the teacher in-service program in south africa

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The Teacher In-Service Program in South Africa

5 August 2006Cape Town, South Africa

Moshe Kam Educational Activities

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A Few Words about IEEE

IEEE is the largest professional engineering association in the world

367,000 members in 150 countries A 501(c)3 organization in incorporated in New York

Originally concentrating on power engineering and communications IEEE at present spans technical interests across the spectrum of technology

From nanotechnology to oceanic engineering

In many respects IEEE has become “the steward of Engineering”

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It all starts in Philadelphia… AIEE

In 1884 the Franklin Institute organized the International Electrical Exhibition in Philadelphia

The Operator, 15 April 1884 “The…exhibition would be attended by foreign electrical savants, engineers, and manufacturers...it would be a lasting disgrace to American electricians if no American electrical national society was in existence to receive them with the honors due them from their co-laborers in the United States." Thomas Edison, Elihu Thomson, Edwin Houston, and Edward Weston

AIEE’s First Technical Meeting 7-8 October 1884, the Franklin Institute

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Early Presidents

Alexander G. Bell Elihu Thomson Charles Steinmetz Frank Sprague

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A few more recent Presidents

Leah Jamieson Joseph Bordogna Michael Lightner Wallace Read

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AIEE IRE

Established 1884

An American Organization

Representing the establishment

Rooted in Power Engineering

First computers working group Now the Computer Society

Established 1908

An international Organization

Open to students, young professionals

Quick to adopt advances in radar, radio, TV, electronics, computers

Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers (January 1913)

1963: Merger of AIEE and IRE to create IEEE

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What is IEEE?

A membership organization

A major creator and guardian of technical IP

A mechanism to bring people of common technical interests together

both geographically and disciplinarily

A guardian of the future of Engineering

An implementer of technology-related public Imperatives

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What is IEEE?

A membership organization

A major creator and guardian of technical IP

A mechanism to bring people of common technical interests together

both geographically and disciplinarily

A guardian of the future of Engineering

An implementer of technology-related public Imperatives

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What does IEEE do?

Publishes literature in engineering, technology and computing

Organizes conferences

Develops standards

Gets engineers and technologists from different locales together

Organizes professional activities among engineering students

Educates the public about Engineering

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What does IEEE do?

Publishes literature in engineering, technology and computing

Organizes conferences

Develops standards

Gets engineers and technologists from different locales together

Organizes professional activities among engineering students

Educates the public about Engineering

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Why is IEEE interested in pre-university engineering education

Because it is in our stated and un-stated mission

Because in many IEEE Sections there is marked decline in the interest of young people in Engineering

This is bad for the future of these communities and would have a negative impact on their standard of living

Because we do not believe the problem is going to be tackled effectively without us

Industry does not appear to be able to address the problem directly Governments do not appear sufficiently concerned (yet) Other engineering associations look up to us

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What is the Problem?

Flat or declining engineering enrollments in most developed nations

Coupled with disappointing performance of youth in Mathematics

E.g., “free fall” in Scandinavia

Insufficient number of engineers and engineering educational programs in most developing countries

Asia is far behind Europe and the US in number of engineers per capita

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What is the Problem?

Women & minority students conspicuously under-represented

Public perception of engineers/ engineering/ technology is largely misinformed Resulting in early decisions that block the

path of children to Engineering

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Percentage of Science Degrees Awarded

41.8

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32.4

18.4

15.6

39.5

31.5

24.2

15.9

15

38.4

31

25.9

15.7

14.9

05

101520253035404550

1999 2001 2002

South Korea

Germany

Czech Rep.

USA

Norway

Science degrees include life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, computer sciences, engineering, manufacturing, and building

Source: Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development

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BS Degrees Awarded (US)

Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics

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Selected education statistics in South Africa

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Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, 1998

12th grade

Mathematics general knowledge (21 nations) Average score:500 ; SA last with 356

Science general knowledge (21 nations) Average score:500 ; SA last with 349

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/98049.pdf

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Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, 2003

Average mathematics scale scores of eighth-grade students (46 nations)

Top 5: Singapore, Korea, HK, Taiwan, Japan Average score 466, SA last with 264

Dropped 11 from 1999

Average science scale scores of eighth-grade students (46 nations)

Top 5: Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, HK, Estonia Average score 473, SA last with 244

Gained 1 from 1999

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SA – enrollment and graduation in engineering disciplines

University enrollment and graduation

02000400060008000

10000

Year

Enrollment

Graduation

Technikon enrollment and graduation

05000

1000015000200002500030000

Year

Enrolled

Graduated

Enrollment is small

Enrollment trends appear positive

Source: ECSA

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SA – number of graduating students in engineering disciplines

Technikons

0500

100015002000250030003500

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Series1

Universities

0

500

1000

1500

2000

Series1

Technikons + Universities

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

Series1

•Absolute numbers are small

•Technikons are up, universities are down

Source: ECSA

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Another way to analyze the numbers: number of new baccalaureate engineering degrees per year per million citizens (2004)

Country Number of degrees per million citizens

USA 468.3

China 271.1

India 103.7

SA 105.1 (w/ technikons);

36.5 w/o technikons

•Assume 500 CS/IT graduates in 2004

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Sources

Gary Gereffi and Vivek Wadhwa: “Framing the Engineering Outsourcing Debate: Placing the United States on a Level Playing Field with China and India,” Duke School of Engineering 2005 http://memp.pratt.duke.edu/downloads/duke_outsourcing_2005.pdf

Education statistics: www.ECSA.co.za

SAITIS: A Survey of the IT Industry and Related Jobs and Skills in South Africa January 2000, http://www.dti.gov.za/saitis/studies/jobs_skills/index.html

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SA – graduation/enrollment ratios

Technikons

0

0.020.04

0.06

0.080.1

0.12

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Series1

Universities

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Universities

Graduation/enrollment ratios are low

Technikon graduation/enrollment ratios are stable

University graduation/enrollment ratios are fallingSource: ECSA

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SA: distribution among engineering disciplines Technikons

Source: ECSA

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SA: distribution among engineering disciplines Universities

Source: ECSA

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Pre-university activities in IEEE

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Who inside IEEE is active in this area?

The IEEE Educational Activities Board (EAB)

The IEEE Regional Activities Board (RAB)

IEEE-USA

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IEEE’s Pre-University Initiative 2005-2006 New Initiative

“Launching Our Children’s Path to Engineering”

Objectives

Increase the propensity of young people worldwide to select Engineering as a career path

Build a sustained public awareness program, led by IEEE,

with broad support of corporations and professional associations

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Objective 1: Engineering in the pre-university classroom

Institutionalization of IEEE Teacher In Service Program

IEEE Section engineers develop and present technology-oriented projects to local pre-university educators

Emphasis on volunteer-teacher interaction as opposed to volunteer-student interaction

Ideally: a sustained program involving several thousand schools every year

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Objective 2: Engineering Associations, Unite!

Center for Pre-University Engineering Education

Ideally, the resource of choice for pre-university cooperation with Engineering Associations

Ideally, a multi-association organization With partners such as ASCE, ASME, IEE, SEE

It is about ENGINEERING, not Electrical Engineering

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Objective 3: Strong On-line presence

New on-line portals for students, teachers, school counselors, and parents

Educational and entertaining Focused on the audience

From lesson plans for teachers to games for children

Ideally, the premier on-line resource on engineering for pre-university students

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On Line Portal

Tryengineering.org

“Strong On-line presence”

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The Web provides us with high potential for reachability

A successful portal can become a major resource for students, parents, school counselors, and teachers

But success is difficult in an ever-crowded medium

Effort needs to be coupled with more modern tools

Instant messaging, podcasts

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What information is needed on line?

We met with school counselors and Engineering Associations

Need on line tools for identifying formal and informal engineering education opportunities

Engineering associations that participated in our discussions

ACM, AIChE, AIAA, ASME, ASCE, IEE, JETS, SAE, SEE, Sloane Career Cornerstone Center

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What information is available on line?

We conducted a comprehensive review of engineering education resources

By EAB and consultants

Conclusions: Many “Engineering Resources” are actually

focusing on Science and Mathematics Resources for teachers are largely inadequate Wrong message is sent about the nature of

engineering and the life of engineers

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From Collegeboard.com: Law

It helps to be… Are you ready to…

fascinated by the relationship between law and society

engage in intense discussion of thorny legal problems ?

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From Collegeboard.com: Broadcast Journalism


sharp of mind and quick of tongue

learn how to find and interview sources?

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From Collegeboard.com: Civil Engineering


A problem-solver who’s creative, curious, logical, and a fan of math.

Spend hours and hours working on problem sets and design projects?

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40





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From Collegeboard.com: Mechanical Engineering


A fan of science and math, a creative problem solver, and someone who likes to take things apart to find out how they work.

Rely on your math skills? Master difficult scientific concepts? Take on a heavy course load? Spend five years as an undergrad…

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From Collegeboard.com: Electrical Engineering


A fan of science and math who’s curious about the way things work

Spend hours building detailed, complicated systems

Try, try, and try again when at first a project doesn’t succeed

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Good existing model

Tryscience.org “Your gateway to experience the excitement of

contemporary science and technology through on and offline interactivity with science and technology centers worldwide.”

Science is exciting, and it's for everyone!

Partnership between IBM the New York Hall of Science the Association of Science-Technology Centers Science centers worldwide

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Next step – tryengineering.org Companion site to tryscience.org

Comprehensive

Ultimate Audience: young people ages 9-18

Designed to convey excitement about engineering and design

Can-do attitude Hands-on experience Positive image of the engineering process and engineering

“Discover the creative engineer in you”

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Tryengineering.orgA portal for students, parents, school counselors and teachers

School searchBy location, program, environment

Day in the life of an engineer

Hands-on and virtual projects

Class plans for teaching engineering design

Ask an engineerBrought to you by SAE

Ask a studentBrought to you by JETS

Games Summer camps, internship opportunities

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Unique features

School search

Ask an Engineer To be managed by SAE

Ask a Student To be managed by JETS

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Current status

TryEngineering.org is on line Please visit and provide us with feedback

We are having a “quiet launch” between now and late August

We already had several thousand visitors in the first week

Advertising campaign in late August – early September

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How SA students can benefit from TryEngineering.org…

It should be a relatively simple matter to…

Augment the TryEngineering University Search with South African school information

Create a page on university accreditation in South Africa

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The Teacher in Service Program

“Engineering in the classroom”

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Basics


Started at the Florida West Coast Section in 2001

Lesson plans in English and Spanish for teachers and engineers

Lesson plans matched to educational standards

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Basics (2)


Started at the Florida West Coast Section in 2001

Lesson plans in English and Spanish for teachers and engineers

Lesson plans matched to educational standards

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Activity Sample

http://www.ieee.org/web/education/preuniversity/tispt/lessons.html

http://www.ieee.org/web/education/preuniversity/tispt/slessons.html

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Rotational Equilibrium: A Question of Balance

Demonstrate the concept of rotational equilibrium, by building and testing a Mobile

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Build working models with household items

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Design and Build a Better Candy Bag

Lesson Focus

Demonstrate how product design differences can affect the success of a final product

in this case a bag for holding candy.

Students work in pairs to evaluate, design, and build a better candy bag

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More on the Program

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What have we done in 2005? Pilot study in Region 3 (Southeastern US)

65 participants, from 23 Sections, in Atlanta, GA

Whole day workshop on lessons, association with educational standards and working with schools

Plus half a day of a simulated TISP session

Feedback: multiple groups organizing training sessions in Southeastern US and Jamaica

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What are we doing in 2006?

A Region 3 refresher

Expand to

Region 1 (Boston, MA) Region 4 (Indianapolis, IN) Region 8 (South Africa) Region 10 (Malaysia)

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What will we do in 2007?

Expand to

Region 2 (Baltimore) Region 5 (Dallas) Region 9 (Peru and Argentina) Region 10 (Hong Kong, India, Israel)

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What do we want to achieve in South Africa ?

Create a sustainable pre-university engineering education program

TISP program Participation in TryEngineering.org

Reach 250 pre-university teachers in one year All over the country 600 teachers in the next two years

Make TryEngineering a popular resource among teachers and students in the pre-university and university communities in SA

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Questions and comments

the teacher in-service program in south africa

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