Section 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings

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  This video showing footage of Objet's PolyJet helped me understand the concept of rapid prototyping better.
  
  Rapid Prototyping is an exciting, but costly, technology that allows students to bring their ideas to reality. It is a computer program that constructs three-dimensional models of work derived from a computer aided design (CAD) drawing. With the use of rapid prototyping, one can quickly and easily turn product designs into physical samples. The rapid prototyping process begins with a three-dimensional, virtual object in a computer. The next step is to slice this virtual object into layers using a specialized computer program. The computer sends the information about each layer, starting with the bottom layer, to a rapid prototyping machine. The machine then builds a plastic, wax, or paper prototype from the bottom layer up. Higher layers are then added on top of lower layers until the prototype is complete.
  
  
  The fifth graders at our school do an annual Medieval unit. Each student is responsible for creating a project, and many of them choose to create models of castles, weapons, or armor. This technology would present a way to turn their designs into 3-dimensional models. How cool would that be?
  
  If I were hired by the military as a consultant and electronic access was not always available for technology, I might suggest that in order to provide training anywhere and anytime they would need to utilize "Deployable Learning Resource Centers" that store and distribute training software and host the management tools to monitor, test, and record learner progress. These mobile units would consist of a server, network switch, printer, and laptop stations. The system could connect to external networks or could even be sent to field locations via wireless systems. this "solution on wheels" would provide valuable and continuous support to otherwise inaccessible locations.

To introduce The Guidance System for Transforming Education (GSTE) and Step-Up-To-Excellence (SUTE) in a staff development activity to my colleagues, I would have them brainstorm and come up with a plan to take a low-performing school system and transform it to a higher-performing school system using these whole-system methodologies.

In order to incorporate GSTE, we would:
1) Discuss the values of the troubled school system and compare these values with those
core values underlying GSTE
2) Outline a chronological series of activities or "discrete
events"for engaging in systemic change. This would call for a discussion of what is not working in the low-performing system and suggestions of revisions that would bring about change. The following phases would be included in this revision process:
Phase 1: Initiate systemic change effort
Phase 2: Develop a starter team
Phase 3: Develop a district-wide framework and capacity for change
Phase 4: Create ideal designs for a new educational system
3) Discuss "continuous events" that would need to be addressed continuously throughout the
change process such as sustaining motivation, building team spirit, building a community,
building and maintaining trust, etc.

In order to incorporate SUTE, we would:

• Discuss the attributes of good leaders who could effectively guide this mission and serve on the strategic leadership team
• Brainstorm some pre-launch activities that might be effective in preparing the district for whole-system change (such as building political support or documentation of the need for change)
• Discuss how the school district could be redesigned by improving the district's relationship with its external environment. Identify problems and offer possible solutions. How could the district's core and supporting work processes be improved? How can the district's internal social infrastructure be improved?
• Discuss how clusters of schools and supporting workers work together to bring about change
• Discuss the role of the Site Improvement Team
• Discuss ways Organization Learning Networks serve as learning communities to create and support opportunities for learning
• Discuss how On-Track Seminars examine what happened and "why" it happened by using formative and summative evaluation data
• Discuss qualities that would be required to successfully serve as a Transformation Coordinator.
• Discuss ways that IDT specialists can work to create improvements in the process that creates and sustains improvements.

Faculty Development Programs:

Michigan State Univeristy

The Office of Faculty and Organizational Development is part of Academic Human Resources in the Office of the Provost. It supports faculty, staff and administrators in teaching, research, outreach and leadership. It offers workshops and seminars for faculty leaders, cohort programs, consultation/services for instructors, community building programs such as faculty social gatherings and faculty development networks, orientations for new staff, information about grants and activities, and various resources for instructors. Some specific programs offered are Leadership and Administrator (LEAD) Seminar Series, Executive Leadership Academy, SoTL Symposium, and From Associate Professor to Professor: Productive Decision-Making at Mid Career.

University of Connecticut

The Institute for Teaching and Learning offers a full range of faculty development programs to all faculty. The formats range from individual consultation services to departmental workshops, from books groups and learning communities to campus-wide teaching institutes. All services are free and confidential. "Teaching to Go" is a program offered where faculty can choose from a variety of workshops to be delivered to department meetings. Additional services offered are Brown Bag Seminar, Departmental Support, New Faculty Orientaton, and Resources for Veterans.

Kent State Universtiy

The Faculty Professional Development Center at Kent State provides opportunities, leadership and support for faculty and is under the Office of the Provost. In addition to workshops and programs designed to support faculty and graduate students in their professional development, the FPDC offers free consultations, a faculty classroom equipped with smart board, laptops and meeting table for faculty who want to hold department meetings or need a space to collaborate or create projects, and a studio with technology resources including printing and scanning equipment. Some of the programs currently being offered are Service Learning designed to enrich the understanding of course content, broaden appreciation of the discipline, and enhance development of civic responsibility; Action Reads which entails taking action related to a common reading and sharing the results with colleagues; and the Moulton Scholars Program which provides faculty with resources to use technology in their scholarly work.