EAST is a course in which students will use state-of-the-art computer technology and engage in a project-based approach to learning. The course aims to promote the intellectual development of students in fostering critical thinking and problem solving skills. Students in our program perform service-learning projects. They see needs in their communities, and they work to meet those needs. EAST students are unique, however, in that they apply the latest in technology to these problems. The skills and experiences students gain while working in this environment are countless: teamwork, leadership, self-motivation, public speaking and more, not to mention what they learn while working with industry-standard software and hardware.

The EAST Initiative supports local EAST programs in Arkansas and across the country by offering student training in the many technologies available in the EAST classroom, taught by industry professionals and university instructors. It also conducts required pedagogical training for facilitators (school personnel specially trained to facilitate EAST programs in their schools). Sessions are offered at EAST training centers in Little Rock and Fayetteville and at various regional locations.

The EAST Initiative also produces a number of annual special events which allow local EAST programs to connect with the public, showcase their work and network with students and facilitators from other programs. These events include the annual EAST Conference, where students from across the country present their work in a trade-show environment, the facilitator Summer Seminar which provides ongoing professional development in a casual atmosphere, and EAST Night Out, when classrooms across the country host open house events for the public.

For more information about EAST, you may go to the following website:

http://www.eastinitiative.org