This section spotlights effective programs and teaching practices from universities, schools and districts throughout Arizona. Each exhibit has all of the resources needed to understand the program or project and re-create it at your site. If you have a program that you would like to include in Arizona Education please send us an e-mail.

The Conexiones Project - Arizona State University

The purpose of the Conexiones Project is to increase educational and occupational opportunities among traditionally underserved minority students through the use of technology.

Conexiones - The Power of iMovie
This exhibit demonstrates how the Conexiones project at Arizona State University has utilized iMovie to increase both educational and occupational opportunities among traditionally under served minority students. Students are assigned various projects that require them to fulfill extensive production and postproduction tasks in order to create public service announcements.

Arizona Classrooms of Tomorrow Today
Arizona State University West

K-12 partner school districts create classrooms that become Arizona Classrooms of Tomorrow Today. The purpose of these classrooms is to provide models of technology integration where interns, student teachers and other teachers can observe technology being used effectively. Practicum PLUS participants are encouraged to visit these classrooms.

A Seed by Any Other Name
In this study of growth over time, students will discover the many ways new plants can grow (from seeds, bulbs, roots and cuttings), observing the life cycle and structure of plants and the changes that occur as they grow and develop.

Butterfly Catcher
This unit is designed to help students understand the life cycle of a butterfly through hands-on activities, literature, cooperative groups, and direct instruction.

Jobs for Juniors - Helping to Make the World Go 'Round!
"This is an interdisciplinary unit designed to increase students understanding about the importance of service related jobs in our community. If used in its entirety, students learn basic economic principles, they define and differentiate between goods and services, investigate the many human resources of a community, conduct research about 'municipal' jobs, and create infomercials for their specific helper job in the classroom."

Media Literacy
In this unit of practice students will learn how to analyze and evaluate multi-media by creating their own video productions. Using digital video cameras and video editing software, and weaving language arts with technology skills, students work in cooperative groups to produce a newsmagazine for their school.

21st Century Leadership Project

The 12 Principals of Educational Technology: Exploring the NETS•A
"During the 2001-2002 school year twelve K-12 principals participated in the 21st Century Leadership Project, a professional development experience focused on the recently National Educational Technology Standards for School Administrators (NETS•A). This is the first of seven exhibits and provides an overview of the project and an introduction to the NETS•A from the view of practicing school administrators."

The 12 Principals of Educational Technology: Leadership and Vision
This exhibit focuses on strand 1 of the NETS•A: Leadership and Vision.

The 21st Century Leadership Project: Teaching and Learning
This exhibit focuses on strand two of the NETS•A: Teaching and Learning.

The 21st Century Leadership Project: Social, Legal & Ethical Issues
This exhibit focuses on strand six of the NETS•A: Social, Legal and Ethical Issues.

Generation Y Program

Generation Y: “Y” Students Are Working with Teachers to Change Education

Teachers agree that technology skills are important for students to have and use, however, many teachers are not adept in using the technology in the sophisticated manner it should be used. One solution is the Generation Youth program, or Gen Y. Gen Y is the premier solution for schools looking for research-proven method- ology designed to infuse technology throughout the school. Students work with teachers to bring effective technology into the classrooms and libraries. The resulting collaboration provides the students with project-based learning and the teachers with on-site sustainable professional development.

Project Venture
Project Venture is a $4.8 million Technology Innovation Challenge Grant focused on technology professional development using a coaching/mentoring model.The coaching/mentoring training model used by each Project Venture district is designed to meet the needs a wide-range of teachers and student populations. Consortium members include: Creighton Elementary, Kyrene Elementary, Maricopa County Small School District Consortium, Tempe Elementary Schools, and Tempe Union High School District.