San Diego County Middle School Teachers are invited to attend a summer workshop presented by the UCSD Jacob's School of Engineering and the San Diego Supercomputer Center.

"Managing the Environment: Information Technology, Engineering and Environmental Education Tools"

Monday - Saturday, June 23 - 28, 2008
Jacobs School of Engineering
University of California, San Diego

Workshop Description:
Come and collaborate in an environmental science initiative that incorporates sensors, IT, and an online multi-player game providing an appealing context to spark middle school girls' interest in science and engineering.

Our Goals:

* Introduce teachers and their middle school students to IT, engineering, and environmental science concepts that connect with issues in their own lives.

* Foster IT as both a friendly investigative tool and a facilitator for enhancing science and engineering discoveries through activities that can become part of the standard curriculum.

* Teach effective problem solving and collaboration techniques.

* Present positive role models of women and minorities in science and engineering.

* Provide appealing venues where girls can explore their affinity for science and engineering.

* Create a community of women and girls with similar interests and concerns about each other.

* Foster girls’ and minorities’ interest in pursuing science and engineering studies and careers.

* Support data collection and evaluation to measure the interest of teachers use of IT in their classrooms, and the interest and retention of their students in IT.


Participating teachers will:
* learn about environmental sensors
* collect data in a local environment with the sensors
* use web-based tools to view and analyze the data
* test an environmental 3D-video game
* develop your own sensor-based lessons
* tour UCSD labs
* enjoy an interactive & cooperative learning environment

What to Expect:
* Plenty of hands-on time to practice with both sensors and computers
* Curriculum geared toward every level of science experience
* Orientation workshop taking place on June 7, 2008
* Laptops will be provided or you may bring your own
* Refreshments and lunch served daily during the course of the workshop

Additional opportunities for participation include:
* Informal, peer-coached teaching experiences
* Monthly teacher support meetings
* UCSD student team to help incorporate your lessons into the classroom

Registration is free. Space is limited.

Professional development provided through UCSD Extension at a cost of $55 per quarter unit. This is a five-unit course.

Full participation in this workshop and the ensuing academic year program will provide participants with a generous stipend and a set of sensor equipment for their respective classrooms.

To learn more or to register for the workshop, please go to:
http://ties.ucsd.edu/ITEST/08/workshop08.html or send an email to: amason@ucsd.edu

Registration Deadline: May 9, 2008