MassTEC 2005 Conference

The key note lunch speaker was the Director of Test Development for the Massachusetts
Department of Education Phil Robakiewicz.

Phil Robakiewicz is the Director of Test Development for the Massachusetts Department of Education.  He oversees the design, development and production of tests in ELA, Mathematics, Science and Technology/Engineering, and History and Social Science.  Phil began working at the DOE 3 years ago as the director of science and technology/engineering assessment.  Prior to coming to the Department, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Biology and Biotechnology at WPI, where he had a strong role in K-12 outreach.  Phil's scientific interests are in the area of behavioral ecology and he has worked on many species including frogs, turtles, damselflies, butterflies and spiders.  He has also done work in cognitive styles of students and their effect on learning in science.

Session 1

Experience the NEW SCHOOL of 3D Architecture Design- Chief Architect By Richard Amarosa and Rich Woodfin, Tech Ed Concepts
Using exciting 3D design software from Chief Architect and Key Creator to create 3D architectural and mechanical part files and then watch them materialize as the NEW Z corp. # D  printers of choice for the classroom, as the fastest, most versatile and least expensive to operate on the market.

Standards Based Technology Activities For Middle School That Are Low Budget and High Content By Peter Manoogian, Winthrop Public Schools This workshop will provide middle school teachers with at least three hands on standards based activities that are easily implemented in a classroom, shop or lab settings.  These activities are cheap to implement and lend themselves to team learning.

Thematic Units Based on Videos and Internet Activities By Gary Magiera, Ph.D, Burncoat High School, Worcester
Thematic units in the areas of Transportation, Construction and Manufacturing Technology are taught in a computer lab.  This presentation outlines how to develop a unit, and covers components of five units currently taught in introduction to Technology.  Each unit(6-14days)sequentially lists experience, videos, worksheets and tests.  Additional unit topic will be discussed.

The Process of Invention and Innovation - Meeting the Classroom Engineering Challenge By Michael Bastoni, Plymouth Public Schools Meeting the classroom engineering challenge.  A hands on approach using math, science and technology tools for a purpose. Technology/Engineering standards addressed from grade 8 through post secondary.

The West Point Bridge Designer and the 4th Annual Ralph Salvucci Bridge Design Contest:  Getting Beyond Trial and Error By Reed Brockman, BSCES Outreach Coordinator/Bridge Engineering
This program, created by Col. Stephen Ressler, incorporates the actual bridge design codes into fun,easy to use educational tool, used as the engine for an increasingly popular online bridge contest.   After a brief introduction to the contest and the program, experienced users and will be teamed with those new to this activity.   Lessons  learned through this process and through the other program features will be discussed with respect to satisfying the Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework.  

Designing and Building Model Solar Cars By Tony Ruscito, Bedford Public Schools
This workshop will focus on designing and building model solar-powered cars with middle school students. Technology/Engineering Framework connections will be addressed.

Session 2

Field Trips to Site of Energy Production and Use. By Shawn Reeves, Energy Teachers.org
We will discuss field trips for students , grades 5-12, to site where they can learn about energy production and use, such as power plants, measuring sites, manufacturers, “green buildings” and even your own buildings.  We will focus on our local innovations and consider the history and politics that frame discovery and “Yankee Ingenuity.”

Build a Better Scale Model of the Leonard Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge By Stephen Van Voorhis, Sharon Public Schools http://masstec.org/lzbhbcontest.htm
This workshop will be an explanation and overview of the Build a Better Scale Model of the Leonard Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge Contest.  It is not required to attend the this workshop to participate in the contest.  The current model will be on display and attendee’s will have an opportunity to ask questions regarding the contest.

Solid Works, the New Standard in Mechanical Drafting By Mark O’ Bryan, Technical Education Solutions
Using Solid Works as the cornerstone to your technology engineering curriculum.  Offer your students the working knowledge of the leading solid modeling program with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) along with thermal analysis and fluid flow.  Also presented the first desktop Rapid Prototyping system on the market.

Legal Liability in Technology Education By Dr. Wayne Whitfield, Fitchburg State College
This presentation will focus on issues of legal liability in the technology education classrooms and laboratory  environments.  Differentiation between criminal and civil liability will be presented.  Three actual court cases will be used to illustrate the issues discussed.

National Center for Technological Literacy:  Teaching Resources for Engineering Technology By Christine Shaw  Museum of Science and Rick Merullo, Ipswich Public Schools
The Museum of Science is developing a number of engineering technology curriculum resources for educators grades K-12(Engineering the Future and Engineering is Elementary).  These resources are part of a national initiative to promote  technological literacy.  This workshop will offer participants a chance to view the materials, participate in a hands on lab and discuss strategies for growing our technology education programs.  We will also discuss the labs and workshops developed through the Power UP project and explore options for articulation to post secondary institutions for technology engineering programs.

Program Presentation to the School Committee How? Why? By Charles Corley DTE, Winchester Public Schools
You been asked to give presentation to your school committee. How should you approach this presentation? Why is it important to put your best foot forward? Information from the ITEA and NAE will be shared with the group.

Session 3

What You Need To Know Before Retiring By Harrold Crowley,  MTA Retirement Consultant
Learn what you need to do as you approach retirement and how to avoid problems.  Here’s an opportunity to get your questions answered.

Using Club Activities To Grow A Program By John Burns, Agawam Public Schools
Using the activities of a Robotics Team, Agawam has raised the level of technological literacy.  This has lead to an increase in the number of students taking Technology/Engineering in grades 9-12.


FIRST Robotics is now for Grades 2 Through 12 and Beyond By Steve Cremerand Brad Lauuer, New England FIRST
Find out how this international program can serve all the students in your school system and will allow them
to continue involvement for the rest of their lives. Find out what’s new and exciting in FIRST including the new curriculum and Massachusetts Framework links to Technology/Engineering, Science, Math  and ELA standards.  Hear about partnerships with Radio Shack, and LEGO which have created the FIRST VEX Challenge, FIRST LEGO League, Junior FIRST LEGO League, and the upcoming FIRST College Robotics Challenge.

Buildable Bridge Models By Brian Brenner, Tufts University
The presentation will include discussion of the Tufts University Buildable Bridge model project, with
demonstration of the project web site and construction of bridge models for presentations to K-6 students. The Zakim Bridge  model is the basis of the MassTEC contest.

School Safety and Emergency Development By William Stanwood, N Central Mass Tech Prep/Fitchburg State College
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Association(MEMA) is distributing a protocol outline titled Jane’s School Safety Handbook.  We will review the contents of this handbook, discuss school safety initiatives, consider careers in Emergency Management, and learn more about how to include more safety in your environment.

Paxton/Patterson’s Solutions for Engineering Education By George Herman, Paxton/Patterson
Paxton/Patterson offers learning systems for middle and high school engineering education.  This workshop will show how instructors can track  the performance of individual students on both written and hands on projects relative to specific state  and national standards for technology/science education.  It will also demonstrate how the multimedia curricula can be customized easily to meet district, teacher and student objectives.

The Mass. TSA Conference, The Ultimate Teaching Tool By Leo Carbine, Sue Sherdan, John Gionet, Stephanie
Silvio and Dan Sabourin
The 2006 Mass. TSA State Conference will be announced. Contests and activities will be described by Fitchburg State College Technology/Engineering Majors who conduct the conference.  There will be an opportunity for questions and suggestions. 

 

Click on any picture below to see a larger version

Phil Robakiewicz giving the keynote lunch speech	The registration table (glasses are required to work the table)
The vendor area	Don B and Joe R saying hello
Lunch	John B and Bill C snacking in the vendor area
Dave J	Action in the vendor area