Technician education focuses on preparing students for workforce jobs that deal with complex technical systems. Such technicians not only need to have specific technical knowledge, but also a strong base in physics knowledge so they have the competence to recognize, formulate, document, and solve real problems now and in the future; as well as deploy new technology. This project is conducting a series of three-day, intensive, focused, hands-on professional and curriculum development workshops/conferences and follow-up activities for physics faculty in two-year colleges (TYCs) and high schools who serve students preparing for technology-based or technician careers. Each year, four workshops/conferences are held at various TYCs with special incentives to encourage teams of high school and college faculty who teach physics or physics-related courses serving advanced technology and technician programs. Educators from TYCs, high schools, and colleges/universities, and developers from business and industry lead the workshops. The workshops offer effective technology integration, technology implementation, and learning strategies in areas such as microcomputer-based laboratories, digital video, computer simulations, conceptual tasks and tools, web and internet activities, group work, assessment of learning, and physics-related technician education. The workshops and activities are designed to: 1) help participants build and enhance their understanding and appreciation of the needs of students, educational programs, business and industry, and the workforce in areas dealing with physics and technology; 2) provide them with knowledge of and experience with recent advances and applications of computer-based technology, ATE supported centers and projects, assessment in learning, and relevant curriculum materials and activities; 3) equip them with the background and incentive to develop, adapt, adopt, and implement workshop activities and materials into their courses and programs; 4) prepare them to impact student learning in physics and workforce related issues; and 5) furnish them with ways and ideas for building bridges and developing working relationships between TYC and high school physics, technology programs, and with businesses and industries. The workshops facilitate the incorporation and application of proven innovative instructional techniques into classrooms by providing instructional training and techniques for a technologically diverse workforce. The project is improving the level of scientific understanding of the fundamental concepts, principles, and relations of physics that are critical to a legitimate understanding of the physical world and how it relates to the technological workforce through workshop materials applicable to secondary and two-year college courses throughout the country.
