STEM Teacher's Days in Industry

Teacher’s Day in Industry workshops are free one-day STEM workshops for teachers organized by VSSMF around the respective areas of expertise of select industry partners in Vermont and curricular needs of schools.  Tours of partner facilities show how STEM concepts and practices found in Vermont & national standards are used in industry.   Time is given to developing inquiry-based project plans with local industry resources.  Combined with hands on activities presented by scientists and engineers at the company, teachers get first-hand experience with authentic STEM practices in Vermont industry and ideas they can use in their classrooms.  At the end of the workshop, teachers have the opportunity to talk with the scientist and engineers at the company, as well as other teachers at the workshop, about how they might incorporate some of the ideas and resources into their program.
 

Workshops

Teacher's Day at Global Foundries in Essex Junction, Wednesday November 4, 2015  Structured Problem Solving Symposium and Teacher's Day Workshop.  The day includes an engaging workshop, Inquiry Driven Innovation, presented by IBM Advisory Engineer Jeff Maling, and a guided visit to the Structured Problem Solving Symposium.  After lunch in the IBM cafeteria, a tour of IBM's power systems demonstrates extensive use of the Structured Problem Solving process to improve energy usage and efficiency at the site.  

Teacher's Day at IBM in Essex Junction, Wednesday October 15, 2014  Structured Problem Solving Symposium and Teacher's Day Workshop.  The day includes an engaging  Structured Problem Solving workshop presented by IBM Advisory Engineer Jeff Maling, and a guided visit to the Structured Problem Solving Symposium.  After lunch in the IBM cafeteria, a tour of IBM's power systems demonstrates extensive use of the Structured Problem Solving process to improve energy usage and efficiency at the site.  A workshop on using the new science standards to connect the classroom to industry will include a high school example presented by Dana Dezotell, followed by a presentation about resources available to teachers and students through the Vermont State Science Fair and Vermont Esteem Network.

UTC Teacher's Day in Vergennes, Tuesday January 22, 2013  NGSS and Engineering Design Workshop.  VSSMF will provide an introduction to the NGSS Practices and resources.  UTC will provide an introduction to the company and how they use engineering practices in the manufacture of aerospace fuel sensors.  Areas of focus will be Failure Investigation, Engineering Test, and Engineering Design.  Each area will provide authentic hands on engagement for participants, in conjunction with a tour of a particular area of the factory.  Lesson plan ideas for middle and high school grades to address the NGSS 8 Practices, and Engineering standards, and connected to the content at the areas will be shared.  The group will have lunch in the cafeteria provided by UTC, and convene at the very end for parting remarks and meet and greet.  UTC will present the company's commitment to the Vermont STEM education pipeline and share resources and contacts with teachers.

MMIC Teacher's Day in St. Johnsbury mid-June, 2013 focusing on engineering modeling.  MMCI uses Google SketchUp to do concept drawings for customers.  Once the design is frozen, they use advanced engineering 3D modeling software to create drawings for manufacturing.  Teachers will see how MMCI uses both software packages, and physical and other computer models to communicate engineering designs, solve problems and test assemblies before manufacture.  Teachers will learn from MMCI engineers how to use Google SketchUp, and will participate in an on-line design project using the software.  The activities demonstrate on-line design projects they can use with the accessible 3D design software to teach the students how to use models to design and communicate complex 3D objects.

Orchard Hill Observatory, in South Alburgh on demand workshop focusing on astronomy and astrophotography.  Astronomy curriculum connected to a collaboration with the Vermont Astronomical Society providing advanced astronomy equipment for student use, and astronomy mentoring for inquiry projects.  Teachers at this training may borrow VSSMF astronomy kit including 12 pair high quality 8X42 binoculars for student use.

Omega Optical Teacher's Day in Brattleboro on demand focusing on photonics and optics.  Omega Optical uses evaporated thin film coatings on glass to create optical interference filters.  Omega Optical embraces a vision that goes beyond designing and fabricating state-of-the-art thin film filters with an R&D group to integrate custom filters into advanced products.  Teachers will see how filters are manufactured, tested and applied in energy, biomedical analysis and astronomy in a plant tour of the Omega Delta Campus facility.  Then they will learn about topics relating to photonics and light using activities included as part of the Omega Photonics Kit for teachers.  Familiarity with the kit is gained when teachers use the kit to answer their own questions about light.

Objectives:

1.  Impact STEM Education in Vermont through industry based professional learning opportunities

     a.  Provide quality STEM professional development and resources to teachers.
     b.  Infuse professional development with inquiry to get more teachers to use inquiry to teach STEM
     c.  Introduce teachers to NGSS “Practices” through first hand observation of real scientists and engineers at work
     d.  Connect teachers to local industry for further collaboration and support on inquiry projects with kids
     e.  Increase teacher/student awareness of STEM opportunities in the state and their community

2.  Create a durable education/industry collaboration model where teachers can learn about the needs of industry, and industry can support better STEM education for our youth.

Outcomes:
1.  Teachers use industry based inquiry projects as an authentic and exciting way to teach STEM, resulting in students who

     a.  enter projects into the VSSMF,
     b.  continue their STEM education beyond high school,
     c.  see a vibrant STEM community in Vermont,
     d.  and love science (STEM)

2.  Industry in Vermont becomes meaningfully involved in education so that it will

     a.  get local applicants with a broader STEM education
     b.  get local applicants with STEM skills relevant to industry
     c.  fulfill its obligation and desire to play a significant role in the STEM future of our state and nation.

List of Teacher's Days Pages

IBM - Structured Problem Solving

Orchard Hill Observatory - Astronomy & Astrophotography

MMIC - Engineering Modeling & Google SketchUp 3D

Omega Optical - The Electromagnetic Spectrum, Light & Filters

UTC -