Vision 95: A Teacher Improvement Program Gets Bigger And Better

This is an updated report of the VISION (Vision of Industry and Schools In Ongoing Networks) project based in Howard County, Indiana. The program, which aims to improve mathematical and science skills of K12 teachers, combines the efforts of local industry, academia, and the county schools. The teachers perform hands-on exercises at participating industries and receive related instruction on technical and curricular matters from the two local universities. The teachers receive a stipend and three graduate credits in education for completing the program. Improvements were made in the 1995 VISION project based upon lessons learned from the 1994 pilot. These included increased instruction time from faculty members of Purdue and Indiana Universities, especially in the areas of statistical control, quality management, biology, and physics. A second change provided the teachers more time to both reflect upon the industry experience and prepare the required instructional module. VISION 95 attracted more teachers, more industry partners and received funding from an Eisenhower grant. The major goals of the program continue to be increased teacher knowledge of technical careers and assisting teachers in preparing their students for technical education and careers. For Purdue and Indiana Universities, the goal of participation in the project is to attract higher quality students into the areas of math, science, engineering and technology through increased teacher awareness. Future goals include finding additional funding sources and expansion of the program beyond Howard County.