Masonry Magazine January 2007 Page. 74
News
Thirty participants received Certificates of Completion for their eight weeks of entry-level training, and Worknet Pinellas (a public/private partnership for employment and training in Florida) presented each mason contractor with checks totaling $30,000 for their participation in the training program.
Contractors whose trainees successfully complete the eight-week advanced training period will be eligible to receive an additional check for $1,500 per trainee, awarded in December.
For more information on participating in Florida reBuilds, visit www.masonryeducation.org.
Las Vegas
World of Concrete 2007 returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan. 23-26, 2007.
Highlights include educational sessions, outdoor exhibits and demonstrations, the International Buyer Program, Concrete Industry Management auction, repair and demolition, producer center, technology for construction, artistry in decorative concrete, women in concrete luncheon and forum, and more.
For more information, visit www.worldofconcrete.com.
Michigan
The Michigan Mason Contractors Association (MMCA) continues to make plans to participate in the Masonry Showcase activities in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 22-24, 2007. A general membership meeting and golf outing is planned for Friday, Feb. 23, at Hawks Landing. The MMCA membership also will join with the Mason Contractors Association of America and National Concrete Masonry Association for the closing activities at Universal Studios.
For more information about future activities, please visit the MMCA website at www.mmca-mi.com.
North Carolina
In October, 28 apprentices from 12 companies competed in the 53rd Annual North Carolina Department of Labor.
Creating a Virtual Laboratory
Laboratory experiences provide students with a clearer understanding of masonry construction, fundamental concepts of masonry design, familiarity with current field test methods, and an introduction to troubleshooting real-world problems. Few students are exposed to such testing procedures, because many universities do not have the laboratory space or equipment for performing masonry testing.
A new project underway at the University of Wyoming, co-sponsored by the Portland Cement Association (PCA) and other industry groups, will address the study of masonry construction and testing. Other funding sources include the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute (RMMI) and the National Concrete Masonry Association.
Introducing students to construction materials familiarizes them with the properties of the materials and resulting systems. In learning about the system's strengths and applications, students become familiar with these applications, which is a critical aspect of promoting them. This project creates a legacy of masonry teaching resources for succeeding generations of educators and students.
Entitled "Enhancement of Masonry Curriculums through Virtual Laboratory Experiments," this project's primary objective is to create learning modules for masonry lab activities. These activities will address the study of masonry construction and testing.
The completed modules will enable viewers to create a lab experience, either by replicating the laboratory experiments at facilities where space and time permit, or through using the virtual aspect of the laboratory modules.
A series of masonry modules with accompanying labs will address both real-world construction and field testing. Resulting teaching materials will include:
* PowerPoint presentations to introduce a topic
* Video clips of discussion of testing
Flat jack testing on Anthropology Building, University of Wyoming
Masonry modulus of rupture test
Bond wrench test
* Digital pictures and video clips of testing
* Material lists
* Sources for equipment
* Lab exercises
* Examples of sample lab reports for students to review.
With an expected completion date in mid-2007, the material will be accessible to masonry professors through The Masonry Society (TMS) and/or RMMI, as well as on a CD for distribution at events such as the Masonry Professors Workshop.
For additional information about the project, contact principal investigator Jennifer Tanner at the University of Wyoming at tannerj@uwyo.edu.