CATE targets public schools

Formerly known as the Center for Applied Research in Interactive Technologies (CARIT) at Buffalo State College, CATE moved to UB in November 1999 as a unit of the Office of Public Service and Urban Affairs.

Although the location has changed, the mission of the Center for Applied Technologies in Education remains the same: dedication to the design and development of purpose-driven technologies to support public education and community initiatives. CATE has secured more than $15.5 million for school and community-based technology projects since its inception.

CATE's current activities include:

- Design, construction and operation of a Technologies Staff Development and Research Center in conjunction with the Buffalo Public Schools and the U.S. Department of Education

- Development and operation of the Cisco Regional Training Academy in conjunction with the Buffalo Public Schools and the Educational Opportunity Center

- Design and development of a technology-based Early Literacy Intervention Program, currently in 41 kindergartens and first-grade classrooms in the Buffalo Public Schools

- Design and development of the Regional Community Network of Western New York linking 200 schools and community agencies to a high-speed telecommunications network

- Continued development and administration of the Buffalo CityNet project that links 18 schools and community organizations in a distance-education network

In addition, CATE staff continues to work in grant development to advance network applications for schools and community-based organizations, exploration of "new uses" for distributed-learning technologies, and the organization and direction of research in classroom and communications technologies.

The CATE staff, which includes Donald Jacobs, director; Louise Lalli, executive assistant to the director; Herbert Cadle, director of Buffalo CityNet; Paulette Freyer, educational technology strategist, and Christine Chelus, manager of technology application development, works out of the Carriage House of the Butler Mansion on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.