Growth vs Fixed Mindset

Growth and Fixed mindsets are states of mind that relate to a learner’s perception of how abilities and skillsets are acquired. An individual with a growth mindset tends to see challenges as opportunities for learning something new, while an individual with a fixed mindset tends to see a challenge as a threat to be avoided. Students in the T³ alliance program learn to recognize and utilize behaviors and patterns of speech that support the development of a growth mindset. Students who have a growth mindset feel safe enough to take risks and have the confidence that they will learn from their mistakes.

Design Thinking

Design thinking is a five stage process that one follows in order to find an elegant solution to a problem. The stages are briefly:

1. Empathize – understand what the needs are of the person or group that is being helped.

2. Define – define the problem and check back that the understanding incorporates everything it needs to.

3. Ideate – brainstorm solution ideas, put everything on the table, and then narrow it down to a few.

4. Prototype – build your solution idea quickly to see if it will work

5. Test – Test your solution, share your results, and redesign or improve accordingly.

Coding

telling a computer what you want it to do.

Raspberry Pi and Programming (Year 1)

The Raspberry Pi is an inexpensive credit card sized computer that runs Linux and can be programmed to interact with a variety of sensors. In the T3 alliance program, students build their own “computer” with the raspberry pi and progress through a series of challenge activities that build their familiarity and skill level with a number of programming languages.

3D Printing and CAD (Year 2)

3D printing is a process by which hot layers of plastic are deposited in a systematic way to build a 3D object. The process of designing the 3D object takes place in a CAD (computer aided design) program. Students in the T3 alliance learn to design in a basic CAD program and print their designs on a 3D printer. 3D printed parts can be combined with the other technologies.

Autonomous Vehicles and GIS (Year 3)

Autonomous vehicles are capable of moving on land, in the water, or in the air without direct control. Commonly called drones, they are useful in collecting data that is too dangerous or expensive to collect by other means. A GIS (geographic information systems) is the avenue by which the data is displayed in a map-based format.