CREST - Community for Rural Education Stewardship and Technology

CREST Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NSF ITEST Program?

The Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program was established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in direct response to the concern about shortages of information technology workers in the United States. The ITEST program funds projects that provide opportunities for both school-age children and teachers to build the skills and knowledge needed to advance their study and to function and contribute in a technologically rich society. The ITEST program also funds a National Learning Resource Center to support, synthesize and disseminate the learning from the program to a wider audience.

What is a Sustainable Learning Community?

Sustainable Learning Communities (SLCs) are groups of teachers, students, and community members who gather regularly to engage in an ongoing cycle of inquiry, gathering data, examining student and professional work, and giving and receiving meaningful feedback. A core skill taught throughout the project is facilitative leadership, in order to facilitate discussions that allow ideas to develop into action. The CREST Sustainable Learning Communities will organize participating educators, students, researchers, and local professionals to offer support and critique as teachers and students work to implement local fishery projects and forge links to the job market in Maine.

My school is extremely small and I do not have four teachers, can my school still join CREST?

YES! This project is targeted specifically at some of the smallest schools in the State of Maine. If your school cannot commit four teachers, you may substitute local professionals and community members who would like to support the school throughout the CREST project. For example, a local fisherman, a technology professional, or a retired professional would make a wonderful addition to your school’s Sustainable Learning Community (SLC).