Advanced Technological Education .

Welcome to the ATE Central Connection! Published the first Tuesday of each month, the ATE Central Connection is meant to disseminate information to and about ATE centers and projects, providing you with up-to-date ATE news, events, reminders, as well as highlighting new centers, projects, and resources. In addition, we will also highlight an educational topic with complementary resources found within ATE Central to help illustrate how ATE resources can be used in the classroom.

We want the ATE Central Connection to be a valuable tool; please e-mail info@atecentral.net with any suggestions about how to make the ATE Central Connection more useful for you or to suggest any information you would like to see in an upcoming issue.

In This Issue

Information and Security Technologies - Geospatial Technologies

From GeoTEd:

Using ArcGIS Pro to Open a Map Document (Chapter 2 of 25)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-wAHQakcJI&list=PLkV8CNVuB_rLK-WQbDHOMMCTJOylWSNfC&index=1&t=3s

This video, provided by Virginia Geospatial Extension, is part of a series of 28 tutorial videos on remote sensing with ArcGIS Pro. This tutorial demonstrates how to import a map document created in ArcGIS desktop. This video runs 04:08 minutes in length. The other videos in the series are available to view separately.

Each video of the series corresponds to a chapter in the Remote Sensing with ArcGIS Pro e-book by Tammy Parece, John McGee and James Campbell. This video series can be used in conjunction with the e-book or used as a stand-alone learning resource.

From Unmanned Aircraft System Operations Technician Education Program (UASTEP):

Palomar College – Course Outlines and Materials

uastep.org/course-outlines/

This webpage, published by Unmanned Aircraft System Operations Technician Education Program (UASTEP), lists the courses offered in their curriculum at Palomar College. Included in each entry is the title, a description, links to a course outline, and links to a Google Drive folder that contains materials for the course. The following courses are listed: Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Procedures and Regulations (GEOG 158/GCIP 158/GEOL 158), Introduction to Remote Sensing and Drone Data Processing (GEOG 140), Digital Imaging with Drones I (GCIP 168), Digital Imaging with Drones II (GCIP 268), Introduction to Drone Safety and Applications (N GEOG 900), and Small Business Entrepreneurship (BMGT 153).

From GeoTech Center:

Attribute Relationship Concept Module

atecentral.net/downloads/11657/Attribute+Relationship+Concept+Module.zip

This concept module, provided by GeoTech Center, briefly reviews associations between geographic features in geodatabases, specifically reviewing joins, relates and relationship classes. The module video describes what a key field is and how it is used in joins and relates. The video runs 18:07 minutes in length. Supplemental module materials include presentation slides and class questions. The PowerPoint presentation slides include instructor notes. A questions with answers document is also included and is provided in .pptx and .docx formats.

For orientation purposes RelationshipConceptModule.pdf is included as a separate attachment and offers a sample of the type of material included in this module.

Community Connection

Accessible Outreach Tips and Tools

Many members of the ATE Community are aware of the importance of creating accessible content, but how can you put that knowledge to use when promoting your project or center's work? Here are some quick tips and tools to optimize your web presence, social media content, and presentation materials for accessibility:

Format materials with accessibility in mind from the start.

Whether you are writing web content, making presentation slides, or creating an accessible PDF, consider the clarity and navigability of your outreach materials right from the start. To ensure that your written content is understandable to all, make sure text gets your point across in a concise way that is comprehensible to a general audience. Avoid using acronyms or jargon, unless you are writing for a particular audience who has familiarity with these terms.

Design elements can also aid in getting information across. When formatting text, avoid creating uneven spaces between letters. Be sure to choose fonts that are easily legible on screens, such as sans serif fonts, which are easier to read at both small and large sizes. When creating hyperlinks, use meaningful text that describes the content, rather than general phrasing like "click here." Format web pages with a defined and consistent visual hierarchy, so that information is grouped in logical ways that visually cue your reader on the relationships between content and the order of importance. In addition to layout cues, add headings using standard HTML to make navigating your site easier for those using screen readers.

Many softwares and web platforms offer tools that aid in accessibility. For example, Microsoft PowerPoint offers existing presentation templates for creating navigable slides. Presenters can also set slide content order, so that audience members using screen readers can move through the slide in the intended progression. This video tutorial provides a helpful overview of how to design presentations with accessibility in mind.

To find additional tips and tools for creating accessible outreach and dissemination materials read the full ATE Impacts Blog post on the subject.

ATE Success Tips: Websites

How to Find and Fix Broken Links

As many people continue to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining an effective online presence is increasingly important. One of the easiest ways to ensure your project's or center's website is up-to-date and easily navigable is to find and fix broken links, or links that no longer lead to the desired location. When visitors find dead links it may cause them to click away without fully exploring what your site has to offer. Checking regularly for broken links is vital, but it doesn't need to take up all your time. With a few tips and tools, you can easily integrate checking for dead links into your routine.

What is the difference between internal and external links?

To begin with, it's important to understand the difference between internal and external links. Internal links move users from one page to another within your website. These links are the easiest to monitor and fix if anything goes wrong, because they are all under your team's purview. External links, on the other hand, link users from your website out to other locations on the internet. Unless you are vigilant about checking external links, it is easy to miss when the page you had linked to changes or gets taken down.

How do you find broken links?

Some platforms, like WordPress, offer automatic link checking plugins, but there are other options to make link testing easy. A great alternative is Google Analytics, which helps outreach teams track the impact and performance of web content. This tool can also be used to detect broken links.

What is the easiest way to fix broken links?

Once you have identified links that cause 404 errors, it is important to update them. For internal links, simply find the correct page and adjust the hyperlinked text to join to the proper URL within your site. For external links, determine why the link no longer works. If the site to which you had linked is no longer active, you can either find an alternative site to link to, or link to the web archive version of the page. Sites may also be temporarily unavailable, so it is useful to monitor the situation if you're unsure why a link isn't working. If the issue persists long-term, you can either substitute the link as discussed previously, or remove it altogether.

Did You Know?

According to a report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 57% of U.S. workers earning in the top 60% have at least an associate's degree. However, higher education remains more common among "White (46%) and Asian (64%) adults," while only "21% of Latinx adults and 31% of Black adults," have an associate's degree or higher.

The authors assert that racial disparities in education cost the U.S. economy "$956 billion dollars per year, along with numerous nonmonetary benefits." In this report, they set out attainment targets for educational equity and estimate the associated social and economic gains.

To learn more about the economic impacts of racial disparities in education read the full The Cost of Economic and Racial Injustice In Postsecondary Education report.

Select STEM Education Resources

A few online STEM resources from outside of ATE, that you may find of interest:

Math Teacher & Student Resources

www.actuarialfoundation.org/browse-all-teacher-student-resources/

Founded in 1994, The Actuarial Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in Illinois, is dedicated to math education and financial literacy. In fulfillment of this mission, the organization creates and collects various free educational materials. At the link above, readers will find a wealth of lesson plans designed for grades 4-12. Math educators can use the tabs at the top of the page to narrow the lesson plans by topic (e.g., "Data and Statistics" or "Geometry"). Most lessons include multiple activities and an assessment template. Some are created in-house and available as a downloadable PDF, while others link out to similar educational sites (e.g., Scholastic.com). Clicking on a lesson plan also reveals "related resources," so educators looking to build a whole unit from individual lesson plans can easily do so. In addition to the lesson plans found within this Teacher and Student resources section, educators may want to explore the Building Your Future curriculum. Also available via the Free Resources tab, these materials are designed to educate high school students on financial decision making. The four-part series includes handouts for students and educators.

Introduction to Environmental Science: 2nd Edition

oer.galileo.usg.edu/biology-textbooks/4/

Published in 2018 by the University System of Georgia, Introduction to Environmental Science is now in its second edition and remains a great tool for educators teaching environmental science or studies and related courses. The textbook encompases biology, earth sciences, environmental policies, and resource management practices, and helps readers prepare for the "unprecedented environmental challenges," facing the planet. Topics are divided between eight chapters, beginning with an introductory chapter and then diving into topics such as energy resources, climate science, and water cycles. Each chapter begins with a list of learning outcomes, which help orient students towards concepts they should focus on. In addition to being completely open access, with options to view online (via the "Link to Full Text" button) and downloaded in its entirety or as individual chapters, the textbook also has accessible formats. Readers can download these versions in both PDF and Word formats, with optical character recognition (OCR) and auto-tagging. The textbook is authored by Caralyn Zehnder, Kalina Manoylov, Samuel Mutiti, Christine Mutiti, Allison VandeVoort, and Donna Bennett, with support from a Round Two ALG Textbook Transformation Grant

Alda-Kavli Learning Center

aldacenter.org/aklc/index.php

Based at Stony Brook University, the Alda-Kavli Learning Center, named for actor, author, and activist Alan Alda, produces virtual learning materials on the art of communication. With a focus on effective science communication, these webinars and other resources empower scientists with the skills they need to share their research findings. Scrolling down to the Webinars for Scientists section, viewers will find presentations about inclusivity in science communications, relationship building, and a primer on social media, among other topics. Led by field experts, most videos are approximately an hour long and include visuals and examples. Readers can also register for upcoming live webinars (note that a three-part "Willingness to Engage Series" is currently underway). Readers may also enjoy the "Science on Stage" series, a conversation between scientists and playwrights on connections between science and art. The Alda-Kavli Learning Center is supported by the Rita Allen Foundation, the Kavli Foundation, and the American Chemical Society.

Do you have some great STEM resources you'd like to share with ATE Central? Email us with your ideas at info@atecentral.net.

ATE Events

Upcoming Events
– Info Reimagining Innovation in STEM Education (RISE) Online
– Bio/Chem InnovATEBIO Biomanufacturing Workshop Online
– Info GeoEd'21 Online
Eng STEM Drones in K-12 Education Workshop Thief River Falls, MN
– Bio/Chem Biomedical Emerging Technology Applications Professional Development Online
Eng STEM Drones in K-12 Education Workshop Thief River Falls, MN
– Bio/Chem NSF S-STEM Grant Proposal Workshop Online
Eng STEM Drones in K-12 Education Workshop Thief River Falls, MN
Info Abstract and Paper Development Workshop (PDW) Online
Info Abstract and Paper Development Workshop (PDW) Online
Gen Evaluator Procurement Online
– Bio/Chem Cyberbiosecurity "Where Bio and Cybersecurity Worlds Intersect" Online
– Bio/Chem ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators (ASMCUE) Online
– Eng Global EV Advanced Materials & Thermal Management Online
– Ag/Env STEM Educator Virtual Solar Institute Workshop Online
– Mfg Virtual Teacher Summer Workshop Online
Info Abstract and Paper Development Workshop (PDW) Online
Info Abstract and Paper Development Workshop (PDW) Online
– Nano MNTeSIG Live! 2021 Online
– Gen HI-TEC 2021 Online
– Eng Automated and Connected Vehicles Summer Conference Dayton, OH
– Eng Drone Build Educator Workshop Schriever, LA
Gen Research on ATE Proposals Online
– Eng Drone Build STEM Camp Schriever, LA

For more events, please visit the ATE Central Events page or, if you have any upcoming events that you would like posted on ATE Central or in the ATE Central Connection, please submit them online.

To add a continuously-updated list of ATE and STEM education events to your website, use the ATE Event Widget.

News & Reminders

Reimagining Innovation in STEM Education (RISE) Workshop Series

As part of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) Convergence Accelerator (CA) program, IBM Researchers are hosting a series of workshops titled “Reimagining Innovation in STEM Education” (RISE). The workshops will bring together practitioners from various public and private institutions including institutions of secondary and higher education, industrial and academic research organizations, social justice organizations, government agencies, tech companies and startups, along with current college students to focus on a convergence approach in discussing and addressing four key areas: (1) support for advancement of underrepresented groups in STEM, (2) social and human good research foundations, (3) AI and technology supported education, and (4) data trust development.

The workshops are designed to explore each topic and identify the actions needed to inform the next decade of STEM education and research efforts. Installments are scheduled for May 25, May 27, June 3, and June 8, 2021 from 1:00-4:30 pm ET.

AccessATE Tip Sheet: Advocating for Student Skills

Being a good advocate for your students with disabilities when working with industry partners and employers just got a little bit easier! Check out this helpful tip sheet from DeafTEC and AccessATE on Advocating for Student Skills to find helpful hints and resources.

This tip sheet covers conversations with employers, affirming student identity, and more. To find additional resources that will help you support your disabled students, read the AccessATE blog post on Advocating for Student Skills.

AccessATE supports the work of the NSF-funded Advanced Technological Education (ATE) projects and centers in making the materials and activities they develop more accessible for all students and faculty, including those with disabilities. The project aims to increase awareness and understanding of accessibility requirements and provide guidance, tools, and support that offers solutions and helps achieve compliance with accessibility standards.

Request for Proposals: MentorLinks Colleges

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is pleased to announce a national grant competition for the MentorLinks: Advancing Technological Education program, developed with the support of the National Science Foundation. MentorLinks is designed for community colleges seeking to develop or strengthen STEM technician education programs.

Colleges should be interested in working with an experienced community college mentor who has successfully planned and implemented a major change in a high-technology program. MentorLinks colleges will receive $20,000 for the 2-year grant period and travel support for the project director to attend project meetings and national conferences (as permissible).

The grant's primary emphasis is on valuable networking, and opportunities for technical assistance and professional development. The grant period runs October 1, 2021–November 30, 2023. For complete information and to apply by the deadline of June 24, 2021, please go to www.aacc.nche.edu/MentorLinks.

Request for Applications: MentorLinks Mentors

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is pleased to announce a national call for applications for the MentorLinks: Advancing Technological Education program, developed with the support of the National Science Foundation. AACC seeks applications from 2-year college professionals who are interested in serving as mentors to work with a college whose faculty and administration want to develop or strengthen a certificate or degree program for technicians in a STEM field.

MentorLinks colleges will be selected in a separate request for proposal process and assigned to a mentor. Up to ten institutions will be selected as MentorLinks colleges and up to ten individual mentors will be named to the MentorLinks Mentor Team for a 2-year grant period beginning October 1, 2021, and ending November 30, 2023. Mentors will receive an honorarium and travel support to attend national project meetings and to conduct college site visits (as permissible). For complete information and to apply by the deadline of June 24, 2021, please go to www.aacc.nche.edu/MentorLinks.

AACC Announces New MentorLinks Opportunity for 2021-2023 Cohort

If you aren't familiar with MentorLinks, it is an ATE funded project designed for community college programs that do not already have NSF ATE funding and who are looking to develop or strengthen STEM technician education programs. Based at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), MentorLinks is currently seeking community colleges and individual mentors to participate. For complete information and to apply by the deadline of June 24, 2021, please go to www.aacc.nche.edu/MentorLinks. Feel free to push this information out to others you think might be interested – and if you have any questions, please email the team at AACC.

New ATE Impacts Book: Project Nominations Wanted

Work is beginning on the next ATE Impacts book, which will be published next February. The book features both ATE centers and select ATE projects, and we would appreciate your help in finding projects that have been doing particularly interesting and innovative work, to feature in the new book. (You can nominate your own project.)

You can see some of the projects that were included in the 2020-2021 edition here: ateimpacts.net/flipbook/20/

To nominate a project to be featured, please use the following form: www.research.net/r/projectnominations

For those of you involved with an ATE center, please note that you will be hearing from our project coordinator Ray Perry soon, as we start collecting your information for the next edition. Input from the community is key to making the book successful, and we look forward to your project nominations and participation as we put together the new publication.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. Thank you in advance for your help with this!

AccessATE Tip Sheet: Creating Accessible Presentations

During the pandemic, those of us in the ATE community find ourselves needing to give a lot of these presentations online, which adds its own set of technical challenges on top of those we already face when we present. Regardless of the content or platform, it's important that our efforts be made accessible, in order to reach as many people as possible. This helpful tip sheet from the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) and AccessATE offers guidance on creating accessible presentations.

This tip sheet covers accessibility in the process of crafting presentations, as well as delivering talks and best practices for accessibility following the event. To find additional resources that will help your team ensure accessibility, read the AccessATE blog post on Creating Accessible Presentations.

AccessATE supports the work of the NSF-funded Advanced Technological Education (ATE) projects and centers in making the materials and activities they develop more accessible for all students and faculty, including those with disabilities. The project aims to increase awareness and understanding of accessibility requirements and provide guidance, tools, and support that offers solutions and helps achieve compliance with accessibility standards.

AccessATE Tip Sheet: Creating Accessible Websites

The quantity and quality of online content is ever-increasing in most areas, including education. Taking extra steps to ensure your website and webpages are accessible, as this tip sheet on Creating Accessible Websites from AccessATE and NCAM describes, can make your content stand out and get it used more often by more people.

This tip sheet covers how to use headings to keep your website organized, tips for writing descriptive link text and button labels, testing websites for accessibility, and more! The sheet also links to additional resources that will help your team ensure accessibility. To learn more, read the AccessATE blog post about the Creating Accessible Websites tip sheet.

AccessATE supports the work of the NSF-funded Advanced Technological Education (ATE) projects and centers in making the materials and activities they develop more accessible for all students and faculty, including those with disabilities. The project aims to increase awareness and understanding of accessibility requirements and provide guidance, tools, and support that offers solutions and helps achieve compliance with accessibility standards.

AccessATE Tip Sheet: Creating Accessible Videos

We use videos in so many ways in the ATE community; as part of classroom and lab instruction, for recruiting students, and as part of our outreach efforts to various stakeholders. And as we all use Zoom and other online platforms for meetings and conferences, we often record those events, creating more recorded video content. So how do we ensure that everyone can utilize this great content? By considering accessibility from the beginning, which is what this helpful tip sheet from the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) and AccessATE is all about!

This tip sheet covers best practices for creating accessible videos, from captioning to creating descriptive narration to selecting accessible video players. The tip sheet also includes links to related resources. To learn more, read the AccessATE blog post about the Creating Accessible Videos tip sheet.

AccessATE supports the work of the NSF-funded Advanced Technological Education (ATE) projects and centers in making the materials and activities they develop more accessible for all students and faculty, including those with disabilities. The project aims to increase awareness and understanding of accessibility requirements and provide guidance, tools, and support that offers solutions and helps achieve compliance with accessibility standards.

ATE Impacts 2020-2021 Book Now Available

Free print copies of the ATE Impacts book, to distribute on your campus, to your industry partners, or elsewhere can be obtained via the book request form. Interactive flipbook and electronic (PDF) versions of the ATE Impacts book are also available for viewing and download on the ATE Impacts website. Feel free to distribute copies of the virtual ATE Impacts book to campus colleagues, to your industry partners, or to other stakeholders.

ATE Central Social Media Directory

Looking to jump-start your project's or center's outreach efforts? Take some inspiration from others in the ATE community!

The ATE Central Social Media Directory offers an online compilation of all the ATE projects and centers who have social media profiles, as well as some ATE partners and collaborators. This resource provides an easy way to learn best social media practices, forge professional connections, and stay in touch with the ATE community.

For additional guidance on outreach and building a social media presence, check out the ATE Outreach Kit.

Mentor-Connect Coffee Breaks

A new Mentor-Connect resource for prospective grantees is now available. These short tidbits of guidance and advice are called "Coffee Breaks."

Mentor Connect Coffee Breaks provide quick answers to frequently asked questions that arise while working on and preparing to submit an NSF ATE proposal. Tips for project management are included, too, such as preparing reports for NSF. Each presentation is less than 10 minutes and addresses a specific topic or question you may have. Coffee Break advice is available in the Mentor-Connect Library, www.Mentor-Connect.org

Under Find A Resource, select Webinars, then type "Coffee Break" in the search function at the top of the page.

New Student Success Story Videos in the Works

As part of ATE Central's most recent funding we are looking to create a second round of our Student Success Story videos. There will be fifteen new videos in this series and we are actively looking for a diverse set of ATE students with engaging stories and successes to feature.

Do you have a student who you think might fit the bill? Fill out this short survey to tell us about them! Vox Television will be producing these new videos for the community; production will begin in late fall and continue over the next two years.

We look forward to working with you on this exciting project and featuring these and other videos from the whole community on the ATE Central portal. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions about the video series or our other tools and services.

Would you like copies of the ATE Impacts book?

Book orders and general inquiries about ATE Impacts 2018-2019: Twenty-Five Years of Advancing Technician Education can be emailed to info@ateimpacts.net.

Archiving your deliverables with ATE Central is now easier than ever!

Upload your curriculum, professional development materials, or other deliverables created with ATE funding directly to the ATE Central resource portal via the new archive submission form.

Can CWIS software help support your project goals?

CWIS is open source software, created with NSF funding, that can help your project or center showcase resources online. It's free and very easy to use. The latest version (CWIS 4.1.1) was released on and is available for download on the Scout site. Please email cwis@scout.wisc.edu if you have any questions or would like a quick tour of its features!

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