Pre-Service PLTW Lab Open House Scheduled April 6

(CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – April 3, 2011) - On Wednesday, April 6, 2011, the Pre-Service Project Lead the Way® (PLTW) Lab will open to guests allowing visitors a glimpse of a new facility where technology, mathematics and science pre-service teachers can learn the PLTW curriculum before entering the world of teaching.  In celebration of the lab’s first semester, an open house will be held at the Industrial Technology Center, Room 14, from 2:00-3:30 P.M. on UNIs campus.

Project Lead the Way® is a secondary engineering program for which students can earn college credit. Their teachers must be specifically trained to offer such courses. Most teachers train for PLTW after graduation, costing school districts more money. With this training, UNI graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) will be a cut above the rest.

“We are excited about offering this important addition to PLTW certification in Iowa to students in STEM education,” said Affiliate PLTW Director Doug Hotek.  “The PLTW Lab will give UNI students the training they need to be successful in the future, and with it we’ll be sending well qualified STEM teachers out into the work-force.”
 
A program featuring remarks by University of Northern Iowa Executive Vice President & Provost Gloria Gibson will begin at 3:00 P.M. The open house is FREE and will also include hands-on demonstrations, tours and refreshments. Students, parents, education and business leaders are invited to attend.

“This program, unique to UNI, will add value to our STEM teacher pathway,” said IMSEP director Jeff Weld.  “Now UNI joins the University of Iowa and Iowa State University in offering teachers this unique, hand’s-on curriculum which is already offered in numerous schools across the state.”

The event and the new PLTW Lab are sponsored by the Department of Industrial Technology, Project Lead the Way ® and the Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership.

For directions to the event, go to   http://www.uni.edu/indtech/ITCMap.pdf.

*****
 
The Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) is a state funded initiative led by the University of Northern Iowa in partnership with Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. IMSEP’s goals are to improve mathematics and science performance of Iowa students; to prepare more high quality mathematics and science teachers for Iowa’s schools; and to promote statewide collaboration and cooperation. For more information, please contact the IMSEP offices at (319) 273-2716, imsep@iowamathscience.org or visit www.iowamathscience.org.



###