DEED Spotlight on Career and Technical Education, Anchorage School District

Anchorage School District (ASD) has a robust career and technical education (CTE) program. The district offers over 70 CTE courses for grades 7-12 and have seen over 6,600 students and almost 7,500 course enrollments this year. CTE offers an opportunity to provide students with relevant learning experiences that prepare them for successful career choices. CTE students are shown to have higher graduation rates than non-CTE concentrators and are likely to continue to postsecondary education or career training.

The strength of CTE is the direct application of academics. Without hands-on learning CTE is just theory. Students are not able to progress their skills unless they can experience applied learning. Teachers worked diligently all summer to find ways to effectively transition their CTE courses to Canvas, ASD’s learning management system. Teachers decided to create take home kits to supplement their virtual CTE courses, which they have coined “Hands-On at Home.” Kits were picked up by families or mailed to students’ homes.

Hands-On at Home kits were customized based on the CTE course. Culinary kits contained measuring cups, aprons, and kitchen supplies. Electrical construction kits contained mini walls, wiring, electrical boxes, and light bulbs. Health Science kits contained a stethoscope, splints, and clay to create 3D anatomy models. Cosmetology kits contained a mannequin head, curling iron, and shears. Teachers used their creativity to decide on the materials included. Over 6,000 Hands-On at Home kits have been distributed so far this year!

To be able to teach skills and demonstrate effectively, teachers have gotten creative with their cameras in Zoom. Some teachers will log in with both their phone and computer to show different angles. Some teachers use GoPros for their cameras to better show their hands and what they’re working on. One culinary teacher rigged camera stands around her kitchen so everything could be on camera!

One challenge has been the complex software used in CTE pathways. Specialized software programs are not always compatible with students’ home technology. ASD’s IT team found a solution to allow students to remotely access the school lab software from home so the software did not have to be installed on home devices. ASD’s CTE instructors know that distance learning will never fully replicate classroom learning, but they are passionate about creating quality, hands-on activities regardless.

Here are examples of two ASD CTE courses:

Adam Wood – Metal Fabrication teacher at East High School

Chantel Jones – Health Science teacher at Bartlett High School

While the shift to distance learning during a pandemic has been a unique challenge, there is a silver lining. CTE education during the COVID-19 crisis has essentially created a pilot program for online CTE courses. If proven successful, this new Hands-On at Home model could be expanded throughout the district and beyond, creating equitable access for CTE programs. ASD’s CTE program may be able to supplement districts across Alaska that do not currently have the capacity to offer CTE courses.

Thank you, ASD, for the passion and innovation you put into transitioning CTE to hands-on, at home learning.