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Session 2653

TECHNOLOGY CONNECTION-A PROGRAM FOR PRECOLLEGE ORIENTATION AND RECRUITING

Karl K. Stevens and Sharon M. Schlossberg Florida Atlantic University

ABSTRACT

Recruitment of top-quality engineering students and orientation of K-12 students toward studies and careers in engineering are challenging tasks. One of the ways the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) College of Engineering is working to meet these challenges is through its Technology Connection (TC) summer program for middle and high school students and teachers. Now in its fourteenth year, the TC program has enjoyed many successes and has achieved widespread rec- ognition for its efforts to cultivate and stimulate secondary student and teacher interest in sci- ence, mathematics, engineering and technology (SMET). Program goals and objectives, organization, activities, staffing, funding, and cost-benefits are described in this paper. Addi- tional information is available from the TC web site at http://tcn.cse.fau.edu/homepage/tc.html.

INTRODUCTION

The Technology Connection program evolved around certain elements believed to be key to en- couragement of students to pursue studies in engineering and computer science1. These elements include:

• Emphasis on the importance of studies in the prerequisite areas of mathematics and sci- ence. • Ability to place mathematics and science concepts into the context of real world prob- lems. • Enhanced understanding of today’s technological world. • Opportunities to work with state-of-the-art equipment not available in secondary schools. • Hands-on experience with engineering and computer science. • Support of skilled, motivated teachers.

Technology Connection originated in 1983 as a small (12-15 participants) summer enrichment program for high school students. By 1992, the program had been extended to middle school students and the number of participants had grown to some 100-120 students each year. At that time, a teacher education and training component was added and the Technology Connection name was adopted. To date, some one thousand students and one hundred teachers have partici- pated in the TC program.

1 Computer Science is offered within the College of Engineering at Florida Atlantic University.

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Schlossberg, S. M. (1998, June), Technology Connection A Program For Precollege Orientation And Recruiting Paper presented at 1998 Annual Conference, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/1-2--7468