Resources included in these libraries were submitted by ITEST projects or STELAR and are relevant to the work of the NSF ITEST Program. PDFs and/or URLs to the original resource are included in the resource description whenever possible. In some cases, full text publications are located behind publishers’ paywalls and a fee or membership to the third party site may be required for access. Permission for use must be requested through the publisher or author listed in each entry.
Building Strong Public/Private Partnerships in Information Technology: A Cross Cultural Primer
PublicationThis 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
PublicationUnlocking 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
Career Connections Pamphlet
Curricular MaterialsDeveloped by the RI-ITEST project, this pamphlet gets students excited and informed about the varied potential careers that utilize computer modeling. It can be used to help students make connections between their classroom experiences, what they are learning in science, and their future. Links to associated lesson plans and two different versions of the pamphlet are available on the website.This pamphlet and its associated lesson plans were used as part of professional development requirements for teachers throughought Rhode Island who participated in the RI-ITEST project.Suggestions for
Examining 4-H Robotics and Geospatial Technologies in the Learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Topics
PublicationThe 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
Voices of the South
VideoOne of SUCCEED high school interns, Kelley Katzenmeyer from Riverside, led a team of kids at Shodor to put together a video entry to the "Voices of the South" contest, and she won first place with her video about the ITEST apprentices and interns at Shodo
Spatial Analysis of Fossil Sites in the Northern Plains: A Unique Model for Teacher Education
PublicationUnderstanding 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: Student Inventions Aid Individuals with Disabilities
PublicationThe 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.
Planting the Seeds for a Diverse U.S. STEM Pipeline: A Compendium of Best Practice K-12 STEM Education Programs
PublicationThe 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.
Front-Loaded Confidence: The Efficacy of Hybrid Professional Development in an ITEST Geospatial Technologies Project
PublicationThis 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
Build IT: Building Middle and High School Students’ Understanding of Engineering, Science and IT through Underwater Robotics
PublicationDesigning and building robots to perform a series of increasingly complex tasks in an underwater environment is the vehicle to engage, interest, and cultivate 36 middle and high schools inlearning engineering, science and information technology. Using LEGO components and a hands-on, team-based, iterative design process, teachers and students learn how to build robotsthat must operate underwater in a three dimensional space. In building their robot to perform these tasks (proceed in straight line path across a pool, negotiate a slalom course, ascend/descendin a water column, and grab/deposit a