Autodesk Announces Workshops for Secondary School Educators

Workshops Train Teachers on New Curriculum, Bringing Technology Into Classrooms

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — June 27, 2011 — Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, today announced a new series of summer workshops for secondary school teachers. The workshops provide teachers with tools to engage and inspire their students using an innovative new curriculum, the Autodesk Digital STEAM Workshop. The curriculum supports national academic standards and facilitates teachers’ engagement of students in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM).

“Educators are now being challenged to make STEAM subjects more fun and relevant in the classroom,” said Joe Astroth, Ph.D., chief education officer at Autodesk. “With these new training workshops and our Digital STEAM Workshop curriculum, teachers can deliver exciting hands-on projects and inspire students’ interest in these important foundational subjects.”

The Digital STEAM Workshop curriculum, developed by Autodesk with guidance from educators and industry professionals, provides a project-based learning experience that allows teachers to focus on better teaching methods, rather than software expertise. Each project is accompanied by extensive teacher resources, including videos, learning games and interactive 3D models — all of which help facilitate students’ understanding of what professional designers do and expose them to careers in architecture, engineering, digital arts and more. The curriculum supports the recently updated Autodesk Design Academy and Autodesk Animation Academy educational software suites and helps prepare students for the Autodesk Certified User program. The curriculum is available for free through the Autodesk Education Community online.

“New teacher or experienced, teacher, expert or novice; the videos, lessons and projects within the Digital STEAM Workshop curriculum allow teachers to move from being a sage on the stage, to a guide on the side,” said Jana Schmidt, a technology teacher at Lyndon B. Johnson High School in Johnson City, Texas. “The Digital STEAM Workshop is loaded with ready-to-use classroom resources, saving precious time for teachers.”

Autodesk’s teacher workshops comprise one full day of training and are available throughout the United States and Canada through Autodesk’s network of academic software resellers. The workshops are available until August 31 and are often given at no charge to teachers. For more information, visit: www.autodesk.com/teacherworkshops.

Autodesk Education Initiatives

Autodesk supports students and educators by providing design software, innovative programs and other resources aimed to inspire the next generation of professionals. By supporting educators to advance design education and science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) skills, Autodesk is helping prepare students for future academic and career success. Autodesk supports schools and institutions of higher learning worldwide through substantial discounts, grant programs, training, curricula development and community resources.

Autodesk Education Community

With the latest release of Autodesk 2012 products, there are now more than 30 software titles available for personal use to students and educators for free* on the Autodesk Education Community. Students can also download many learning resources, search for internships and jobs, showcase their designs and discuss design topics with their peers. In addition, educators can download curricula and exchange best practices within the secured site. Since its launch in 2006, the community has expanded to more than two million members representing more than 21,000 schools in 155 countries.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries -- including the last 16 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects -- use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.

*Free products are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license and services agreement that accompanies the software.

Autodesk and AutoCAD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.