What is MEtaMorph?

MEtaMorph is Web-based curriculum Career exploration Financial planning for college and other options High school language arts Computer and Internet competencies Crucial parental component

Curriculum Overview Introduction Career Interests Career Opportunities High School Options

Curriculum Overview (continued) Post Secondary Options High School Plan Future Plans

Big Picture

The Catalyst Identified need A career exploration gap exists at the ninth grade Unique opportunity Ohio Visioning Grant Ohio Board of Regents Ohio Department of Education

focused Successful Transitions Students who persist from high school to college Are academically prepared Are likely to have chosen a career path College Tech Prep students are twice as likely to be prepared

Career Pathway Has a coherent, articulated sequence of rigorous academic and career courses Starts in the ninth grade Leads to associate degree, certificate, license, and/or baccalaureate degree and beyond Partners education with business and employers Is available to all students, including adult learners Leads to a rewarding career

MEtaMorph Curriculum Developed by the Miami Valley Tech Prep Consortium partnership Sinclair Community College Seven Career Technical Education Planning Districts (58 public school districts) Hundreds of business partners Miami Valley Tech Prep Founded in 1992 Includes a seven county area (SW Ohio)

MEtaMorph Team Diverse group of 23 people Five counties Nine school districts Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD) Dayton Chamber of Commerce collaborative

Process

Development Process Transformation requires Academic rigor Well defined pathways Education that leads to viable careers

integrated Development Team Cross-functional team and strategy English language arts Career planning and development Business representatives College Tech Prep Leadership Technical support

Development Process Accelerated strategy The process was completed in one year

Development Process (continued) June 2004 Aug 2004

Development Process (continued) Sep 2004 Dec 2004

Development Process (continued) Jan 2005 Introduce & Roll Out 18 June 2005 Aug 2005 Development Complete

Curriculum

Introduction Define MEtaMorph and introduce curriculum Career Interests Explore personal interests related to careers Career Opportunities Focus on two specific career options High School Options Identify courses related to career choices Curriculum Overview

Post Secondary Options Identify advanced opportunities and requirements High School Plan Develop a specific plan of action Future Plans Define a vision and set goals for the future Curriculum Overview (continued)

Web-based activities are a unique and powerful component

Curriculum Simultaneous strategy Multiple disciplines taught together Integrated learning Each lesson contains the target disciplines Business connection Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce assisted throughout development Business volunteers contributed personal education and career profiles for Web activities

Curriculum Lesson model Adopts existing best practice North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium (NCRTEC) Employs a standard, customized template for consistency Uses a series of questions to guide delivery

Curriculum MEtaMorph bridges ninth grade career exploration gap

Pilot Test Results

Pilot Parameters Miami Valley high schools Nine teachers at nine schools English language arts and career classes Students included 362 ninth and tenth graders All performance levels Nearly 50/50 split (female and male) Urban, suburban, and rural areas Full spectrum of household income levels

Pilot Process Test design included Pretest: Benchmark career awareness and planning knowledge Ninth grade target group Tenth grade control group Posttest: Measure the degree of change Site observations Follow-up phone interviews with teachers

Pilot Test Results Dramatic findings T-test results revealed a highly significant t-score (p<.05) Participants demonstrated Significantly greater career awareness and planning knowledge Significantly more career awareness than the tenth-grade control group

Pilot Test Results MEtaMorph was effective Across student achievement levels For female and male students Across all socio-economic levels In diverse environments When variances occurred (e.g., limited access to computers, optional activities omitted, etc.)

Bottom Line Pilot test findings are unequivocal MEtaMorph works

Impact & Action

Impact Closes the ninth-grade career exploration gap Applies at local, state, and national level Is adoptable and adaptable Is robust and resilient Integrates English language arts, career exploration, and computer skills Appeals to students and teachers

Impact MEtaMorph passes the 3-E Test Efficient — Develops knowledge and skills in career guidance, English language arts, and computer technology … at minimal cost Effective — Closes the career guidance gap at the ninth grade Equal — Works with low, medium, and high achieving students and both females and males

Impact This program showed me that I should stop playing around in school. I really have to do something with my life, and that something is up to me. Student Belmont High School

Take Action MEtaMorph is free and transportable Training is available for educators Understand the curriculum Learn how to implement the curriculum MEtaMorph — A Career Journey (package) Training: Hands-on experience Manual: How-to guide and curriculum content CD: Curriculum and Web-based activities

Take Action Training schedule is posted online For more information, contact Miami Valley Tech Prep Consortium (937)

MEtaMorp h Thank You your career journey

MEtaMorph is a product of © 2005