In late July and early August, 85 students and teachers from Maine’s year-round islands and remote coastal communities explored fundamental information technology and database-management skills at the Island Institute’s second annual Community for Rural Education, Stewardship, and Technology (CREST) Summer Institutes.
Designed to provide high-level technology training in an intensive residential format, each of the two one-week sessions challenged participants to absorb a lot in a short period of time.
They also had to ignore — outside of scheduled breaks for games and other outdoor activities — the gorgeous Maine summer days unfolding around them at the Schoodic Education and Research Center in Winter Harbor.
Did they have fun? According to the surveys that participants completed at the end of each week, the answer is a resounding “YES!”
Here’s what some of them had to say:
“It was awesome! Make it two weeks next year!”
“I could actually do this in the classroom.”
“I had access to plenty of help. I had all my questions answered. It was fun!”
The CREST team, led by Ruth Kermish-Allen and Shey Conover, packed a full menu of hands-on learning experiences into every day of the week for the 35 teachers and 50 students who came from 11 middle schools and high schools. Participants honed their skills in three focus technologies: geographic information systems (GIS) software and the use of global positioning system (GPS) devices, video cameras and iMovie software that facilitate digital storytelling, and web-design coding that integrates GIS maps and videos into a multi-dimensional online showcase.
All of these activities center on finding creative solutions to community resource questions and problems, and team projects continue throughout the school year.
The three-year CREST program is funded by the National Science Foundation as a way to encourage IT learning and stimulate interest in IT careers and higher education.
To learn more and to see photos from the 2007 Summer Institutes, please visit the CREST website at http://crest.islandinstitute.org. Or contact Ruth Kermish-Allen, Education Outreach Officer, at 594-9209 or rallen@islandinstitute.org for additional information.