EAST Initiative
Encyclopedia
The EAST Initiative is an educational non-profit that oversees and trains for a school program, EAST, that operates primarily in the United States
. It is unique for offering students and teachers professional technology
and software for use in a loosely-structured, self-driven environment. The EAST philosophy, taken from the EAST project website (http://www.eastproject.org), is as follows:
To further this, EAST program instructors (known idiomatically as facilitators) maintain a curriculum designed to allow students to familiarize themselves with technology (granted through partnerships with leading technology firms, such as ESRI
, Intergraph
, Microsoft
, Dell
, SoftImage
, Adobe Systems
, Macromedia
and Avid
among many others) while at the same time helping their community and/or school. Major technology groups used in EAST programs include software for Geographic Information System
s, computer animation
, computer modeling, and video editing
, as well as GPS utilities and CAD.
Reproduced from the EAST website:
"As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, the EAST Initiative is supported by a dynamic collaboration of government, education, and business partnerships that share a common goal of striving to make a difference in the lives of children and their communities."
in the 1995/1996 school year. Since then, it has expanded wildly and sparked national recognition — there are now hundreds of EAST classrooms in over 200 schools in 8 states.
States with current operating EAST programs include Arkansas
, California
, Hawaii
, Illinois
, Iowa
, Louisiana
, Oklahoma
and Pennsylvania
.
Technology Training:
Online course offerings:
At the end of each EAST conference, various awards, including the biggest award, The Timothy R. Stephenson Founders Award, are given to recognize the projects that are determined by a panel of judges to be superior, and the winners receive monetary and technological rewards for their efforts. Hunter Parker of Greenbrier, Arkansas says "E.A.S.T. really keeps you on your toes with new technology and new software" he also says that "It's awesome that E.A.S.T. started right here in his home town of Greenbrier, Arkansas."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is unique for offering students and teachers professional technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
and software for use in a loosely-structured, self-driven environment. The EAST philosophy, taken from the EAST project website (http://www.eastproject.org), is as follows:
To further this, EAST program instructors (known idiomatically as facilitators) maintain a curriculum designed to allow students to familiarize themselves with technology (granted through partnerships with leading technology firms, such as ESRI
ESRI
Esri is a software development and services company providing Geographic Information System software and geodatabase management applications. The headquarters of Esri is in Redlands, California....
, Intergraph
Intergraph
Intergraph Corporation is an American software development and services company. It provides enterprise engineering and geospatially powered software to businesses, governments, and organizations around the world. Intergraph operates through two divisions: Process, Power & Marine and Security,...
, Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
, SoftImage
Softimage
Softimage, Co. was a company located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that produced 3D animation software. Their flagship products, Softimage 3D and Softimage XSI, are used in the creation of computer animation for films, television advertisement, and video games...
, Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
, Macromedia
Macromedia
Macromedia was an American graphics and web development software company headquartered in San Francisco, California that produced such products as Flash and Dreamweaver. Its rival, Adobe Systems, acquired Macromedia on December 3, 2005 and controls the line of Macromedia...
and Avid
AVID
AVID stands for:* Advancement Via Individual Determination, a college-readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges in the U.S....
among many others) while at the same time helping their community and/or school. Major technology groups used in EAST programs include software for Geographic Information System
Geographic Information System
A geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
s, computer animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
, computer modeling, and video editing
Non-linear editing system
In video, a non-linear editing system is a video editing or audio editing digital audio workstation system which can perform random access non-destructive editing on the source material...
, as well as GPS utilities and CAD.
Reproduced from the EAST website:
"As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, the EAST Initiative is supported by a dynamic collaboration of government, education, and business partnerships that share a common goal of striving to make a difference in the lives of children and their communities."
Brief history of EAST
EAST was piloted at Greenbrier High School in Greenbrier, ArkansasGreenbrier, Arkansas
Greenbrier is a city in Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. It is part of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,706 in the 2010 U.S. Census.- History :...
in the 1995/1996 school year. Since then, it has expanded wildly and sparked national recognition — there are now hundreds of EAST classrooms in over 200 schools in 8 states.
States with current operating EAST programs include Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
EAST Training (student)
EAST students routinely receive training from accomplished professionals in the fields that they represent. Student training is primarily intended to educate students on technology groups while offering a team environment in which to learn. While slots are limited, an effort is made to accommodate all students who wish to attend. As of April, 2005, students have the following course options (taken from the EAST website):Technology Training:
- Microsoft Operating SystemsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
/Windows ServerWindows ServerWindows Server is a brand name for a group of server operating systems released by Microsoft Corporation. All are part of Microsoft Servers.- Members :This brand includes the following software:* Windows 2000 Server* Windows Server 2003...
Management - GISGeographic Information SystemA geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
/GPS ( Geographic Information SystemGeographic Information SystemA geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
/Global Positioning SystemGlobal Positioning SystemThe Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
) with TrimbleTrimble-Places :* Trimble, Alabama * Trimble, Colorado * Trimble, Georgia * Trimble, Illinois * Trimble, Kentucky * Trimble, Missouri * Trimble, Ohio...
, ESRIESRIEsri is a software development and services company providing Geographic Information System software and geodatabase management applications. The headquarters of Esri is in Redlands, California....
, and IntergraphIntergraphIntergraph Corporation is an American software development and services company. It provides enterprise engineering and geospatially powered software to businesses, governments, and organizations around the world. Intergraph operates through two divisions: Process, Power & Marine and Security,... - Introductory GISGeographic Information SystemA geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
/GPS - GeospatialGeospatialGeospatial analysis is an approach to applying statistical analysis and other informational techniques to geographically based data. Such analysis employs spatial software and analytical methods with terrestrial or geographic datasets, including geographic information systems and...
Projects - Advanced Vector analysis and Visualization
- Advanced CartographyCartographyCartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
- Advanced Image processingImage processingIn electrical engineering and computer science, image processing is any form of signal processing for which the input is an image, such as a photograph or video frame; the output of image processing may be either an image or, a set of characteristics or parameters related to the image...
and Visualization - 3D Animation3D computer graphics3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
with Softimage XSISoftimage XSIAutodesk Softimage, or simply Softimage is a 3D computer graphics application, owned by Autodesk, for producing 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling, and computer animation...
(introductory and advanced) - Architectural DesignArchitectural DesignArchitectural Design, also known as AD, is a UK-based architectural journal first launched in 1930.In its early days it was more concerned with the British scene, but gradually became more international. It also moved away from presenting mostly news towards theme-based issues...
with Bentley's MicroStationMicrostationMicroStation is a CAD software product for 2- and 3-dimensional design and drafting, developed and sold by Bentley Systems. The latest versions of the software are released solely for Microsoft Windows operating systems, but historically MicroStation was available for Macintosh platforms and a... - PCPersonal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
Upgrade and repair - Microsoft Visual Basic and Visual Studio (introductory and advanced)
- Website design with Adobe SystemsAdobe SystemsAdobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
(Dreamweaver, Flash, and FireworksFireworksFireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
) - Photo editingPhoto editingPhoto editing can refer to:* Image editing techniques applied to photographs.* The cultural impact and ethical concerns of photo manipulation....
with Adobe PhotoshopAdobe PhotoshopAdobe Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe Systems Incorporated.Adobe's 2003 "Creative Suite" rebranding led to Adobe Photoshop 8's renaming to Adobe Photoshop CS. Thus, Adobe Photoshop CS5 is the 12th major release of Adobe Photoshop... - DigitalDigitalA digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
Video EditingNon-linear editing systemIn video, a non-linear editing system is a video editing or audio editing digital audio workstation system which can perform random access non-destructive editing on the source material...
with Final Cut ProFinal Cut ProFinal Cut Pro is a non-linear video editing software developed by Macromedia Inc. and then Apple Inc. The most recent version, Final Cut Pro X, runs on Mac personal computers powered by Mac OS X version 10.6.7 or later and using Intel processors...
system - Music Editing with FL StudioFL StudioFL Studio is a digital audio workstation developed by the Belgian company Image-Line. FL Studio features a graphical user interface based on a pattern-based music sequencer...
- Virtual RealityVirtual realityVirtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
Development Lab with Digital Tech Frontier - 3D modeling3D modelingIn 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical representation of any three-dimensional surface of object via specialized software. The product is called a 3D model...
and engineeringEngineeringEngineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
with Solid EdgeSolid EdgeSolid Edge is a 3D CAD parametric feature solid modeling software. It runs on Microsoft Windows and provides solid modeling, assembly modelling and drafting functionality for mechanical engineers...
from EDSEDS- Education :* Educational specialist , a terminal academic degree in the U.S.* Episcopal Divinity School, an Episcopal Seminary in Cambridge, Massachusetts* Evansville Day School, an independent college-prep school in Evansville, Indiana- Politics :...
Online course offerings:
- EAST Geospatial Virtual Camp
- School Mapping Project
- ESRI Virtual Campus
Project-based learning
EAST students are expected (and in many cases required) to generate an idea for a project which helps the community or school that acts as host to the lab; after the brainstorming process, individual and group plans of action are constructed and refined. This is the process in which the facilitator plays the largest direct role, as supervisor and mentor — when the actual projects begin, the facilitator's primary role changes to that of observer and supporter. Projects vary in goal and method of execution, but share the same central philosophy: with motivation, encouragement, and access to professional technology, students are capable of great things.The EAST conference
The culmination of any given EAST project can be seen at the annual EAST Partnership conference; traditionally held in the spring of each school year. The EAST conference brings together teams and projects from all participating schools with the purpose of allowing students to demonstrate what they've accomplished and learn from each other. In the formative years of the EAST program, projects were displayed individually, with each team bringing one project to display; however, in more recent years, this has shifted towards an "overall" presentation, allowing each project the individual lab has worked on time in the spotlight.At the end of each EAST conference, various awards, including the biggest award, The Timothy R. Stephenson Founders Award, are given to recognize the projects that are determined by a panel of judges to be superior, and the winners receive monetary and technological rewards for their efforts. Hunter Parker of Greenbrier, Arkansas says "E.A.S.T. really keeps you on your toes with new technology and new software" he also says that "It's awesome that E.A.S.T. started right here in his home town of Greenbrier, Arkansas."