Challenge
Cyberspace Pursuit: 2009-2010 High School Design Brief
STEM Education and Careers
- Context
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses and careers require people to be literate in many ways. They must know how to read, comprehend and apply what they have read, have knowledge of their fields, do research, use problem solving skills, and be technologically literate. According to the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council (2002), “technology is the process by which humans modify nature to meet their needs and wants.” Technological literacy, however, is a more complicated concept. - Challenge Statement
First, design a series of web pages that address what it means to be technologically literate and what STEM courses are available at your high school and at various universities. Examples of technological literacy, STEM courses for high school and college students, STEM careers, particular websites, services, and other online activities, as well as associated demographics within the respective areas should be covered in your research. Then, in another series of web pages, define and describe how a person becomes technologically literate and how being technologically literate relates to STEM courses and careers. Choose eight current careers in STEM-related fields: two in science, two in technology, two in engineering and two in mathematics. Create web pages describing each of the eight careers, the preparation involved in each career, and the work responsibilities related to each career.
Finally, develop a web-based presentation featuring four possible future STEM career options and the knowledge requirement (education/preparation) for each. Be sure to reference the opinions of credible individuals, as well as formulate your own research and opinions. Your personal predictions should be supported by reasoning and fact, with examples provided of the careers that are now available in STEM-related areas and those that may be available in the future. Also, address the ways in which people in these careers do research, use problem solving skills and are technologically literate.
You may choose how to organize the required information within the boundaries of the competition rules – however, teams are encouraged to focus on researching and explaining technological literacy, STEM-related courses, current STEM-related careers, and possible future STEM careers. Teams that develop an effective and user friendly means of providing pertinent information will be the most successful. - Solution Limitations
The URL submitted must be a site designed by the team that features the solution to the design brief, the TSA chapter and the school’s career and technology education program. The team’s design brief solution and TSA chapter website (designed by the team) must be linked from this page.
For further details about the competition and important deadline dates, carefully review the rules and regulations for Cyberspace Pursuit in 2009 & 2010 High School Technology Activities, National TSA Conference Competitive Events Guide. - Evaluation
The solution must show evidence that the chapter’s Cyberspace Pursuit team has addressed the requirements of the design brief challenge statement (see above, II. Challenge Statement). The assessment rubric in the high school competitive events guide will be used to evaluate each entry.