Three IT programs chosen for $1.3m NSF grant
The Concord Consortium in Massachusetts has chosen middle and high schools across the country to participate in a model national science and technology project which will give schools an opportunity to advance beyond the standard science curriculum, reports info Zine.
One district receiving the funds is Olathe District Schools in Kansas, where administrators and teachers are "thrilled" to be able to run projects to prepare students for careers in information technology. Districts in Desert Sands, CA, and Boston also received part of the $1.3 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation.
"Being involved in this national project, along with the other two selected districts, is astounding," said Alison Banikowski, Olathe District Schools' associate superintendent for teaching and learning."This project will help us continue our quest for quality science opportunities for all students which integrate science with math and technology. This project will enable our teachers to advance their skills and knowledge, ultimately impacting Olathe students with exciting science learning."
Olathe schools received $250,000, which will pay for more than 126 hours of lab-based activities for 90 teachers and full support for classroom implementation. This includes teacher training to learn basic electronics, programming and design skills, and how to configure experiments. Teachers will also learn to teach students how to use, modify and create computational models.
The participating schools were chosen for their geographic and ethnic diversity.