Connecticut Innovation Academy
Formerly known as the Information Technology Leadership Academy, the Connecticut Innovation Academy (CTIA) program prepares students for leadership opportunities in 21st-century technology careers. This has been accomplished in collaboration with Connecticut Career Choices (CCC), the Connecticut College of Technology (COT), and participating high schools across the state.
The Connecticut Innovation Academy develops academic skills, communication skills, creative thinking, and problem solving through the completion of a comprehensive Information Technology Research and Development (IT R&D) project. Students act as members of a design team and utilize a variety of communication technologies and multimedia software to research, design, develop, and present a viable solution to a comprehensive challenge. Students form a mock technology company and assume roles in the company to complete activities needed to develop a solution. Patent research and intellectual property management are integral components of the IT R&D project. This comprehensive instructional strategy mirrors IT industry R&D and IT project engineering work that results in multiple solutions and the development of valuable high-tech engineering and business management skills. The IT R&D curriculum is designed to support student participation in the CTIA program, but may be used as a stand-alone course for students in grades nine through twelve.
CTIA is an award-winning program honored by the Congressional Black Caucus Educational Braintrust and the Computerworld Honors Program as a visionary program that uses information technology to benefit society. It has been selected as a Best Practice by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and is a pilot site for the Connecticut Office for Workforce Competitiveness as part of the Connecticut Career Choices initiative. This workforce development project demonstrates how students improve academic performance through the use of technology in a context that promotes diversity and collaboration. Find out what all the excitement is about!