Counselor Conference

November 19, 2013

Dr. Lawrence E. WhitmanKansas Affiliate Director, PLTW

College of EngineeringWichita State University

Pathway to Engineering Program

Foundation Courses• Introduction to Engineering Design• Principles of Engineering

Specialization Courses• Aerospace Engineering• Biotechnical Engineering• Civil Engineering and Architecture• Computer Integrated Manufacturing• Digital Electronics

Capstone Course• Engineering Design and Development

Pathway to Engineering Program

Summary of Program Requirements• PLTW STEM Agreement – 3 courses

– IED, POE, +One– Four courses for certification

• All PLTW courses require concurrent enrollment in college preparatory mathematics. Concurrent enrollment in college preparatory science is strongly recommended.

Pathway to Engineering Program

Summary of Program Requirements• All PLTW Pathway To Engineering courses are

designed as year-long courses on a standard 45-50 minute schedule. For schools with double period / block scheduling, these courses can be completed in a semester.

• Local schools will determine the PLTW sequence of courses they will implement over a four-year period. – It is recommended that schools offer the foundation

courses in the order previously listed (IED, POE, then DE).

– They can be offered concurrently. – It is recommended that students take the

foundation courses prior to taking EDD.

PLTW Schools Commit to:

• Train teachers to teach PLTW courses• Train counselors to counsel students about

PLTW courses• Meet minimum PLTW requirements for

equipment and software for PLTW classrooms

School Certification• The primary purpose of the certification

program is to ensure the implementation of a high-quality PLTW program.

• Under the PLTW/School Agreement– High schools must be re-certified every five years– Schools must be certified in order for students to

receive college credit for PLTW courses

• Certification Process– Self-assessment– Site visit– Classroom/Portfolio Review

Four or Three Courses?

• Schools or sites electing to offer the minimum of three courses are not eligible for certification but are still subject to quality and/or technical assistance visits required by PLTW state leadership teams

Steps to Certification – Step 1 Meet the following requirements:

• The school’s PLTW courses are taught by teachers who have successfully completed PLTW Core Training sessions for each course they are teaching.

• The PLTW classroom equipment and software meets or exceeds PLTW specifications as outlined in the Purchasing Manual.

• All students enrolled in PLTW courses are also concurrently enrolled in appropriate grade level mathematics and science courses.

• A Partnership Team is in place that supports the program and meets on a regular basis with a specific agenda and goals to accomplish.

• At least one school counselor must have attended a PLTW Counselor Conference for training.

• An implementation and sustainability plan are in place for the program.

Steps to Certification – Step 2 and 3

• Step 2: Complete the Self Assessment:– Complete the Engineering Self Assessment or Biomedical

Sciences Self Assessment and submit it to PLTW at least two months prior to the desired site visit date.

• Step 3: Schedule your site visit:– Once your Self Assessment has been completed and returned to

PLTW, it will be forwarded to the appropriate state certification team. Following a review, the state certification team will contact the school to schedule a site visit.

Documents

• Forms do not need to be completed prior to the site visit.

• A copy of the completed Self Assessment (see step 2).

• Site visit schedule (View a SAMPLE Site Visit Schedule)

• A map of the school highlighting PLTW classrooms and teacher names.

• Copies of all teacher and counselor PLTW Core Training certifications.

• Site Visit Interview Guide (View SAMPLE Interview Questions).

• Portfolio/Engineering Notebook & Equipment Guide or Portfolio/Biomedical Sciences Notebook & Equipment Guide

• Software Reference Sheet

• Engineering Site Visit Guide or Biomedical Site Visit Guide

• Visit Reporting Document (checklist used by site visit team during its visit).

College Credit at WSU

Wichita State University offers college credit to students who complete:

• Introduction to Engineering Design (3 credit hours)

• Principles of Engineering (3 credit hours)

College Credit Requirements

To apply for college credit at WSU, students must:

• Complete IED or POE at a certified PLTW high school

• Earn at least 80% in the PLTW course• Score at least 70% on the end-of-course

exam• Submit a course portfolio• Pay a $200 per course fee (3 credit

hours)