Fast Tract to Currency through Curriculum Morphing.

This document addresses the challenges and opportunities technological advances are presenting in education. Using the example of Photonics (defined as the generation, manipulation, transport, detection and use of light information and energy whose quantium unit is the photon) the report illustrates the need for up-to-date educational curricula. Opportunities must be created for education and industry to cooperate in all facets of training. Group partnering, external communication, and sharing information and expenses are integral to an easy interchange among interdependent parties. Also important is the implementation of a national interactive network to sustain curriculum currency, such as curriculum morphing, a method wherein practitioners view curriculum materials on the Web and collaborate with each other to suggest changes. Once approved by experts in the field, these changes are implemented into the Web version of the curriculum materials. Such a methodology may also benefit other areas, particularly in the crucial 9-14 grade years. Tech Prep, an example of an articulated program of study currently being implemented for this age group, presents material in a contextual format. (YKH) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** FAST TRACT TO CURRENCY through Curriculum Morphing A. H. Guenther Center for High Technology Materials University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM