Embedded Files
Area 31 Career Center is staffed with educators and experts from a variety of industries. Due to the nature of a career and technical education, instructional practices naturally encompass hands-on, project-based, problem-based, and authentic learning opportunities for students to develop solutions to real-world problems.
Domain 3: Instruction is inclusive of Essential Elements that allow the Career Center to highlight exemplar instructional practices in integrated STEM. Collaboration is a critical component of the instructional practices at the Area 31 Career Center. The Career Center addresses 3.3 Student Instructional Work Groups through ensuring students work in asynchronous and synchronous groups in a variety of courses several times per week. The purpose of the group or team work is for students to collaborate in working towards a common goal. Students are held accountable for their decisions, work assignments, roles in the group, and exhibiting learned knowledge, skills, and attitudes with the collective and individual assessments that take place.
Instruction takes place in classrooms, simulated labs, and in various engagements throughout our local community. Students work and learn in precision machine shops, on construction sites, in ambulances, and across a great variety of other learning environments. No matter the training location, Area 31 Career Center instructors implement intentional STEM learning opportunities on a daily basis. STEM learning takes place independently at times, but most often students work within collaborative groups to analyze and address real world challenges.
As mentioned in previous sections, the Career Center is uniquely designed to provide students STEM learning opportunities on a daily basis. The Essential Element of 3.5 STEM Integration expectations are exceeded in the Career Center, as all teachers implement integrated STEM learning on a regular basis to guide students to planning for their futures in careers and higher education.
3.1 STEM Instructional Approach Training
3.1 STEM Instructional Approach Training
100% of Are 31 Career Center instructors have been trained in the implementation of Project-Based Learning as a STEM instructional approach (3.1.A.) On-site training is provided by the Area 31 Career Center Project-Based Learning Trainer and it prepares teachers to deliver training experiences that are rooted in critical thinking and authentic problem-solving. In addition to this learning, instructors have access to virtual professional development experiences through MSD Wayne Township's ItsLearning platform. ItsLearning resources include technology training to support virtual access to learning (3.1.B) and teacher training related to the instruction of authentic and real-world problem solving. Lastly, instructors engage in regular resource sharing of STEM instructional guidance such as that provided by STEM Education Works (3.1.C.)
Item 3.1.D presents the design of a Project-Based Learning activity from a trained instructor in the Area 31 Career Center Construction Trades Program.
PBL for CTE stage 5.pptx3.1.A PBL Training PowerPoint with Voiceover
3.1.B Tech Training Resource in ItsLearning
Implementing Active Learning in STEM Teaching.pdf3.1.C Guidance from STEM Education Works
Green_Giant_Project.pdf3.1.D Example of Project-Based Learning Instructional Design
3.2 STEM Instructional Approach Implementation
3.2 STEM Instructional Approach Implementation
Because career and technical education is so rooted in technical skill development and so closely aligned to workforce training, it is natural that STEM skills would be utilized to solve real-world challenges. It is by design that Area 31 Career Center students engage business and industry through a great number of activities, with many programs operating as a business open to the general public. The act of serving and presenting to authentic audiences helps students to develop a host of skills including employability skills related to communication, time management, and quality performance. STEM instructional activities, as evidenced in slide deck 3.2.A, are often organized within Project-Based Learning units. A Project-Based Learning template (3.2.B) for unit design has been provided to all Area 31 Career Center instructors and 100% of Area 31 Career Center instructors have participated in related trainings with the Area 31 Career Center Project-Based Learning Trainer.
3.2.A Evidence of STEM Instruction
Planning form (1).pptx3.2.B Project-Based Learning Unit Template
3.3 Student Instructional Work Groups
3.3 Student Instructional Work Groups
All students at Area 31 Career Center work in collaborative teams at least two times per week. Collaboration can occur in an in-person setting or through a virtual engagement such as a Google Meet or a shared Google Doc. Members of collaborative groups work within assigned roles to analyze available information and to address challenges within a social, cultural, and functional context. The Area 31 Career Center Automotive Service program, for example, provides repair services for the general public (3.3.A). Students work in groups to identify/verify an issue, and then they follow steps on a task sheet to perform necessary repairs according to the technical specifications of a given vehicle. While students may support each other in a number of ways, each student is assigned a primary responsibility such as preparing tools, writing repair orders, ordering parts, or reviewing service manuals. Students rotate through roles throughout the term so that they benefit from a variety of industry-based experiences. The customer serves as an authentic audience for every such experience, and each participant is held accountable for her individual performance as well as that of the group. If one or more students appear to fall behind during a project, then the program instructor(s) will follow a Response to Intervention model and recruit additional wraparound supports as necessary.
Additional evidence of student instructional workgroup activities is shown in items 3.3.B - 3.3.F. Examples of student assessments can be found in attachments 3.3.G - 3.3.M. Each assignment requires students to collaborate with peers based upon project/intended outcomes, to perform responsibilities according to an assigned role that is critical to successful project/goal completion, and to be evaluated based upon their involvement as individuals and on the performance of their team.
3.3.A Instructional Work Group in Automotive Service
3.3.B Instructional Work Group in Pharmacy
3.3.C Overview of Group Assignment in Dental Assisting
Dental Group Project 18-19.MOV3.3.D Video of Instructional Work Group in Dental Assisting
3.3.E Instructional Work Group in HVAC
Inputs and Outputs.pdf3.3.F Instructional Work Group Sample Activity: Robotics
In Automotive Service, student teams were given an engine. The "problem" with the engine was not known. Students were to take the engine apart, locate specific parts, and take action based on their assigned roles, all while using the skills and understandings learned through prior instruction. Mitchell Automotive software was also accessible as a guide for industry practices and specifications. To accomplish all of the individual tasks, the students needed to work collaboratively on this engine deconstruction activity because they would have to reconstruct the engine when they were finished. Over the course of a unit, students rotate roles and responsibilities so that they experience all perspectives. All jobs were necessary and relevant.
scan_montgomeryd3_2021-01-29-11-23-00.pdf3.3.G Auto Service Rubrics _Completed
scan_montgomeryd3_2021-01-29-12-15-27.pdf3.3.H Criminal Justice Rubrics_Completed
scan_montgomeryd3_2021-01-29-12-15-59.pdf3.3.I Criminal Justice Rubrics_Completed
In Criminal Justice, students studied typical interrogation methods using video, lectures, and demonstrations. Next, students were given sample questions and an explanation of practices that should take place during an interrogation. Ultimately, students were paired with partners for a collaborative assignment in which each partner would prepare for interrogation before taking turns serving in the roles of an interrogator and a suspect. Each student reviewed actual FBI crime videos through the lens of their role. As they did so, they would take notes on the details and consider relevant procedures while thinking about the lessons learned through prior instruction. Finally, students engaged in a simulated interrogation while serving alternately in each assigned role. During each experience, the instructor would act as the Bureau Chief by provided counsel to interrogators when necessary. Each participant was assessed based on their performance and engagement as an individual and assigned a team grade. Students had the opportunity to reflect upon their individual and group performance.
scan_montgomeryd3_2021-01-29-09-33-06.pdf3.3.J Health Science Rubrics_Completed
scan_montgomeryd3_2021-01-29-09-33-50.pdf3.3.K Health Science Rubrics_Completed
In Health Science, students prepare for the Certified Nursing Aide (CNA) exam by practicing Resident Care Procedures (RCP). In addition to developing knowledge and understanding of required activities, it is crucial that students develop applicable skills. It is also important for students to consider activities from multiple perspectives so that they understand how the patient, colleagues, and others might be affected by their words and actions. In this activity, students have the opportunity to practice RCPs multiple times while rotating through the roles of resident, CNA, and Registered Nurse. To aide in student reflections and documenting performance, students also rotate through roles such as Camera Operator (video recording to be uploaded to FlipGrid), Quality Control, and Instructor Assistant. The Camera Operator, Quality Control, and Instructor Assistant have access to RCP procedure manuals and additional equipment. When necessary, these individuals could serve as resource gatherers or liaisons between the practitioners and the program instructor. The RCP addressed in this particular activity involved greeting the resident by knocking on the door, delivering a proper introduction, etc. Instruction took place prior to this formative assessment, but video and material resources remained accessible throughout the collaborative activity. Students rotate through each role and are assessed on their performance at each level. They also receive a group grade. Assessments encourage and measure employability skills as well as understanding of content and practical skill application.
scan_montgomeryd3_2021-01-29-12-08-13.pdf3.3.L Dental Assisting Rubrics_Completed
In Dental Assisting, students explore new learning using video, lecture, and demonstration. In addition to developing an understanding of content and operatory procedures, the students become proficient in technical skill areas. This collaborative activity assessed student engagement and professionalism in the operatory setting. Students served in the roles of the patient, operator, and assistant. Over the course of the experience, each student served in each role and was evaluated on their performance both individually and as a dental team. Collaboration, communication, respect, and professionalism were strongly considered. Instructor feedback was provided at the bottom of each rubric.
3.4 Technology in Instruction
3.4 Technology in Instruction
A great variety of technologies are utilized by the staff and students at Area 31 Career Center, and the effective use of equipment is often a requirement for industry certification. The lesson structure of Area 31 Career Center programs allows for roughly 1/3 of instructional time to be spent in a classroom environment while 2/3 of class time is spent developing practical skills in a lab or work-based learning setting. Each week, greater than 50% of class time is spent using technologies in the classroom or lab setting (3.4.A.)
The quality of equipment and technologies available at Area 31 Career Center is rarely seen in secondary training environments. This is because Area 31 Career Center operates as a cooperative resource with the support of eleven sending school districts. As such, Area 31 Career Center is able to equip labs with equipment and technologies that would be difficult for one school district to procure and sustain on its own. For example, the Area 31 Career Center Precision Machine shop houses millions of dollars of industry-current equipment including CNC machines, water-jet cutters, plasma cutters, etc. It is important to note that staff and students receive training in the safe and efficient operations of lab equipment. Technology support is provided as necessary by Department Chairs, the MSD Wayne Township IT Department, and on on-site iTEC Technology Leader.
A short list of accessible technologies is provided here: CDX learning modules, forklift simulators, Z space 3D simulators, GoogleSuite, mannequin simulators, oscilloscopes, CAD software, CAM software, Vernier sensors and data collection tools, circuit simulators, arduinos, breadboards, LEDs, resistors, CNC machines, shop tools, VexRobotics, laser engraver, and many more.
Technology is also used to provide instruction. Area 31 Career Center teachers utilize a digital platform called ItsLearning to communicate with students and to share resources such as demonstration videos. Videos of technologies used during virtual instruction are highlighted as items 3.4.B and 3.4.C. Technologies can be seen Students also use ItsLearning to connect with Google Meet, Google Classroom, and shared Google Docs which they use for collaborative meetings.
Students Learn Using Industry-Current Technologies
Students Learn Using Industry-Current Technologies
3.4.D HVAC Technology
3.4.E Health Science Technology
3.4.F Graphic Imaging Technology
3.4.G Precision Machine
3.5 STEM Integration
3.5 STEM Integration
100% of Area 31 Career Center instructors implement intentional STEM learning opportunities on a daily basis. STEM learning takes place independently at times, but most often students work within collaborative groups to analyze and address real-world challenges. Numerous program examples of STEM integration are provided as a slide deck within item 3.5.A. As mentioned previously, Area 31 Academic Integration Specialists support STEM integration by working with teachers to design and introduce purposeful learning activities (3.5.B & 3.5.C.) Additionally, items 3.5.D and 3.5.E serve as evidence of the implementation of an interdisciplinary unit centered on math and construction trades that was first discussed in section 1.3 of this application. Lastly, an overview of the implementation of an interdisciplinary unit that engaged students from Giant Preschool, the Area 31 Dental Assisting Program, and the Area 31 Early Childhood Education program is presented at attachment 3.5.F.
Career and technical education programs are offered for the purpose of advancing employability through the understanding and application of STEM competencies. Simply put, Area 31 Career Center instructors would be unable to meet academic and workforce training objectives if they did not implement STEM learning opportunities on a daily basis. STEM education is what we do!
3.5.A Evidence of STEM Integration
Tape reading project for construction one..docx3.5.D Finished PBL Unit Tape Measure (see initial plans in 1.3.G)
3.5.E Entry Video for PBL Unit Tape Measure
Dental Students Share Their Knowledge with Preschool Students.pdf3.5.F Dental_Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Unit Implementation
Area 31 Career Center proudly serves students from the following Indiana high schools: Avon, Ben Davis, Brownsburg, Cascade, Danville, Decatur Central, Monrovia, Mooresville, Plainfield, Speedway, & Tri-West
Report abuse