9453260 Merideth A City University of New York (CUNY) consortium comprised of its two-year colleges and other associate degree-granting institutions, the New York City Board of Education and other public and private sector partners, seeks an NSF planning grant to develop a National Center of Excellence for Advanced Technological Education (ATE). Over the next year, our consortium will work with outside experts and enabling organizations to refine the scope and activities of the National Center. Center goals are: to establish a stronger national presence for ATE in the region and nation; to develop innovative ATE collaborations with business and industry in order to respond more effectively to technological workplace needs; and to take leadership in the development of ATE curricula, program improvement, and model student support programs. Our National Center of Excellence will place special emphasis on responding to the needs of minorities and women in urban ATE. A planning grant will help establish Center governance and management procedures and to refine the Center's three-year implementation plan. Our proposed National Center would: (1) create an ATE National Clearinghouse which will conduct research, sponsor conferences, and develop regional/national telecommunications links among NSF ATE Centers and the entire ATE educational community; (2) establish criteria for the selection of exemplary ATE curricula to be produced in multi-media formats and disseminated through the National Center; (3) model ATE teacher and faculty enhancement activities and devise non-traditional approaches to in-service education; and (4) form a model business and industry collaborative providing leadership at every level of Center activities. Other cooperating organizations are Education Development Center (EDC); the National Center for Research in Vocational Education; IBM, NYNEX; and the Institute for Education and the Economy. ***
