Colleagues, Please join us for this discussion tomorrow if you can. We want to discuss whether there might be opportunities for you to conduct your research at CAST Tech. Michael, Monica and Carmen See the attached flyer and prior email by Dean DelliCarpini below for additional details. Invite to Join Open Discussion of Research Opportunities at CAST Tech HS Friday, Oct 12, from 11 am -12 pm in the Student Union, Ash Room 2.03.06. From: <coehd-bounces(a)lists.sis.utsa.edu&gt; on behalf of "Carmen H. Fies" <Carmen.Fies(a)utsa.edu&gt; Date: Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 1:07 PM To: &quot;COEHD(a)lists.sis.utsa.edu&quot; <COEHD(a)lists.sis.utsa.edu&gt; Subject: [Coehd] Research Opportunities at CAST Tech HS Dear colleagues, This Friday, Oct 12, from 11-12 pm, we will be at the Main Campus (Student Union, Ash Room 2.03.06). Research opportunities include aspects of the administrative experience, the teachers' practice and professional development, as well as the students’ experiences. Looking forward to seeing you there, Carmen Fies, Ph.D. Associate Professor, STEM Education & Instructional Technology, COEHD-Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching Associate Professor, Chemistry Education, COS-Department of Chemistry Professor-in-Residence, CAST Tech/UTSA Lab School Co-Director, UTeachSA Director, Center for Military Families EARLIER EMAIL: Dear Colleagues, As you know, we are entering our second year of partnership with the CAST Tech high school and have developed a strong foundation upon which to continue building the partnership. One of the outcomes is research, and Dr. Fies, after spending the last year in the school, has collaboratively developed the following areas of focus within the school and partnership project. We have scheduled an organizational meeting where faculty interested in the identified topics can meet to discuss the possibilities and opportunities that exist within the identified topics for faculty research. 1604 Campus: Friday, Oct 12, 11 am – noon Student Union, Ash Room 2.03.06 DTC: Friday, Oct 12, 1-2 pm Durango Building, room 1.124B Please join the group to hear more about the topics below, and to generate research project ideas associated with them, and for Dr. Karcher, Dr. Monica Trevino, and Raitza Garcia to provide ideas and resources for potential funding opportunities. Systems Context: CAST Tech HS is an in-district charter school in the San Antonio Independent School District; to a large extent, it follows the programs and requirements of the district, but also enjoys some freedom. It is the first of 10 such schools, each with a different focus. Heavily funded by local business and industry, CAST Tech HS is tightly connected with industry partners who frequently are present on the campus and also offer students’ opportunities to work in their business locations. The school model rests on four pillars of learning; specifically, the approach centers on learning that is project-based, work-based, blended, and personalized. In the first year of its existence, only freshmen were taking classes at the school.CAST Tech HS administrators, faculty, and students have engaged in defining a school identity, in determining core expectations, and in establishing overarching ‘rules of engagement’ that are constants across the disciplines; In short, everyone at the school was a dedicated participant in defining school culture. Teacher Experience: CAST Tech HS hires new teachers each year to accommodate growth related to adding one grade level each year over four years. They come from different districts and not only navigate the landscape of a new school and district per se, but also need to adjust to a fundamentally different philosophical orientation at the school. All of the teachers on site in the first year collaborated in a highly effective manner by negotiating meanings and processes, and each compromising where necessary. In the first year, the project-based lens was only occasionally applied to cross-disciplinary projects as each teacher was heavily involved in pressing groundwork. Student Experience: Half of new students are from the district the school is located in; the other half come from other districts. There is a disparity in prior preparation that leads to academic challenges; while some students feel overwhelmed, others feel not challenged enough. However, all of the students struggled to some degree with the different format of learning at CAST Tech HS, and with taking more ownership of their own learning. What follows are general strands of research opportunities at the CAST Tech HS. They are presented in three categories that are, however, not mutually exclusive. 1. SYSTEMS: * What are the mediating factors supporting the development of a unique school model that rests on a strong partnership between a school district, industry, and university partners? * How do mature bureaucracies negotiate the partnership? * How well does the partnership work? * Partnership evaluation 1. TEACHERS: * What are the needs of new teachers at the school, and how are they met, if at all? * How do teachers negotiate cross-disciplinary themes for larger project-based learning experiences? * In what ways does professional development through action research support teachers in their professional growth in this particular context? * What are the effects on pre-service teachers in this clinical setting versus traditionally prepared candidates? 1. STUDENTS: * How do students negotiate the transition from their prior schools to the CAST Tech HS? * What are the learning experiences that lead to lasting improvements in critical thinking and problem-solving skills? * To what degree do career expectations influence students’ choices (to apply to CAST Tech HS; to select specific industry experiences; to select specific electives)? Margo DelliCarpini, Ph.D. Dean College of Education and Human Development The University of Texas at San Antonio One UTSA Circle San Antonio, TX 78249 T: 210.458.4370 F: 210.458.4487 Invite to Join Open Discussion of Research Opportunities at CAST Tech HS Friday, Oct 12, at 11 am ; we will be at the Main Campus (Student Union, Ash Room 2.03.06) Forwarded information by: Michael J. Karcher, Ed.D., Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research Professor of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development The University of Texas at San Antonio 501 Cesar Chavez Blvd., Suite DB 4.337 (DT), San Antonio, TX 78207 MB 3.476 (Main Campus) michael.karcher@utsa.edu<mailto:michael.karcher@utsa.edu> (210) 458-2032; 458-2650 (department) Monica Trevino, Ph.D., Senior Grant Development Coordinator College of Education and Human Development The University of Texas at San Antonio MB 3.464 Monica.trevino3@utsa.edu<mailto:Monica.trevino3@utsa.edu> (210) 458-4806; (210) 458-4487 Fax Downtown office hours: Thursdays DB 4.226