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Advanced Technological Education Program 1999 Awards and Activities

Table of Contents


National Science Foundation


 

 

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National Science Foundation

Division of Undergraduate Education
Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education

Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program
Awards and Activities
Fiscal Year 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Overview

II. Abstracts of New Awards

Centers of Excellence

Projects

Projects Managed by Other NSF Programs and Co-Funded by ATE

III. Maps

Distribution of New Awards by State

Centers of Excellence

Distribution of Active and New Awards by State

IV. Indexes

Active and New Awards by Field of Technology

Active and New Awards by State

Principal Investigators

V. ATE Program Staff

VI. Notices from the National Science Foundation


NSF

National Science Foundation

Advanced Technological Education (ATE)

OVERVIEW

The ATE program provides grants to strengthen the education of technicians for the high-tech fields that drive the U.S. economy. The program targets both the undergraduate and secondary school levels, and is managed jointly by the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) and the Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education (ESIE).

By developing and disseminating educational materials and curricula, supporting the preparation and continuing professional development of college faculty and secondary school teachers, and offering opportunities for both students and educators to gain hands-on experience with technologies used in the modern workplace, ATE projects prepare technicians for rewarding careers in biotechnology, environmental technology, information technology, and a range of other science- and engineering-related fields. The program also supports projects that improve the core science and mathematics courses that technicians need in order to succeed in their area of specialization.

Two-year colleges are expected to play a key role in all ATE projects. Collaborative efforts involving secondary schools, two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities, businesses and industries, and government organizations are encouraged.

During FY1999, the ATE program supported 11 Centers of Excellence and 164 projects. Centers focus on systemic approaches to technician education, usually within a specific discipline; however, they are also expected to have broad impact on two-year colleges, secondary schools, the region, and the nation. Projects focus on specific aspects of technician education, such as curriculum or educational materials development, faculty or teacher preparation or enhancement, technical experiences for students, or laboratory development. Cooperative efforts among projects and centers assure that the ATE program is having a national impact. In the program’s six years of operation, centers account for 27% of fund allocation ($40.9 million of $151.5 million), and projects for 65% ($98.5 million). Based on all awards active in FY1999, official cost-sharing, as pledged in proposals, amounts to 39% of the total NSF funding for the projects and centers; however, annual and final project reports show that grantees are, overall, leveraging NSF funds with other funds better than 1:1.

A. Focus Areas of ATE Projects and Centers

Science-Related Technologies

These projects involve two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities, secondary schools, businesses and industries, professional societies, and government agencies. For example, the College of the Mainland in Texas is partnering with major petrochemical and refining industries, two-year colleges, and universities to develop and implement an industry-sanctioned standardized curriculum in process technology (Award No. 9950071). Moorpark College in California is developing a model curriculum in biomanufacturing (Award No. 9950099). Gadsden State Community College in Alabama is partnering with three secondary schools to provide technical experiences in aquaculture to high-potential students (Award No. 9950063).

Engineering and Computer Technologies

These projects cooperate with industries and other partners to educate students for the high-performance workplace. Bismarck State College in North Dakota is joining with industry to provide a quality comprehensive curriculum to meet the national need for education of power plant operators (Award No. 9950034). Mott Community College in Michigan is developing a curriculum that integrates manufacturing and simulation skills (Award No. 9950052). Sinclair Community College in Ohio is adapting and implementing an information technology (IT) curriculum (Award No. 9950028) originally developed by the NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies. Several IT projects have dual enrollments, "2+2+2" opportunities, and teacher education programs.

Core Mathematics and Science

The ATE program supports the development of core curricula that give students the prerequisite mathematics and science skills, as well as SCANS (Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills) competencies, necessary for success in technical programs. Wake Technical Community College in North Carolina is producing a set of integrated activities to supplement mathematics and physics courses for engineering technology programs (Award No. 9950101). Joliet Junior College in Illinois is providing a series of faculty development workshops to help faculty develop a stronger understanding of science and its applications in the workplace (Award No. 9950062). The Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications (COMAP) is producing a two-semester developmental mathematics course in which the mathematics is embedded in complex realistic examples (Award No. 9950036). A companion project funded by NSF’s Instructional Materials Development program (Award No. 9818961) is developing 35 units for a high school curriculum that emphasizes mathematics in the workplace.

Special Projects

The ATE program continues to support special projects. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is conducting five interrelated activities to encourage the development of ATE-related programs in community colleges, to facilitate networking and joint activities among ATE projects, and to make known to the education field the accomplishments of these ATE projects (Award No. 9908191).

B. Program Effectiveness

Curriculum

Because industry is requiring new skills from graduates, new courses and curricula must be developed. To assure international competitiveness, these curricula must meet internationally recognized benchmarks and standards. All ATE projects and centers located at two-year institutions use industrial advisory boards to assure that curricula are relevant to industry’s needs. Materials developed under ATE funding are being widely recognized and used in other programs. For example, TECH SPAN, a newly developed flexible manufacturing curriculum developed for the technical colleges in Wisconsin under an ATE grant (Award No. 9752082), is being used as the curriculum in a newly awarded $1 million project, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, to retrain dislocated and incumbent workers for manufacturing technology occupations. The Phi Theta Kappa project carrying out the dissemination of six ATE projects to 13 institutions (Award No. 9602459) reports that 2,038 students are being served in FY1999 by courses using materials developed through the six ATE projects.

Students

ATE projects and centers involve large numbers of students. For example, the NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies, at Bellevue Community College in Washington, reports that over 2,700 students per year are currently enrolled in IT programs at the nine Washington State community colleges involved in the center. In addition, over 2,000 high school students are using the center’s ATE-funded curriculum to prepare them for further use of IT. The Northwest Center for Sustainable Resources, at Chemeketa Community College in Oregon, reports having 537 students in sustainable resources programs, with 124 documented graduates; 94% of these have found jobs or continued their education in sustainable resources fields. Industry is also recognizing students in ATE programs by providing scholarships and internships. For example, the South Carolina ATE Center has recently established an NSF Scholars program at two institutions in cooperation with local industries; 29 companies have agreed to sponsor students as ATE Scholars.

Faculty and Teachers

ATE projects and centers focus on preparing college faculty and K-12 teachers for upgraded courses and programs. The National Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing Education, at Sinclair Community College in Ohio, reports that in the last year, its outreach programs engaged 460 faculty and teachers in professional development activities. Jones County Junior College (Award Nos. 9752060 and 9950085) reports that its workshops have prepared 130 middle and high school teachers and 37 two-year college faculty to teach a new curriculum in computer networking. Most participants have earned CNA (Certified Novell Administrator) certifications. Over 75% of the community college teachers in Virginia and 39% of the high school teachers in Virginia who teach drafting and computer-aided design (CAD) courses have participated in Piedmont Community College’s project (Award No. 9752021) to prepare them to teach solid modeling courses, which are now required for most industry positions.

Partnership Development

ATE projects and centers focus on the development of partnerships among two-year colleges, secondary schools, four-year institutions, and business and industry. Prince George’s Community College reports that 12 community colleges, along with 10 NASA centers, are actively involved in its project for innovative technology transfer (Award No. 9553662). Boeing, Microsoft, and other software companies in Washington contribute approximately $1 million per year to the NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies. This center has also recently formed partnerships with the Gartner Group and AACC for the publication and dissemination of educational materials. A project at the University of New Mexico (Award No. 9850310) involves three universities and three community colleges working extensively with Intel and other semiconductor firms to create a learning environment in which four-year college engineering students and students in two-year technician programs work side-by-side in real-world, factory-like settings.

Evaluation Activities

The evaluators of ATE centers and projects both contribute to the continuous improvement of projects and provide summative evaluations. They also collect data for project reports. For example, the New England Board of Higher Education conducted a comprehensive follow-up evaluation of an ATE project in photonics education that ended last year (Award No. 9553762). The evaluation found that over a period of 30 months, a total of 4,964 students (1,920 from high schools and 3,044 from community colleges) were enrolled in new or extensively revised courses that were taught by project participants and included fiber optics concepts. It is expected that materials developed by ATE projects and centers will be validated by industry and reviewed by academics; that National Advisory Boards or National Visiting Committees will review progress; and that most ATE projects will have an outside evaluator who monitors and reports progress.

With the assistance of the Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University, the ATE program is developing a survey form so that each project and center reports on:

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

The ATE program contributes to NSF’s GPRA Performance Goal 3, which calls for "a diverse, globally oriented workforce of scientists and engineers." In a secondary role, the ATE program contributes to Performance Goal 4, which calls for "improved achievement in mathematics and science skills needed by all Americans." Some of the program’s achievements with regard to these goals are noted in Section D.

C. Programmatic Issues

Broadening the Impact

A new emphasis in the ATE program announcement for proposals due in 1999 encouraged the adaptation and implementation of high-quality educational materials, novel degree programs, effective educational practices, and thriving partnerships that have been developed by projects supported by the ATE program. The ATE Principal Investigators Conference in the fall of 1999 had the theme "Broadening the Impact" and involved professional societies, publishers, and the press in discussions about informing the broader community.

Articulation to Engineering and Science Majors at Four-Year Institutions

Many two-year colleges are developing ATE programs that incorporate increasing amounts of core mathematics, science, and engineering. These programs are developing articulation agreements with four-year colleges and universities. A new emphasis in the ATE program announcement for proposals due in 2000 encourages "articulation partnerships" that link two-year programs with bachelor’s degree programs.

Cooperation with Other NSF and Government Programs

Many ATE projects and centers leverage Tech Prep and School-to-Work activities to support their projects. ATE program officers regularly participate in forums and other activities of the Departments of Education, Labor, and Transportation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to learn about other programs that support technician education. In FY1999, several ATE program officers collaborated with the other agencies in exploring technician education in European countries. Representatives from these agencies serve on advisory boards and National Visiting Committees of ATE projects and centers. Principal Investigators from NSF’s systemic initiatives attend the ATE Principal Investigators Conference and communicate with ATE program officers and project leaders. Discussions are being held to link ATE programs and products more closely with other programs.

Increasing Diversity in ATE Projects and Centers

Of the new ATE awards made in FY1999, 40% have indicated a significant focus on the education of women, 45% have indicated a significant focus on the education of minorities, and 5% have indicated a significant focus on the education of persons with disabilities. The "21st Century Urban Technical Education Project" at Milwaukee Area Technical College (Award No. 9950046) is focusing on the recruitment and retention of minorities in Milwaukee’s Central City, on the fringe of the city’s Enterprise Zones. Aiming to attract and retain students in construction education programs, the project is expanding an already successful minority student retention program at the college. The ATE project "The Technological Connection: Computer Training for Residents of Arctic Alaska" (Award No. 9950069) specifically targets native Alaskans through Ilisagvik College in Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost city on the continent. With the assistance of four other community colleges that have experience in developing IT curricula for indigenous populations, the project is developing a curriculum that will meet the needs of local businesses and can be remotely delivered to native villages. Through this program, it is expected that a minimum of one person from each of the seven villages in the region will receive an A.A.S. degree and be hired into an IT position in the region. During FY1999, the NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies continued to work with community groups, industry, and other organizations to recruit nontraditional populations into IT. The center collaborated in events with the Women’s Community Impact Consortium and the American Association of University Women; in Microsoft’s "Diversity Day"; and in a partnership with the Private Industry Council to train displaced workers for IT careers.

D. Notable Achievements by ATE Projects and Centers in FY1999

Projects incorporate international points of reference.

Of the new ATE projects funded in FY1999, 76% have indicated that they have major participation by commercial or industrial organizations. Many private sector supporters of ATE projects are multinational companies, and their participation ensures that projects’ products and activities will reflect international standards and practices. The Maricopa Advanced Technology Education Center in Arizona works closely with SEMATECH and major international microelectronics companies (including Intel, Motorola, and SGS-Thompson) to develop educational materials and curricula. These companies also provide internships and other workplace experiences for students and faculty, so that students will be exposed to state-of-the-art practices in semiconductor manufacturing and related areas.

Academia, government, and business recognize the quality of projects or participants.

Approximately 25% of ATE projects have received awards, and numerous participants in ATE projects have received awards for their project-related work. For example, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs recognized the Chicago Manufacturing Bridge Program (Award No. 9850327) as the training program of the year. A co-PI on the project "Cross-Training Technicians and Engineers for Semiconductor Manufacturing" at the University of New Mexico (Award No. 9850310) received Motorola’s Educator of the Year Award.

Projects encourage the integration of education and research.

ATE projects and centers demonstrate active integration of research and education, as well as cooperation between the research and education directorates at NSF. The Northwest Center for Sustainable Resources cooperates with the NSF Long Term Ecological Research Center run by Oregon State University in the H. J. Andrews National Forest. The Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center, at Monterey Peninsula College in California, has an internship program funded jointly by the ATE program and NSF’s Division of Ocean Sciences. The program allows community college students to serve as marine technician interns aboard ships. In addition, the ATE program and the Division of Ocean Sciences are cooperating in a workshop sponsored by the MATE Center and the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education on marine technology and the needs and skills of marine technicians.

Projects positively change employment potential.

A displaced worker, who had to give up his career in retail management because of a hip injury, now manages two Web sites and runs his own small business building and selling computers, thanks to re-skilling he received at the NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies. Before enrolling in courses at the center, he knew nothing about computers; but now his associate degree has qualified him for a range of careers, including technical analyst, technical support engineer, information systems analyst, developer support engineer, and software support engineer. Through an education–business alliance, an ATE project at Valencia Community College in Florida (Award No. 9950106) is working to assist institutional efforts to design and deliver a collaborative, replicable "Electronic Workforce Development System" for Central Florida’s microelectronics industry. Outcomes are expected to include increased enrollment, retention, completion, and job placement of students.

Projects engage in the development, adaptation, and implementation of effective models, products, and practices that meet the needs of all students.

As a result of the Fiber Optics Technology Education Project (Award No. 9553762), the number of New England high schools and colleges offering fiber optics instruction increased from 20 to 40. Over the 30-month grant period, nearly 5,000 students received instruction in fiber optics technology. For the past five years, the Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center in Iowa has sponsored annual "fellows institutes" and regional conferences for community college and high school faculty members. In response to a 1999 survey, fellows indicated that they had already had a real impact on 18,000 students with the information and activities from the summer institutes. During the past five years, regional conferences for faculty have been held in 24 states, with 2,322 participants. During 1998, the ATE center at Sinclair Community College reported that the number of Sinclair students declaring manufacturing engineering technology as their major increased by 54%. The Southwest Center for Advanced Technological Education, at Texas State Technical College, Sweetwater, has focused on developing a distance learning infrastructure to serve rural and remote areas. The number of courses delivered via the center’s distance learning network increased from four in the spring of 1997 to 31 in the fall of 1998. The number of students served by the network increased from 55 in the spring of 1997 to 631 in the spring of 1999. Because of funding leveraged from other sources, it is expected that the number of interactive television classrooms in the network will increase from 25 at the end of 1998 to 300 by the end of 1999.

Project participants experience world-class professional practices in research and education.

At the four-day US-EURO-NET (United States–European Network for Education and Training) Trans-Atlantic Conference and Workshop on "Education and Training in Rising Career Fields" in April 1999, about half of the American educational projects profiled were ATE-funded projects. This conference brought together educational leaders from Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, and the United States to compare standards and content for technical education programs, especially in IT and environmental technology. Investigators from the ATE project "A Bridge to Advanced Technological Education" (Award No. 9850327) are sharing the results of their work with groups in five European countries (Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, and Italy), as participants in a European Union-funded program aimed at developing educational materials for workers in the fast-changing technological workplace. The investigators note that "the Europeans are grappling with very similar sets of issues, thanks to globalization and technological change."

E. For More Information

For more information about the ATE program or awards, visit one of the Web sites listed below or contact one of the lead program directors for the ATE program:

Dr. Elizabeth J. Teles
Division of Undergraduate Education
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 835
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: 703-292-8668
Fax: 703-292-9015
Email: ejteles@nsf.gov


Dr. Gerhard L. Salinger
Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 885
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: 703-292-8614
Fax: 703-292-9044
Email: gsalinge@nsf.gov

NSF Web Sites of Interest

Directorate for Education and Human Resources .................................... http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/

Division of Undergraduate Education ..................................... http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DUE/

Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education ... http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/ESIE/

Award Abstracts.......................................................... https://www.nsf.gov/verity/srchawd.htm

Project Information Resource System ........................ http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/PIRSWeb/Search/

ATE Centers of Excellence ............... http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DUE/awards/ate_centers.asp


Table of Contents

CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE

Renewed Awards (1999)

In 1999, no new ATE centers were established; but two centers, established in 1996, were awarded funding for a second three-year term. The map on page 28 shows all 11 ATE centers that were active in 1999.

Award No. 9908409
S.C. State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education
South Carolina Advanced Technological Education Center of Excellence
Award: $2,000,000
(FY1999 $760,000; FY2000 $650,000; FY2001 $590,000)
Engineering Technology

Elaine Craft
S.C. State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education
111 Executive Center Dr.
Columbia, SC  29210
crafte@sbt.tec.sc.us
(803) 896-5410

The South Carolina Advanced Technological Education Center of Excellence is a statewide systemic initiative designed to increase the quantity, quality, and diversity of engineering technology graduates throughout the state’s 16 technical colleges. An integrated, problem-based curriculum, collaborative teaching strategies, active learning techniques, and faculty and student teamwork form the cornerstone of the center’s strategy to recruit, retain, and graduate more students in engineering technology programs.

The key to the center’s success continues to be reform-ready faculty acting as agents of change to develop and deliver innovative engineering technology curricula and to promote program improvement. The center has proven the effectiveness of exemplary faculty leading grassroots reform.

Four activities lie at the heart of the center’s work: (1) continuing development of pre-engineering technology and first-year engineering technology curricula; (2) faculty development that supports effective teaching methodologies and creates learning environments that model the workplace; (3) recruitment and retention of students, particularly women and minorities; and (4) development of a statewide model to create a seamless array of educational opportunities for students to become well-qualified engineering technology graduates.

Award No. 9908419
Maricopa County Community College District
Maricopa Advanced Technology Education Center
Award: $2,000,000
(FY1999 $1,450,000; FY2001 $550,000)
Semiconductor Manufacturing

Michael Lesiecki
Maricopa County Community College District
Maricopa Advanced Technology Education Center
2323 W. 14th St.
Tempe, AZ  85281
lesiecki@maricopa.edu
(480) 517-8650

The Maricopa Advanced Technology Education Center (MATEC) has fostered the development of work-relevant, industry-endorsed curricula and instructional modules for use in community college programs primarily in semiconductor manufacturing. The modules include necessary background science and mathematics. Over 100 modules in 19 clusters permit faculty to customize their courses. The courses provide an integrated, accessible professional growth system that ensures currency and relevance to local industry. The instructional delivery system uses virtual reality both in an observing mode and in an interactive mode to educate technicians in clean room practices and instruments.

The center seeks to become a self-sustaining entity working with SEMATECH and the Semiconductor Industry Association for education and workforce development. Activities include the development and distribution of curricula and instructional materials, promotion of faculty development opportunities, and participation in Web commerce. The center has programs for high schools to encourage a more diverse population to seek employment in the semiconductor and supporting industries. The center is also investigating certifications for semiconductor manufacturing technicians.

Table of Contents

PROJECTS

New Awards (1999)

Most projects have a duration of two or three years; many of these receive all their funds during the first year (FY1999). The anticipated expiration date for the awards can be found in the index of active and new awards by field of technology, which begins on page 31.

Award No. 9907986
Bellevue Community College
Washington State Information Technology Workforce and Education Initiative
Award: $300,000
(FY1999 $185,500; FY2000 $114,500)
Information Technology

Neil R. Evans
Bellevue Community College
NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies
3000 Landerholm Cir., SE, N258
Bellevue, WA  98007-6484
nevans@bcc.ctc.edu
(425) 373-4227

This is a statewide, collaborative project to examine and quantify information technology (IT) workforce demands and to seek expedient, cost-effective solutions. The NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies (NWCET) and its partners are identifying and cataloguing Washington state’s IT workforce demands, as well as available IT educational programs. This gap analysis will lead to the development of new IT programs and, with state support, to the strengthening and updating of existing programs. The project will also lead to "turnkey" solutions that allow educational institutions to rapidly launch or enhance IT programs.

The project is accelerating the rate and expanding the impact of the work of the NWCET and the Regional Advanced Technology Education Consortium. The result will be a nationally adaptable, statewide model for replicating "best practices."

Award No. 9908191
American Association of Community Colleges
Advancing ATE in the Community College Field
Award: $974,949
(FY1999 $311,018; FY2000 $341,436; FY2001 $322,495)
Multidisciplinary

Lynn Barnett
American Assn. of Community Colleges
Dept. of Education and Training
One Dupont Cir., NW, Suite 410
Washington, DC  20036
lbarnett@aacc.nche.edu
(202) 728-0200

This project consists of five interrelated activities designed to enhance the ATE program, to encourage the development of ATE-related programs in more community colleges, and to make known to educators and the public the accomplishments of these programs. The activities support the emerging network of community colleges dedicated to improving undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) education.

Project activities include (1) three national ATE conferences in 1999, 2000, and 2001; (2) dissemination of information about ATE programs and goals through AACC publications, presentations, feature stories, conference proceedings, an e-mail distribution list, and a Web page; (3) a mentoring program to help community colleges strengthen SMET programs; (4) two AACC Research Briefs addressing areas of interest to all community colleges seeking to sustain strong SMET programs; and (5) project evaluation.

Award No. 9950006
Texas Engineering Experiment Station
Two-Year College Quantum Optics Advanced Technological Education Program
Award: $705,616
Physics

Robert B. Clark
Texas A&M University
Dept. of Physics
College Station, TX  77843-4242
rbc@tamu.edu
(409) 845-3332

This project combines the resources of a major international center for quantum optics and technology with a successful collaboration of two-year college faculty members who have developed and administered an effective national faculty development program for two-year college physics faculty over the past eight years. The project engages 40 two-year college faculty members in annual two-week institutes and semiannual follow-up workshops. Participants receive a combination of tutorials on recent discoveries in quantum optics, hands-on experience with the new tools of this recent technology in the laboratories of the research center, and pedagogical training in active learning techniques designed to maximize students’ understanding of the scientific principles that provide the foundation for these emerging technologies.

Award No. 9950011
Miami University Middletown
Increasing the ImPACT
Award: $800,000
Chemical Technology

Arlyne M. Sarquis
Miami University Middletown
Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry
4200 E. University Blvd.
Middletown, OH  45042-3458
sarquiam@muohio.edu
(513) 727-3278

Miami University Middletown and the Partnership for the Advancement of Chemical Technology (PACT) are conducting a three-year project that expands national efforts to improve and increase access to chemical technology education. The project involves three major activities: (1) offering faculty development, including 10 workshops serving 200 educators; (2) developing curricular materials, including two monographs and one CD-ROM; and (3) implementing strategies to attract and retain chemical technology students, such as PACT forums, a career brochure, a technician-in-residence program, and an award program for student projects. To carry out these activities, PACT is marshaling the combined talents, experience, and expertise of recognized leaders in chemical technology education, the chemical industry, and professional societies.

Award No. 9950015
Cuesta College
California Regional Consortium for Engineering Advances in Technological Excellence (CREATE)
Award: $494,916
(FY1999 $203,733; FY2000 $167,284; FY2001 $123,899)
Engineering Technology

Christopher Akelian
San Luis Obispo County Superintendent of Schools
Dept. of Engineering Technology
Highway One
P.O. Box 8106
San Luis Obispo, CA  93403-8105
cakelian@bass.cuesta.cc.ca.us
(805) 546-3264

The California Regional Consortium for Engineering Advances in Technological Excellence (CREATE) is a joint effort of seven community colleges and over 70 employers. Through this project, the consortium is developing two- and three-year programs that begin with a common core curriculum in engineering technology. Each campus will then offer two to five advanced technological specialties. Students from any participating college will be able to transfer to any other college in the consortium. This unique regional approach allows the consortium to (1) revise science, mathematics, engineering, and technology curricula; (2) serve the needs of all students, including low-income students and students from underrepresented groups; (3) grow with industry and meet future needs of the high-performance workplace; (4) provide advanced training and retraining to current industry employees; (5) enhance the status of engineering technology education; and (6) nurture new teaching methods in the classroom and laboratory.

Award No. 9950019
SUNY Onondaga Community College
Designing a Pre-Technology Program Using an Interdisciplinary Approach and Work Keys Assessment
Award: $449,725
(FY1999 $201,135; FY2000 $248,590)
General Technology

Ramesh S. Gaonkar
SUNY Onondaga Community College
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology
Syracuse, NY  13215
gaonkarr@sunyocc.edu
(315) 469-2450

This project to develop a pre-technology program is employing an interdisciplinary approach, using real-life illustrations from industry and appropriate technology, forming learning communities that emphasize collaborative learning, assessing students’ learning using work keys criteria, and recruiting underrepresented high school students into ATE programs. The project brings together three community colleges, three area high schools, and local industries led by United Radio.

The project’s key component is a one-semester integrated program. Its focus is a cluster of interdisciplinary, modular courses that develop electronic skills, mathematical skills, composition skills, and computing skills. Other components include internships in industry, teacher education, and career awareness sessions.

Award No. 9950025
Collin County Community College
Advancing Careers in Technology and Science (ACTS)
Award: $847,785
(FY1999 $350,195; FY2000 $323,370; FY2001 $174,220)
General Technology

John J. Baltzer
Collin County Community College
Dept. of Engineering Technology
CCCCD Preston Ridge Campus
9700 Wade Blvd.
Frisco, TX  75034
jbaltzer@ccccd.edu
(972) 377-1700

Collin County Community College, North Central Texas College, Grayson County College, the University of North Texas, and area Tech Prep consortia that serve over 40 high school districts and 80,000 students are collaborating in this project. Its primary goals are to initiate community-based campaigns promoting a new mind-set that recognizes the value of 21st-century high-tech technicians and to revitalize mathematics and science curricula by interlocking practical applications of technologies in secondary and postsecondary education. Processes, curricula, and program materials are being disseminated through state presentations, regional workshops, and interfaces with national partners.

The project employs several unique practices. A vertical marketing initiative is promoting the new era of "gold collar" technicians. Designed by and for all the partners, the project is expanding student awareness and opportunities. Multi-level curriculum design teams, composed of faculty from high schools, community colleges, and universities and representatives from various industries, are reducing duplication of subject materials and developing Tech Prep programs with true multi-exit career paths. Nontraditional faculty exchanges provide the vital connection for the integration of Tech Prep programs and college courses. One-week mini-exchanges between secondary and postsecondary faculty and between faculty at different institutions promote understanding among participants. High school teachers see more clearly what their students must be prepared to do. Internships that allow faculty not only to work in industry but also to teach in corporate training environments expose these educators to current advances in industry and different methods of curriculum delivery and instruction.

Award No. 9950028
Sinclair Community College
Community College Information Technology Network
Award: $856,583
(FY1999 $298,230; FY2000 $282,334; FY2001 $276,019)
Information Technology

David T. Harrison
Sinclair Community College
Dept. of Business Technologies
444 W. Third St.
Dayton, OH  45402-1421
dharriso@sinclair.edu
(937) 512-2917

Sinclair Community College is addressing the shortage of information technology (IT) technicians by working with local industry to develop curricula that educate students in rapidly changing competencies needed for the workplace. The project integrates IT curricula from high school through the associate degree, with an emphasis on using IT skill standards and implementing instructional materials developed elsewhere. Building on fundamental IT skills and employability skills, the project is providing specialties in networking and telecommunications, Web technologies, and programming and analysis. Through a "fast track" certificate program, students obtain work experience and an advanced skill set in programming and analysis. The project is also providing employable IT skills to the visually impaired and offering professional development opportunities—including industrial experience and short courses in pedagogy and content—to both full-time and part-time faculty.

Award No. 9950029
University of Cincinnati
An Evolving Program to Prepare Information Technologists in Southwest Ohio for the 21st Century
Award: $853,640
(FY1999 $316,347; FY2000 $272,665; FY2001 $264,628)
Information Technology

Ashraf Saad
University of Cincinnati
Dept. of Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Technology
College of Applied Science
2220 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, OH  45206-2839
saadas@email.uc.edu
(513) 556-4874

This project aims to provide a "2+2+2" seamless transition for students from their junior year in high school, through an associate degree, to a B.S. degree in information engineering technology at the University of Cincinnati. The project has four main components: (1) articulation agreements between partner institutions, (2) course and curriculum development, (3) professional development for faculty (through a series of summer institutes and workshops), and (4) industrial co-op and internship experiences for students. Industrial partners play a crucial role in the project by informing the educational institutions about IT skills desired in workers and providing co-op and employment opportunities for students.

An IT competency profile, developed under the guidance of the Ohio Information Technology Task Force, underpins course and curriculum development at all levels. This IT competency profile follows the Tech Prep model and is the product of extensive collaboration between technical and academic educators and industrial partners.

Award No. 9950034
Bismarck State College
Energy Technology Education Project
Award: $611,969
(FY1999 $243,832; FY2000 $183,365; FY2001 $184,772)
Energy Technology

Rita DeHart
Bismarck State College
Dept. of Energy Technologies
P.O. Box 5587
Bismarck, ND  58506-5587
rdehart@cetlink.net
(704) 543-1178

Bismarck State College and the Electrical Power Research Institute Simulator and Training Center are combining resources and expertise to provide a quality comprehensive curriculum that will meet national needs for the education of power plant operators. Simulation packages and hands-on learning experiences are being integrated into the program. Two specific goals of the project are (1) to strengthen science, mathematics, and technology curricula and instructional materials supporting energy technology education, and (2) to increase the number of students within the region—especially women, Native Americans, and other minorities—who acquire the technical skills needed for employment in the energy industry.

Award No. 9950036
Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications
Developmental Mathematics and Its Applications (DevMap)
Award: $674,677
(FY1999 $225,050; FY2000 $317,274; FY2001 $132,353)
Mathematics

Solomon A. Garfunkel
Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications
Office of the Executive Director
57 Bedford St., Suite 210
Lexington, MA  02173
sol@comap.com
(617) 862-7878

Students who attend two-year colleges often arrive on campus lacking the basic skills necessary to succeed in college-level work. This is a particularly serious problem for students in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) programs, who may have significant deficits in their mathematics backgrounds but high aspirations for future success. These students need to build both their mathematical skills and confidence in their ability to solve challenging problems. To address these issues, this project is developing a two-semester program, "Developmental Mathematics and its Applications" (DevMap), which offers an alternative approach to the elementary and intermediate algebra courses currently taught at most two- and four-year colleges.

Industry representatives often emphasize the need for "systems thinking" that enables employees to recognize complexities inherent in situations subject to multiple inputs and diverse constraints. Science-based fields such as agricultural biotechnology require technicians who are able to formulate a problem in terms of relevant factors and design an experiment to determine the influence of those factors. Yet most developmental programs in mathematics, at both two- and four-year colleges, only offer students a replication of the high school mathematics curriculum. Both the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards (1989) and Crossroads in Mathematics: Standards for Introductory College Mathematics Before Calculus, published by the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (1995), advocate an integrated approach to mathematics content. To address these recommendations, the DevMap approach offers several benefits. The program is not divided into topics called algebra, geometry, intermediate algebra, and trigonometry, although all the major concepts in those courses are covered. The applications-based curriculum appeals to mature students who choose to pursue postsecondary education because the applications are drawn from areas in which students may find themselves working or from situations that they recognize from their daily lives. Solving the problems posed in DevMap calls for integrating technology in a natural way as compared to the "drill-and-practice" use of technology currently found in many developmental mathematics programs.

Award No. 9950037
Moraine Valley Community College
Applied Internet Technology: Curriculum and Careers
Award: $315,792
Information Technology

John L. Sands
Moraine Valley Community College
Dept. of Electronics
10900 S. 88th Ave.
Palos Hills, IL  60465-2175
sands@moraine.cc.il.us
(708) 974-5424

This project addresses industry’s need for technicians with a specialized degree in applied Internet technologies and answers the need for an integrated information technology (IT) curriculum articulated from high school through the community college to the university level. By including an option for dual enrollment, students least-served by higher education have an opportunity to train in this high-demand occupation while still attending high school. The project provides in-depth training for high school teachers in this new field so that they, in turn, can provide high school students with appropriate training. In addition, the project provides activities designed to increase high school students’ knowledge of information technology careers and the education required for them.

The project’s outcomes include (1) a series of nine courses for a new A.A.S. degree in applied Internet technology; (2) a dual enrollment course with an accompanying instructor’s guide and student lab manual, both with interactive CD-ROMs; (3) workshops on curriculum development and curriculum delivery using technology; and (4) articulation of the A.A.S. degree to Illinois public universities.

Award No. 9950039
Global Wireless Education Consortium
Wireless Industry and Education Collaboration
Award: $248,616
Telecommunications

Misty Baker
Global Wireless Education Consortium
23 N. 11th Ave.
St. Cloud, MN  56303
mbaker@gwec.org
(320) 259-8998

Explosive growth in the wireless areas of cellular and digital personal communications services over the past few years has been shadowed by a decrease in the availability of educated workers. At the heart of a wireless technician’s and engineer’s education is basic radio frequency (RF) knowledge. With educational budget constraints, these were exactly the lower-enrollment courses that were cut during the escalation of computer science courses. The mission of the Global Wireless Education Consortium (GWEC) is to develop a two-year educational platform that produces technicians for the wireless industry. This project is developing and disseminating curricula, online education, and industry resource guides.

GWEC was founded by Motorola, Lucent Technologies, Ericsson, AT&T Wireless, Northern Telecom, and AirTouch Communications, in partnership with the University of Texas at Dallas, Minnesota State University, and South Central Technical College (North Mankato, MN). Current members include the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, the University of Oklahoma, Seattle Central Community College, California Polytechnic University, Ridgewater Community College (Willmar, MN), Michigan Technological University, Connecticut Community Colleges, and Washington State University.

Award No. 9950042
Southeast Community College
Assignment Chemical Technology–III (ACT–III)
Award: $375,000
Chemical Technology

John V. Kenkel
Southeast Community College
Dept. of Environmental Laboratory Technology
8800 O St.
Lincoln, NE  68520
jvkenkel@sccm.cc.ne.us
(402) 437-2485

Southeast Community College, in partnership with the University of Nebraska, Montana State University, Texas State Technical College, and the DuPont Company, is enhancing chemical technology education programs in two-year colleges by building on two previous ATE projects, called "ACT-I" and "ACT-II." The new project completes the development of analytical chemistry coursework begun in "ACT-II" and also addresses organic and biochemistry courses. The analytical and organic chemistry courses embody the heart of chemical technology education in the United States and are the primary vehicle by which the American Chemical Society’s Voluntary Industry Standards (VIS) are being implemented. This project utilizes the VIS heavily and is generating a variety of useful products—including a number of modules and monographs covering topics appropriate to these courses; a series of innovative laboratory activities for students; two interactive multimedia programs on CD-ROM modeled after the popular "I.O.N.S." concept utilized in the previous projects; distance education models for these courses; and model "2+2+2" articulation agreements. The project also involves faculty enhancement workshops, as well as research to create and practice various distance education models.

Award No. 9950046
Milwaukee Area Technical College
21st Century Urban Technical Education Project: Construction Technology Systems for Grades 11–14
Award: $1,095,684
(FY1999 $321,900; FY2000 $417,055; FY2001 $356,729)
General Technology

William K. Hodgkinson
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Dept. of Technical and Industrial Arts
700 W. State St.
Milwaukee, WI  53233-1443
hodgkinb@milwaukee.tec.wi.us
(414) 297-6280

This is a three-year project to prepare technical high school students for career opportunities through a "2+2+2" program. Focusing initially on the construction trades, the project is developing an integrated technical education model, which includes teacher preparation, faculty development, attention to diversity, and the integration of technology into interdisciplinary curriculum modules. The project also provides internships and other experiential learning opportunities. It draws upon other projects funded by the ATE program and the Teacher Enhancement program.

Award No. 9950051
Partnership for Environmental Technology Education
Faculty Associates in Science and Technology Leadership Corps Project for Enhancing Environmental Technology Education
Award: $600,328
Environmental Technology

Paul R. Dickinson
Partnership for Environmental Technology Education
Dept. of Environmental Science
1824 Holmes St.
Livermore, CA  94550
natlpete@worldnet.att.net
(925) 243-0502

This project constitutes a revised version of a previously successful professional development program for faculty from two-year colleges. The new project will serve a new cohort of 70 to 100 faculty for each of three years. Activities occur in three phases: (1) Curriculum 101, a workshop providing an introduction to "macro" and "micro" issues in science and technology education; (2) a four- to eight-week summer internship in industry, a national laboratory, or a federal or state regulatory agency; and (3) an experience in course and curriculum design, developing a new course or revising an existing course.
The new project rests on a sound foundation of program components developed and evaluated in its precursor. Data from the first project support the conclusion that the approach is a viable model for faculty development and will have nationwide impact on environmental technology education.

Award No. 9950052
Mott Community College
Manufacturing Simulation Technology Project
Award: $500,738
Manufacturing

Thomas D. Crampton
Mott Community College
Dept. of Technology
1401 E. Court St.
Flint, MI  48503-2089
tcrampto@email.mcc.edu
(810) 762-0506

A major challenge facing today’s manufacturing industry is the timely delivery of quality products to consumers. What is required is the use of technological tools and simulations to shorten the design and delivery cycle of new products.

This project supports the development and dissemination of a curriculum that integrates manufacturing and simulation skills to prepare technicians for the 21st-century workforce. This curriculum provides model solutions to technical problems in real-life settings and incorporates advanced mathematics and science components throughout a newly developed manufacturing simulation technology (MST) associate degree program. The project is creating workplace experiences for manufacturers to hire MST graduates from diverse backgrounds. The new program’s architecture has been developed at Sinclair Community College’s National Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing Education and features a competency-based, modularized format. The focus for this project is robotic simulation.

The project is supplying skilled workers to support the emerging manufacturing simulation technology industry and is providing new career opportunities for women, Hispanics, African Americans, and disabled persons. Faculty are being trained in the use of simulation technology, integrating technology into the curriculum, and pedagogy. A virtual electronic library supports and distributes MST curricula, including a repository of simulation applications.

Award No. 9950053
J. Sargent Reynolds Community College
Advanced Technological Education for Emerging Microtechnologies: The Microchip and the Biochip
Award: $71,873
Biotechnology

George H. Flowers
J. Sargent Reynolds Community College
Engineering and Applied Science Division
P.O. Box 85622
Richmond, VA  23241-5622
gflowers@jsr.cc.va.us
(804) 371-3225

The emerging technology of the biochip—a microchip that contains DNA—including both its production and its use as a diagnostic tool, presents a unique opportunity for advanced technological education programs. The similarities in the production process between the biochip and the microchip place the proposed biochip curriculum directly in parallel with programs that already exist for microelectronics and electronics. Currently, there are no comprehensive programs at the community college level to address workforce development needs, competencies, and skills for the biochip industry, although these gene chips are already in production at several companies and in limited use in the medical profession.

This pilot project brings together national academic and industrial experts in biotechnology, biochip technology, and microchip technology to build the foundation for a biochip science and technology curriculum that interfaces with existing microelectronics, electronics, and engineering programs offered at many colleges. Activities that support the development and dissemination of this unique biochip specialization are (1) travel to biochip and microchip industries and biotechnology firms in Arizona, California, and Texas to meet experts involved in these industries and to invite them to join this project as part of a curriculum development team; (2) sponsorship of a workshop, "Bioelectronics, Biosensors, and Biochips," for community college faculty from the three community college systems involved in the project; and (3) sponsorship of other workshops to delineate competencies, skills, and workforce development needs in the biochip industry and to produce biochip specialization courses.

Award No. 9950056
Essex Community College
Internet and Multimedia Technology (I/MMT): Curriculum, Faculty, and Workforce Development
Award: $272,000
Multimedia Technology

Sylvia Sorkin
Community College of Baltimore County
Essex Campus
Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science
7201 Rossville Blvd.
Baltimore, MD  21237
ssorkin@ccbc.cc.md.us
(410) 780-6768

In this project, the Community College of Baltimore County is implementing a new certificate and associate degree program with tracks in Internet and multimedia technology. This program prepares students for entry-level employment, provides opportunities for workers to upgrade or acquire technical skills, and prepares students for further education in articulated four-year programs. Students in the new program are immersed in a rich information technology environment for general education courses as well as for their major field. To this end, a multimedia laboratory is being created and laboratory manuals are being developed for courses in the new program. The college is working with Baltimore area high schools to develop an articulated curriculum so that students entering the Internet and multimedia tracks will have the necessary foundation in mathematics, science, and written and oral communications. Local four-year institutions, including some with predominantly female or minority populations, are participating in cooperative arrangements to facilitate the transfer of students from this innovative program. The project also supports professional development for faculty and collaborates with business partners to provide internships and co-op experiences for faculty and students.

Award No. 9950057
Peralta Community College District Office
Bioscience Education-to-Employment
Award: $749,998
Biotechnology

Eugene S. Long
Peralta Community College District Office
Dept. of Mathematics, Science, and Related Technologies
Laney College
900 Fallon St.
Oakland, CA  94607
elong@peralta.cc.ca.us
(510) 464-3225

Laney College, Berkeley Biotechnology Education, Inc., and 35 San Francisco Bay area health and bioscience companies have formed a dynamic partnership with two local high schools and California State University, Hayward, to educate urban youth for entry-level positions in the biotechnology field. This program has received major contributions of time, money, and equipment from industry partners to ensure the success of students in school and in the workplace.

The ATE project builds on the existing model to increase student enrollment and modifies the curriculum to make it more responsive to industry’s needs. This three-year project (1) establishes a working bioscience process laboratory that integrates industry personnel in training underrepresented students in relevant laboratory skills; (2) expands student enrollment in the biotechnology program to all interested students, in addition to students in the current high school programs; (3) increases industry involvement by creating additional co-op jobs and new industry co-teaching roles; (4) provides additional support in recruitment and retention to increase the number of qualified program graduates by 50%; (5) evaluates obstacles that students encounter during recruitment and education and after graduation; and (6) disseminates this model by means of manuals that detail the establishment of school–industry partnerships supporting technical education.

Award No. 9950059
Gadsden State Community College
Project DAWN: Developing Alabama’s Workforce Now
Award: $199,977
Manufacturing

Bob Baker
Gadsden State Community College
Dept. of Industrial Technology
P.O. Box 227
Gadsden, AL  35902
RGBaker@airnet.net
(256) 549-8662

Project DAWN ("Developing Alabama’s Workforce Now") is a partnership between Gadsden State Community College, Central Alabama Community College, Alabama Southern Community College, and three manufacturing centers of the Alabama Technology Network. The project’s goal is to produce a new A.A.S. curriculum in manufacturing technology with four specialty options: electronics; industrial machine and tools; textile and apparel; and forestry, paper, and chemical. Four curriculum manuals—one for each specialty—will be produced. The project involves (1) the assessment of manufacturing technology needs in Alabama; (2) the investigation of exemplary manufacturing technology programs; (3) the development of a model curriculum in cooperation with local industries; and (4) evaluation and dissemination of the results.

Award No. 9950062
Joliet Junior College
TYC Physics Workshops for the Twenty-First Century
Award: $305,000
Physics

Curtis J. Hieggelke
Joliet Junior College
Dept. of Natural Science
1215 Houbolt Rd.
Joliet, IL  60436-8938
curth@jjc.cc.il.us
(815) 280-2371

The task of updating physics programs at two-year colleges is difficult because of the many rapid changes, the distribution of physics teachers, the heavy and complex workload of the faculty, and their lack of knowledge about the needs and applications of physics in the workplace. This two-year national pilot program is providing a series of six faculty development workshops (three each year) for two-year college faculty who teach the diverse, talented groups of students found in the core physics courses for technology programs and other programs. These workshops acquaint participants with the integration of technology and active learning strategies into such areas as microcomputer-based laboratories, digital video, modeling, computer simulations, qualitative and conceptual exercises, Internet-connected courses, cooperative and collaborative group work, and research and assessment in student learning. In addition, the workshops help faculty to better address the educational and workforce needs of technicians as they relate to physics. The workshops are led by two-year college physics professors along with four-year college or university physics professors who are experts in developing or implementing these approaches. The impact of the workshops is being reinforced by a newsletter and other incentives to encourage the implementation of the workshop ideas.

Award No. 9950063
Gadsden State Community College
Integrating Aquaculture Technologies in Secondary and Two-Year Schools
Award: $47,682
Aquaculture

John T. Simpson
Gadsden State Community College
Dept. of Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Aquaculture
1001 George Wallace Dr.
P.O. Box 227
Gadsden, AL  35902
jsimpson@gadsdenst.cc.al.us
(205) 549-8281

Aquaculture is the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. agriculture industry. Although aquaculture curricula exist, few secondary or two-year educational programs introduce students to the field and its career opportunities. Of the existing programs, few provide students with the hands-on laboratory experiences necessary to meet industry standards for skilled technicians. One goal of this project is to develop an educational partnership between Gadsden State Community College and three Alabama secondary schools in order to provide experiences in aquaculture for high-potential students. Faculty from Gadsden State and Auburn University are providing technical expertise to the secondary schools so that they can set up and maintain demonstration aquaculture systems (mini-fish farms). Gadsden State is also developing a partnership with Auburn University and local industry to offer educational experiences in aquaculture for secondary school and two-year college students and secondary school teachers. This partnership is (1) introducing technical curricula at secondary schools and two-year colleges, (2) providing information to students about potential careers in aquaculture, and (3) giving students an opportunity to participate in the "Intern and Learn" program, which places students on working fish farms. The project’s methods and materials are being disseminated to other secondary schools and two-year colleges in Alabama that have recently been encouraged by the aquaculture industry to begin aquaculture programs.

Award No. 9950067
Berkshire Community College
Western Massachusetts Advanced Technology Training Consortium
Award: $300,000
Multidisciplinary

William Mulholland
Berkshire Community College
Dept. of Business, Mathematics, Science, and Technology
1350 West St.
Pittsfield, MA  01201
wmulholland@cc.berkshire.org
(413) 499-4660

Composed of postsecondary institutions (Berkshire and Greenfield Community Colleges), secondary schools, government agencies, and several manufacturing and technology networks, the Western Massachusetts Advanced Technology Training Consortium is developing, field-testing, and implementing learning modules to enhance understanding of environmental and agricultural technology, plastics and paper manufacturing, and computer animation, and to improve mathematics, science, computer, and problem solving skills. The modules are designed to accommodate the needs of diverse audiences by providing learning tracks suited to the specific learning styles, developmental levels, competencies, and skill proficiencies of the various target groups. To disseminate the modules, the consortium is collaborating with the Northeast Center for Telecommunications Technologies at Springfield Technical Community College.

Award No. 9950069
Ilisagvik College
The Technology Connection: Computer Training for Residents of Arctic Alaska
Award: $308,764
Information Technology

Brooke Selmer
Ilisagvik College
Division of Computer Information and Business Technologies
Barrow, AK  99723
bselmer@co.north-slope.ak.us
(907) 852-1738

Using a mobile computer lab and other distance delivery strategies, this project links residents of remote villages on Alaska’s Arctic Slope with a two-year A.A.S. program in information technology (IT). Assisted by five partner institutions with established IT curricula, Ilisagvik College (located in the northernmost city on the continent) is tailoring IT courses worth 30 credits to meet the needs of local employers, to address pedagogical issues specific to Alaska Natives, and to provide the best mix of distance delivery strategies. Courses are being pilot-tested on campus before being implemented in the region’s seven remote villages. Project personnel expect that at least one resident from each of the villages and 10 Barrow residents will complete the A.A.S. degree and be hired into IT positions in the region.

Local public agencies and private businesses are partnering with the college to provide classrooms in the villages and hands-on training opportunities. Five academic partners are sharing their IT curricula and expertise: Diné College, Maui Community College, Santa Fe Community College, the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, and Nunavut Arctic College.

Award No. 9950071
College of the Mainland
Consortium for the Advancement of Process Technology (CAPT)
Award: $898,493
(FY1999 $392,726; FY2000 $308,256; FY2001 $197,511)
Chemical Technology

Joanna L. Kile
College of the Mainland
Dept. of Technical Education
1200 Amburn Rd.
Texas City, TX  77591
jkile@earthlink.net
(409) 938-1211

The College of the Mainland, in partnership with major petrochemical and refining companies, two-year colleges, and four-year universities of the Gulf Coast region of Texas and Louisiana (the Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance), is developing an industry-driven, standardized curriculum in process technology. This project builds upon significant accomplishments of the Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance, including the finalization of competencies for eight common core courses in process technology. These common core courses are required for all newly approved programs in Texas that implement the A.A.S. degree in process technology, and the courses have recently been adopted by Louisiana. Other states, such as Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia, also support the Alliance’s effort to develop an industry-sanctioned curriculum in process technology and are actively pursuing the adaptation and adoption of this curriculum. This project is a logical extension of the Alliance’s vision and builds upon established relationships between industry, business, government, and education.

Award No. 9950072
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Plastics Resources for Educators Program (PREP)
Award: $805,326
(FY1999 $258,323; FY2000 $301,553; FY2001 $245,450)
Plastics Technology

Timothy E. Weston
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Dept. of Industrial and Engineering Technology
One College Ave.
Williamsport, PA  17701
tweston@pct.edu
(717) 327-4520

The Plastics Resources for Educators Program (PREP) is establishing the educational infrastructure necessary to ensure that the nation’s plastics industry remains internationally competitive. Today, plastics manufacturing represents the nation’s fourth largest and fastest-growing industry, with a projected need for an additional 250,000 technicians and engineers by the year 2005. PREP is a collaboration between two primary institutions: the Pennsylvania College of Technology and Pennsylvania State University. Three other institutions also provide input. The project has three main objectives: (1) the development and maintenance of the "PREP Bookshelf," a warehouse of instructional materials for use in plastics technology education; (2) the development of a National Plastics Forum and a community of faculty; and (3) better pre-college outreach through collaboration with project partners.

Award No. 9950073
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
North Carolina Consortium for Logistics Education (NCCLE)
Award: $399,969
(FY1999 $249,749; FY2000 $150,220)
Logistics

Noel Greis
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kenan Institute
Kenan Center, CB #3440
Chapel Hill, NC  27599-3440
noel_greis@unc.edu
(919) 962-8201

This project establishes the North Carolina Consortium for Logistics Education (NCCLE) for the purpose of developing a curriculum in global logistics to be administered through the North Carolina Logistics Education Training Center at the North Carolina Global TransPark. The North Carolina Global TransPark is an innovative new complex that enables "just in time" global operations by integrating multiple modes of transportation, information systems, and the knowledge and commercial support necessary to manage the increasingly complex flow of goods and information on a global basis.

The project’s objectives focus on curriculum development, faculty development, recruitment and retention of traditionally underrepresented groups, and the integration of technology in education. The NCCLE curriculum will be modular, will be deliverable via a wide range of media, and will lead seamlessly to both two-year and four-year degrees in global logistics. This curriculum will broaden technical education in logistics across the state in response to the emerging demands of competitive business strategies based on speed in product manufacture and delivery.

Award No. 9950076
Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District
The Power of Partnerships: Integrating Academics into the Manufacturing World
Award: $725,292
(FY1999 $269,213; FY2000 $228,837; FY2001 $227,242)
Manufacturing

Carol Chambers
Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District
Dept. of Research and Development
1101 Red Dr.
P.O. Box 6020
Traverse City, MI  49696
cchambers@tbaisd.k12.mi.us
(616) 922-6314

This project seeks to transform a successful, ongoing regional Manufacturing Technology Academy into a flexible and adaptable technological academy model. The idea is to lift students from the traditional high school or technical center setting into a more meaningful educational environment that delivers high-level academic content while emulating a corporate culture of quality. Although the academy currently focuses on manufacturing, almost any industry can serve as the skeleton for this model.

The technological academy model differs from the mainstream of both technology centers and traditional high schools in four key aspects: (1) a rigorous academic curriculum that integrates high-level secondary content like calculus, chemistry, economics, and physics into a workplace focus; (2) a uniquely successful manufacturing council partnership, which ensures constant communication and in-depth collaboration between teachers, manufacturing personnel, and students; (3) an innovative blend of the classroom and the workplace, which extends the classroom beyond its walls and brings an entrepreneurial spirit and corporate culture to its students and curriculum; and (4) marketing, recruitment, evaluation, and replication strategies aimed at continuously improving effectiveness and opening the technological academy’s door to a larger and more diverse pool of students.

Award No. 9950078
Tunxis Community-Technical College
Statewide College of Technology ATE Enhancement Project
Award: $100,000
Engineering Technology

Karen Wosczyna-Birch
Capital Community-Technical College
College of Technology
61 Woodland St.
Hartford, CT  06105
kwbirch@commnet.edu
(860) 725-6608

The College of Technology, a consortium of engineering technology and technology studies curricula of the community and technical colleges in Connecticut, is planning to develop and implement an Introduction to Engineering course for the system colleges, as well as a high school engineering course. The consortium is building upon best practices in ATE projects and other programs in technological education. Consortium teams meet with representatives from industry, four-year colleges, and high schools to determine industry’s needs and to develop an evaluation of competencies. Faculty are participating in industrial experiences and learning new pedagogical strategies valued by industry and academic institutions.

Award No. 9950080
Jefferson State Community College
Development of Job-Based Problems for Technical Physics
Award: $52,064
Physics

Ali R. Yazdi
Jefferson State Community College
Dept. of Physics
2601 Carson Rd.
Center Point, AL  35215-3098
ayazdi@jscc.cc.al.us
(205) 856-7799

Job-based problems similar to those technology students are likely to encounter when they begin work in industrial settings are not widely available for technical physics courses. Consequently, students frequently fail to see the relevance of physics to their studies and may not recognize physics-based applications when they encounter them on the job.

The objective of this project is to develop 40 job-based problem sets for technical physics. Physics and technology instructors, representatives from the Metropolitan Manufacturing Technology Center, and employees from small industries in the Birmingham area are collaborating to develop these problem sets. Instructors are visiting a variety of light and heavy manufacturing settings to research the foundations for problems covering the areas of motion, force, torque, and electricity. Instructors from Jefferson State Community College and at least three other colleges will field-test the problems before they are distributed to other technical physics teachers at national and regional meetings and via the Web and CD-ROM.

Award No. 9950084
Bergen Community College
Interdisciplinary Laboratory Science Technology Program
Award: $184,952
Multidisciplinary

Pascal J. Ricatto
Bergen Community College
Dept. of Chemistry
400 Paramus Rd.
Paramus, NJ  07652-1508
pjricatto@mailhost.bergen.cc.nj.us
(201) 447-7906

Bergen Community College and Passaic County Community College are collaborating with four-year colleges and industry representatives to meet the growing demand for interdisciplinary science technologists who can use a variety of analytical instruments and deal with the new employment realities of rapidly changing assignments, variable functions, and multicultural teams. Through a new, broad-based, interdisciplinary A.A.S. curriculum, the project is (1) preparing students to effectively use a variety of modern laboratory equipment and analytical methods required by business and industry employers; (2) helping students gain interactive, classroom-based, experiential learning about work; (3) creating interactive, interdisciplinary learning modules that simulate workplace problems, activities, and assignments; (4) integrating laboratory internships, work-based learning experiences, and mentoring relationships; and (5) arranging peer support groups and an array of academic supportive services to ensure the retention, completion, and employment or further education of students, especially underrepresented populations.

Award No. 9950085
Jones County Junior College
Southeast Consortium for Advanced Network Technology Education
Award: $1,758,163
(FY1999 $499,999; FY2000 $677,304; FY2001 $580,860)
Information Technology

Catherine P. Cotten
Jones County Junior College
Dept. of Information and Research
900 S. Court St.
Ellisville, MS  39437
catherine.cotten@jcjc.cc.ms.us
(601) 477-4115

This project focuses on existing and emerging network technologies beneficial to secondary schools, two-year colleges, and four-year colleges and universities. The particular technologies that the project targets are client/server, Internet/intranet, and multimedia utilizing computer networks.

The project has the following goals and objectives: (1) to identify and evaluate emerging network technology trends, applications, innovations, and curricula; (2) to disseminate these trends, applications, innovations, and curricula to educators and their students; (3) to compile career education information and develop strategies to promote interest by secondary and postsecondary students in careers in computer network technology and in the mathematics and science necessary for success in those careers; (4) to increase the enrollment of women and minorities in degree programs that lead to careers in network technology; (5) to support the continued educational competence of secondary and postsecondary faculty and administrators who teach, implement, or administer curricula in emerging network technologies; (6) to establish an infrastructure for providing internships and work-based learning opportunities in emerging network technologies for faculty and students; and (7) to build a network of education, government, and business entities that will support the development of quality programs to educate the future information technology workforce and to re-educate the present one.

Award No. 9950088
Rock Valley College
Development and Field Test of a Multimedia Simulation System for Training Aviation Technicians via the Internet
Award: $499,918
(FY1999 $249,958; FY2000 $249,960)
Aviation Maintenance

Charles L. Billman
Rock Valley College
Dept. of Vocational Programs
3301 N. Muldford Rd.
Rockford, IL  61114
faav1cb@rvcux1.rvc.cc.il.us
(815) 397-4275

A coalition composed of a two-year college, a four-year university, a high school, professional associations, and the software and aviation maintenance industries is carrying out this project to develop, field-test, and disseminate a multimedia simulation system via the Internet for training aviation maintenance technicians. The project is enhancing the comprehension of the interdisciplinary nature of aviation maintenance technology (AMT) by students, including women and minorities; reducing training costs by maximizing the adaptability of the curriculum; and improving laboratory safety with minimized environmental hazards.

In particular, the project is (1) developing five simulation modules, each targeting a particular aspect of AMT in two-year associate degree programs; (2) field-testing the AMT simulation system in two-year college aviation maintenance classes; (3) introducing the simulation system and the technology behind it to AMT faculty at two-year colleges nationwide through workshops; and (4) disseminating the simulation system via both the Internet and CD-ROM to two-year college AMT faculty and high school counselors.

Award No. 9950098
Bellevue Community College
Cyber Careers for the Net-Generation: An Information Technology Career Education Video
Award: $40,000
Information Technology

Peter Saflund
Bellevue Community College
NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies
3000 Landerholm Cir., SE, N258
Bellevue, WA  98007-6484
psaflund@bcc.ctc.edu
(425) 373-4216

The NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies at Bellevue Community College and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers are collaborating to develop a video on information technology (IT) careers. This Cyber Careers video will target middle and high school students and non-IT majors in college, and will include a special focus on women and minorities who have traditionally been underrepresented in IT. To attract students to the IT profession, the video will emphasize the profession’s appeal in the view of younger students and will project a positive image of the IT worker.

Award No. 9950099
Moorpark College
Industrial Biotechnology Instruction: A Modular Approach
Award: $339,538
Biotechnology

Maureen T. Harrigan
Moorpark College
Dept. of Biology
7075 Campus Rd.
Moorpark, CA  93021-1600
harrigan@moorpark.cc.ca.us
(805) 378-1400

A community college and universities have partnered with industry to develop a model curriculum in biomanufacturing, focusing on eight modules designed after the departments of a manufacturing facility. Using this recently developed curriculum, the project is undertaking five main activities: (1) Students are being trained in biomanufacturing technologies with an option to obtain a Certificate of Achievement or an A.S. degree in biotechnology. (2) An instructional manufacturing laboratory that mimics the industrial environment is being set up, and scientists from industry are teaching the modules, guaranteeing that the technical training of students directly matches industry’s needs. (3) A training manual based on the biomanufacturing modules is being developed for dissemination nationwide. (4) Workshops and other resources are being offered to assist faculty at other educational institutions who wish to adapt the prototype biomanufacturing curriculum. (5) Articulation arrangements are being established with secondary schools and universities to delineate a career path in biotechnology and ensure the academic preparedness of students.

Award No. 9950101
Wake Technical Community College
A Resource Package for Integrating

Mathematics and Algebra-Based Physics
Award: $231,043
Mathematics and Physics

Robert L. Kimball
Wake Technical Community College
Dept. of Mathematics and Physics
9101 Fayetteville Rd.
Raleigh, NC  27603
rlkimbal@mail.wake.tec.nc.us
(919) 662-3602

This project aims (1) to construct a set of integrated activities to supplement mathematics and physics courses in engineering technology programs in two-year colleges, as well as high school courses; (2) to help students develop a positive attitude toward mathematics and physics; and (3) to better prepare students for a highly technical workplace.

Using the national skill standards, the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges’ Crossroads in Mathematics document, and research from the American Association of Physics Teachers, mathematics and physics faculty are developing a resource package of integrated mathematics and physics activities. These activities cover the content found in algebra, trigonometry, calculus, and algebra-based physics courses and are designed to produce a student-centered learning environment in which students use technology routinely, participate in hands-on experiences regularly, and acquire the skills necessary to immediately apply mathematics in a variety of contexts. Participating students are being surveyed and tracked to evaluate the effect of the curriculum.

Award No. 9950105
Greenfield Community College
Increasing the Flow: A Community College-Centered Model to Meet Rural Information Technology Needs
Award: $420,000
Information Technology

Douglas H. Wilkins
Greenfield Community College
Division of Mathematics, Science, Business, and Information Technology
One College Dr.
Greenfield, MA  01301
wilkins@gcc.mass.edu
(413) 775-1480

This project is increasing access for a diverse, rural population to two- and four-year postsecondary programs in information technology (IT). It is building upon existing relationships between educational institutions to create a persistent academic stream from high school to community college to baccalaureate institutions or IT employment. Curricula are being coordinated and courses are being shared via the Internet and distance video platforms. Formal articulation agreements are being drafted and implemented.

The project focuses on developing educational practices and processes suited to areas without large employers. The project models how small colleges, many with a strong liberal arts tradition, can develop ongoing processes to engage small businesses throughout their service area to strengthen the regional IT infrastructure. Rural businesses and industry are full partners in this process, informing curriculum development and providing co-op work experiences for students and internships for high school and college faculty.

Award No. 9950106
Valencia Community College
Tech-4 Electronic Workforce Development System
Award: $1,100,000
(FY1999 $400,000; FY2000 $400,000; FY2001 $300,000)
Microelectronics

Cap Jadonath
Valencia Community College
Division of Business, Computer Technology, Engineering, and Public Service
P.O. Box 3028
Orlando, FL  32802
cjadonath@gwmail.valencia.cc.fl.us
(407) 299-5000

Community colleges and universities along the "I-4 Corridor" (Tampa–Orlando–Daytona) in Central Florida are working with industry to offer programs in the engineering technology and electronics fields. As part of the Tech-4 High-Technology Industrial Education Consortium, this project is enhancing individualized institutional efforts to design an "electronics workforce development system" that maximizes learning for secondary school students and lower-division undergraduates through the sharing of industrial and educational resources. Eight modules focusing on different aspects of the electronics industry are located at facilities spread across the region. These serve as collaborative resource centers. Using the Maricopa Advanced Technology Education Center (MATEC) as a model, project partners are developing and modifying courses and activities. This collaboration between educators and industry representatives is building students’ awareness of careers in electronics and engineering technology and is leading to increased enrollment, retention, completion, and placement rates. Instructors in secondary schools and community colleges are, through professional development, improving their understanding of industry’s current needs.

Award No. 9970881
Concord Consortium
Hands on Physics: Evaluation and Dissemination
Award: $128,070
Physics

Robert F. Tinker
Concord Consortium
37 Thoreau St.
Concord, MA  01742
bob@concord.org
(978) 371-3476

This project supports the summative evaluation and widespread dissemination of "Hands on Physics" (HOP), an innovative, inquiry-based approach to physics designed for high school and college students.

Because HOP represents a radically different way to teach physics, educators are demanding more evidence that it is effective and can achieve its goals. The limited studies undertaken so far have been formative, intended to help guide the materials development process. This project carries out a definitive summative study involving 10 sites.

HOP is adapted to delivery over the Web. This project is creating a complete implementation package of seven HOP units and supporting materials that can be widely disseminated and take full advantage of the Web. By creating a Web-based HOP interest group, the project is providing assistance in meeting teaching standards, selecting companion materials, performing student evaluation, and solving technical problems.

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PROJECTS MANAGED BY OTHER NSF PROGRAMS AND CO-FUNDED BY ATE

New Awards (1999)

In 1999 the ATE program contributed funds to several proposals that were submitted to and funded through other programs. Below, the ATE contribution is listed in parentheses after the estimated total award.

Award No. 9900698
Western Michigan University
Assessing the Impact and Effectiveness of the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program
Award: $1,289,690 (ATE: $646,014)
Evaluation

Arlen R. Gullickson
Western Michigan University
Evaluation Center
414 E. Clark St.
401B Ellsworth Hall
Kalamazoo, MI  49008
arlen.gullickson@wmich.edu
(616) 387-5895

This award is managed by the Evaluation Program in the Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication.

NSF-funded projects are increasingly recognizing that performance accountability is a critical practice. However, few Principal Investigators (PIs) or their staff have the requisite expertise to develop and implement an accountability system. This project supports the development of tools for ATE projects to carry out accountability assessments using a common outcomes framework. In concert with ATE PIs, project personnel are preparing a set of indicators that represent quality technical education, preparing and pilot-testing instruments and guidebooks for data collection, and collecting data from ATE projects that will provide information on the impact and effectiveness of the ATE program.

Award No. 9909552
Pikes Peak Community College
A National Model for Curriculum Adaptation and Implementation
Award: $45,633 (ATE: $20,000)
Information Technology

Comfort F. Cover
Pikes Peak Community College
Dept. of Learning Technologies
5675 S. Academy Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO  80906
cover@ppcc.cccoes.edu
(719) 540-7397

This award is managed by the Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) program in the Division of Undergraduate Education.

This project aims to develop and validate a national model for the adaptation and implementation of an advanced technology curriculum by using satellite teleconferencing and Internet resources. The model begins with a national teleconference featuring a panel discussion and multimedia presentation of a new associate degree curriculum in computer networking. A series of follow-up activities then provide the necessary resources for two-year college faculty and administrators to adapt and implement the curriculum. The curriculum is a component of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Guidelines for Degree and Certificate Programs to Support Computing in a Networked Environment, produced by ACM’s Two-Year College Education Committee.

Project activities include (1) identifying a variety of resources to support adaptation and implementation of associate degree and certificate programs in networking; (2) identifying 20 institutions across the United States as primary sites to implement the new curriculum; (3) disseminating information and strategies for adapting and implementing the new curriculum; (4) establishing a uniform protocol to evaluate the model at the 20 primary sites; (5) establishing a discussion forum for the participants; and (6) providing ongoing assistance, mentoring, and peer support to facilitate the adaptation and implementation process.

Award No. 9950381
Linn State Technical College
College Mathematics From an Industry-Based Multidisciplinary Technological Perspective
Award: $75,000 (ATE: $20,000)
Mathematics

Ellen Velie
Linn State Technical College
One Technology Drive
Linn, MO  65051
velie@linnstate.edu
(573) 897-3603

This award is managed by the Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) program in the Division of Undergraduate Education.

This project is developing and evaluating two mathematics modules, from a projected suite of seven, based on using current, meaningful industry-based problems or case studies. When complete, the seven modules will be usable either individually or as a full college-level mathematics course, "Industry-Based College Mathematics," which will cover most of college algebra and will develop an effective set of problem-solving heuristics. This project includes testing and evaluating the two prototype modules at Linn State Technical College, Southeast Missouri State University, and Oklahoma State University at Okmulgee. If the evaluation confirms the value of this approach, this project is expected to lead to the development of the complete suite of seven modules.


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