Center for Logistics, Trade and Transportation Hosts Workshop
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 01:59pm | By: Van Arnold
The Center for Logistics, Trade, and Transportation (CLTT) at the University of Southern Mississippi recently hosted a two-day workshop titled, “Intermodal Transportation Curriculum Development for Secondary Education.”
The workshop was conceived as part of a partnership among the Center for Logistics, Trade, and Transportation, the Research Curriculum Unit (RCU) at Mississippi State University and the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) to increase awareness of intermodal transportation education among K-12 stakeholders.
The purpose of the workshop was not only to share enhanced knowledge and experience on intermodal operations and international freights but also to motivate K-12 teachers to design and implement intermodalism in the context of curriculum development through project based learning.
As defined by the World Shipping Council, Intermodalism is a system whereby standard-sized cargo containers can be moved seamlessly between different 'modes' of transport, typically specially adapted ships known as containerships, barges, trucks and trains. Because the cargo does not need to be unloaded from the container every time it is moved from one mode to the other it is a very efficient and fast system of transportation.
“Intermodalism, logistics and efficient freight movement should be viewed with passion as the tools to enhance trade and economic development," said Bruce Frallic, former director of the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport.
During the opening session to the workshop Lemond Irvin of RCU and Brad Skelton of MDE encouraged the participants to integrate the logistics and intermodalism knowledge into high school curriculums. Dr. Tulio Sulbaran, CLTT director, invited the participants to use the lecture materials prepared for the workshop which are presented in the form of monograph, CD and web link to CLTT webpage. The workshop comprised six lecture modules, guest speeches, and student project discussion.
“The event was very valuable to me as an instructor. I was able to walk away with new ideas to help our secondary education program,” said Mike Doss, transportation logistics teacher in DeSoto County Schools. “Students were very impressed when I showed them the documentation and education material that we were able to cover in just two days”.
To learn more about the Center for Logistics, Trade and Transportation, call 601.266.4895 or visit: http://www.usm.edu/logistics-trade-transportation