Resources

This article is part of a special issue of the Journal of Technology and Teacher Education (JTATE). It introduces and summarizes how the six articles describe specific ITEST teacher development projects, provide portraits of these projects, and address important themes that cross ITEST professional development and STEM professional development more generally: building links between informal and formal education; using technology in innovative ways; integrating STEM content into professional development; reaching and engaging underrepresented populations; developing innovative professional development; and tightening the research/practice cycle.

This guide will help educators and employers working in Information Technology School-to-Career partnerships understand the concept of organizational culture, recognize the common issues that interfere with partnership building, and implement strategies to build strong and successful educator/employer partnerships.

Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing examines the gender gap in computer science. Women, by and large, are underrepresented in all segments of information technology, from enrollment in courses in high schools and colleges to the numerous employment opportunities associated with the discipline. Authors Jane Margolis and Allan Fisher detail the findings of over 100 interviews with computer science students at Carnegie Mellon University. These interviews, of both male and female students, document the various challenges faced by females pursuing career opportunities in computer science

The study reported here investigated the use of educational robotics, paired with GPS and GIS geospatial technologies, as a context for learning selected concepts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics within a 4-H camp setting. The study involved 38 students between the ages of 11 to 15. A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used in the study, with a 29-question multiple-choice instrument targeting various academic topics. The results of the study suggest that the 4-H robotics and geospatial summer camp program is a promising approach for supporting STEM-related

Understanding science and technology is key to our next generation’s success. Conveying the excitement of science and effectively melding it with technology in both field and classroom settings can be a challenge for many K–12 educators. Middle school is a critical juncture in a child’s educational experience, when interest in science and technology is budding. If this interest is captured, it can lead to a lifetime of learning and, for some, a rewarding profession.

The Invention Factory is a nontraditional youth-based, after-school program in Honolulu that teaches information technology and mechanics to teenagers through interactive, hands-on projects that improve human computer interaction for individuals with disabilities.

The Girl Game Company, an ITEST program, was featured among 38 best practice programs in the 2010 edition of the Bayer Corporation's Planting the Seeds for a Diverse US STEM Pipeline: A Compendium of Best Practice K-12 STEM Education Programs.

This virtual brief paper describes the efficacy of hybrid professional development used for the CoastLines Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) project. Over a three-year period, CoastLines introduced middle and high school teachers to the use of geospatial technologies as a tool for science instruction. Its hybrid professional development format included 40 hours of Webinars and an 80-hour summer institute. In response to formative feedback, the format was revised each year throughout the course of the project. Ninety teachers were trained using the hybrid