This project will create the Learning Center to assist ITEST projects, both Youth and Comprehensive, in achieving their goals. It provides help in implementing best practices and building on achievements to produce knowledge that can be shared among projects and with the broader community. The center offers each ITEST project support with planning, implementing and evaluating. It models sophisticated IT practices, provides technical assistance, engages grantees in action research, increases opportunities, and disseminates research and models through networks in both the formal and informal communities.
The project goals are as follows:
1. To provide technical assistance opportunities and leverage lessons learned into knowledge. This includes selecting four topics each year for online dialog with experts. It includes efforts to address the special needs of women, minorities, and underrepresented populations.
2. To tighten the research/practice cycle and promote data-based decision making. This includes studying the effects of IT exposure and training in different environments and at different points in its life span.
3. To create a national presence for ITEST as a primary source for information on IT in STEM. This includes outreach to more than 10,000 practitioners.
4. To build grantee capacity to use technology as a tool for learning and working and to lead others. This includes web-based resources, collaboration, data sets and other expertise.
