From Minas

Cyber-ShARE focus on development of outreach components and educational curricula. Educating and developing the next-generation scientist requires development of course material for both pre-college science and technology courses and undergraduate and graduate courses. The curriculum has been developed with the following challenges in mind: How can we develop students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to be successful in a globally connected, innovation driven, technological world? What curriculum can be created to develop students who are adaptive and creative innovators?

Cyber-ShARE works with existing outreach programs to involve teachers and stimulate interest in careers with the goal of increasing diversity of domestic students studying science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET). By connecting the education efforts of Cyber-ShARE with existing outreach and awareness programs, over 250 K-12 students will be touched with the objective of fostering excitement about and interest in technology and science.

Elements of the Educational and Recruitment Plan

The Cybershare Curriculum Cadre

• The Cybershare Curriculum Cadre would be a team of educational-technology graduate students (members of the existing Master Technology Teacher Program) who would act as resources and curriculum developers for researchers in the various science/engineering/computer science fields. These five individuals, who would either be seeking a Master of Ed in Ed-Tech, or Master Technology Teacher Certification, would be paid stipends per semester, and work under the direction of Dr. Giza as partners with a scientist/researcher from another area of the center developing curriculum for use in K-12 schools.

• Their products would be educational standards aligned and delivered via web or CD, and communicate aspects of the applications and processes developed by the center. Curricula would be available online at a site that would be available from links from the Cybershare website, as well as the Project ACE website (see below). Publications might be based upon documentation and testing of the curricula, as well as longitudinal studies on the effectiveness of the curricula on reinforcing science-engineering concepts.