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APPLIED ACADEMICS
NEWSWIRE
Volume # II No. 11
February 23, 2000
Helping educators to bring the real world into the classroom
In this issue...
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THE SNOWBALL
HAS STARTED TO ROLL
AWAL demand gains momentum
-
WISE CHOICES
FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
Why your students need Career Prep and Applied Academics
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TAKIN’
CARE OF BUSINESS
CFAA and the BC Business Educators Association
-
CONTACT
INFORMATION
1) THE SNOWBALL
HAS STARTED TO ROLL
The demand for AWAL has begun
to snowball! Over the last month the number of Applications of Working and
Learning participants has doubled in what is seen as an unprecedented
surge in interest in this program. The AWAL program is designed to take
teachers out of the classroom and into the workplace to connect the
curriculum that they teach with how that curriculum is used in the work
place.
During the last month, over
150 participants have been placed in job sites including the Vancouver
Aquarium, the BC Cancer Agency, the BC Disease Control Centre, the Human
Performance Laboratory, the Vancouver City Archives, the CBC French Radio
station and many more. It seems that there is an increase in interest
among teachers and a heightened sense of the value of getting teachers out
into the workplace.
Heather Bolton, a curriculum
consultant for the Vancouver School District, arranged for 70 Vancouver
science teachers to visit science related job sites. "Most of the
teachers were really excited about their experience," relates Bolton.
"I think that the participants will always have an awareness of the
workplace in their minds." However, often this awareness forces
teachers to re-evaluate their classroom values.
"The teachers are always
surprised how important technical writing and teamwork are in the
workplace," explains Donna Palmer, the AWAL co-ordinator. "The
technical skills might get you hired, but the lack of communication and
interpersonal skills will get you dismissed."
This message was also obvious
to the 73 teachers from West Vancouver Secondary School who spent a
professional development day going AWAL. For these educators, the day was
a real eye-opener.
"We are a very
academically oriented school," explains Cam Kerr. "Our teachers
were surprised to find that employers valued the soft skills over
curriculum. Many of the teachers never realized how important
communication skills were to employers."
Are you wanting more
information about AWAL? Contact Donna Palmer at 1 877 293-CFAA or by email
at dpalmer@bcit.ca.
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2) WISE CHOICES
FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
Many students are choosing to
prepare for life beyond high school by combining Career Programs and
Applied Academics programs. These two programs are extremely effective on
their own, but when taken together they provide a powerful learning mix.
The students experience how
what they are learning is used in real world. CP and AA students are not
taught knowledge in theoretical contexts, but are allowed the joy of
solving real world problems. The results of this approach are quite
positive. Studies of graduates show that these programs dramatically
increased their enthusiasm for learning and their satisfaction with
school. The programs also contributed to a greater sense among graduates
that high school prepared them for employment.
By expanding learning outside
the classroom, the students are more likely to become lifelong learners.
Nothing encourages an openness to continual learning like witnessing how
changing technology and advancing knowledge propels the modern work site.
Employers, co-workers, teachers and peers model for students the need for
lifelong learning.
Lastly, students develop the
soft skills that are demanded in today’s workplace. Interviews with
employers highlight the absolute importance of clear communication skills
and the abilities to work co-operatively in teams. Both Career Programs
and Applied Academics give unique opportunities for these skills to be
developed and honed. With the essential element of Career Programs being
the work experience component, students taking this program learn these
skills on the job.
As course selection time
approaches, encourage a student that you know to consider taking Career
Programs and Applied Academics. These courses will better prepare today’s
students for tomorrow’s work place. Want more info on these programs?
Check out www.bced.gov.bc.ca/careers
and www.bced.gov.bc.ca/cfaa
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3) TAKIN’ CARE
OF BUSINESS
This last weekend, the BC
Business Educators Association took a long hard look at what Applied
Academics had to offer. The annual BCBEA Conference gave the opportunity
for business teachers to explore the role that they could play in
advancing TPC 12 and IT 11/12. Business educators were quick to see the
value and importance of applied courses, and were excited about the
possibility of having these course offered at their schools.
Diana Walker, a business
teacher from Fleetwood Park Secondary School, explained how her school’s
Business Ed. department is active in delivering Applied Academics. The
department is currently offering IT 11/12, and will be allowing the
students the chance to obtain the Microsoft Office User Specialist
certification in conjunction with their class work. Next year the
department has decided to assist the English department in teaching TPC
12.
This is but an example of how
teachers are catching the vision of applied learning. Throughout the
province, teachers of a variety of courses are seeing the unique benefits
of Applied Academics.
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4) CONTACT INFORMATION
APPLIED ACADEMICS NEWSWIRE is a service
of the Center for Applied Academics.
Center for Applied Academics
Suite 702 - 555 Seymour Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6B 3H2 CANADA
Phone: 604/412.7634 Fax: 604/688.5924
Toll Free: 1 877 293-CFAA
Internet: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/cfaa
E-mail at cfaa0010@bcitvm.bcit.ca.
****NOTE EMAIL ADDRESS CHANGE****
Should you have questions about the CFAA
list, please contact:
Bruce Deacon at cfaanews@islandnet.com
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