-aided design, model-making, 3D printing and more.

This integrated, immersive, multi-year sequence of career exploration, coursework and work-based learning gives students a competitive advantage along career pathways of their choosing.

Turn ideas into innovations.

Career and technical education can prepare every student for a successful career. When educators inspire students to discover new ideas, they learn to take the invisible and make it visible. We showcase Adolfo Camarillo High School’s CTE programs with pride. We want to ensure all students know the many options available to them.

Additionally, we want to ensure our programmatic efforts benefit industry as well as our students. It is for this reason that we make consistent efforts to connect with the community and local businesses. Camarillo CTE students operate a student-run business, hand-making wooden items (e.g., cutting boards and signs) for the community. To date, we have created more than 150 items and raised more than $15,000 for our programs. This endeavor teaches students to persevere when working toward a goal.

As a result, students are more optimistic, focused and challenged to innovate. In CTE classrooms, we think, design, build and create new experiences and skills. What we learned from distance learning made us stronger. Leverage new skills gained with technology and mix them with tried-and-true methods, like engaging your community and asking colleagues for help. That is how to equip students to meet the needs of the future.

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Peter Wachtel teaches architecture and product innovation design at Adolfo Camarillo High School in Camarillo, California. He was a 2019 winner of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. Check out his students’ portfolio.

Learn more from the writer in his recent webinar, Teaching Innovative CTE: Bringing Industry into Your Classroom with Real-world Project >amp; Skills, hosted as part of ACTE’s innovations series.

Career and technical educators often limit the use of personal computers and digital devices (except for accessibility), particularly during active learning, in flipped classrooms, or in tech-enabled labs with advanced tools and instruments. Yet, we aim to turn out critical thinking, self-regulated and self-directed, lifelong learners.  If we profess that goal, we must embrace systems and methods that scaffold learning wherever it occurs. That means adapting courses and inviting students to “bring your own devices” to every learning event.

The fourth Industrial Revolution is underway.

Boundaries between physical, digital and biological worlds disintegrate before our eyes thanks to disruptive, groundbreaking technologies. Many instructors readily implement virtual reality, 3D printing, simulations and gamification that challenge and spur learning. But many others still resist advanced tools.

Kevin Ashton, who coined the phrase “the Internet of Things” (IoT) in 1999, describes IoT as a technological universe where computers “observe, identify and understand the world without the limitations of human-entered data.” Enabled devices acquire their own information without input by end-users. Any digital apparatus that communicates wirelessly is a “thing” on the Internet.  IoT devices transmit and receive raw data for later analysis by a person or an automated process known as machine-learning, where algorithms crunch “big data” — colossal compilations of information points created by and about humans — for patterns and associations. Data recording/reporting, transmission and storage are decentralized in cloud-based and local repositories.

IoT influences all our lives, changing the ways we live and work.

Globally, IoT comprises an endless number and configuration of devices possessing the ability to connect and acquire information, speeding up data aggregation and responsiveness to end-users’ inquiries. The largest search engine processes more than 3 billion searches each day. More than half will be conducted on a mobile phone.

Nearly 15 years passed before Ashton’s IoT concept garnered measurable interest among curriculum, policy and infrastructure scholars in primary and secondary education. Beyond smart boards and courseware applications, group calendaring, and classroom management, how can career and technical education (CTE) guide students toward the extrapolation of valid, applicable data in their learning experiences?

IoT and CTE

IoT offers a perfect complement to personalized learning. Instructors can monitor analytics from anywhere and provide targeted, time-sensitive intervention. Microlearning pathways offer options for self-regulated and self-directed learning in both school and workplace education settings. Instructor-mentors work directly with students, guiding them through a recursive process:

1. Determine what the learner needs or wants to know.
2. Deliver jointly designed content.
3. Assess completion of goals and objectives. Ideally, learners will share their accomplishments with others through IoT.

CTE students encompass a broad array of technology experience. International higher education pundit Marianne Bray observed, “The Generation Z student population is the most dynamic, with the highest tech expectations.” As more tech-savvy, emerging-adult learners enroll in CTE classes, student-to-teacher, student-to-student, and teacher-to-faculty partnerships promote engaged and collaborative learning. Literally, the cloud is the limit.  But what effect does information overload pose, especially on mental health? Informatics consultant-blogger Margie Kiesel said, “People are so inundated and overwhelmed by the deluge of information overload, that they lose the ability to think and feel.”

How can CTE educators transform the industry to meet future needs of all stakeholder groups? Our communal goal, after all, is sustainability of CTE education on an individual basis through school-based and workplace learning. John O’Brien, president and CEO of EDUCAUSE, acknowledged IoT requires “unprecedented collaboration.”

High-quality CTE prioritizes “people, not things.”

Jesse Stommel, executive director of the nonprofit Hybrid Pedagogy, counsels educators to bring unique perspectives into IoT. “We must approach the Internet of Things from a place that doesn’t reduce ourselves, or reduce students, to mere algorithms. We must approach the IoT as a space of learning, not as a way to monitor and regulate. Our best tools in this are ones that encourage compassion more than obedience. The internet is made of people, not things.”

The educator role, then, requires practitioners to remain current and accurate not only in subject-matter expertise but timely awareness of the scope, scale, reliability and security of available instructional methods. Students, colleagues, administrators, accreditors and community partners expect nothing less. Instructor-mentors find methods that harness information and technology in such a way as to encourage students’ self-regulated and self-directed learning, to embellish the material provided through structured classroom settings.

IoT offers an integral tool for self-directed learning among CTE students.

Besides task-specific knowledge and abilities, educators can easily incorporate IoT for students’ workforce preparation: job-readiness and job-retention skills that are crucial components of CTE courses.

Ashton believes IoT “has the potential to change the world, just as the internet did. Maybe even more so.” Perkins V requires us to modernize CTE training. Leveraging IoT as a teaching and learning tool will aid in meeting that mandate. We must get busy revising our courses. Encourage students, in big, bold letters, to “BYOD!”

Billie McNamara has a Master of Science (adult >amp; higher ed) from University of Southern Maine and is pursuing a Ph.D. (adult learning) at University of Tennessee–Knoxville. Her passion is guiding nontraditional CTE students toward sustainable metacognition, agency, and workforce-readiness.

Jasper County Schools uses modern seating, vibrant color schemes and mobile furniture to create an engaging, productive learning environment that students love. A career and technical education (CTE) center lingered near the top of Jasper County’s to-do list for years. But it wasn’t until 2020 that all of the ideas came together to develop a brand-new facility for students.

To build the state-of-the-art Jasper County School District Career and Advanced Technology Education (CATE) Center facility from scratch was a daunting endeavor that requires consistent planning, stakeholder support, community involvement and good design.

A quality CATE facility should meet educational goals.

Jasper County carefully selected builders that had positive reputations and that could stay within budget while offering a quality product. The same care was taken when selecting MiEN Company as a furniture partner, knowing that they would stay within budget while meeting the district’s broader vision.

Consider the steps Jasper took to ensure that the new facility would serve as a model for continuous learning:

Involve key stakeholders.

Make sure the individuals at the table during the planning stages truly have a voice in the process. This isn’t something that can be accomplished with one deci.sion-maker and a group that goes along with the process. Get your teachers, par.ents, community members, board members and other stakeholders involved right in the beginning.

Choose quality partners.

Jasper County leaned heavily on partners like MiEN, which came in and not only matched the district’s needs with quality, modern furniture, but also stayed within budget and lent their expertise through the entire project. They listened and learned our challenges, and then they helped select the very best options for Jasper County’s specific needs — from the furniture to the materials to the color schemes.

Create a “wow” factor.

For our new CATE facility, Jasper County selected comfortable, collaborative furniture that was moveable, built on coasters. Chairs, tables, shelving, charging stations, and other elements converge to create an inviting, engaging environment for students as they prepare for their future careers. The goal was to inspire innovation. We wanted individuals to walk in and be wowed.

Build collaboration into your process.

Monumental undertakings like this one require good collaboration from end to end. For it to work, everyone has to ad.here to the intended vision. They must understand that vision, ask questions, and then help one another understand. Through good collaboration, Jasper County developed a state-of-the-art facility that everyone can be proud of. Most importantly, it supports students to thrive.

Keep partners accountable.

Select partners who will remain ac.countable, and who stand behind the quality of the product. Throughout the construction and design of our CATE facility, Jasper County’s community partners answered all of our questions and supported the district through the whole process. That level of account.ability contributed to the overall success of the project.

Today, our new CATE facility serves as a model for continuous learning. It stands as a cornerstone for high school students interested in career exploration. While it certainly can be overwhelming to build a state-of-the-art facility from the ground up, anything is possible with the right vi.sion, partners and planning.

Rechel Anderson, Ed.D., is superintendent of Jasper County Schools in South Carolina. Email her.

Milan High School in West Tennessee began the school year in-person in August of 2020. It felt like a relief to resume some normalcy after the school had closed its doors in March due to COVID-19. Amid the modifications necessary to conduct safe in-person learning was the need for clinical interns in the Health Science program to stay on school grounds.

Local health care facilities restricted access. The fourth-year nursing students had anticipated the internships. Instructor Amy Watson began to search for a project that would give the students a learning experience and still operate within the scope of restrictions and safety requirements.

As in most Tennessee high schools, sports play an integral part in the community culture. Watson’s son plays football, basketball and baseball. As they discussed the importance of nutrition for an athlete’s performance, she found an idea for a project.

Nursing students gained clinical experience working with student athletes.

Using various medical tools and equipment, the interns measured the vital signs of athletes. Then then discussed and applied the data to develop recommendations for better, stronger conditioning.

The interns requested a 24-hour food and drink log from the athletes. They then used a tools to record data from athletes at rest and during practice: a portable EKG, sleep apnea monitor, mechanical blood pressure machine, temperature and humidity gauge, and a pedometer.

With the consent of the first athlete, interns measured:

• Heart rate
• Stressed heart rate
• Respiratory accommodation
• Height
• Weight
• Hydration status
• Blood pressure
• Temperature

Interns recorded athletes during practice in order to track performance. Monitored students averaged 700 steps in 10 minutes. Athletes’ exertion led to a decrease in pulse oximeter readings and an increase in heart rate. Interns gained value experience from this opportunity to witness a visible decrease in energy.

They calculated caloric needs based on measurements and reviewed the food log to determine the presence of macronutrients.

Intern Jack Nelson explained. “Overall food intake should consist of 10–35% protein, 45–65% carbs, and 25–35% fats. We consistently reviewed food logs containing 75–80% carbs from chips, cookies, and fries. The water intake was insufficient as well. Most of the logs showed us the average student drinks less than 30 ounces of water a day.”

“The athletes were burning up all their energy and hydration in a very short amount of time,” said Watson.

Interns studied the marching band practice field as well and found the same results.

Intern Mary Eschbach explained. “We tested a flute player during a 10-minute practice session on the field. As her respiratory drive went up, her heart rate went almost as high as the basketball player’s during practice.”

CTE students developed partnerships to spread nutrition awareness.

Word spread quickly about the project when the interns showed up at athletic practices with their video camera, tools and notepads. The athletes wanted to participate. The next step, the interns realized, led them to Milan High School’s family and consumer sciences (FCS) program.

Veteran FCS teacher Rebecca Jones was thrilled to hear about the interns’ project. One of her classes, Nutrition Across the Lifespan, could use this data to build meal plans to increase athletic performance.

“Nutrition students will keep a personal daily food journal,” said Jones. “This will be used to calculate nutritional deficiencies that can cause health issues — short-term and long-term — related to physical stamina, sleep, emotional disorders, academic performance and overall health.

“From their findings, students will be encouraged to read food labels and make better food choices. Students will practice high-protein, healthy food preparations such as energy bites, granola bars and fresh fruit smoothies.”

Football coaches have long seen the value, choosing protein-packed pre-game meals and emphasizing hydration. But equipping the athletes with their own personalized data adds relevance and meaning to the coaches’ requests.

Students made real-world connections to learning.

School Principal Greg Scott shared his excitement for the program. “The information resulting from the time and effort of this project by Mrs. Watson and her students has phenomenal potential. Coaches, trainers, strength and conditioning coordinators, and even parents and students have the opportunity to use real data to make decisions that can benefit the physical and mental health of our student-athletes. I am excited about the partnership formed between the athletic department and our health science program at Milan High School.”

The interns created a documentary of their learning experiences. Adding interviews with coaches and administrators, the interns brought attention to the eating habits of teenagers and their effects on performance. The documentary is currently being edited and will be released on all Milan Special School District social media sites upon completion.

When asked about his favorite part of the project, Nelson reflected, “I liked taking vital signs and working with the students as patients, taking EKGs and other measurements and understanding what that means. I want to join the military to work in the medical field, and this experience will help.”

Watson took a situation like the COVID-related restrictions and created a project that has been meaningful to many of our students. The icing on the cake is that the community sees what we do in connection with Friday night lights. This goes far beyond a traditional classroom project. This isn’t a book report. This is an experience that could change the habits of our students for the better.

Candi Collier is the CTE director at Milan Special School District with 20 years of experience in CTE. Email her.

Student engagement has long been the focus of educators and administrators everywhere. We want to connect with our students. We want to make an impact, to prepare students for the future.

When COVID-19 forced us to adjust learning environments, student engagement hung in the balance. While many wish for things to go back to normal, we as educators gained a huge opportunity. Think outside the box! Change instruction for the better. Here’s how project-based learning (PBL) bolstered one Tennessee county’s efforts to maintain student engagement.

Introduce career exploration in middle school.

Projects in school aren’t a new concept, but the ways in which projects lead curriculum and instruction have changed. PBL helps students develop skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, time management, problem-solving, and communication.

In my opinion, the middle grades present the greatest opportunity to introduce career exploration via project-based learning. Middle school students lose some of that childhood magic, but they’re still young enough to want to be loved and accepted by their teachers. But, there’s also the sense that they need to be… big. High school somehow seems far away. It’s a neat age group. Middle school students don’t have limitations. They don’t worry about obstacles.

They develop habits and interests that foster curiosity and shape their academic selves. Nationwide, students begin career planning by eighth grade. Thus, the topic of career exploration fits perfectly within middle school. PBL offers an engaging, positive approach to career exploration at a critical juncture in a student’s education.

Support project-based learning in our schools.

At the start of the 2020 school year, 20% of students opted for the virtual learning model. Tennessee requires students to be engaged 6.5 hours of the day. But with students not physically in a classroom, how do we know how long they’re actually engaged?

In addition, how do we ensure all students — in the classroom and in virtual learning environments — continue to meet standards and learn essential skills like collaboration, communication and problem-solving? Project-based learning! PBL ensures standards alignment while allowing students the freedom to learn and lean into their individual interests. PBL brought the joy of learning back into school not only for the students but teachers too.

Hayley Johnson, an eighth-grade science teacher at Gladeville Middle School, utilized PBL in manufacturing engineering coursework. The project — to design sunglasses — intended to deepen student understanding of electromagnetic waves and how they impact everyday life. Students were hired by a fictitious company to design the hottest new athletic sunglasses. Through puzzles, reading, and research, students learned all they could about sunglass lens function and overall design. From research to problem-solving to design to prototyping, students led their own projects through peer review and product demonstration.

Partnership with Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN)

The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) has long supported the growth of statewide STEM education through various educational focus points related to resources, innovative programs and industry partnerships. It’s a resource I’ve followed and trusted for years. TSIN helps districts like Wilson County Schools implement the best tools and practices for our students.

In July 2020, TSIN partnered with Defined Learning, a project-based learning organization, to offer no-cost STEM career awareness curriculum for students in grades five through eight.

When our district went fully remote, it was the middle school students who shared the most about how much they missed (and needed) interaction with peers and their teachers. Our decision to implement PBL at this grade level was already in the works prior to the shift to distance learning and afforded opportunities for students at all grade levels to thrive in new, uncomfortable learning environments.

In Jennifer Davis-Kelley’s sixth-grade science class at West Wilson Middle School, her students completed their unit on energy through virtual PBL, a different format than in previous academic years. “I have traditionally assigned group Rube Goldberg machines so students can demonstrate their knowledge transformations,” she said.

“Being virtual this year, I decided to try the project anyway and the results were fantastic! The goal was to create a machine to do a simple task in a complicated way using at least three energy transformations. Some students didn’t do that exactly and others knocked it out of the park. We celebrated all the entries.”

Davis-Kelley continued, “I know it’s been a wild first quarter, but there is evidence that virtual learning can be fun and exciting, and that students are learning.”

PBL engages students.

Instead of asking students to sit in front of the computer, we’re encouraging them to back away from it, work with their hands, and explore what interests them. While their passions and interests might not be a part of curriculum, the career exploration benefits outweigh educational requirements. It’s a little scary, but, as educators, we’ve had to shift our thinking to best serve our students, fellow teachers and families. We are discovering better ways to engage our students, and it’s working. I don’t think we will ever go back to instruction as we know it, and I hope not.

When we encourage our students to take interest in projects that captivate them, we’re rewarded with higher engagement. Learning how to manage distance learning was new for us all. We wanted to ensure our students were supported as they navigated through the changes. Project-based learning granted students the freedom to work through assignments at their own pace, in their own way, and as it made sense in their new learning environment.

We also learned firsthand that PBL encourages rigor, a highly sought after component of academics, and helps fulfill in-depth comprehension of class topics and subject matter. When students suddenly only had access to the classroom via screen, innovation became vital. Engagement, top priority. Compared to a standard quiz or worksheet, PBL successfully captures the attention and participation of students.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted nearly every aspect of our lives, accompanied by anxiety and fear. Since PBL tends to be based on real-world learning, students were encouraged to explore current events and topics related to the world around them. It helped dispel fear and even produced creative ideas.

Today, students solve real-world problems. They are doing research on current events, applying their cross-curricular knowledge, and showing mastery at home. Not to mention, they’re having an absolute blast doing it. Engagement is at an all-time high.

We’re entering an era that no one ever planned for. There’s no roadmap to success, but one thing has not changed.

We must prepare today’s students for the future.

Donna Wright, Ed.D., serves as the director of Wilson County Schools which has nearly 20,000 students in 22 schools. Dr. Wright has spent more than three decades working in education as a teacher, principal, administrator, and assistant superintendent. Since day one, she has spoken about her strong commitment to improve academic achievement and provide students and teachers with the resources to accommodate growth.

Inspiration: Where in our hearts and minds is it generated?  Writers, artists and other creators have long argued that inspiration is a crucial motivator of creativity. Over the past decade, scientists have tested and found strong support for these claims.

As educators, we know that to be true. When we allow our students the ability to create, they find inspiration.

Educators who employ inquiry-based science investigations must create positive and supportive classroom environments. Students must feel free to “take risks,” make mistakes and ask questions. Students need to learn to “think like scientists,” realizing that their investigations and predictions sometimes fail, and that failure informs learning, sometimes more so than successes. This responsibility helps students feel invested, with more autonomy over their science investigation.

What does the classroom environment look like? Maybe chaos.

Students work in groups. They consult research or read. The work they are doing is purposeful. The classroom environment creates a community of learners who work together to achieve common goals while remaining individuals (Kohn, 2006). Great teachers work to achieve this environment, inspiring career and technical education (CTE) students to greatness.

Who inspires CTE teachers?

What motivates great teachers to stay? When we hear directly from students who share how a teacher inspired them to achieve, succeed. Stories from students are what teachers value in our profession — our intrinsic paycheck.; our driver each morning as we start a class.

But what about teachers who inspire other teachers? Often, educators have seen a lesson or project and are inspired to try something similar. Educators collaborate. We share ideas and lift each other up, inspiring each other to change student lives. Some of those stories are shared here.

A great student with a big need

A few years ago, I worked with many students in need — one in particular, a standout basketball player. His skills on the court helped him to attain a scholarship. Imagine the joy his parents must have felt, the first to graduate and the first to go to college.

My smile grows as I play this scene in my mind.

On the last day with seniors, we talked, and I told him that my cheers would be the loudest in the crowd. His reply shocked me; he said he was not going to walk at graduation.

“Why?”

He looked away for a bit and then looked back at me and said, “The ceremony requires dress pants and shoes. I do not have any that fit. That’s why I always wear shorts.”

“No, no. Don’t worry. I will get you pants and shoes for graduation. You will walk on that stage for sure!”

His face lit up, and he gave me his suit measurements and shoe size. This young man stood over seven feet tall, and … who knew that shoes could be that large?!

Full of confidence, I made phone calls, contacted tailors and visited big and tall shops at the mall. His size was rare and my task was proving to be difficult. I felt horrible. I began to worry that I had boldly made a promise to this student that I would not find a way to fulfill.

Your perseverance makes a difference.

Our DECA chapter had tickets to the NBA basketball game that night, but I was not in the mood. I was busy stressing over my promise. At the game, there I sat — unenthused, trying to problem solve.

Where in the world could I get pants and shoes that big in four days?

Often the answer is right in front of your face… and there it was: on the court.

The very next day, I called Arizona’s local NBA team, the Phoenix Suns. I explained the dilemma, and they said they wanted to help. A member of the Phoenix Suns basketball team ultimately donated a full suit, shoes, a shirt, socks, tie and an autographed basketball for my student. The look on his face when he saw the gifts was priceless. And he walked across that stage, never looking better.

Teachers, we are inspiring because we never give up. We are not afraid to reach out to ask for help.

Marketing students built a house.

My students wanted to make a difference. So, during class, we started brainstorming ways to help the local community. One student yelled, “Let’s build a house.” I laughed. We were in marketing class!

I didn’t know how building a house could align with the marketing curriculum, but the idea stuck with them. When teachers get stuck, we seek help. I shared the idea with a few other teachers. Then it took off. What started as a classroom discussion, became a cross-curricular project! We ended up building that house.

We partnered with the building trades program at a sister school and planned to approach Habitat for Humanity to determine if the idea was viable. Habitat for Humanity was very supportive. Then the project grew! Another sister school had a turf management program, and they wanted to landscape the house. The welding program wanted to create a fence around the home. My students wanted to do the interior design of the home and painting, so we met the family and talked to them about their ideas and our ideas. It all came together!

How do marketing students build a house?

They wrote sponsorship letters to get supplies donated for the project and planned a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the family with the mayor and local dignitaries. Marketing students also wrote press releases to promote the event. It was a terrific experience!

Creative, motivated students took on this life-changing experience, with unwavering support from inspiring teachers who realized the spirit and inspiration of students to make a real difference in the neighborhood. We built a house!

Deb Moore and Kevin English will facilitate a session at ACTE’s CareerTech Virtual VISION. Hear about the great things teachers are doing to engage students. Leave the event inspired to try new ideas!

Back to school took on a whole new meaning in 2020–21. Across the country, teachers are working hard to:

1. Navigate rapidly changing educational environments.
2. Establish a “new normal” for themselves and their students.

Although recent research shows that students prefer face-to-face learning, many educators are being challenged to create lessons that resonate via computer screens or in reduced in-person interactions.

How can today’s career and technical education (CTE) teachers grab their students’ attention and help them develop in-demand skills in such a variety of learning environments? First, we must ask:

Who are today’s students?

Today’s Generation Z students — born between 1996 and 2012 — crave regular and technology-based learning opportunities. They truly are digital natives, having never known life without technology. (One-third of college students today consider the internet as important as air and water. ) As such, they seek out educational experiences that use visually enhanced methods of teaching.

Experiential learning is key. Research has long shown that learning from experience is more effective than learning from lecture-based discussion. Experiential learning gives students the chance to apply course concepts and knowledge to real-life problems and situations they may encounter in their own lives.

Gen Z students must be able to identify those connections — or else they will disengage from the learning. They crave the same immediate feedback they get from social media, on their schoolwork. When students collaborate and connect instead of sitting and listening, they create opportunities for instant peer-to-peer feedback. And if those opportunities for collaboration and connection are also self-paced and self-directed, then better yet! Research shows that Generation Z students do best when learning is autonomous. Experiential learning lets students apply critical thinking skills and create their own interpretations of what they learned.

Ideas for teaching Generation Z

Teaching Gen Z students could mean rethinking the way you have taught for decades. While not easy, it is possible — and it can be fun. Use these ideas to connect with your Generation Z students and engage them in CTE.

Set the stage with an activity.

Remember, you are creating an experience with every lesson you teach. This is your time to grab their attention. Set the stage for the experience by introducing the concept in a simple way. For instance, if your lesson focuses on geriatric sensitivity and elder care, you might introduce the lesson by having students complete an empathy self-assessment. Such an activity will inspire critical thinking. (Results can be shared in person or via learning management system.)

Use peer-to-peer discussions.

In-class (or remote) discussions present opportunities for students to work not only on employability skills — like communication and teamwork — but also to engage with their peers, provide feedback and make connections. Consider limiting discussion time (five or 10 minutes) to begin.

Ask questions at crucial moments.

By breaking up your presentation or lecture with intriguing questions, you’ll help your students pay attention longer. Keep them on their toes. Share a few slides, then pose a question: “What would you do if…?” Ask three to five students for their answers.

Bring in guest speakers.

Whether you’re coordinating in-person guests or scheduling remote speakers via video conference, encourage your students to do their research and come prepared with questions. When they connect with professionals in related fields, Gen Z students start to see the relevance of what they’re learning.

Incorporate employability skill development whenever possible.

Students will need to use communication, time management and technology skills to connect and learn, in-person or via their computers. Emphasize development of these skills by prioritizing formal and informal speaking opportunities, using project-based learning to foster time management and responsibility, and making intentional tweaks to assignments to encourage adaptability.

Make time to reflect.

Reflection brings learning to life. It helps students find relevance and meaning in lessons as they make connections between educational experiences and real-life situations. “How did it go?” “How did you feel during this experience?” “What could have gone better?” Encourage students to reflect; they might write a short paper, record a video, journal or discuss in small groups. Technology is a highly effective teaching tool for experiential learning. In fact, 93% of educators agree that digital resources help in their students’ academic achievement. Sixty-five percent of teachers say technology lets them demonstrate things they couldn’t show another way. Whether you’re teaching remotely or in-person, use your access to technology to create more interactive lessons.

Remember that variety resonates with Gen Z students. This doesn’t mean you have to re-do your entire curriculum. Start small. Break up your existing lectures with quizzes, activities and interactive demonstrations. Give your students more than a textbook. Use videos, online activities, group work and simulators to keep your students’ attention and give them an experience. Additionally, your colleagues can be a great resource! Ask your fellow educators what they’re doing in their programs to engage their Generation Z students.

Be flexible in your teaching methods and in the ways that you communicate with your students. Do this, and you’ll find that you can engage with Gen Z students in innovative and productive ways.

Attending ACTE’s CareerTech Virtual VISION 2020? Denise Dubois will explore more about how to engage today’s learners in her session, “Employing Innovative Learning Methods to Educate Generation Z Students.”

Check out the Virtual VISION program schedule for more details. And register today!

Dear Linda,

School starts soon and, while I am looking forward to it, I am extremely nervous and stressed. How do I plan for the upcoming year if I am not sure what is going to happen?
Sara from New York

Dear Sara,

Take a few minutes to breathe and know you are not alone. The start of the school year will be different, but different can be good. It brings on creativity and excitement. And, remember, we are much stronger in our abilities to teach in unfamiliar environments from our COVID closure experiences.

Build relationships.

Prioritize building the relationship with your students. Focus on getting to know each other. What are their career goals? If you have a general idea of how you will conduct your lessons, then share that with them. Offer fun activities, such as scavenger hunts or silly hat days. You might build mindful meditation into your curriculum, to encourage healthy practices for the school year.

Start slow but make the content meaningful.

Whether you are teaching in person, virtually or navigating a hybrid approach, one thing is the same. You have content toto teach. Begin slow. Present opportunities for reflection, such as journaling. Invite a speaker to address your virtual class.

Plan activities that can be done in school and at home. I teach health science/ certified nursing assistant courses, so I can send gloves and other personal protective equipment home for students to practice. Determining how to adapt hands-on learning materials for home use may be tricky, but please reach out to your professional groups, or to me. I can help you.

ACTE has developed an excellent resource of materials and teaching ideas. See the COVID resources page. Also, please plan to attend ACTE’s CareerTech Virtual VISION, where you can network with teachers virtually and gain even more information to help.

Focus on the positive. Try to think more about innovative ways you can connect with students, and less about the way you did it in the past. The creative ideas will flow. If you get stuck, reach out to me.

Design creative work-based learning experiences.

You may not be able to go anywhere, but you can still reach out to local employers and industry partners. I am certain that they would be willing to connect with your classes virtually. For example:

• An organ donation group in my area will provide education and certification for our students.
• Human resources professionals might conduct mock interviews or give short lessons on resume building.

Ask! The worst thing they could say is no. I bet you will be pleasantly surprised. I am amazed at the support within my own community.

Breathe.

It is important to breathe and try to stay calm. When we tense up, we cannot think well. Try these easy breathing exercises.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEfs5TJZ6Nk

Take a day-by-day approach. I know this was hard for me because I am a planner. Set small goals to keep a clear mind and leave room for all the wonderful ideas you will have.

Keep me posted on how things are going; contact me at any time.

With love and gratitude,

Linda Romano

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Click here to submit your questions. Linda will have the answers.

Linda Romano is vice president of ACTE’s Health Science Education Division and a health science/nurse aide educator for Newburgh Enlarged City School District, where she has been a CTE teacher since 2006. In 2018, Romano was named ACTE’s Teacher of the Year. She also serves as president of the New York Health Science Educator Association.

Romano is an active registered nurse and serves in several volunteer capacities for her state of New York and within the local Newburgh Community/ Newburgh Armory Unity Center. In addition to mentoring new teachers, Linda Romano developed and leads a program called Scholars in Scrubs, which provides education, health and wellness, and opportunities for young people (pre-K to high school) and their parents/grandparents.