What Happens When Dean's Homework Assignments Work?

[JaneYoung]

Ok, let's see...

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

I don't know what happens when Dean's assignments work but I do have a few questions relating to them:

How can we make Dean's homework successful?

I'm wondering if you mean: after we have attained some of the goals, how do we implement them to achieve a standard of success? So - I would think that we would want to succeed in implementing programs or having them already in place that can continue to self-develop and manufacture/produce the desired results. For example, by having a FIRST team in a school, it would bring awareness to the goals and mission of FIRST. Is that the desired result or do we want more? Do we want graduates of that FIRST team to move on into fields that involve science and technology? Do we want to track those graduates and see how they are doing? Do we want to see the impact that it is making and the inroads that FIRST is making regarding diversity and cultural change?

How do we start sustainable teams?

Is a sustainable team ever a given? If there is that possibility of creating a given, what are the key factors involved? Location? Facility? Mentors? Financial support in the way of sponsors? Enthusiasm? Students? Parents? Commitment?

How do we help existing teams become sustainable?

I would ask the questions that I've added to the sustainable teams question but I would add: is the existing team open to help/assistance/mentoring? Is the existing team willing to be flexible and adapt to changes that would help it become more sustainable? Are there teams in the area that are willing to step out of their team-centric mindset and contribute time, energy, help, assistance, and mentoring to the team? Are there sponsors in the area that are willing to step up to the plate and go to bat with this team?

What defines a sustainable team?

Stability in the areas of membership, mentorship, finances, sponsorship, community support? What else?

How can we determine if a sustainable team is a successful team?

How do we determine what success is? Is that something each team determines and what does it mean to them, individually, and to the community that they a part of? What does it mean to the competition, in general? What does it mean to the graduates of the team that have moved on?

How can sustainable teams become successful?

I have to know the answers to the other question's questions in order to know what to ask for this one.

Should we focus on long term sustainability or short term success?

What is the difference and how does that apply? Does that mean a team is created and wins a bunch of awards and then flames out - disappears? I have to understand these questions more.

Should we focus on inspiring the current students MORE or inspiring future
students at all?

I'll tell you a story with this one. We have a current team member who knew about LASA Robotics when she was in 4th grade. There was a robotics team in her middle school but they were not as receptive to having girls as involved as she knew they could be. She waited and joined LASA Robotics her freshman year. She couldn't wait to be a part of the team. It must have seemed like a lifetime to wait from 4th grade until 9th grade. So, you tell me. How do we control inspiration? Do we want to?

Is Dean's vision feasible?

I'm still thinking here. You might add some insight as to what you are thinking. I'm not sure.

Is Dean's vision logical?

Ditto.

I ask these as someone who wants to help but does not know what direction to focus.

This could take a while. Thank you.
Jane