June 5, 2009

Purdue at Kokomo offering technology training to teachers

Project Lead the Way is a national nonprofit program that provides middle and high school pre-engineering and technology curricula. The first session is June 15-26, and the second is July 6-17. More than 160 teachers — about 140 of them from Indiana — will attend the two sessions.

The two-week workshops are structured to prepare technology, mathematics, physics and other middle and high school teachers for such courses in their schools.

"The mission of Project Lead the Way is to create dynamic partnerships with our nation's schools to prepare an increasing and more diverse group of students to be successful in science, engineering and engineering technology programs at the two- and four-year college level," said Kevin D. Taylor, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering technology who coordinates the training seminars. "This is achieved by providing teachers with a curriculum that is rigorous, and integrated- , activity- , project- and problem-based."

Workshop topics include civil engineering and architecture, digital electronics, engineering design and development, gateway to technology, introduction to engineering design, and principles of engineering. During the workshop, teachers specialize in one of the topics in one of the disciplines and will become certified upon completion to teach the topic.

Project Lead the Way is now offered to more than 250,000 students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia; Ontario, Canada; and in Derby, England. More than 6,000 teachers have attended a training workshop at one of 35 colleges or universities.

Nearly 3,000 schools have adopted the Project Lead the Way curriculum. With more than 300 schools, Indiana leads the nation in the number schools using Project Lead the Way curricula.

The Project Lead the Way curriculum is developed in partnership with colleges and universities, industry and practicing teachers. 

For more information go to: https://www.tech.purdue.edu/pltw/index.html

Purdue College of Technology at Kokomo offers programs in computer graphics technology, computer and information technology, electrical and computer engineering technology, mechanical engineering technology, and organizational leadership and supervision.

Writer: Kim Medaris, 765-494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Source: Kevin Taylor, 765-455-9571, kdtaylor@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

To the News Service home page