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Coming Soon...
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These topics will be among those included in upcoming issues of the Action Bulletin:
· Technical Support for VEX and ROBOTC
· Virtual Curriculum Updates and Schedule
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Action Bulletin Archive
| Past issues of the Action Bulletin are available on the PLTW Web site.
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Welcome to the latest edition of the Action Bulletin, your source for up-to-date information and reminders to successfully implement and sustain your PLTW program.
There are several items that are new and require your attention: - Assessments are in full swing. Our Assessment Team answers your most frequently asked questions about logging into the Assessment System, recording scores and where to go to find assistance.
- You may now obtain an Autodesk Design Academy Term License Extension. Find out how this may impact your purchasing decisions.
- We've made some changes to the Virtual Academy to make it easier for you to find course-related content.
- For Delegates, June 1 is a key deadline for signing up new schools and programs as well as returning School District Agreements.
Also, if you haven't read the last Action Bulletin or are new to our mailing list, we encourage you to review it for details on the upcoming Curriculum Course revisions and timeline.
As always, your comments or suggestions are welcome. Please email them to Action Bulletin Editor Trevor Sparks. |
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Assessments: Information and Resources
| | The PLTW End of Course (EoC) spring testing cycle is underway and PLTW wants to make sure that you have plenty of resources available to you so your assessments go as smoothly as possible.
The Assessment and Evaluation page on the PLTW Web site is great place to find information on teacher training for the new Assessment System, assessment schedules and a list of frequently asked questions.
Here are a few of the more frequently asked questions our Assessment and Customer Service Teams have been fielding this spring:
Where can I get my login for the Assessment System?
Contact the Assessment Team at 877-335-PLTW (7589) and select Option 1 from the menu or send an email to assessment@pltw.org.
How do my students log into the Assessment System?
Step 1: Have your student logins available and ready to give out.
Step 2: Direct your students to open their Web browser and go to: https://student.assessment.pltw.org
Step 3: Direct your students to enter their site code, username and password.
Step 4: Click Go
How do I record Part C scores?
Step 1: Assign the Part C Assessment to the students that will be taking it. You can assign Part C, by selecting this option, at the same time you assign Part A to your students. Just make sure the due date reflects a "completed" status. View How to Navigate the PLTW Assessment System for more guidance.
Step 2: From the main page of the Assessment System, click "Score Items" and then GO.
Step 3: Select the students individually and add the numbers of points earned per question.
How do I delete an assignment or student if I've made a mistake?
Teachers do not have the ability to delete information from the Assessment System. If you require any information to be removed, please email assessment@pltw.org for assistance. Be sure to include the reason for your request to delete this information.
For immediate assistance or for more information, contact the Assessment Team at 877-335-PLTW (7589) and select Option 1 from the menu or send an email to assessment@pltw.org.
Also visit our Assessment and Evaluation FAQ page.
If you are having technical issues with the Assessment System, such as the system seems unresponsive, call 877-335-PLTW (7589) and select Option 2 from the menu or send an email to assessment_techsupport@pltw.org.
Another helpful resource is the Assessment Forum on the Virtual Academy.
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Autodesk Design Academy Term License Extension
| | In an effort to reduce the already heavy burdens your IT departments and extend the life cycles of computer hardware, PLTW schools now have the option to stay with their current, installed versions of Autodesk Design Academy (ADA) with a new option, the ADA Term License Extension.
As part of your school's annual purchase of a license, you will now have the option to extend the usage of your current version of ADA.
We encourage you to review the ADA Term License Extension Fact Sheet for details.
Key points:
- Autodesk has made this offering available only to PLTW schools in response to these issues being raised by the PLTW network.
- Before making your annual purchase of the yearly license from your local Autodesk reseller, consult with your IT department to decide if you wish to purchase a license for the most recently released version of ADA or the Term License Extension.
- The Term License Extension option may allow for greater flexibility for schools and their computer hardware needs.
- This option for a Term License Extension will be available for up to three versions prior to the most recent annual release version of ADA.
- Schools still pay the yearly lease fee.
- There is a 12-month expiration on the annual licenses. Keeping the purchases aligned with when classes are not in session, and when there are IT resources available (should they elect for an update), are important considerations. Autodesk typically releases new versions of its software in May/June.
- Teacher training will be conducted, as it has always been, with the most recent release of ADA. Training sessions will not be able to accommodate varying versions of ADA.
- The price for the Term License Extension is the same as the ADA package.
This offering applies only to schools with ADA and not to schools using only the Autodesk Inventor Professional Suite.
Please review the ADA Term License Extension Fact Sheet for further details. If you have additional questions, please contact School Relations at 877-335-PLTW (7589).
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Updates to the Virtual Academy
| | To provide teachers with a single location for all course-specific resources, we have updated the navigation for the Virtual Academy (VA).
Gateway To Technology (GTT) and Pathway To Engineering (PTE) teachers now have one location to download curriculum files and support resources and participate in course forums.
Once you've logged into the VA with your email address (remember your Extranet and VA passwords are the same), look for the Engineering Curriculum and Resources heading (just below Welcome). Click GTT or a PTE course name to gain access to files, support resources and forums from a single page.
Further enhancements for this summer will include resources for the fischertechnik robotics platform and the VEX Robotics platform.
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Reminder: Curriculum Course Revisions
| | Last week's major item in the Action Bulletin was an overview of the Curriculum Course Revisions for the upcoming school year. We encourage you to review the details of these changes and updates.
To recap:- In December, PLTW announced a new relationship with VEX Robotics to become the robotics equipment platform for the PLTW program. This affects GTT, POE, CIM, DE and AE.
- If you are offering any of these courses - or plan to for the first time in the 2011-12 school year - it is imperative that you closely review the VEX Robotics Equipment and ROBOTC Software Transition Fact Sheet.
- PLTW schools offering courses that are part of the Biomedical Sciences (BMS) program now have the option to use Vernier Logger Pro software to support data acquisition and analysis. Please closely review the Biomedical Sciences Software Update Fact Sheet to understand the implications and your options.
- AE, EDD, MI and BI have undergone significant revisions that will require updates to your classroom materials. Please review the previous issue of the Action Bulletin for details.
- All other courses have had at least minor changes and the newest versions of the curriculum will provide the most current supporting documents and resources.
Key dates:- On June 1, 2011, the curriculum for Core Training will be available for download through the PLTW Virtual Academy.
- On August 1, 2011, the final version of the curriculum will be available for download through the PLTW Virtual Academy. This is the version to be used for the 2011-12 academic year.
- Please place orders for PLTW-supplied materials by June 30, 2011 to help ensure delivery before the beginning of the school year.
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Your To-Do List: Reminders for Schools
| | Submit Your Purchase Orders
- To ensure timely delivery for fall PLTW classes, visit the Purchasing Manual to order your equipment, supplies and software.
- Some items may take six to eight weeks to ship, so please plan accordingly.
- Contact Product Sales if you have questions or need assistance.
Register New Schools and Programs - Deadline is Next Week
- District Delegates: If you have schools in your district that are implementing a PLTW program for the first time in the 2011-12 school year, you need to add them to the PLTW Extranet before Wednesday, June 1.
- Also, if you have existing schools that will be adding a new program, you will need to update these schools with their new program in the PLTW Extranet.
- Contact School Relations if you have any questions or need assistance.
Signed District Agreements are Due Next Week
- In order for your teachers to receive access to Summer 2011 Core Training registration, your PLTW Agreement must be signed and returned to PLTW by Wednesday, June 1.
- Core Training seats are limited so don't delay.
- Contact School Relations if you have questions or need assistance.
Register Your Teachers
- District Delegates must add teachers to the PLTW Extranet in order for them to take the necessary Pre-assessments and register for Core Training.
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BMS Participation Fee Invoices
| | All schools registered to implement one or more PLTW Biomedical Sciences (BMS) courses for the 2011-12 school year have been invoiced the annual $2,000 BMS participation fee.
The invoices were mailed at the beginning of May to the district for each participating school, and are due on August 1, 2011. Schools that have registered for BMS courses since May 2 will be invoiced accordingly. If you have any questions regarding these invoices, please email Product Sales or call 877-335-PLTW (7589).
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