Educators find help through Montana JASON Project

Montana teachers and administrators faced with new challenges in addressing the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act
find help in the Montana JASON Project, http://btc.montana.edu/jason a program of the Burns Telecommunications Center at Montana State University.

Brenda McDonald MSU News

The JASON Project is a multimedia program that includes an inquiry based curriculum, an expedition video, interactive online activities, a
live expedition broadcast and teacher professional development.

Two of the major building blocks of the NCLB Act are increased professional development and integration of technology into the
classroom. The overall goal of these building blocks is to increase student achievement.

The NCLB rules require that all students are to be proficient in technology by the end of eighth grade. Because of this, the Montana
JASON Project is refocusing its professional development and training methods to emphasize integrating technology into lesson plans.
In addition to the one day of professional development training, the Montana JASON Project will work with schools to provide increased
and ongoing professional development as needed.

The next JASON Project will take fourth through ninth grade students and their teachers on a study of the rainforests of Panama to
explore the geologic history, biology and ecology of the region. Students will also learn about the human history and culture of the
region, the development of the Panama Canal, the development of the region as one of the world ‘s crossroads for trade and how
technology is used to better understand how the world works.

The JASON curriculum is built to drive technology, offering real world problem solving and tools for students. The JASON XV curriculum
brings experiments from the Panama expedition into school yards across Montana.

During the 2002 – 2003 school year, 195 teachers and 55 schools throughout the state participated in the JASON Project. Sixty -three
percent of those teachers have been teaching for 10 or more years and have found the JASON Project to be an exceptional teaching
tool. According to a 2001 evaluation conducted by the Center for Children in Technology for the U.S. Department of Education, "JASON
students consistently performed above average and outperformed non-JASON students. "

Registration is underway and early bird discounts are available through May 31. To learn more about the JASON XV expedition or to
order the curriculum, visit the Web site at http://btc.montana.edu/jason. For questions call the Montana JASON Project
Coordinator at (406) 994-5992.

Contact Jolee Barry (406) 994-5992

http://www.montana.edu/commserv/csnews/nwview.php?article=877