University News
IL Wind for Schools Teacher Workshop June 13 at WIU
May 21, 2013
MACOMB, IL — The Illinois Wind for Schools (ILWFS) team will conduct the second annual Statewide Illinois Wind for Schools Teacher Workshop from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 13 in Stipes Hall on the Western Illinois University Macomb campus.
According to Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) Wind Energy Program Coordinator Jolene Willis, this professional development opportunity is open free to all Illinois middle school or high school science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educators who would like to learn more about incorporating wind energy topics with their curricula. Registration for this workshop will close Tuesday, June 11.
A background of the energy and wind energy industries will be presented, along with wind energy fundamental principles, lesson plans and methods for integrating energy and wind energy materials into the classroom. Continuing professional development units (CPDUs) will be offered to all participants, and lunch will be provided. Teachers of other grade levels are welcome to attend, but will need to adapt the information as appropriate.
Willis said the ILWFS program addresses specific Illinois Learning Standards goals in mathematics, including estimation and measurement, as well as data analysis and probability.
"It also encompasses specific science goals, which include inquiry and design; concepts and principles; and science, technology and society," she added.
Teachers will gain access to Illinois-specific wind energy educational resources, participate in hands-on lab activities and tour the WIU small wind turbine.
Matt Aldeman, senior energy analyst for the Center for Renewable Energy at Illinois State University, said the program's purpose is to engage Illinois school teachers and students in energy education, specifically targeting wind energy.
"We hope to educate students with the knowledge of wind energy principles, to position the next generation of career and technical professionals to enter the growing U.S. wind industry," he explained.
This initiative, sponsored through Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) grant funding, is coordinated by a partnership with the IIRA at Western Illinois University, the WIU College of Business and Technology, the Center for Renewable Energy at Illinois State University and the ISU College of Education.
For more information about the statewide Illinois Wind for Schools program, or to register online for the ILWFS workshop, visit www.ilwfs.org. For additional questions regarding the Illinois Wind for Schools program, contact Willis at JS-Willis@wiu.edu or Aldeman at maldema@ilstu.edu.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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