OSMTECHFUTURES
Folks:
A little insight on significant issues for the Automation Alley meeting.
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/043004/loc_20040430071.shtml
blogger
http://www.freep.com/money/business/walsh30_20040430.htm
blogger
County's job market will stage recovery by 2006, economists say
By GARY GOSSELIN
Press Business Editor
TROY - The burning questions for University of Michigan economists Thursday were: "Has Oakland's economy turned the corner and is it returning to sustained growth?"
And the answers were an emphatic "yes and yes."
Jobs lost in the last three years will be recovered by 2006, said the economists at Oakland County's annual Economic Outlook in Troy, and after that, job growth will start setting records.
And, according to Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, the county's new Emerging Sectors project will ensure job creation and growth beyond 2006. The program was created to identify the top 10 companies in the top 10 emerging and growing industries and attract them to Oakland.
"It is a privilege to lead a county that's this dynamic and exciting; we buck all the trends and are leading in so many areas; the numbers are very positive going forward," Patterson said.
"This Emerging Sectors program may well be a Patterson administration legacy project," showing the potential importance of that project.
Although half of the 48,000 jobs lost since 2000 have been in manufacturing, 90 percent of the job gains have been and will continue to be in the service sector, said George Fulton, an economist at the U-M Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations.
But these service sector jobs aren't all flipping burgers and retail sales, Fulton said.
"Conventional wisdom views this sector as being made up of low-wage jobs," he said. "To the contrary, within this sector there are wide variations in earnings, including high- middle- and low-wage industries," he said, noting 18 percent of such jobs will be low wage but 40 percent will be high wage.
The only significant manufacturing jobs created in the next three years will be at the General Motors Orion Assembly plant in Orion Township, which will add about 1,000 jobs when it starts an additional shift next year. Other manufacturing jobs will account for about 200 additional jobs.
In addition to jobs already created, other service sector jobs created by 2006 will include professional and business services (15,200 jobs); financial activities (5,900 jobs); education and health services (4,600 new jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (4,400 jobs); and leisure and hospitality (4,100 jobs), he said.
From the end of 2003 to the end of this year, 15,600 jobs will be created, 16,400 through 2005, and 13,800 through 2006, he said. The unemployment rate for the county will drop from 5.2 percent to 4.2 percent by the end of 2006.
"We've really seen an upward trend in the last quarter, more people seeking (jobs), more interviews," said Jennifer Llewellyn, luncheon attendee and program coordinator at the Troy Career Center. "Employers are being cautious but are looking more."
It's important to keep in mind that education, regional cooperation and infrastructure improvements are vital in keeping the region strong, Fulton said, noting that Automation Alley's outreach is a significant step in maintaining and attracting the kinds of high-tech and high-paying jobs that will be needed to sustain the economy in the 21st century.
"(Automation Alley) started off with 43 members, then on its own merits started to expand, and now we have over 500 members in seven counties including Wayne County and Detroit - who'd have thunk it? It speaks volumes for this region and a new era of cooperation," said Fulton.
Better communication is also necessary to retain and attract young and educated workers, Fulton said, addressing the issue of "cool cities" being promoted by Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Youngsters just don't have a clue what's available to them in Southeast Michigan, neither professionally nor culturally. That has to change, he said.
"The coolest thing that can happen in Southeast Michigan is alternative fuels," Fulton said. "And in 20 years, it will be the coolest thing in the country, it will be the IT of today," he said, noting the Emerging Markets project as an attractor of those industries.
"This report is hugely positive, (job gains by 2006) puts us back at the height of employment before the recession started," Patterson said. " 'Happy Days are Here Again' should be our theme song."
In addition to the local numbers, Fulton and associate Donald Grimes, another economist at ILIR, projected Gross Domestic Product growth of 4.1 percent this year and 3.7 percent next year; said the national unemployment rate will drop from the March rate of 5.7 percent to 5.3 percent in 2004 and 5.1 percent in 2005; and 30-year mortgage rates will be in the 5.9 percent range by 2005.
TOM WALSH: Oakland looks for next areas of job growth
April 30, 2004
BY TOM WALSH
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
Oakland County officials are fond of describing Oakland as the economic engine of Michigan, with its wealthiest citizens and five straight years of leading the state in development activity.
But even mighty Oakland is not immune to the powerful forces of productivity gains and global sourcing that have stifled job growth.
"We're losing manufacturing work to Asia. That's a fact of life, we have to deal with that," Dennis Toffolo, Oakland's community and economic development director, told a group of county commissioners this week.
"Even some of our technology industries are going to India," he added.
In fact, Oakland lost more than 40,000 jobs in the past three years, according to a study by University of Michigan economists released Thursday. A modest bounceback of 15,000 jobs is expected this year.
So what's a county to do?
Well, get ready hear a lot about "emerging sectors" from Oakland -- and perhaps from Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm too -- over the next few years.
Fields of promise
Prodded by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, Toffolo and his team began working recently to identify the 10 most promising fields -- or "emerging sectors" -- where more jobs are being created than in older industries like, say, auto parts or even the last decade's darling, computer software.
Within those sectors, the top companies worldwide will be identified. Those that don't have a U.S. presence will be targeted for contact and a potential trade mission visit.
Initial research, Toffolo said, indicates that medical devices, nanotechnology and quantum cryptography -- a new way of securely encoding and transmitting information -- could be among the promising sectors.
Toffolo was surprised to find that industry leaders in many emerging sectors are foreign companies.
On one hand, that's an opportunity: Oakland County has become a popular place for foreign firms to locate; 629 foreign-owned firms from 24 countries are there today, compared to 389 firms in 1992.
To woo emerging-sector firms, though, will require trade missions and travel dollars. And Oakland's budget, like those of other counties and cities, is pretty strapped.
Toffolo's team first calculated that they could launch an effective emerging-sector campaign by investing about $656,000 a year for research staff, travel and recruitment expenses. But after initial forays to scout for funding, they've quickly whittled the expected outlay to about $200,000 a year.
Strategy on emerging sectors
Patterson and Toffolo presented their emerging-sector strategy to Granholm on March 15 in Lansing, to good reviews. Granholm promised support, if not money.
Toffolo has visions of Granholm leading the first emerging-sector recruitment mission, with Patterson alongside. In fact, a printed timeline for the campaign envisions such a trip in November or December of this year.
Granholm's press secretary Liz Boyd confirms that the governor is evaluating possible trade missions, and that Oakland County would be among the logical partners. But no firm plans have been made "that we can announce yet," she said.
There's no guarantee that a government crusade to court emerging-sector companies will create new jobs for Michigan. But it's a better strategy than pulling up the drawbridge, mining our harbors and pretending we can hang onto our old jobs by wishing that they be spared.
Contact TOM WALSH at 313-223-4430 or twalsh@freepress.com.
Best,
Jim
Friends:
More FUEL for your convergence fire in the Alley.
Hydrogen grants announced in Detroit: U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham Tuesday announced $575 million in federal funding for research toward a hydrogen economy. Abraham made the announcement at TechOne, the first building completed in Tech Town, Wayne State University's technology and research park, in an event hosted by NextEnergy, the state's alternative energy development and
education effort, which will be based in a new building across the street from TechOne. Included will be major efforts toward hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars from General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler A.G., and major projects at the University of Michigan and Michigan Technological University, and a fuel cell project at Delphi Corp. Detailed dollar figures for the grants were not yet available, NextEnergy officials said. But Abraham said the effort intends to make "a hydrogen economy is not just an abstract idea but is something real and achievable that will help us deal with some of our most vexing economic and environmental issues."
Best,
Jim
Hi Folks:
All the news thats fit to print.
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/042704/loc_20040427049.shtml
blogger
http://www.freep.com/news/locoak/ois27_20040427.htm
blogger
Best,
Jim
Hi folks:
Something to consider for your meeting on Friday with Automation Alley.
That's hardly the only sophisticated technology in the area around what they used to call the Furniture City. (Those furniture companies, by the way, built the offices of the dot-com boom, and have suffered badly in the bust, but they're still around.) Here's an example, released last week to virtually zero press fanfare: A United Kingdom research house, Robert Huggins Associates, announced last week that the Grand Rapids area ranked third in the world among 125 metropolitan areas in its "World Knowledge Competitiveness Index." Grand Rapids moved up from ninth place last year on the index, which measures global leaders in building sustainable knowledge-based economies. The index is an integrated and overall benchmark of the knowledge capacity, capability, and sustainability of regions across the globe, and the extent to which this knowledge is translated into economic value. The index compares 19 knowledge economy benchmarks including employment levels in the knowledge economy, patent registrations, R&D investment by the private and public sector,
education expenditure, information and communication technology infrastructure, and access to private equity. The Grand Rapids area actually ranked No. 1 in the world in R&D spending by business per capita and private equity investment per capita. The study includes 55 North American regions, 45 from Europe and 25 from Asia-Pacific. More at www.hugginsassociates.com.
blogger
Best,
Jim
Beth:
This is beginning to sound like the NSF Grant initiative we have been devloping to me. As an original (inception) member and promoter of Automation Alley this would make sense and be a perfect fit for the marriage/convergence of local real-world high technology expertise, K-12 education, and perhaps become a national model (OSMTech) for same as we have previously discussed.
Things are beginning to resonate.
Best,
Jim
Folks:
Letter from Convergence Education Foundation via Beth Nuccio
Chuck Locklear, Dean
OSMTECH
8211 Big Lake Rd.
Clarkston, MI 48346 April 23, 2004
Dear Chuck,
The Convergence Education Foundation is excited about the incredible learning project development currently underway with your school. With your wonderful reputation acknowledged by senior corporate leaders in the region and CEF Board members, I have been encouraged to do what I can to create the proposed new projects to benefit the students impacted by the OSMTech. It is clear to us that the type of teaching happening at OSMTech is what we are seeking. Teachers that empower students to discover, explore, and create through well thought-out projects results in increased achievement scores. Our CEF projects are all based on this approach and we have higher standardized test scores, improved attendance data and more engaged learners to prove it!
The current three-fold project as presented to us speaks directly to what the best type of learning opportunities look like. A new Fuel-Cell Technology curriculum, well connected to supporters from industry and local universities, will become the core around which new excitement will be generated. Of particular interest to us is the targeting of middle school students (particularly females) to become influenced by the project. The digital technology partnership with local industry component of the CEF/OSMTech project is already poised for success. I have a commitment from the Vice President at Jabil Circuit to work directly with your students, creating opportunities for them to work directly with Jabil engineers on real projects that are in motion at their nearby facility. Jabil is anxious for this project to move ahead. Lastly, we feel the leveraging power of the new Science and Math Corps. With OEMTech students leading the way, hundreds of middle school students will benefit from the excitement and competence of your student/engineering leaders. The relevance of math and science classes will come alive to these young people through their contact with your corp of ambassadors. Not only will this validate the existing classes available to them, but it will also excite the middle school students about opportunities to connect with the OSMtech curriculum in their very near future.
Your staff is dynamic. We want to work with them because they represent what we know works in public education. In times when decisions are being made that tend to steer our focus away from the best ways to educate, it is critical that projects such as these are maintained, celebrated and enthusiastically promoted. CEF is ready to assist you, not only with this beginning series of steps, but through our vast network of corporate partners and well-networked learning community. We are ready to dedicate at least the next three years to facilitating and funding these ideas with you.
The Convergence Education Foundation is looking forward to a future with the OSMTech teaching and student teams.
Karl
Karl Klimek
Vice Chairman/Project Development Consultant
Convergence Education Foundation
2 Perspectives, Learning Through Leadership Consultant
413 Lincoln Rd.
Grosse Pointe, MI 48230-1606
313-647-9993
Folks:
NSF Grant 2004 Update
It appears our chances may have "diminished significantly" with the termination of Sherry Kuchon and Ed Stanulis by Oakland Schools yesterday.
Best,
Jim
Hi Folks:
This is something you may wish to add to your meeting with Ken Rogers at Automation Alley. How we "tie" this into your presentation may be something we may wish to discuss here.
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/042004/bus_20040420014.shtml
blogger
Best,
Jim
Beth:
Small Schools or Schools within Schools is the essence of our endeavors. Schools that Learn, a field-book written by Peter Senge (Fifth Discipline) is a wonderful reference resource guide for those unfamiliar with this conceptual undertaking.
Schools that Learn
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385493231/102-0678752-8748151?v=glance
blogger
Ed Stanulis has provided us with an incredible "strawman" for such a proposal. We can help him help OSMTech by adding our intellectual capacities to facilitate a robust proposal. Please see the following.
Best,
Jim
[ Thu Apr 15, 12:42:17 PM | Edward Stanulis | edit ]
In follow-up meeting, I developed the following research design to support the objectives of the previously posted Executive Summary for the IERI Proposal. Again, please consider the draft as a dynamic process to refine and change as you see necessary. Thanks, Ed Stanulis
Research Design IERI Proposal (DRAFT, April 15, 2004)
Meetings on Thursday, April 15 led to the following conclusions:
To make a solid case to Foundations, Corporations, and County Superintendents that OSMTech is a unique, proven and effective learning approach, there must be solid evidence that the OSMTech model can be supported by sound data and evaluation. Accordingly, the proposal must have the following base-line data to support meaningful analysis and to measure the effectiveness of the OSMTech educational model.
1. Before students leave this term, we must develop a survey that validates the studentÂs original application.
a. Measure desire and commitment for math and science before entering the program and leaving.
b. Compare 8th grade MEAP scores, ACT or other academic performance measurements at host school with similar scores in junior and senior years at OSMTech.
c. Measure intent of pursuing STEM careers compared to intent before entering OSMTech.
d. Compare similar academic performance measurements and intents of OSMTech graduates.
2. Develop longitudinal study beginning with current enrollees at OSMTech students. (Perhaps will be able to include very recent graduates.)
3. Define Âtransformational learning for students and Âtransformational teaching for teachers.
4. Clearly identify, measure and compare what teachers do at OSMTech compared to advanced placement teachers at home districts. (Videotape and analyze classes at OSMTech??)
5. Define and compare unique environment at OSMTech with environment in typical secondary school.
6. Identify and delineate teaching strategies and their effectiveness at OSMTech. Compare OSMTech teaching strategies with home district. (Can we replicate effective OSMTech strategies in other teaching environments?)
7. Identify, delineate, and compare assessment tools at OSMTech with typical secondary school assessments.
8. Delineate curriculum and compare with typical secondary advanced science and math curriculum  delineate role of projects and assessment based on OSMTech project based curriculum.
9. Define elements of OSMTech Âculture and its role in creating enthused and engaged students.
a. Smaller classes
b. Collegial learning
c. Teacher availability for student interaction
d. Team concepts
e. Real-world project
f. Problem solving and oral presentation.
10. Define Teacher Profile that creates success at OSMTech. (What teaching, personal, or culture behaviors would lead to failure on part of new teacher at OSMTech?)
I think it is obvious that accumulating data to support an analysis of the above issues is not very likely by May 10. However, it is also clear that the data, once it is accumulated and analyzed would make a very persuasive case to support the OSMTech model. Unfortunately, gut feelings and moving anecdotes are not adequate substitutes for evidence and rigorous analysis. The conclusion of the participants at the meeting today concluded that we should move forward with the project development, even if we cannot meet the May 10th deadline for this round of the NSF proposal. How does the team want to divide up the tasks to address the above issues?
Hi folks:
Something for all of us to consider regarding the NSF Grant 2004 initiative. Comments please.
Best,
Jim
[ Tue Apr 13, 12:04:14 PM | Edward Stanulis | edit ]
Following is first draft of Project Summary. I have reached my wall of ignorance with the objectives, so please jump right in and change as you see fit. Thanks, Ed Stanulis
Project Summary
Interagency Education Research Initiative (EIRI), NSF 04-553)
Title of Project: Transformational Learning: Exploring the Feasibility of Scaling Up Non-traditional Learning Environments That Integrate Math, Science and Technology Into the Typical High School Curriculum.
The National Science Foundation and the Department of Education recognizes that strong high school preparation in mathematics, is a better indicator that a student will persist in science and engineering programs in college than other variables like the type of academic institution attended, family income, parental occupation, or other social, racial and economic factors. ( Astin, A.W., H.S. Astin, and E.L. Dey. 1992. Undergraduate Science Education: The Impact of Different College Environments on the Educational Pipeline in the Sciences. Report prepared for the National Science Foundation under Grant No. SPA-8955365. Los Angeles, CA: Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA.)
This finding has also led groups who are trying to improve minority recruitment and retention in science and engineering fields to shift focus to pre-college programs including Saturday science academies, summer science camps and institutes, research apprenticeships, teacher enhancement, curriculum improvement, and problem-based learning. (Grant, L., and K.W. Ward. 1992. Mentoring, Gender, and Publication Among Social, Natural, and Physical Scientists. Washington, D.C.: Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Department of Education.)
Similarly, the NSF has been able to establish that tutoring and mentoring programs have been very effective in improving students’ GPA’s, test scores, and overall academic performance, particularly in mathematics (Adelman, N.E., ed. 1992. Research Review: Educational Uses of Time. Washington, DC: Policy Studies Associates, Inc.). Of critical importance is that these positive outcomes also occur among groups of low-income, and racial/ethnic and language minority students (Valenzuela-Smith, M. 1983. The Effectiveness of a Tutoring Program for Junior High Latino Students. San Francisco, CA: University of San Franciso.; (Cohen, P.J. Kulik and Kilik. 1982. "Educational Outcomes of Tutoring: A Meta-Analysis of Findings. American Educational Research Journal, 19(2): 237-48.)
These findings have been put into practice in a unique program that adamantly believes that student curiosity and desire to learn more about science and mathematics is a better predictor of success than high test scores provided that teachers base their teaching on constructivist principles. The Oakland Science, Mathematics and Technology Academy (OSMTech), sponsored by Oakland Schools, one of 57 intermediate school districts in Michigan serving 28 Oakland County school districts with more than 228,000 students (203,718 from public schools and 24,307 from non-public schools), is a shared time program for students, grades 9-12, who have exceptional passion and interest for advanced science, mathematics and technology.
This academic year (2003-2004), 116 junior and senior students attend OSMTech for half a day and return to their home high school for the remaining half-day. OSMTech emphasizes the integration of math, science and technology, applied within a “real world” context in non-traditional learning environments. The curriculum is designed so those subjects are learned in more depth and at an accelerated pace. In the junior and senior years, many OSMTech students work with mentor scientists, mathematicians and technologists from local businesses, universities and industry. Results are impressive. In 2003, every member of the graduating class was accepted into a college program and were awarded more than $600,000 in scholarships
The next cycle of innovation requires understanding the elements of small scale successful math and science programs to find ways that these programs can be successfully implemented in a typical high school environment and engage a broader range of students for success in math and science. Our proposal is contextual project to study the underlying data to explore the feasibility of scaling up the integrated approach of OSMTech for application in typical high school environments.
The objectives of this study are:
1. Measure transformational change in both students and teachers through benchmark development.
Ø Compare performance scores for mentors/mentees.
Ø Compare enrollment changes in STEM preparation.
Ø Compare attitudes toward STEM education and careers.
Ø Compare non-traditional/minority performance and attitudes.
2. Re-instate the “Math and Science Corps” to mentor non-traditional/minority students. More than just content-oriented, the Corps will use new technologies to help students to master content and motivate other students to see that math and science is “cool.”
3. McMath/Hulbert Observatory – (Jim, need your input here)
4. Demonstrate that OSMTech is a prime site for teachers to learn innovative teaching techniques to take back to their classrooms .
Outcomes desired:
Ø Corps participation increased enrollments in STEM subjects in traditional educational environments and Centers like OSMTech.
Ø Demonstrate that minority/non-traditional students improved their performance in STEM subjects.
Ø Demonstrate that technology applications increase mentor/mentee participation and success.
Ø Feedback loop between mentors/teachers created improvement strategies and technology applications for the teaching of STEM subjects as a result of Corps participation.
Ø Demonstrate that Corps concept can be scaled to include all Math and Science Tech Centers in Michigan to fully implement Science and Math Corps in all school districts served by Michigan’s Math and Science Tech Centers.
GRANT Team:
A little something to get the neurons firing.
Article: American Education Needs Overhaul to Make the Grade
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/041004/opi_20040410009.shtml
blogger
Best,
Jim
Hi Folks:
Excellent meeting on Thursday! The transformational learning has begun. Alignment is the order of the day and it's coherence (Ed Stanulis) will determine our success. Let's see if the information collected can be codified into knowledge which becomes actionable. In other words "fill the empty vessel."
Our chances have moved to 56% vs. 44% on the side of success.
Best,
Jim
"It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies....and only lukewarm defenders."
Hi folks:
I was contacted by LaMoine Motz and asked to attend a meeting at OSMTech regarding the NSF Grant 2004 tomorrow Thursday, April 8, 2004 at 2:00PM. The intent is to brainstorm possibilities for the grant intitiative.
More to come.
Best,
Jim
Beth:
I will let them know that the parents are supportive and willing to contribute to the grant development efforts.
Hi Folks:
Kyle Hughes and myself met yesterday at the observatory for a couple of hours to discuss the NSF Grant 2004 opportunities and possibilities. I believe a lot of progress was made regarding the alignment of priorities, objectives and goals for the proposal which is due on May 10, 2004. I believe she is meeting informally with LaMoine Motz (Principal Investigator for the Grant Initiative) and director of the Oakland Schools Science, Math, and Technology Center on Wednesday morning to share some of those discussions.
Stay tuned, more to come.
Best,
Jim
Well, I must say that I'm mind-boggled by my analysis of possible consequences. Kudos for courage to all!!!
I can see some at OS viewing this as an insurrection and I think that it would be difficult to "un-ring" this bell. I'm very interested to see, when all choose sides, who will be where...and for how long.
I sincerely hope that nobody gets hurt. Keep in mind that things always work out...what else could happen? Don't ever let them see you sweat.
B
Hi Beth:
I hope your efforts and negotiations become successful regarding the continuence of OSMTech via current sponsoring school district's.
The NSF Grant 2004 initiative continues to develop. The letter of intent has been forwarded electronically to NSF. The next step(s) will be to meet with the grant originator's & principal's next week to discuss and develop a "strawman" proposal that addresses the grant initiative directives (tent-poles) as broadly outlined in the letter of intent. The due date for the final grant proposal is May 10, 2004.
Chances of success........currently 51% vs. 49% on the side of success. We of course hope to improve on those numbers.
I will continue to update everyone on our progress. Anyone with ideas and/or thoughts about the grant development elements is encouraged to make a contribution to the conceptual, intellectual and outcome components. Given the importance (OSMTech survival) of this initiative we can't possibly have to many good minds on this proposal. Please feel free to make any comment's you deem relevant. Candor and/or frankness will be encouraged and/or welcomed!
Much continued success!
Best,
Jim
