September 18, 2000

IMMEX Makes the Grade in Washington D.C.

The Department of Education invited the IMMEX Project to the Secretary's Conference on Educational Technology in Washington D.C. September 11-12, 2000. Singled out as one of the country's exemplary programs influencing the use and innovation of technology in classrooms around the nation, the IMMEX lab geared up to show educators, funders and congressmen what tomorrow's education can look like today.

"If you want to provide for next year, plant a garden. If you want to provide for the next ten years, plant a tree. If you want to provide for the next hundred years, educate a child." Richard Riley ended his speech at the commencement of the National Secretary's Conference on Educational Technology in Washington D.C. with this seed of wisdom nested deep into the convictions of each of the nine-hundred applauding educators in the audience. IMMEX was privileged to be among 18 of the most outstanding projects nationwide in the field of educational technology chosen to exhibit the lasting impact IMMEX software is having in classrooms today.

Lead by Dr. Stevens, a total of six IMMEX staff members, teachers and students showcased our problem-solving software to hundreds of educators, policy makers and department heads not only from the United States but from around the world. IMMEX stood out because of it's unique approach to using technology as a tool for redefining traditional learning models not as a new medium for reifying the old. The response from our visitors was overwhelmingly positive and unrivaled. "This is smart, very smart," one man said as his eyes scanned the correlations graph. "I've seen a number of technology programs and I can tell you, few are as ambitious," he continued as his eyes moved toward the chi-squared chart on gender and AP performance predictability, "and even fewer have this kind of data."


Dr. Marcia Sprang, Esperanza High School

The multi-dimensions of the IMMEX project were represented in the team tending the booth. Dr. Sprang, teacher extraordinaire and expert IMMEX implementer fielded questions about how to galvanize teachers, schools and districts through professional development and the use of innovative implementation.


(left) Dr. Joycelin Palacio-Cayetano, IMMEX

Dr. Palacio-Cayetano shared her vast IMMEX expertise as well as how this program is changing the way Universities are preparing their future educators on technology via PT3 programs at CSUN and the University of Minnesota. Soon to be Dr. Terry Vendlinski gave the brave at heart a thorough statistical lesson on how these outcomes can best be applied to classroom practices.


(right) Tricia Um, IMMEX

Tricia Um, IMMEX graduate and fellow now in her freshman year at MIT, articulated the student perspective and the impact the IMMEX program has had on her education. "One of the remarkable things that happened," said Dr. Stevens, "was that someone I had just described our program to returned with a friend and started explaining - using the posters even - what we are all about, and getting it right." The IMMEX team, it seems, is growing.

The themes of the outbreak sessions and lectures at the Secretary's conference emphasized the importance of infusing technology into the curriculum. Most argued that today's classrooms must reflect the information-based world we live in and that development of technological skills is one of the more significant processes students can learn in school. While some focused on implementation and programs, others focused on the impact such programs are having on school sites.

With the impressive results of the Yorba Linda/Placentia School district's summer workshops and the ever increasing staging requests of school sites around the country, IMMEX continues to upgrade its technology-based program which gives students the skills they need to be competitive in our complex and fast-paced world. By meeting the Department of Education's goals, IMMEX continues to provide the next hundred years with creative, motivated and efficient leaders.