for the News-Tribune
Mineral County’s pre-engineering program, “Project Lead the Way,” has gotten off to a great start.
The program is still in its infancy (this is the third year of the program), but it is gaining momentum each year.
Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a unique program that features a series of courses that are incorporated in the high school curriculum by complementing math and science college preparatory coursework to establish a solid background in engineering and technology.
The high school program consists of four classes that offer students an in-depth, hands-on knowledge of engineering and technology-based careers.
The four courses are:
Introduction to Engineering Design™— uses a design development process while enriching problem solving skills; students create and analyze models using specialized computer software.
Principles Of Engineering™— explores technology systems and manufacturing processes; addresses the social and political consequences of technological change.
Digital Electronics™— teaches applied logic through work with electronic circuitry, which students also construct and test for functionality.
Engineering Design and Development™ is a research course that requires students to formulate the solution to an open-ended engineering question. With a community mentor and skills gained in their previous courses, students create written reports on their applications, defend the reports, and submit them to a panel of outside reviewers at the end of the school year.
This curriculum prepares students for challenging two and four-year engineering courses and college credit is available through the EDGE program.
Under the PLTW/School Agreement signed by districts/counties, all high schools must be certified by the second year
in the program and re-certified every five years after.
This process requires schools to demonstrate that they meet PLTW’s quality standards in professional development of teachers and counselors; the implementation of curriculum using required equipment and software; the formation of a Partnership Team, and several others.
All three schools, Mineral County Technical Center, Keyser High School and Frankfort High School were certified in the second year.
