CUNY, College of Staten Island

This Discovery Tech project is proposed as a model for collaboration between colleges, schools, employers, and communities in the national effort to improve the transition from school to high tech work. It directly addresses the low graduation rate from two year college technology programs and the low rate of transfer to four year programs by identifying potential students while still in high school and by developing for them a curriculum spanning 11th through 14th grade which is academically sound, yet experientially based and work related through a combination of laboratory exercises and on-site apprenticeships.

Though apprenticeships, parental involvement, and special guidance play an integral role in this project, its core consists in the development and implementation of a curriculum that will adequately and engagingly prepare students for work in the technologies and for further study. This curriculum will be centered in the principles of fundamental science, but will emphasize discovery based laboratory learning in which experiments are always related to technology and involve laboratory techniques, mathematical calculation, computer skills and exercises in reading and writing. The curriculum will be developed collaboratively by a team of high school teachers and college faculty who will be assisted by an advisory committee representing business and industry and community organizations.

The project will undergo continuous evaluation. The evaluation process will measure improvement in attendance, grades, graduation rates, college entrance, need for college remediation, perseverance in two-year technology degrees, perseverance to a four year degree, and post degree employment. Dissemination will take place through a network of funded collaboratives in which the College participates; through publications and professional organizations; and, especially through production of the curriculum in a CD ROM multi-media format.

Leonard Ciaccio College of Staten Island 2800 Victory Boulevard, Room 1A-401 Staten Island, NY 10314 Tel: (718) 982-2325 Fax: (718) 982-2327

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[CUNY, Staten Island]

[CUNY, Hunter College]