|
|
Endeavour Academy
Program Description
Endeavour Academy is an Engineering Science Course Sequence taught at
the high school level that bridges the gap between math and science by
giving them both physical meaning and career relevance. It began in the
1995/1996 school year and has evolved to now offer a rich curricular pathway
consisting of engineering and traditional science, which increases the
numbers of well-qualified math, science and engineering bound students.
The three yearlong courses are a shift from traditional teaching methods
and combine physical science, technology, and engineering design to form
a new hands-on, rigorous curriculum that satisfies the demanding lab-science
entrance requirements of the University of California and the courses
are on record at UC admissions offices.
The Endeavour Academy teaches hands-on physical science, mechanics, electronics,
computers, and engineering design, as well as further developing mathematical
skills learned in other classes. Engineering is Applied Science and Applied
Mathematics! Endeavour Academy is designed to be your best preparation
for a career in engineering fields such as, mechanical, civil, materials,
electrical, aerospace, industrial, manufacturing, and computer engineering,
as well as, many new fields that combine these disciplines with basic
science and mathematical modeling. These disciplines, and others you
may be interested in, use applied science and technology along with engineering
design and mathematics in accomplishing an extremely wide range of jobs
in many different industries!
The Endeavour Academy lab has a computer for every student networked
together allowing for computer delivered instruction, simulations, lab
data acquisition, software application training, multimedia presentations
and programming lessons. The lab has been developed to provide integrated
science demonstrations, hands-on construction and electronic project work,
as well as traditional physics labs using state of the art computer- based
data acquisition. Courses for each grade contain many physics and technology
subject areas presented in a build-up fashion in order to achieve articulation
among grade levels. Primary topics are studied again each year at increasing
levels of difficulty and with grade-appropriate math content. Hands-on
projects are also sequenced through the four years of the program to match
the developing ability of the students. Projects require students to
work in teams and to develop documentation and professional communication
skills. The science subject areas include physics, principles of matter,
astronomy, mechanics, materials and thermal sciences. The technology
areas include a broad range of themes: electronics, computers, sensors/data
acquisition, machines, robotics, communications, spacecraft, rockets,
aircraft, materials/structures and design of new products.
The Endeavour Academy staff arranges internship jobs for top performing
students after school at high technology companies in the local area that
can lead directly to careers. The Academy holds many special events throughout
the year, including: field trips, planetarium shows, star parties, design
shows and presentations, and joint project work with university engineering
students. The Endeavour Academy offers a Saturday program for elementary
and middle school students called Youth Discovery Day Seminars. These
seminars change content throughout the year to mirror the activity of
the high school program, and are used to help raise money to finance hi-tech
consumables of the high school program and to create a pathway for younger
students in elementary and middle school. Local university engineering
students are involved in the preparation and delivery of these lesson
blocks. We also use this Saturday program as a training ground for district
elementary and middle school teachers. Following the teachers' exposure
to our new curriculum on a Saturday, they are paired with a university
engineering student for implementation of the block of instruction in
their classroom. High school students satisfy their community service
requirements by helping at these and other Endeavour Academy community
programs and events.
Three student areas of capability that we emphasize equally as we provide
leadership to students in developing skill sets for their future are:
Conceptual Understanding: Students understand and in many cases
can verbalize the broader "engineering science" (applied nature)
of the math and science topics covered. They are getting the "Big
Picture"! Students are getting the "feeling" for first
principles in physics, math and technology, and can verbalize them.
Problem Solving: We teach math as necessary within our courses.
We teach good problem solving organization and give students in-class
work (including Warm-up problems) and homework to develop their problem
solving skill. We form a bridge between their math classes and our classes.
Student performance increases in both.
Engineering Project Skills: Students learn the design process
of industry and work individually and in teams to build things using tools
and classroom instruction. They learn to give professional quality oral
presentations on their project work. They develop computer skills in
MS office products, programming, and use of some high-end engineering
software tools. Additional hands-on opportunities go beyond this primary
Engineering Project Skills experience to motivate and engage students
and to provide enough lab work to support learning and lab-science status
of our courses. Multi-media learning experiences also provide engaging
learning experience and build student capability.
Key to the success of the Endeavour Academy is the use of industry-experienced,
academically highly qualified instructors with exemplary teaching experience.
The instructor serves as program manager in addition to high school teacher.
The instructor from his or her background emphasizes connections of the
lessons to the student's future in the workforce. Students are counseled
and motivated in our courses. We teach with an entrepreneurial mindset
and an outward enthusiasm for the advantages that we are giving our students.
We lead them to strive for success.
If you have any questions, or would like to visit one of the Endeavour
Academy sites, please contact Dr. Avila at
(805) 473-4368.
|
|
