LEADING EDGE: Inspiring facilities & innovative equipment

A message from LeAnn Wilson, ACTE’s executive director:

ACTE prioritizes the development of high-quality career and technical education programs. High-quality CTE programs must innovate and inspire to engage students. More so, these programs must promote the ideals of inclusion, access, equity and diversity (IAED) to engage all students in the pursuit of lifelong learning — for the future of our nation’s workforce depends on it.

In the February 2021 issue of Techniques, themed Inspiring Facilities & Innovative Equipment, we asked:

How can CTE best develop learning spaces that align with the needs of business and industry & prepare students for college and career success?

Themes explore innovative approaches to equitable learning, offering lessons for the successful integration of academic, CTE and community-based programming. They also ad.dress the ways in which teachers are making the most of what they’ve been given. Read Julie Fritsch’s article to discover how two agriculture teachers maximize their space, equipment and budgets for student success.

An article from Kevin J. Fleming, best-selling author and ACTE’s CareerTech Virtual VISION 2020 keynoter, offers evidence-based recommendations for converting CTE programs to online environments. “Educational simulations, virtual reality and augmented reality will be henceforth the solution for increasing access, managing risk and maintaining safety, all while revolutionizing remote skill learning and demonstration.”

As we look forward with hope that 2021 will bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, we also look back in awe at the innovative ways CTE educators continued to engage students. Not only have you — teachers, administrators, ACTE members — worked tirelessly to prepare students for rewarding careers, but you also took care to guide students’ social and emotional wellbeing in these times of tremendous uncertainty. That has not gone unnoticed.

We want to hear your stories. And we want to share them.

Is your school or institutions operating fully in person, using a blended approach or continuing with remote learning? ACTE wants to hear about the innovative ways you are coping with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CTE and career development. For additional support, check out ACTE’s comprehensive guide, High-quality CTE: Planning for a COVID-19-impacted School Year.

Stay safe. Stay well. And stay innovative.

ACTE members can read the full February 2021 print issue in the archive now.