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Dash Through the Past Closes out Archaeology Month

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Run/Walk Scavenger Hunt event in Port St. Joe during Archaeology Month Celebration

The Florida Public Archaeology Network will host Dash through the Past, a run/walk scavenger hunt race in Port St. Joe in celebration of Florida Archaeology Month, on March 25th from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. All ages are welcome; participants under 16 must have a parent or adult guardian participate. A donation of $10.00 includes a reusable aluminum water bottle!
This race along Port St. Joe’s walking trails offers individuals or teams of two a chance to compete over a two-mile course for great prizes from local sponsors! Registration starts at 9:00 a.m. at the Constitution Convention Museum State Park located at 200 Allen Memorial Way, Port St. Joe. The hunt and race begins at 10:00 a.m. There is no set route or order in which challenges must be completed. Prizes will be awarded based on both a team’s completion time and number of correct answers.
About Florida Archaeology Month
Florida Archaeology Month is coordinated by the Florida Anthropological Society, and supported by the Department of State, Division of Historical Resources. Additional sponsors for 2017 include the Florida Archaeological Council, Florida Public Archaeology Network, state and local museums, historical commissions, libraries, and public and private school systems. The 2017 poster is available through the local Florida Anthropological Society Chapters, and can also be acquired at your local Florida Public Archaeology Network center.
About the Florida Public Archaeology Network
The Florida Public Archaeology Network is dedicated to the protection of cultural resources, both on land and underwater, and to involving the public in the study of their past. Regional centers around Florida serve as clearinghouses for information, institutions for learning and training and headquarters for public participation in archaeology.
3.15.2017 DashStJoe2017_flyer

UWF Innovation Institute and FloridaShines to host Virtual College Week

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FloridaShines, Florida’s student hub of innovative educational services, will host its first Virtual College Week on April 4-6. FloridaShines is managed by the University of West Florida Innovation Institute and is hosting the three-day event after a successful Virtual College Night last fall.
“FloridaShines has everything students need to get ready for college,” said Nashla Dawahre, assistant director of advising and student services. “Our online event offers several different webinars covering a range of subjects from college admissions to financial aid and career planning.”
Representatives from the Florida College System, State University System, Florida Department of Education and other topic experts will present during the three-day event. The Virtual College Week is free and open to Florida high school juniors and seniors, parents and counselors looking for information on preparing for college, including where to go, what degree to earn and how to pay for it without breaking the bank.
Virtual College Week webcast sessions include:
April 4: High School Counselors: Guidance for Guidance
April 5: High School Students: College 101
April 6: Parents: Surviving College With Your Students
To register or for more information, visit www.FloridaShines.org.
About FloridaShines
FloridaShines exists to empower all of Florida’s 20 million residents to earn a college degree and find a bright career, by providing an array of FREE online tools to help students succeed in school and prepare for careers. FloridaShines works with the state’s 40 colleges and universities and other partners to help students succeed in school and beyond. Plan for their education and to succeed in the world of work. All these services are designed to help students shine.
About the UWF Innovation Institute
We are re-imaging how millions of people experience learning by exploring, designing, prototyping and delivering innovation for education. We collaborate with and serve University of West Florida, partner organizations and institutions across the state of Florida who want to improve learning for the entire Florida education system. We are a trusted partner that provides research-driven, customer-centric, systems-thinking approach to sustainable innovation.

UWF launches free online course highlighting research in the Gulf

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Beginning this March, the University of West Florida’s Innovation Institute will launch the first in a series of free online courses that focus on UWF research in the Gulf of Mexico.
“This course allows us to share some of the outstanding work of our faculty with the rest of the world,” UWF President Martha Saunders said. “The Gulf of Mexico is arguably the most important body of water in the Western Hemisphere. MMO 101 provides a peek at its impact on us all.”
The series, titled “Gulf Stories,” opens with “Mother Mother Ocean” (MMO 101). This first course highlights the work of five UWF scholar researchers and touches on everything from history and archaeology to the economy to the environment.
“We’re so pleased to be able to recognize the excellent work coming out of the University and to share that work with the public,” said Dr. Pam Northrup, CEO of the Innovation Institute and vice president of research and strategic innovation. “UWF’s location offers some truly unique opportunities for students and faculty to engage in historical and archaeological research, as well as research that directly addresses environmental and economic issues.”
Mother Mother Ocean consists of five modules of roughly two hours each, for a total time commitment of about 10 hours. Course modules include: Shipwrecks, Saints & Sinners: Maritime Stories of the Gulf; Lions in the Water: The Impact of the Environment on the Gulf Economy; Putting the Pieces Together: The Puzzles of the De Luna Expedition; The Ever-Changing Face of the Gulf Shore; and The $10,000 Pen and other Effects of Logistics on the Gulf.
MMO 101 launches March 6, 2017 and is open until April 16, 2017. For more information or to register, visit uwf.edu/gulfstories.

MyCareerShines surpasses another major milestone

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More than 300,000 Florida students are taking steps toward a bright future

More than 300,000 Sunshine State students and adults are planning their future on MyCareerShines, Florida’s comprehensive education and career planning system. The system is powered by a suite of age-appropriate online tools that allow students to develop a personalized education plan that connects interests and skills to careers and jobs. MyCareerShines is administered by the University of West Florida Innovation Institute and is free for all Florida students from middle school through college and beyond.
“MyCareerShines is helping students plan for the future,” said Dr. Karen Rasmussen, associate vice president of academic strategies. “Whether it is college, training or straight into the workforce, MyCareerShines gives students all the information and tools to succeed.”
MyCareerShines currently offers two online tools developed by Kuder, Inc., an internationally recognized career guidance services provider specializing in research-based career assessments. Students in middle and high school use Navigator® to develop an education plan that prepares them for college and a rewarding career after graduation. College students use Journey® to develop a plan to pursue and land their dream job.
“When students have a plan, they are more likely to stay on track, on time and on budget for earning their degree,” said Dr. Rasmussen. “MyCareerShines helps them make that plan, starting as early as seventh grade.”
Students build a plan by going through the step-by-step process or they access features in the system that meet their immediate needs. The system allows students to assess their interests and skills, explore the extensive catalog of careers, learn about the education requirements for their top job choices, make a plan for school, create resumes, prepare for interviews and find jobs.
MyCareerShines is fully funded by the Florida Legislature, which has made it a priority to prepare Floridians with the knowledge, skills and tools to succeed in school and the increasingly competitive global economy. The system is being implemented and managed by the UWF Innovation Institute, which also manages Florida’s Student Hub of Innovative Educational Services – FloridaShines, for short.
MyCareerShines 
MyCareerShines is Florida’s comprehensive education and career planning system. The system is powered by a suite of age-appropriate FREE online tools that allow students and job seekers to develop a personalized plan that connects interests, skills and education to careers and jobs.
UWF Innovation Institute 
The Innovation Institute is a collaborative makerspace for building innovative solutions. The Innovation team, founded around the principles of extreme collaboration, high energy, deep research and innovative thinking are focused on solving significant educational challenges. One of the cornerstones of the Institute is it focus on being a “Thought Leader” in education – creating and implementing innovative tools, programs and resources to the advancement of education and learning.
Kuder, Inc.
More than 165 million people have used Kuder’s research-based career assessment, education planning, and guidance resources to help visualize which industry or career, field of study, or school to pursue next in life. Kuder helps ensure that people of all ages can unlock the power of their own potential, and create a bright future. For more information, visit www.kuder.com or call (800) 314-8972.

Complete Florida, T.E.A.C.H. partner to provide funding for day care providers returning to college

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The University of West Florida Innovation Institute’s Complete Florida program recently announced a new partnership with T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship Program, an organization that helps day care providers earn a degree in early childhood education.CF _Logo1
“Complete Florida has always been an easy way for busy adults to return to college and finish their degree,” said Michelle Horton, director of Complete Florida Enrollment and Retention Management. “With our new partnership, we have now made it easier for adults to fully fund a degree in childhood education.”
Through this new partnership, adult students in the Complete Florida program who are returning to college to finish their degree in early childhood education are eligible to receive up to 100 percent funding assistance. Eligible participants include currently employed child care teachers and administrators. The majority of funding is provided by the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship Program, while the participant’s employer and Complete Florida each share 10 percent of the cost of tuition.
“Research shows that young children have better outcomes when their teachers are well educated,” said Lori Stegmeyer, director of the Florida T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship Program. “The T.E.A.C.H. model has created real change for those working on the front lines of a critically important, but perpetually under-resourced industry. We know that lack of financial resources, lack of time, and lack of confidence are three major obstacles that impede early childhood teachers and directors from completing their college degrees. To address these barriers, T.E.A.C.H. scholars receive compensation and tuition support, paid release time, and personal support throughout their contracts. It really is a win-win for the field.”
Complete Florida offers more than 90 online degree and certificate programs at colleges and universities across the state. Through the new partnership, adult students can earn credit for credentials they have already earned and apply them toward a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, Associate of Science in Early Childhood Management, or an Associate of Arts at Florida International University and Florida State College of Jacksonville.
This program allows students to take advantage of the flexible, convenient online courses. After completion, students are immediately ready to enter the workforce.
For more information, visit completeflorida.org.
About Complete Florida
Complete Florida is a state of Florida initiative to recruit and retain the state’s 2.8 million adults who have some college but no degree. Partnering with public and private higher education institutions in Florida, Complete Florida provides one-on-one planning, support and coaching for students with adult responsibilities. Dedicated coaches work alongside students as personal advocates, counselors and advisors while participants complete college courses 100 percent online. For more information, visit completeflorida.org.
About the UWF Innovation Institute
We are re-imaging how millions of people experience learning by exploring, designing, prototyping and delivering innovation for education. We collaborate with and serve the University of West Florida, partner organizations and institutions across the state of Florida who want to improve learning for the entire Florida education system. We are a trusted partner that provides research-driven, customer-centric, systems-thinking approach to sustainable innovation.