Working Connections
Did You Miss These Posts From 2017?
As 2017 comes to a close, the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) wanted to take a moment to look back at the many topics and events and resources covered in its blog. In 2017, the National CTC posted over 40 blog entries. Using Google Analytics, the 15 posts below were identified as the most popular…
Read MoreTeam-based Learning: Can it help your students?
The ATE Principal Investigators conference each fall gathers together ATE project and center grantees for a “family reunion” to share resources and develop new collaborations. Staff and faculty from the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) attended the conference last month and participated on a number of panels and roundtable to disseminate best practices. CTC staff…
Read MoreTake Advantage of Grant Opportunities
Twice a year, the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) convenes a special web meeting for its Convergence College Network (CCN) community of practice that is designed specifically to address the unique needs of administrators. The CTC works mostly with faculty members, but some grant goals look beyond the classroom and involve perspectives of department chairs,…
Read MoreGetting Attention at Conference Booths
When the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) attends education conferences to disseminate best practices and resources, in addition to breakout session presentations, there is almost always an exhibit hall booth element. That is, the conference provides a skirted table and a couple of folding chairs around which the CTC can arrange stacks of handouts and…
Read MoreWinter Working Connections and Successful Online Training
For the third December in a row, the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) will be hosting its annual Winter Working Connections professional development training event completely on-line. When it was first offered in 2009, Winter Working Connections was an expansion of the CTC’s popular week-long, in-person, Summer Working Connections event that runs each July. The…
Read MoreCommunity Sharing of Curriculum
Four times a year, the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) hosts a meeting of its Convergence College Network (CCN) community of over 60 community colleges and universities from 24 states across the country. These meetings are one of the prime benefits of membership in the CCN in that they provide the perfect platform for resource…
Read MoreSoft Skills for All Ages
In 2014, the National Convergence Technology Center’s (CTC) “BILT” (Business and Industry Leadership Team – an engaged and dedicated group of IT industry experts that meets once a quarter to discuss IT trends, answer faculty questions, and validate entry-level job skills) recommended that IT programs weave “soft skills” training into IT every course. A year…
Read MoreSecurity Skills Gap Continues
The National Convergence Technology Center’s (CTC) National Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) has long emphasized the need for IT students to learn security skills. Indeed, the BILT urges that every class include instruction on security. Specifically, since 2015, the BILT has asked instructors to find relevant moments in IT curriculum to ask students “Is…
Read MoreWearable Market Continues to Expand
One of the largest growing markets in the “internet of things” is wearables. A recent Venture Beat article notes a sizable increase in wearables sales. It’s still a relatively small market, but for the second quarter of 2017, 26.3 million wearables were sold worldwide. The leader is the Chinese company Xiaomi, with Apple and Fitbit…
Read MoreTeaching the Internet of Things
Two faculty members associated with the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) recently delivered a standing-room-only conference presentation on teaching the Internet of Things (“IoT”) to IT networking students. Brian Nelson (Lansing Community College) and Bill Saichek (Orange Coast College) spoke to attendees of the 2017 HI-TEC educator conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Here are…
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