techdirections November 2012 : Page 24

© 2012, Kevin C.Rose/AtlantaPhotos.com ACTE Convention Preview CareerTech VISION 2012— What You Need to Succeed T HE Association for Career and Technical Educa-tion (ACTE) is gearing up once again for its annual convention, to be held November 28–December 1 in At-lanta, at the Georgia World Congress Center. The Association describes CareerTech VISION 2012 as “the most exciting CTE event of the year. . . . This dynamic event features a new format that is focused on what you need to succeed in your program, your institution, and your commu-nity.” The convention draws career and technical educators and adminis-trators from across the country and around the world. In addition to programming creat-ed by ACTE, CareerTech VISION 2012 will also feature sessions presented by NOCTI, the National Association of State Directors of CTE Consortium, the National Association of Agri-culture Educators, the Association for Career and Technical Education Researchers, the National Coalition of Certiﬁcation Centers, Tools for Schools, IVETA, Cengage Learning, MBAResearch, Apple, and LEGO Education. General Sessions General sessions aimed at all at-tendees will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, November 29, and Saturday, December 1. The Opening General Session will feature a panel of educa-tion and industry leaders, titled Business and Industry Partners Speak, that will allow participants to share their perspectives, concerns, and ideas on how CTE educators can help close today’s skills gap and build a prepared workforce for tomorrow. The conversation is in-tended to lay out the frustrations of business and the thinking of educa-tors and address the disconnects between the two worlds. Panel moderator Raymond J. McNulty is the chief learning ofﬁcer at Penn Foster, a world leader in distance learning, and a senior fellow at the International Center for Lead-ership in Education. Before joining the International Center, McNulty served as a senior fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he worked with educators on improving high schools throughout the U.S. He is a past president of the Associa-tion for Supervision and Curriculum Development and author of It’s Not Us Against Them—Creating the Schools We Need . An educator since 1973, he has been a teacher, vice principal, principal, and superintendent. From 2001–03, he served as Vermont’s education commissioner. During his tenure, McNulty focused on aligning the Department of Education’s work on three key issues: early education, educator quality, and secondary school reform. He is committed to raising performance standards for both teachers and students and to building solid connections between schools and their communities. Three panelists include John Barge, who graduated from Berry College in Rome, GA. He went on to earn a master’s degree and a special-ist’s degree from the State University of West Georgia, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Georgia. In his 22 years in education, Barge has served as a high school English teacher, middle school Spanish teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He also served as Director of Career, Techni-cal, and Agriculture Education for the Georgia Department of Educa-tion. Barge was recognized as a STAR 24 tech directions X NOVEMBER 2012

CareerTech VISION 2012— What You Need to Succeed

THE Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is gearing up once again for its annual convention, to be held November 28–December 1 in Atlanta, at the Georgia World Congress Center. The Association describes CareerTech VISION 2012 as “the most exciting CTE event of the year. . . . This dynamic event features a new format that is focused on what you need to succeed in your program, your institution, and your community.” The convention draws career and technical educators and administrators from across the country and around the world. In addition to programming created by ACTE, CareerTech VISION 2012 will also feature sessions presented by NOCTI, the National Association of State Directors of CTE Consortium, the National Association of Agriculture Educators, the Association for Career and Technical Education Researchers, the National Coalition of Certification Centers, Tools for Schools, IVETA, Cengage Learning, MBAResearch, Apple, and LEGO Education. General Sessions General sessions aimed at all attendees will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, November 29, and Saturday, December 1. The Opening General Session will feature a panel of education and industry leaders, titled Business and Industry Partners Speak, that will allow participants to share their perspectives, concerns, and ideas on how CTE educators can help close today’s skills gap and build a prepared workforce for tomorrow. The conversation is intended to lay out the frustrations of business and the thinking of educators and address the disconnects between the two worlds. Panel moderator Raymond J. McNulty is the chief learning officer at Penn Foster, a world leader in distance learning, and a senior fellow at the International Center for Leadership in Education. Before joining the International Center, McNulty served as a senior fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he worked with educators on improving high schools throughout the U.S. He is a past president of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and author of It’s Not Us Against Them—Creating the Schools We Need. An educator since 1973, he has been a teacher, vice principal, principal, and superintendent. From 2001–03, he served as Vermont’s education commissioner. During his tenure, McNulty focused on aligning the Department of Education’s work on three key issues: early education, educator quality, and secondary school reform. He is committed to raising performance standards for both teachers and students and to building solid connections between schools and their communities. Three panelists include John Barge, who graduated from Berry College in Rome, GA. He went on to earn a master’s degree and a specialist’s degree from the State University of West Georgia, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Georgia. In his 22 years in education, Barge has served as a high school English teacher, middle school Spanish teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He also served as Director of Career, Technical, and Agriculture Education for the Georgia Department of Education. Barge was recognized as a STAR teacher in 1996, as Georgia’s Assistant Principal of the Year in 2001, and received the Berry College Alumni Association’s Distinguished Achievement Award in 2005. Dennis Branch is vice president of human resources for North America, AGCO, a global leader focused on the design, manufacture, and distribution of agricultural machinery. AGCO products are sold through four core machinery brands—Challenger, Fendt, Massey Ferguson, and Valtra— and are distributed in more than 140 countries worldwide. Michael R. Wiggins is the executive vice president of human resources at Southwire Co. Wiggins began his career at Southwire in 1969 in the Carrollton Utility Products Plant as a steel stranding machine operator. He moved through various supervisory positions, becoming quality manager in 1979 and director of quality in 1985. He was named director of human resources in 1988. Wiggins was promoted to vice president in 1999 and to executive vice president in 2005. He is active in numerous professional and civic organizations, including the Society of Human Resource Management and the Alabama League of Municipalities. He has also served as mayor of Ranburne, AL. Saturday’s Closing General Session features Roland Fryer, an award-winning Harvard economist, education activist, and collaborator on the bestselling book Freakonomics. Fryer has concrete solutions for fixing failing schools in America and is on a mission to make a difference. Named a “Rising Star” by Fortune magazine and featured in Esquire’s “Genius Issue,” Fryer has noted that his rise to success happened “through the medium of education and through the idea of the mind.” The story of Fryer’s life is an inspiration, as he overcame a difficult childhood— including being exposed to drugs, crime, and parental abandonment— to become the youngest African- American to receive tenure from Harvard. Fryer feels that with the proper guidance and tools, every child in America can have an opportunity for success. Because of his personal experiences, he has dedicated his life to changing the odds for all children across America. His story will inspire career and technical educators and reinforce the idea that the skills and education they are providing are of real value. Professional Development Sessions In addition to the General Sessions, many professional development sessions, arranged by theme, have been scheduled for CareerTech VISION 2012. The sessions come in two formats: -Deep Dives—two-hour sessions inspiring action on ideas and practices targeting the goals of educators’ strategic improvement plans. -Idea Labs—60-minute sessions exploring new models, curricula, and partnerships that produce proven results. See the facing page for a list of some of the many available sessions. Career Tech Expo One of the most popular features of the annual convention is the Career Tech Expo—a marketplace of technology, media, and tools for all areas of career and technical education. Attendees will have a chance to try out new software, browse the latest publications, and learn about a wide variety of equipment and services for classrooms and labs. The exhibit hall is open Thursday from 12:00–6:00 and Friday from 9:00–3:00. The Host City According to the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, “Atlanta gleams amid glass and steel towers, but the heart of the South’s largest city is its people. Visitors are likely to be greeted with a big helping of ‘How y’all doing’ hospitality. Atlanta may have birthed Gone with the Wind, yet today’s big bustling city is more New South than old. This diverse population of 4 million residents is younger than the U.S. population as a whole and more racially diverse. You’re more than likely to meet folks who came for a weekend and decided to stay a lifetime.” The city boasts of a number of excellent restaurants, cafes, and diners, and wide variety of other attractions. Among them, the Atlanta History Center features 32 acres of gardens, wildlife trails, and woodland areas. The complex includes the Tullie Smith Farm (1840s) and the fully restored 1928 Swan House mansion. The museum offers exhibitions on the Civil War, African-American heritage, and Southern folk art, with a wing dedicated to the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. At the Andretti Indoor Karting & Games, you can slip behind the wheel of Super- Kart and speed away on one of two Andretti-designed indoor tracks. For adrenaline-fueled fun, take the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Atlanta Motor Speedway—an 870-acre racing complex hosting NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series events. Road Atlanta in Braselton is a 2.5-mile track hosting the Petit Le Mans, plus sports car, vintage, motorcycle, and go-kart races. The Fernbank Museum of Natural History brings the world’s largest dinosaurs to life and explores global cultures through hands-on exhibits. NatureQuest is a children’s wing that offers interactions with live animal habitats and promotes exploration of ecosystems found throughout Georgia. Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium is the world’s largest aquarium. There, visitors can discover graceful beluga whales, spectacular whale sharks, playful penguins, and aquatic animals from around the world. Visitors can tour the core of CNN Worldwide for an up-close look at global news in the making. A 55-minute guided walking tour offers behind-the-scenes views of CNN studios and an exclusive glimpse of news and broadcasting in action. The World of Coca-Cola features a multi-sensory 4-D theater, an 1880s soda fountain, live-action bottling line, and the opportunity to sample nearly 60 different beverages from around the world. Finally, Zoo Atlanta, located in historic Grant Park features more than 200 species of animals from the African plains and Asian forests. For details on these and other attractions, visit www.atlanta.net. Attending CareerTech VISION 2012 is a great way to enhance professional skills and knowledge, interact with other CTE educators, get inspired— and have some fun. For more information on the convention or to register for it, visit www.acteonline.org/vision.aspx.

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