I remember when I opened up my Erector Set on Christmas morning.  I was about 8 years old and I spent the entire day bolting together the stamped metal parts, taking them apart again, and trying to get the wheels not to fall off when I rolled it across the linoleum in our kitchen.

Even if they’ve never heard of an Erector Set, kids can still get that feeling of going from concept to design, to build (and in my case redesign and rebuild) by participating in one of FVTC’s Summer Experiences.  If you want to give a kid an experience that will last them a lifetime encourage them to build a robot, experiment with wind power, or design their own stylish jewelry.    I’ve included the links to our Summer programs below.  Hint:  Adults can look too… and if you sign up someone you know, you’ll get to experience the joy of discovery through their eyes. 

Registration Link:  http://www.fvtc.edu/summercamps

Explore on Facebook:

• Adventures in Print: http://www.facebook.com/events/140367036085857/
• Wind Energy-Basic: http://www.facebook.com/events/179264788852159/
• GirlTech: http://www.facebook.com/events/305953262798156/
• Wind Energy-Advanced: http://www.facebook.com/events/360565310644054/
• Solar Energy: http://www.facebook.com/events/333265723377882/
• Jewelry Design: http://www.facebook.com/events/360648497300853/
• Power of Mfg: http://www.facebook.com/events/393130760701361/
• FoxBots: http://www.facebook.com/events/303577189703584/
• Remote Control Car: http://www.facebook.com/events/401665309860643/

Today I got this wonderful gift… If you’ve been following (and waiting) for a new blog post about innovation; first, thank you and second, I’m sorry.  It has been much too long since I have paid attention to tending this little corner of the web.  But alas, today, I received just the inspiration that I needed to jot down a quick post!  Fast Company Magazine has published their Top 10 Innovative Education organizations.    Interestingly, the top vote getter was Southern New Hampshire University. They were primarily cited for the growth in their online programming, but what really stood out for me was the way that they described the “revolution” in the delivery of the coursework to students.  They said things like “competency based, self-paced, and multiple supports to students through peers and faculty experts”….Hmmmm….Let me get this straight, the MOST INNOVATIVE educational institution in the world is a compentency-based, student-centered institution with work-based learning led by industry expert faculty?  Sounds about right to me! Know any organization that’s been doing that for the last — oh I don’t know — 100 years or so?  

Check out the full list here http://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2012/industry/education#southernnewhampshireuniversity

I think that you’ll find we have a lot in common with those in the Top 10!

I recently visited FVTC’s new Tissue Culture Laboratory.  In this space, our students are using a sterile medium to grow new organisms from tissue harvested from a donor.  You might be envisioning students in the Laboratory Science Technician or Forensic Science program or students working with human tissue.  In reality, our Horticulture students are culturing  new plant material – African Violets in the photos below!  In theory, a single parent plant can produce an indefinite number of offspring via this method of propagation.   

This lab, which is unique among educational institutions in the state, helps to prepare our Horticulture program  graduates for careers in which they not only care for plants, but can generate new ones from as little as a snippet of tissue.  Graduates can then apply their skills as greenhouse and nursery supervisors. With innovative experiences like this, FVTC’s Horticulture program is certainly at the forefront of teaching and learning.

What new tools or experiences do you use to “grow” your students’ skills?  Share your examples with me here and I’ll share them in a future post!

First-person gaming – that in which the player “sees” the virtual world as though they were standing in it (as opposed to manipulating a character or avatar) is very popular for entertainment (see HALO or Call of Duty). Many of these games are labeled as first-person “shooter” because they focus on the simulated combat.

There is more to simulation, however, than war-games. In fact, Fox Valley Technical College’s Criminal Justice program and our Learning Innovations Team are building first-person policing simulations for law enforcement training. Beginning in January, fourth semester students in the Criminal Justice program will become sworn patrol officers in “Fox City.” As officers, they will keep the city safe by advancing through various scenarios in which they interact with digital victims, suspects, and fellow officers to appropriately handle a variety of situations. The short clip below shows just a snippet of what that interaction is like.

I get chills just watching it. Scenarios, even simulated ones, really do bring learning to life.  During the interviews, a series of questions pop up asking the officers to make a decision on the next steps. Choose correctly and the scenario continues, choose incorrectly, and feedback is given about good policing practice, adherence to department policy, and reference to the appropriate law or statute. Students can practice these scenarios multiple times and each ends with the student officers’ submission of the necessary departmental and case file reports to build the virtual case file.

How do you use (or could you use) simulation in your programs?  What learning objects or simulations could enhance the learning of your students.  Please leave me your comments.  I’d love to hear more about how you have been an innovator for your students.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts on more innovation in law enforcement training and how the Horticulture program’s tissue culture lab is “growing” in a new way!