Concurrent Sessions
Wednesday, July 27, 10:15–11:00
Critiquing Online Instruction: Alaska Tech Learner Project
Alaska Tech Learners is an NSF ATE project that uses multimedia instruction placed on a thumb drive to provide students throughout Alaska with course content. After an overview of the thumb drive model, participants will brainstorm and critique the instruction for content coverage, layout, use of different learning styles, use of enriching activities, and its ability to create diversity, inclusion, and equity in the classroom.
Steve Johnson, Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems, Assistant Director, Alaska Tech Learners, Prince William Sound College, Valdez, AK
MNT-EC’s Talking Technicians Podcast
Join us for a recording of the Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) podcast Talking Technicians. We are proud to share with you a live-streamed recording of a special podcast episode. This is a unique opportunity to learn about how the sausage is made with a behind-the-scenes perspective in technician podcasting. This HI-TEC podcast episode will feature a new technician, an experienced technician, and a student working to become a technician. Ask questions live and be part of the Talking Technicians podcast. Hosted by Peter Kazarinoff and Janet Pinhorn from MNT-EC with two industry guests and one student.
Peter Kazarinoff, Professor, Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC), Portland Community College, Portland, OR
Engaging and Recruiting Young Women into Your STEM Program
While a sustained focus on increasing female STEM pipelines remains, female STEM enrollment across the nation continues to decrease. Tesla’s head of workforce recently commented on increased productivity when female technicians were embedded in male-dominated repair crews while simultaneously expressing frustration at the lack of interest among female graduates. The question is, why? Who better to answer that question than three high school girls. These girls have focused on increasing STEM awareness among their peers through social media, speaking, and club activities. This guided panel will dive into girls’ social and cultural obstacles to choosing a STEM career.
Kevin Cooper, PI, RCNET, Indian River State College, Ft. Pierce, FL
How to Take Advantage of a Perfect Storm
The last few years have been anything but peaceful and calm. In fact, words like chaotic and turbulent are more often applied to the last 24 months. What has resulted is the confluence of emerging technology growth, educational constraints, and industry transition. The convergence of these three often separate entities has resulted in a perfect storm scenario. For educators, this existing environment provides challenges and opportunities. This presentation will discuss the direct and indirect impact of these three factors. Consideration and delineation of multiple opportunities for change and growth in response to the storm will be covered.
Deb Newberry, CEO/President, Newberry Technology Associates, Milwaukee, WI
Challenges to Moving Cybersecurity Curriculum at a Technical College from Hands-On to Online
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a sharp turn in the Texas State Technical College hands-on technical model as courses were moved from an in-person to an online modality in the Cybersecurity program. Challenges included instructional content, access, hardware/equipment, software, and communication. Each challenge will be detailed regarding how they were addressed and the results of the associated changes. TSTC also saw a shift in the typical student population and data regarding persistence, graduation, and job placement rates of students who were affected by the shift.
Amy Hertel, Lead Instructor, National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Online Competency-Based Education of Technicians in Computer-aided Design and Cyber Security (#1901776), Texas State Technical College, Marshall, TX; Norma Colunga-Hernandez, Statewide Department Chair, National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Online Competency-Based Education of Technicians in Computer-aided Design and Cyber Security (#1901776), Texas State Technical College, Harlingen, TX
Hybrid Learning Systems for the Next Generation of Aircraft Maintenance Technicians
In this session the presenters will discuss the development and dissemination of a hybrid aircraft maintenance technician program. This program supports the requirements for FAA AMT General and Airframe certification and was developed with industry guidance and partnerships. The presenters will highlight their research-based approach to hybrid instruction, covering the inclusion of virtual reality, hands-on activities, Universal Design for Learning principles, and microlearning.
Rebecca Short, Director of Operations, The Center for Aviation and Automotive Technological Education Using Virtual E-Schools (CA2VES), Clemson, SC; Kapil Chalil Madathil, Director of Technology, The Center for Aviation and Automotive Technological Education Using E-Learning: Providing E-learning Resources and Increasing Knowledge about Their Effectiveness, Clemson, SC; Anand Gramopadhye, Dean, College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, The Center for Aviation and Automotive Technological Education Using E-Learning: Providing E-learning Resources and Increasing Knowledge about Their Effectiveness, Clemson, SC; Carl Washburn, Department Head, Aircraft Maintenance Technology, Greenville Technical College, Greenville, SC; Karen Johnson, Associate Professor, Department of Aviation Technologies, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL; Stephen Ley, Associate Professor, School of Aviation Sciences, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT
What, How, and When? Integrating Industry 4.0 into Manufacturing Technician Education
Industry 4.0 generates many questions as well as opportunities for technician educators. How do educators sort through the nine technologies that are commonly grouped as Industry 4.0 technologies to determine what should be added to their programs, how much, and where? What should be taught at the four-year level? With a curriculum already packed with important content, what strategies are being used to ensure that students are prepared for work both with fundamental knowledge and skills and also have experiences with emerging technologies. This discussion-based session will use a short survey to capture best practices of the participants.
Marilyn Barger, Senior Education Advisor, Future of Work Caucus for New Manufacturing Skills, FLATE (Florida Advanced Technological Education Center of Excellence), Tampa, FL; Richard Gilbert, Professor, FLATE, USF, Tampa, FL
Help! How Do I Find an External Evaluator?
External evaluation is required for all ATE proposals. But how do you find a qualified evaluator? EvaluATE will be covering essential tips for finding and selecting an ATE external evaluator. Attendees will also have a unique opportunity to meet with ATE evaluators in small groups to practice talking to evaluators, determining qualifications and fit for their projects. The EvaluATE team will be available to help address questions throughout the session on evaluator procurement and will share resources for attendees to take home.
Megan Zelinsky, Senior Research Associate, EvaluATE, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI; Lyssa Becho, Principal Research Associate, EvaluATE, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MIon
Wednesday, July 27, 11:15–Noon
A Simulated Entrepreneurial Experience for Biotechnology Students
This session will include a panel discussion consisting of two collaborating faculty members and a student who participated in a simulated entrepreneurial experience in the biomanufacturing sector. This experience involved original student ideas regarding a company and a novel algae-centric technology that formed the basis of that company. Panelists will discuss the process of coming up with the idea, the resources utilized to support the endeavor, the promise that the developed technology holds should it be further developed, and lessons learned from the overall experience.
Daniel Kainer, Director, Lone Star College Biotechnology Institute, Scaling Microsystems Support, Lone Star College-Montgomery, Conroe, TX
Pathways to Cultivate Workforce Readiness: Diversity and Inclusion in Technician Education
The enhanced engineering technology major at Bucks County Community College (Bucks) has been redesigned to accommodate rapidly changing industry needs. It promotes diversity and inclusion by offering a wide range of technical electives that will engage students with many interests and backgrounds. Bucks has created additional pathways for students accepting its Center for Workforce Development certifications for college credit. The engineering design course now includes a larger manufacturing component that will enhance hands-on skills. The presenter will share the college’s evolving plan to recruit students from underrepresented groups that has been developed from outcomes of learning sessions comprising faculty and staff.
Christine Delahanty, Area Coordinator of Science and Engineering, Increasing the Number of Workforce Ready Engineering Technicians in Southeastern PA, Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA
Two-tier Vacuum Technology Learning System for Semiconductor and Nanotech Manufacturing Tech Training
This three-part program consists of (1) an overview of the vacuum technology skills required of technicians in the nanotech and semiconductor industries and the resultant design of a two-tier vacuum technology learning system suitable for community college and technical high-school curricula as well as for incumbent worker training; (2) an overview (including live demo) of the assembled vacuum trainers and the vacuum technology content and lab activities involved in using the trainers; and (3) a review of the initial implementation of this system with community college students, high-school students, and incumbent semiconductor technicians.
Abraham Michelen, Managing Director, NEATEC, SUNY Poly, Albany, NY; Robert Geer, Principal Investigator, NEATEC, SUNY Poly, Albany, NY; Robert Decker, Developer, NEATEC, SUNY Poly, Albany, NY; Stephen Steward, Developer, NEATEC, Suny Poly, Albany, NY
Lessons from the Professional Development Trenches: Successes, Challenges, and Everything in Between
The NSF’s National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) regularly offers faculty professional development events in a variety of formats from lengthy in-person workshops to streamlined webinars. This includes the popular Working Connections series that has been running in North Texas since 2002 and attracts faculty from across the country. Surveys show Working Connections and its 2850 total faculty enrollments has impacted a least 149,000 students. Attendees will hear best practices and implementation strategies developed across years of successful professional development events and learn from our successes and mistakes. Topics will include event planning, topic selection, attendee registration, and survey evaluations.
Ann Beheler, Principal Investigator, National Convergence Technology Center, Collin College, Frisco, TX; Mark Dempsey, Assistant Director Manager, National Convergence Technology Center, Frisco, TX; Debbie Miller, Manager, Program Reporting, National Convergence Technology Center, Frisco, TX
Expanded Opportunities for NSF ATE Funding and No-cost Proposal Development Help
NSF ATE Lead Program Officer Dr. V. Celeste Carter will explain current funding opportunities. News about congressional reauthorization of the ATE Program with the potential for substantial budget increases for ATE will be shared. NSF ATE proposals are complex and unfamiliar to many two-year colleges. Understanding expectations and nuances of this funding opportunity contributes to proposal success. Mentor-Connect’s comprehensive, no-cost help for prospective two-year college grantees, customized mentoring options, technical assistance, resources specific to ATE proposal development, and STEM faculty leadership development can lead to success. Mentor-Connect has assisted 210 colleges with a 70% funding rate for those new to ATE.
Elaine Craft, PI Mentor-Connect, Mentor-Connect: Leadership Development and Outreach for ATE-3, Florence-Darlington Technical College, Florence, SC; V. Celeste Carter, Lead Program Director, NSF ATE Program, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA
Building a Library of LabView Programs to Support Engineering Education
LabView is a very powerful NI graphical programming language that can be used to design and build many executable programs to support education. These programs can be used in classes to support lectures and labs that are currently used in the education of students. The programs’ design is based on need defined by the instructor. Since LabView is so intuitive, students can quickly develop job skills by building these programs. The programs can then be deployed as executable programs that can be loaded and used on personal and school computers.
Andrew Bell, Department Chair, Engineering, Ivy Tech Community College, Fort Wayne, IN; Emily Kwolek, Work Study Student, SCME, Ivy Tech Community College, Fort Wayne, IN
Incorporating Secure Software Development Tools and Frameworks When Teaching Programming Languages
The goal of integrating secure software development (DevSecOps – Development, Security, and Operations) mindset from the beginning of the SSDLC (Secure Software Development Lifecycle) process is to develop secure system design and reduce the risk of software vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. So how do we incorporate such tools in the classroom? This presentation will reflect on the recent executive order ” to enhance software supply chain security” and review the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) secure software risk management requirements. The presenter will share resources and techniques and showcase how to incorporate secure software development tools and frameworks concepts while teaching programming languages.
Rajiv Malkan, Professor, CCN, Lone Star College Montgomery, Conroe, TX
CyberSecurity for Advanced Manufacturing Organizations: Virtual Industrial Control System (ICS)
This session will introduce the audience to a newly created, and freely available, virtual environment created specifically to allow the training of advanced manufacturing cybersecurity concepts without the need to invest in expensive hardware. Attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops and be able to experience the environment for themselves during the presentation.
Tony Hills, Instructor, CyberSecurity for Advanced Manufacturing Organizations (CAMO), Northwest State Community College, Archbold, OH; Mike Kwiatkowski, Instructor, CyberSecurity for Advanced Manufacturing Organizations (CAMO), Northwest State Community College, Archbold, OH
The InnovATEBIO Biosciences Leadership Institute
The InnovATEBIO Biosciences Leadership Institute (BLI) is a novel professional development model created through the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-five high school and community college instructors participated in a yearlong session that was done initially virtually and ended with a hybrid session in June 2022. Business cases, two of which were actual scenarios provided by industry, were solved in teams with industry representatives. The program consisted of multiple phases including the pre-work assignment of reading, taking a leadership profile, working in teams solving business cases, applying knowledge to one’s own case, and presenting it.
Russ Read, Co-PI, InnovATEBIO, NCBW, ForsythTech, Winston-Salem, NC; Tom Tubon, Chief Workforce Director, BioMADE, St. Paul, MN; Todd Smith, CTO, innovATEBIO, Digital World Biology LLC, Seattle, WA; Linnea Fletcher, Executive Director, InnovATEBIO, Austin Community College, Austin, TX
Wednesday, July 27, 1:15–2:00
STEM 3.0
Certain impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on science education are investigated here. Two primary shortcomings in STEM education that were uncovered by the pandemic include: the lack of understanding of the scientific method by the general public as evidenced by the worldwide hydroxychloroquine quandary of 2020, and the lack of interdisciplinary research in the early days of the pandemic. A new STEM education paradigm is evolving (STEM 3.0) that emphasizes innovative technical education on technologies that provide self-sufficiency, such as artificial intelligence, intelligent robotics, augmented reality, digital twins, and additive manufacturing.
Khalid Tantawi, Assistant Professor, 2000685, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN
Not Another ZOOM Meeting! Engaging Virtual Events with Results!
Come learn about delivering powerful, interactive, gamified, and engaging professional development for faculty with a budget-friendly and simple-to-use virtual event platform. See the success that the Western Academy Support and Training Center (WASTC) had delivering its annual events: ICT and Digital Media Educators Conferences and summer Faculty Development Weeks. We created unique venues with all the locations (lobby, social lounge, meeting rooms, exhibit halls) that you might see at HI-TEC. Our participants, however, went to Hawaii, traveled to outer space, perused a digital media gallery, and met at the racetrack, where the theme was ” Accelerate into the Future.”
Richard Grotegut, Director, Western Academy Support and Training Center (WASTC), Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, CA; Laura Chappell, Author, Researcher, and Educator, Chappell University vConDev Team, Reno, NV; Karen Stanton, Coordinator, Western Academy Support and Training Center (WASTC), Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, CA
So, You Want to Be in Materials
MatEdU created a tool to assist those developing their own materials science programs and lab-based learning environments that helps to focus efforts, organize development, and validate ROI. Best practices and a proven successful approach will be shared and attendees will have the opportunity to learn how to apply the tool to their programs and institutions. As a former NSF ATE funded Resource Center, MatEdU has helped hundreds of school districts, community and technical colleges, 4-year institutions, architectural firms, and industries address these questions and more.
Mel Cossette, Executive Director and PI, Online Instructional Resources for Materials Science Technology Education (MatEdU), Edmonds College, Lynnwood, WA; Billie Copley, Center Manager, Micro Nano Technology Education Center, Pasadena City College, Pasadena, CA
Manufacturing USA: Priming the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce
This session will provide insight on the Manufacturing USA network and advanced manufacturing programs for secondary and postsecondary students and educators. These institutes are part of a public-private partnership consortium formed to adapt, engage, and execute programs intended to increase and diversify the advanced manufacturing workforce. This session will outline the national network and industry areas of the 16 Manufacturing USA institutes and provide steps involved in participating and adopting current initiatives, followed by an opportunity for feedback on how and where the network can scale its reach.
Zack Valdez, Advanced Manufacturing Strategist, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD; Tom Tubon, Chief Workforce Director, BioMADE, St. Paul, MN; Joannie Harmon, Workforce Director, IACMI, Knoxville, TN; Taylor McLeod, Content Development Manager, San Jose, CA
A Model for Developing an Industry-Recognized Credentialing System
The NSF and InnovATEBIO have (respectively) funded and endorsed the Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing Exam (BACE) managed by Biotility. Biotility has developed a system for generating and validating the exam, which leads to an industry-relevant and recognized BACE credential. Come learn the process by which the BACE is maintained, annually updated, and validated to ensure a credentialing system that is accurate, aligned with corresponding industry-defined standards, and relevant to industry requirements for technician-level positions.
Philip Gibson, Principal Investigator, Implementation of an Industry-Recognized Credentialing System, Center for Global Health Innovation, Atlanta, GA; Tamara Mandell, Director for the Education and Training Programs, Implementation of an Industry-Recognized Credentialing System, Biotility, Alachua, FL; Bridgette Kirkpatrick, Biology Faculty, Implementation of an Industry-Recognized Credentialing System, Collin College, Plano, TX
CANCELLED Effective Alignment of Technician Education Programs with the U.S. Semiconductor Industry
To improve alignment between U.S. technician education and U.S. semiconductor employers, a pilot program was undertaken with five New York State community colleges under the NSF ATE program to evaluate gaps between 20 technician education programs and a new U.S. DOL-ETA semiconductor competency model. That analysis informed multiple curriculum modifications to improve alignment between programs and regional semiconductor employers. These will be presented for their use in for-credit courses, incumbent worker programs, and apprenticeship programs. This pilot intersects with a national effort to develop an infrastructure that leverages a cloud-based National Talent Hub to better attract, train, retain, and advance talent.
Robert Geer, Professor, Development and Implementation of a Semiconductor Workforce Certificate Program Based on a Unified Advanced Manufacturing Competency Model, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY; Robert Weinman, Education and Workforce Development Lead, NIIT, Hanover, MD
Meaningful Co-curricular Programming Creating More On-Ramps for Career Opportunities
Established apprenticeship programs like the IT Flexible Apprenticeship have proven that students who participate in industry-hosted experiential learning opportunities graduate with less debt, more experience, and often more offers for full-time employment. Related programs like scholarships, clubs, and K-12 career exploration opportunities have emerged as excellent partners in providing professional experience long before the two-year associate degree and apprenticeship experience begins, such as career exploration summer camps for high school students, dual-enrollment course bundles in specialized areas like the IT Explorers program, enriching co-curricular supports throughout a student’s time at Columbus State, and opportunities for alumni.
Stephanie Schuler, Project Manager, NSF-ITFA, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH; Dave Cofer, Director Partnerships and Programs, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH; Larry McWherter, Assistant Professor, Information Systems Technology Department, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH
Industry 4.0 or the Industrial Internet of Things: Its Effect on Engineering Technology Education
This session will discuss the ramifications of Industry 4.0, or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), era on two-year engineering technology education. Starting with an overview of what has changed to deserve this footnote in history, focus will shift to how this digital transformation will alter what should be taught to the engineering technologies that either directly lead to employment in the advanced manufacturing industry (AMI) or currently support AMI. The new technologies that will called for in these areas will be examined. How they can be integrated into existing curricula will also be discussed.
Gary Mullett, Professor and Department Chair, Advanced Engineering Technologies Group, Internet of Things Education Project, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, MA
Wednesday, July 27, 2:15–3:00
The United States National Quantum Initiative: Workforce Development for QIST
Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST) merges quantum mechanics-based concepts or those that hone in on how things operate at the subatomic levels with theories on storing, transmitting, computing, and measuring information. This session outlines the Quantum Information Science and Technology Workforce Development National Strategic Plan and offers industry- and academia-recognized ecosystems for workforce development in QIST.
JB Groves III, Instructor of Computer Science, National Convergence Technology Center, Wharton County Junior College, Richmond, TX
NSF Funding Opportunities for Two-Year Institutions of Higher Education
This session will present NSF programs of interest to the 2-yr community colleges including programs and dear colleague letters that are currently active. Programs both within the Education and Human Resources Directorate will be presented as well as programs across NSF. A brief overview of the new NCSES (National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics) data collection on the skilled technical workforce will be discussed.
V. Celeste Carter, Lead Program Director, NSF ATE Program, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA; Connie DellaPiana, Kalyn Owens, Michael Davis, NSF Program Directors, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA
CBE Curriculum Foundations: Performance-Based Education (PBE) Curriculum and Instruction
In this session, the presenters will offer insight into moving to a competency- and performance-based curriculum that is student-guided with the ability to accelerate. The session will include examples of process management, implementation techniques, lessons learned, and future improvements that continue to engage students.
Renee Blackshear, Instructor, Texas State Technical College, Brownwood, TX; Gena Jean, PBE Project Manager, Texas State Technical College, Waco, TX
Web-Based Simulations and Remote Access Visualization Tools for Science and Engineering Programs
Teaching and learning new and emerging technologies require state-of-the-art laboratories with expensive equipment. However, such facilities require large financial resources and time restraint to implement. Use of web-based simulation and remote access visualization tools enhance students’ learning and teaching of new and complex concepts without using expensive equipment. The proposed workshop will discuss application of web-based simulation tools and remote-access visualization (RAIN, Nanohub, Physicell, Phet, Compucell3D) for teaching, research, and collaboration in areas such as nanotechnology, material science, environmental science, electrical engineering, biological sciences, physics, chemistry, and photonics.
Ahmed Khan, Professor/Fulbright Scholar, Fulbright / World Learning Inc, World Learning Inc, Washington, DC, Oak Brook, IL; Sala Qazi, Professor Emeritus, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Utica, NY, Hollywood, MD; Atilla Ozgur Cakmak, Assistant Professor, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI
Engaging Students with Hands-On Cybersecurity and Crypto Projects: Lockpicking and NFTs
Cybersecurity and cryptocurrencies are a topic that interests students in many disciplines. This research reflects an effort at the University of Hawaii Maui College to teach cybersecurity across the disciplines, especially to students who are new to technology. With the advent of the COVID pandemic in March 2020, it became challenging to engage students in hands-on activities that would retain their interest in cybersecurity or cryptocurrencies. This presentation highlights examples of how to conduct activities such as lock-picking and creating NFTs that can encourage and engage students.
Debasis Bhattacharya, Associate Professor, Award # 1700562 – CyberSecure: Extended Cybersecurity Education, Curriculum and Workforce Development, University of Hawaii Maui College, Kahului, HI
Welding Education and Credentials: Exploring Strategies, Resources, and Solutions
Join the American Welding Society and the Weld-Ed Center for a discovery session focused on exploring resources, strategies, and solutions for welding education and industry credentialing. Featured topics include labor market trends for welding professions and an overview of AWS/Weld-Ed products, services, and certifications dedicated to welding and education. Additionally, we will highlight Operation Next as an example of how AWS resources can be utilized to implement a successful welding education and credentialing model. Concluding the session will be an overview of free and impactful resources available from the AWS Foundation.
Joe Young, Sr. Manager Workforce Development, American Welding Society, Doral, FL; Michael Fox, Interim Director, Weld-Ed Center (NSF), Lorain County Community College, Elyria, OH
Small But Mighty: Data-Loaded Microcredentials, the Professional Currency for the Digital Job Market
Bioscience Core Skills Institute is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide bioscience workforce skills assessment and issue digital microcredentials that are recognized by industry and educational partners as reliable, valid, and transparent. We will discuss the use of digital microcredentials to document skills mastery in biotechnology talent. The certified faculty evaluator will share personal experience in assessing programs and student self-efficacy data. The presenter will provide a case study overview of the model used by BCSI and describe the assessment and credentialing process utilized, share data compiled from skill assessments, and provide insights on curriculum alignment and a gaps analysis.
Edward Kremer, Dean of Math, Business, Science, and Technology at Kansas City Kansas Community College; Ying-Tsu Loh, Executive Director of the Bay Area Bioscience Education Community (BABEC)
MNT-EC and the NIIT National Talent Hub: Applying a Unified Competency Model to Strengthen the MNT
To support the growth of the micro and nano technology (MNT) technician workforce, the Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) has identified and validated knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) critical for entry-level MNT technicians. In partnership with the National Institute for Innovation and Technology (NIIT), we mapped these KSAs to the National Talent Hub, a portal that leverages dynamic industry input and a competency-based approach to identifying and aligning the KSAs required to work with skill profiles and curriculum. This presentation will introduce the Talent Hub and how it can be utilized to broaden and diversify the talent pipeline.
Caitlin Cramer, Assistant Program Chair, Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC), Ivy Tech Community College, Fort Wayne, IN; Mike Russo, President and CEO, Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC), National Institute for Innovation and Technology, Hanover, MD; Robert Weinman, Director of Workforce Innovation, Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC), National Institute for Innovation and Technology, Hanover, MD
Strategically Deepening Employer Engagement for Technical Programs
Attendees will learn about the benefits to students and employer partners of two colleges that have deepened employer engagement for technical programs collegewide. CAOs representing colleges of different sizes, demographics, and industry sectors will share challenges faced, implementation strategies deployed, and resulting return on investment for employer partners and students. Both colleges will discuss how their institutions’ adoption of the Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model has changed their outlook on strategic employer engagement.
Ann Beheler, Director of Innovation, Pathways to Innovation, Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD), Waco, TX; Sheri Litt, Provost and VP of Academic Affairs, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL; Phillip Witt, Associate VP, Career and Technical Education, Crowder College, Neosho, MO
Wednesday, July 27, 3:45–4:30
Improving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion via an Equity Gap Analysis
It’s critical to apply an equity lens that is guided by principles that produce measurable gains when identifying, addressing, and closing equity gaps in programs leading to high-skilled technician jobs. Parishes Community College (RPCC) faculty have undertaken the “messy” work of collecting and using data to help identify areas where concerted effort must be made to attract, retain, and train students from underrepresented backgrounds in its instrumentation programs. This presentation will focus on RPCC’s use of the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity’s 5-step Program Improvement Process as a means of increasing the access and success of underrepresented groups in its CTE programs.
Esperanza Zenon, Associate Professor, Physical Sciences, River Parishes Community College, Gonzales, LA
Connected Coast Initiative: Using the Internet of Things to Bridge Construction and IT Disciplines
In this session, we will discuss strategies for fulfilling an NSF ATE grant titled “Training Technicians to Install and Maintain Connected Technologies in Business and Smart Homes,” a joint effort of the Information Systems and Construction Engineering Technology programs. The PI and Co-PIs will discuss the IoT and Smart Technology certificate program developed at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, methods used to implement the curriculum, and the challenges involved in crossing these disciplines.
Robin Hayes, Data Analytics and Computer Programming Instructor, NSF Principal Investigator, Connected Coast Initiative, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Gulfport, MS; Brian Donegan, Construction Engineering Instructor, NSF Co-Principal Investigator, Connected Coast Initiative, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Gulfport, MS; Jamie Gruich, Computer Networking Instructor, NSF Co-Principal Investigator, Connected Coast Initiative, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Gulfport, MS
IoT FUNdamentals: An Online Multidisciplinary Approach and Tools for Teaching IoT Technologies
Looking for fun and engaging ways to incorporate IoT and electronics fundamentals into your technical courses and curriculum? Look no further. This session will cover tools and resources that are open-source and freely available for you to use in your classroom instruction. Instructor training opportunities and resources will also be discussed.
Kristine Christensen, Professor, Computer Information Systems Director, Faculty Development, CSSIA, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL; Chuck Bales, Professor and Coordinator, Automation and Engineering Technology, CSSIA, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL
Two Unique Approaches to Accessing a Diverse, Highly Skilled Veteran Workforce
NEATEC and CNEU presenters will discuss the development and implementation of their respective veteran programs. Although Vet S.T.E.P. (Semiconductor Training and Experience Program) and NCP (Nanomanufacturing Certificate Program) both train service members and connect them with employers, the format and delivery of training, the role of community college partners, and the outreach tactics differ. We’ll explore these models and discuss how aspects of each can be implemented by your school to expand your technician programming, in any STEM discipline, to the military community in your market area.
Kate Alcott, Associate Director, Northeast Advanced Technological Education Center (NEATEC), SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY; Robert K. Ehrmann, Managing Director, Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization (CNEU), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
A Facilitated Discussion on Overcoming COVID Era Challenges to Employment Readiness
The COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-ranging effects, one of which has been its significant impact on 7-12 education. Schools have realigned priorities for education, restructured how curriculum is delivered, and redefined mastery of content knowledge. The recent behavioral, academic, and interpersonal challenges at the 7-12th grade level are leading to a very different portrait of a graduate than in years past. As pandemic graduates begin to join the workforce and higher education, some negative outcomes will become apparent in these new settings. Please join us for a facilitated discussion of behavioral challenges that have emerged as a ramification of virtual learning.
Mary Ann Nickloy, Kelly Fahrenkopf, Curriculum Developers, NEATEC, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY
A Program at a Distance: Biotechnology Hybrid Course Shells
In this session, Justin Tickhill and Jason Tucker from North Central State College (NCSC) will provide a set of resources for technician and distance education in the field of biotechnology. These resources will include accessible course shells for Biology I and II (Majors Biology), Introduction to Bioscience Techniques, Advanced Bioscience Techniques, Histology, Genetics, Introduction to Agricultural Science, Environmental Science, and Pharmaceutical and Toxicology Bioscience. During the COVID-19 pandemic these education materials were put to the test in a rigorous fashion. The presenters will discuss best practices and lessons learned during this opportunity for disruptive innovation.
Justin Tickhill, Associate Professor and Program Director of Biology, Bioscience Technician Expansion Project, North Central State College, Mansfield, OH; Jason Tucker, Assistant Professor and Bioscience Program Coordinator, Bioscience Technician Expansion project, North Central State College, Mansfield, OH
The Importance of Math in CTE Courses and Programs
This presentation will focus on a course developed from a collaboration with rural Arizona community colleges funded by ATE to contextualize math in CTE courses and programs. This new course at Arizona Western College demonstrates connections among math and welding faculty, covering the principles and applications of mathematics to real-world welding applications. The course was launched in spring 2022 to increase the likelihood of understanding the applications of technical mathematical concepts while also learning transferable math credits. Students who have minimal backgrounds in mathematics and need a general knowledge of mathematical concepts for the trades and practical job situations will benefit.
Reetika Dhawan, Vice President of Workforce and CTE, Contextualized Math: Math for Welders Course, Arizona Western College, Yuma, AZ; Pedro Ordaz, Lab Technician, Contextualized Math, Arizona Western College, Yuma, AZ
The Journal of Advanced Technological Education (JÂ ATE): The Peer-reviewed Journal for ATE Projects and Centers
The Journal of Advanced Technological Education (J ATE) is a peer-reviewed technical journal produced by and for the ATE community. J ATE is supported by multiple ATE National Centers—MNT-EC, InnovATEBIO, NCAT, NCyTE, and ATEEC—and welcomes articles from all projects and centers. The Journal serves as a means of communication and dissemination for people interested in teaching and learning in advanced technological education. In this interactive session, you will learn about J ATE, the peer-review publishing process, and manuscript submission to J ATE for review and publication. We will pair writers with experienced editors to make your journal article ideas a reality. Become a published author in J ATE and disseminate your results!
Peter Kazarinoff, Professor, Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC), Portland Community College, Portland, OR; Linnea Fletcher, InnovATEBIO Principal Investigator, InnovATEBIO, Austin Community College, Austin, TX; Neda Habibi, Assistant Professor, Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC), University of North Texas, Denton, TX; Atilla Ozgur Cakmak, Assistant Professor, Micro Nano Technology Education Center, Grand Valley State University, Allendale Charter Township, MI
Making Data Useful for Your ATE Proposal: A How-to of the ATE Data Dashboard
How can you strengthen your next NSF ATE proposal? What are some ideas for supplementing your current work? The only survey of its kind to capture ATE activities year after year, the annual survey of ATE grantees can help you answer these questions by providing a unique look at the ATE community’s diverse portfolio of work. This presentation will demonstrate how to use EvaluATE’s interactive data dashboard in Tableau, and how to use findings from the annual ATE Survey to craft data-informed proposals and discover ideas that will help to elevate your work to the next level.
Erika Sturgis, Data Analyst, EvaluATE, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI; Valerie Marshall, Project Manager, EvaluATE, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
Thursday, July 28, 8:15–9:00
ACE It! Advocate, Communicate, and Educate: Supporting Employment for Students with Disabilities
Faculty play a valuable role in helping students gain employment. Their endorsement of a student carries weight with employers, but recommending a student with a disability can often lead to awkward conversations. This session provides valuable information and resources for faculty to use in their conversations with employers around hiring students with disabilities. This interactive panel with expertise in human resources, diversity and inclusion, STEM employment, and technician education will discuss general best practices that will help faculty advocate for students, address concerns related to communication, and educate employers about misconceptions related to hiring students with disabilities.
Maureen Gallagher, Associate Director, DeafTEC, AccessATE, Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester, NY; Jonathon Little, Associate Professor of Geography/GIS, Meeting Workforce Needs with Virtual GIST, Monroe Community College, Rochester, NY; Scott Van Nice, Cybersecurity Director, Procter & Gamble; Greg Pollock, Vice President of Human Resources and Accessibility Officer, PNC Financial Services; Michelle Maybaum, President, Desiderata HR Consulting; Rachael Bower, PI, ATE Central, Madison, WI
Growing Pains: Creating a New Degree within an Established Consortium
The AppConnect NW network collaborates across multiple colleges on a strategic approach to industry engagement to facilitate career opportunities for individuals who are underrepresented in technology fields. This session will discuss how we have grown as a consortium and how we plan to move forward by adding a computer science degree. We will share best practices that create student and industry connections and how we will adapt those to the new degree. Attendees will be invited to share their experiences and insights in an interactive conversation about collaborating across colleges for student success and meeting industry needs.
Cherie Bachman, Director of Industry Outreach, AppConnect North West, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Kirkland, WA
Connecting High School Teachers and Students with Technical Careers and Industry Partners
Since the start of the Engaging Students from Classrooms and Camps to College and Technical Careers project in 2018, Torrington High School has added five technical courses that align to local workforce needs and introduce students to technical careers. During this presentation, participants will learn about the technical courses that were added to a comprehensive high school curriculum in order to introduce students to technical careers and how the collaborations between the community college, high school, and industry partners helped facilitate course development and student interest. This project is supported by NSF ATE Grant # 1801062.
Sharon Gusky, Professor/PI, Engaging Students from Classrooms and Camps to College and Technical Careers, Northwestern Connecticut Community College, Winsted, CT; Saradina Redman, Student, Northwestern Connecticut Community College, Winsted, CT
Engaging Students in Industrial Career Pathways at an Earlier Age
This session will address the topics of the growing skills gap and the lack of people entering high-demand, high-paying industrial/manufacturing careers. We are not recruiting enough students into the secondary and postsecondary education pathways in which the skills needed for these careers are developed. The presenter will show exciting ways to expose and engage students at an earlier age, even at the middle school and elementary school level. Through Binocs for Education, STE(A)M programs, and fun and engaging camps, we can engage more students at earlier ages.
Tony Oran, Vice President, Festo Didactic, Inc., Eatontown, NJ
For the Love of Electronics: Can’t We Just Play Tic-Tac-Toe
Participants will learn about a new electronics project used to recruit high schoolers during a workshop for underprivileged high school students. This is a newly developed platform designed to raise awareness and excitement for learning to solder through-hole and SMT. Students learn how to calculate resistance, voltage drops, and current in different types of circuits, and to build series, parallel, and combination circuits. They learn to test voltage and resistance in circuits and combine circuits to complete the project. Students also learn to work independently to complete their individual boards and as a team to complete the project.
Sandra Castonguay, Lead Instructor, Electronic Engineering Technology, Central Carolina Community College, Sanford, NC; Jeff LeSueur, President, Awesome Cube, LLC, Northfield Center, Ohio
Unveiling a Grant to Prepare Biotechnology Students for the Modern Workforce in COVID Times
Internships are an integral part of technical education training. However, obtaining one can be a challenge. Valencia College’s biotechnology program wrote an NSF ATE grant to improve the internship experience. originally designed to be implemented pre-COVID. While seeking to understand student needs and unexpected challenges, project personnel uncovered new opportunities during the process of implementing the grant in the unprecedented conditions caused by COVID. In this session, strategies will be presented to initiate a grant and successfully complete the first year’s objectives. Participants will reflect on the strategies presented and their impact on the student internship experience. Participants will share their own obstacles and insights.
Susan Ingersoll, Professor and Program Director, Improving the Biotechnology Internship Experience to Better Prepare Student Technicians for the Modern Workforce, Valencia College, Orlando, FL; Sothy Kien, Instructional Lab Supervisor, Improving the Biotechnology Internship Experience to Better Prepare Student Technicians for the Modern Workforce, Valencia College, Orlando, FL
Partnerships for Strengthening and Sustaining Advanced Manufacturing Programs
Partnerships provide important resources and insights for ensuring that advanced manufacturing programs meet industry’s workforce needs. During this session, leaders from the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing will share partnership models with industry and organizations that have helped to make their programs impactful. Sometimes these collaborations can come from unexpected partners! Attendees will learn where to look for partnerships and how to maintain them.
Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Executive Director and PI, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, CT College of Technology, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, Farmington, CT; Doug Pauley, Associate Dean of Training and Development, Central Community College, Columbus, NE; Jerry Muller, Industrial Trainer/Coordinator, Central Community College, Columbus, NE; Chrys Panayiotou, Executive Director, LASER-TEC, Indian River State College, Fort Pierce, FL; Chris Dennis, Supply Chain Instructor, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH
Thursday, July 28, 9:15–10:00
CTE Graduate Trends by Program, Visualized Instantly!
Bring your connected device and join the team from the Hidden Innovation Ecosystem Project led by Rutgers University to learn about the impacts of ATE projects and centers on local economies. You will also be led through a hands-on demonstration and exploration of the project’s data visualization tool. The amazing tool makes quick work of exploring IPEDS data and instantly reveals the trends over time of graduates from one or more CTE advanced technology programs. The tool can compare across the country or a single or multiple states at one time as well as reveal grads or completers of programs of different lengths. We can’t wait to share this awesome tool!
Marilyn Barger, Senior Education Advisor, Hidden Innovation Infrastructure, Rutgers University and FLATE, Tampa, FL; Michael Lesiecki, Principal Consultant, Preparing Technicians for the Future of Work, CORD, Phoenix, AZ
Integrating Evaluation into Your ATE Proposal
Are you interested in submitting a proposal to the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program? Then don’t miss this presentation! We will cover the essential elements of an effective evaluation plan and demonstrate how to integrate them into an ATE proposal. Experienced ATE evaluators will also share tips on budgeting for an evaluation, locating a qualified evaluator, and working with an evaluator prior to receiving funding. Participants will receive evaluation resources to assist when writing a proposal and have a chance to network with evaluators accepting new clients.
Lyssa Becho, Principal Research Associate, EvaluATE, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI; Megan Zelinsky, Senior Research Associate, EvaluATE, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
Increasing Student Persistence Using HyFlex and ActiveFlex
Allowing ultimate flexibility for students to attend class during uncertain times doesn’t have to sacrifice student engagement and interaction. This presentation will demonstrate how Athens State University successfully blended the concepts and technology of the HyFlex model with active learning and instructional design principles to create a rich learning environment that both students and faculty enjoy from anywhere. The session will define what we have come to term as ActiveFlex classes, give best practices we have learned throughout the journey, and explore the possibilities of ActiveFlex outside of academia.
Mark Gale, Associate Professor of Instructional Design, Athens State University, Athens, AL; Letitia Bergantz, Assistant Professor of Instructional Design, Athens State University, Athens, AL; Marla Williams, Assistant Professor of Elementary Education, Athens State University, Athens, AL
Videos and Observational Tools to Support Employability Skills Development
Instructors in STEM technician fields focus on teaching technical skills but also know that their industry partners seek strong employability skills in their future employees. This session will present two employability skills tools that have emerged because of a partnership between education researchers and STEM technician instructors. These include: (1) a set of brief YouTube videos that instructors can use to engage students in reflecting on employability skills in their courses; and (2) a digital observational tool that instructors can use to track students’ demonstration of employability skills in their courses.
Louise Yarnall, Senior Researcher, Project GOALS (Greater Opportunities to Advance Lifelong Success): A Research Collaborative for Building STEM Tech Employability Skills, SRI Education, La Selva Beach, CA; Maniphone Dickerson, Dean of Business and Workforce Development, Project GOALS (Greater Opportunities to Advance Lifelong Success): A Research Collaborative for Building STEM Tech Employability Skills, Evergreen Valley College, San Jose, CA; Taylor McLeod, Content Development Manager, Project GOALS (Greater Opportunities to Advance Lifelong Success): A Research Collaborative for Building STEM Tech Employability Skills, NextFlex, San Jose, CA
BioMADE: Creating an Ecosystem for Bioindustrial Education and Workforce Development
BioMADE’s mission is to enable domestic bioindustrial manufacturing at all scales, develop technologies to enhance U.S. bioindustrial competitiveness, de-risk investment in relevant infrastructure, and expand the biomanufacturing workforce to realize the economic promise of industrial biotechnology. This session will introduce the newest Manufacturing USA Institute underwritten by the U.S. Department of Defense. Participants will learn about the benefits of membership and opportunities for funding bioindustrial processing projects. The presenters will discuss biomanufacturing sectors, cooperative agreements, and the proposal process for funding.
Thomas Tubon, Chief Workforce Development Officer, BioMADE, St. Paul, MN; Louise Petruzzella, Education and Workforce Development Senior Program Manager, BioMADE, St. Paul, MN
Building a National Industry Partnership Model: Growing the Skilled MNT Pipeline
The Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) aims to better match the MNT technician graduate to the workforce by fostering academic and industry mentorship. We have blended existing paradigms taken from Working Partners and the Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) to form a hybrid partnership model resulting in specific goals for each industry relationship. Micro Nano Technology spans multiple industry segments and therefore requires a more individualized, focused approach. This presentation will highlight how we’ve built strong and effective partnerships crucial to the success of the center while nearly tripling the number of industry partners over the past year.
Caitlin Cramer, Assistant Program Chair, Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC), Ivy Tech Community College, Fort Wayne, IN; Matthias Pleil, Research Professor and Senior Lecturer III, Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC), Albuquerque, NM
Increasing Diversity in Cybersecurity: A Blueprint from High School to College to Career
Miami Dade College was recently designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency. Our CyberSecurity program aims to shorten the gap of underrepresented minorities and women in this high-demand field. This presentation will share how we are intentional in our approach to ensuring representation is part of the development of outreach programs, marketing, curriculum, and instruction as well as how we are building a pipeline to Cybersecurity careers through our program’s five pillars: 1-State Framework, 2-Industry Certifications, 3-NSA Knowledge Units, 4-Internal Expertise, and 5-Industry Advisory Board.
Diego Tibaquira, Professor, ASCEND, Miami Dade College Padron Campus, Miami, FL
Summer STEM Engagement: Open-Source Circuits and Coding
This session will feature hands-on activities using the Circuit Playground Express and MicroBit devices. Both of these devices have been used to engage students for summer camp activities and encourage them to design and build devices that they’ll have fun using. The simple coding interface and accessible device inputs give students an opportunity to complete specific tasks in a creative manner. Attendees are encouraged to bring a computer (not a tablet) to interact with these devices.
Michael Davis, Academic Department Chair, St. Petersburg College, Palm Harbor, FL
Thursday, July 28, 10:30–11:15
Asynchronous Learning for Synchronous Training Topic: Industrial Internet-of-Things
Metropolitan Community College’s Project Nexus aims to teach young adults the basic principles of sensor usage in relation to the world of the Industrial Internet-of-Things. Because of COVID, a 100 percent hands-on program utilizing industrial sensors, networking, prototyping, and learning guides had to move to a 100 percent virtual learning platform in which the entire curriculum and facilitation had to shift. Project Nexus shifted to multi-modal to serve a larger span of individuals by creating an asynchronous course. This session will cover topics related to choosing a platform, instructional design, shift of facilitation, and creating relative virtual simulations.
Mike Guericke, PI and Instructor, Project Nexus, Metropolitan Community College, Omaha, NE; Lyndsie Gibbs, Project Director, Project Nexus, Metropolitan Community College, Omaha, NE
Resources Developed from Analyzing Certification Curriculum
In this session, the panel will review the outcomes of the Enhancing Associate Degrees for Information Technology Technicians and Professionals grant. Each panelist will present their role in the grant and provide participants with resources developed. At the end of the session, participants will understand how to undertake a holistic review of class outcomes aligned to industry certifications. We will also present tutoring videos developed as part of the grant for participants to incorporate into their classes.
Kyle Jones, Chair/Professor, Enhancing Associate Degrees for Information Technology Technicians and Professionals (Award Number: 1800755), Sinclair Community College, Dayton, OH; Eric Renegar, Professor, Evaluation Plan for Enhancing Associate Degrees for Information Technology Technicians and Professionals (Award Number: 1800755), Sinclair Community College, Dayton, OH; Jon Neff, Project Manager, Sinclair Community College, Dayton, OH; Amberly Hofman, Adjunct Faculty, Sinclair Community College, Dayton, OH
Culturally Responsive Instruction in the Applied Technology Classroom
Educational institutions are increasing their focus on equity, particularly in terms of how to serve their Latinx students. Providing professional development in culturally responsive education can help existing and future faculty learn to productively engage their students. Culturally responsive approaches use the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant and effective for them.
Sarah Belknap, Instructor of Mathematics, Culturally Responsive Instruction for Advanced Technician Education, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, NY; Juan Rodriguez Jr. , Instructor Computer and Information Technologies, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, NY
Identifying and Developing the Next-Generation Manufacturing Workforce
As the need for work in the manufacturing sector increases, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI) is working to raise awareness about careers in through grassroots efforts. Learn how PMMI has fostered relationships in communities between high schools, colleges, and industry through the creation of student manufacturing summer camps.
Stephan Girard, Sr. Director, Workforce Development, PMMI, Herndon, VA
Employer Engagement and the Pathway to Developing Innovative Student Development Programming: Part I
Structured and intentional employer engagement is one of the hallmarks of the IT Flexible Apprenticeship program at Columbus State Community College (CSCC). During a 2020 employer roundtable conversation, our partners expressed an interest in engaging with students earlier in the process, prior to high-stakes interactions such as networking and interviews. Simultaneously, CSCC’s Career Services was exploring the launch of an innovative student mentorship initiative. From this convergence of opportunity emerged the Gamification Mentorship initiative. Born out of the COVID era, the Gamification Mentorship program is a virtual, gamified student development initiative. Attend this session and learn more about the origins, design, implementation process, and pilot results.
Julie Collet, Career Counselor, NSF-ITFA, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH; Dave Cofer, Director Partnerships and Programs, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH
Upskilling: Three Approaches to Increasing the Workforce Pipeline
Finding approaches to meeting the advanced technology skill needs of the manufacturing industry has been challenging for over a decade. It is clear that upskilling incumbent workers will need to be a key part of the solution. We look forward to sharing our learnings from implementing three new initiatives designed to develop opportunities for upskilling with local industry: a bilingual cohort for the industrial maintenance certificate that has increased our engagement with the Latinx community, launching new targeted focus area certificates, and developing off-campus partnerships with local companies.
Jill Thiede, Associate Dean of Engineering Technologies, 1800965 – New Approach to Building a Workforce Pipeline for Electro-mechanical Technician Education, NWTC, Green Bay, WI
ATE Grant Development and Mentoring Initiatives
Do you have an idea for improving your college’s technician program but lack the funding to implement it? Are you interested in learning how to develop a competitive ATE grant proposal? Do you want to learn successful practices for getting support from your college administrators and involving them in the ATE-supported Community College Presidents Initiative? Experience proves chances of receiving NSF ATE awards significantly increase with assistance from one of the ATE grant development and mentoring initiatives. This session will compare the different mentoring initiatives with special focus on Mentor Up and FORCCE-ATE and will include a discussion of successful previous cohorts and the application process.
Kathleen Alfano, Co-PI Mentor Up and the CREATE Energy Center, Mentor Up and CREATE, College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, CA; Elizabeth Teles, Co-PI, Mentor Up, Teles Consulting, LLC, Locust Grove, VA; Karen Wosczyna-Birch, PI, Mentor Up, Education Connection, Litchfield, CT
Skills-Based Education = Opportunity, Equity, and Success
In this session we are going to discuss the need for colleges to shift their focus toward the skills earned and learned by students in order to help bridge the gap to employment in an unbiased manner. When colleges and employers redirect their focus to the abilities of jobseekers and the skills they have proven to have, it opens up opportunities that students might not otherwise have had access to. We believe that a fundamental shift in both education and workforce systems to re-center around skills provides the perfect opportunity to address issues surrounding equity in both education and employment.
Bob Slaman, Sales Director, Jobspeaker, Inc., San Francisco, CA
Thursday, July 28, 11:30–12:15
How to Align Curriculum with Workforce Needs Using Curriculum Gap Analysis
The IT Skill Standards 2020 and Beyond project (DUE #1838535) has convened 250+ employers from across the country to identify future-facing required job skills for the most in-demand IT job clusters. Sessions attendees will learn about the process of working with employers to develop skill standards that include required knowledge, skills, abilities, and tasks; key performance indicators; employability skills; and shared learning outcomes (SLO). They will also learn how to apply the skill standards already published to perform a gap analysis against their own curriculum to identify potential improvements.
Ann Beheler, Principal Investigator, IT Skill Standards 2020 and Beyond, Collin College, Frisco, TX; Christina Titus, Program Director, IT Skill Standards 2020 and Beyond, Collin College, Frisco, TX
Using Data Analytics to Enhance Processes and Strategic Planning for Creating a Data-Centric Culture
Big data analytics and data visualization are becoming a norm in business today. Data-driven organizations are having strategic advantages. Higher education is slow in adopting these tools to enhance graduation and student success. This presentation will showcase a community college in Texas where data analytics tools are used to develop course scheduling and student success programs. Data Camp and Data Institute for faculty and staff are creating a data-centric culture that is driving innovative business and strategic planning processes. The presenter will demonstrate dashboards developed in PowerBI to make data-driven decisions.
Rajiv Malkan, Professor, CCN, Lone Star College Montgomery, Conroe, TX
SCADA Modularized Curriculum, Labs, and Open-Source Platform/Database for Renewable Energy
The CREATE Energy Center’s SCADA (Supervisory Controls And Data Acquisition) project has developed a job task analysis, a set of six curriculum modules, a control board with four hands-on labs, and an open-source platform/database with three computer-based labs that allows colleges to connect their renewable energy assets and provide analytical training to their students using their own data, along with data from other regions and simulation sets. Participants will see the freely available resources and learn how to integrate them into existing energy technician and other technology programs.
Ben Reid, Principal, CREATE SCADA, Impact Allies Inc., Vero Beach, FL; Kenneth Walz, Director and Principal Investigator, Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education (CREATE), Madison Area Technical College, Madison, WI; Kevin Cooper, Principal Investigator, Project Vision, Indian River State College, Fort Pierce, FL
Advancing the Computing Workforce: Engagement of Non-Traditional Students in Network Systems Administration
This session will present findings from the Problem-Solving Inventory Survey, specifically on female students’ perceptions of problem solving through a virtual learning platform. The presenters will share the differences between students’ problem-solving abilities and technology motivation by gender, race, and ethnicity as part of the larger ATE-funded project, iNoVATE-X. Students were enrolled in courses within the Network Enterprise Administration Certificate program embedded as a specialized track leading towards the Networking Systems Technology Associate Degree program.
Ernie Friend, Executive Director of FLATE; Project PI, ATE iNoVATE-Expansion Project, Florida Advanced Technological Education Center, Orlando, FL; Kimberly Taylor Luthi, Assistant Professor and Research Coordinator, College of Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Project Research Collaborator, ATE iNoVATE-Expansion Project, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL; Angelicque Tucker Blackmon, CEO and Chief Inspiration Officer; Director of Research and Evaluation Innovative Learning Center, LLC; Project Evaluator, ATE iNoVATE-Expansion Project, Innovative Learning Center, LLC, Atlanta, GA
Mapping for Success: Using ATE Industry Partnership Models to Refine Your Partnership Goals
Clearly defining and articulating industry partnership goals is crucial for initiating and sustaining successful relationships with employers. Mapping these goals onto known industry partnership modelsfor which resources and best practices are availableis a terrific way to refine and deepen your understanding of your goals. Join the leads from the Working Partners Project and Workshops for an interactive, hands-on session that provides practice with refining and mapping your industry partnership goals while also learning more about the best practices used in partnerships throughout the ATE community.
Mary Slowinski, PI, Working Partners Project and Workshops, Bellevue College, Bellevue, WA; Rachael Bower, Co-PI, Working Partners Project and Workshops, Internet SCOUT, Madison, WI
Introducing Dual-Credit Web-Based Mechatronics with High Schools
This session will introduce attendees to a project that can give high school students access to four entry-level mechatronics courses at a distance in Nebraska and Minnesota. Attendees will learn the best practices used in delivering hands-on technical courses at a distance utilizing high school instructors as the facilitator. The session will also cover the value of utilizing the Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) to help sustain the project and best practices for delivering technical coursework online. Participants will see the trainers and observe activities the students participate in. Grant Award #2037491.
Doug Pauley, Associate Dean of Training and Development, Enhancing the Independent Mechatronics Technical Curriculum and Creating a New Pathway from Rural High Schools into Mechatronic Careers, Central Community Central, Columbus, NE; Jerry Muller, Industrial Trainer/Coordinator, Enhancing the Independent Mechatronics Technical Curriculum and Creating a New Pathway from Rural High Schools into Mechatronic Careers, Central Community College, Columbus, NE; Doug Laven, Mechatronics Instructor/ PI, Enhancing the Independent Mechatronics Technical Curriculum and Creating a New Pathway from Rural High Schools into Mechatronic Careers, South Central College, North Mankato, MN
Co-Mentoring in the ATE Community
Co-mentoring is a new ATE initiative for assisting faculty and institutions with ATE grant project proposals. ATE National Centers such as the Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) are collaborating with Mentor-Connect to provide discipline-specific subject matter expertise simultaneously with grant proposal development mentoring. The co-mentoring initiative includes proposal reviews with constructive feedback, guidance on the ATE solicitation (NSF 21-598) and PAPPG, and assistance with the NSF on-boarding process and new awardee packet. Recommendations and best practices on the technical aspects of the proposed project will also be shared, along with available mentoring resources.
Greg Kepner, Co-PI, Micro Nano Technology Education Center, Pasadena City College, Ottumwa, IA; Mel Cossette, Executive Director and PI, MatEdU and Micro Nano Technology Education Center, Edmonds College, Lynnwood, WA; Elaine Craft, PI, Mentor-Connect, Florence-Darlington Technical College, Florence, SC
Thursday, July 28, 2:00–2:45
Aviation Maintenance Technology Programs’ Response to COVID-19: Evidence-Based Guidelines for Resilience
Aviation maintenance technology (AMT) programs rely heavily on kinesthetic learning, and the COVID-19 crisis caused major disruptions to AMT programs’ curricula. Applying a resilience engineering framework, this NSF ATE project investigates AMT programs’ immediate and long-term learning responses to the pandemic. The researchers use qualitative and quantitative research methods to gain in-depth insights into the adaptations employed to maintain academic continuity in March 2020 and subsequent semesters. We discuss our findings and share evidence-based guidelines based on our data and other published work. These guidelines can help ATE programs maintain academic continuity during any disruption.
Katie Shakour, Research Association, Clemson University, Clemson, SC; Tim Ransom, Gayatri Anoop, Graduate Students, Clemson University, Clemson, SC; Eliza Gallagher, Assistant Professor, Clemson University, Clemson, SC; Rebecca Short, Director of Operations, Clemson University Center for Workforce Development, Clemson University, Clemson, SC; Kapil Chalil Madathil, Associate Professor, Clemson University, Clemson, SC; Karen Johnson, Associate Professor, Aviation Technologies, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL; Stephen Ley, Associate Professor, School of Aviation Sciences, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT
IT Career Pathways Designed and Piloted by an IT Employer
Learn about replicable employer-developed IT career pathways piloted for high school graduates, college graduates, and career changers to enter IT careers. At the onset of COVID-19, Hawaii experienced the highest unemployment in the nation, with the hospitality and service industries hardest hit. Pacxa, Hawaii’s premier technology solutions provider/systems integrator, piloted an IT career pathways program designed to meet its entry-level employment needs and provide opportunities for motivated individuals to enter recession-resistant, sustainable-wage careers. Participants with little or no IT experience receive six months of paid work experience, mentoring, access to and support for IT industry training and certifications, and jobs!
Jean Schneider, Executive Director, Workforce Development, Pacxa, Honolulu, HI
Diversifying the IT Workforce
The NSF ATE DeafTEC Resource Center is partnering with CompTIA, the leading provider of vendor-neutral information technology certifications, on this ATE-funded project to offer a CompTIA A+ Certification bootcamp for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who have traditionally been underrepresented in the IT workforce. This presentation will cover lessons learned from this partnership and findings of the project. Additional opportunities for community colleges to partner with the non-profit CompTIA Tech Career Academy to address the industry shortage of skilled IT professionals and open career doors for populations who have traditionally been underrepresented in the IT workforce will also be discussed.
Brian Trager, Chairperson, Information and Computing Studies, Pilot Program to Prepare Adults Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing for Skilled Technical Positions in Information Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY; Nancy Hannervik, CEO, CompTIA Tech Career Academy, CompTIA; Amy Kardel, SVP, Strategic Workforce Relationships, CompTIA, Downer’s Grove, IL
Employer Engagement and the Pathway to Developing Innovative Student Development Programming: Part II
During a 2020 employer roundtable conversation, our partners expressed an interest in engaging with students earlier in the process, prior to high-stakes interactions such as networking and interviews. Going beyond just their involvement in hosting our students in apprenticeship positions, we’ve found that bringing the industry perspective into career exploration summer camps for high school students, dual-enrollment course bundles in specialized areas like the IT Explorers program, enriching co-curricular supports throughout a student’s time at Columbus State, and opportunities for alumni have created a really vested interest in the talent pipeline in the industry sector and everyone benefits.
Dave Cofer, Director Partnerships and Programs, NSF-ITFA, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH; Stephanie Schuler, Project Manager, NSF-ITFA, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH; Larry McWherter, Assistant Professor, Information Systems Technology Department, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH
Using Virtual Laboratories and AR to Enhance Students’ Professional Skills and Understanding
This hands-on session will present an innovative, technology-rich blended learning environment for biomanufacturing and IoT education and professional skills training developed in collaboration with biopharma companies. It enables students to perform authentic online experiments using digital copies of actual equipment and, in this context, study pertinent theoretical subjects and develop troubleshooting skills. Making students comfortable with equipment and process workflow and boosting their job-related understanding prior to hands-on practice dramatically enhance their performance at college labs and during on-site training. Participants will learn how to adapt virtual labs and associated resources and integrate them with their own curricula.
Yakov Cherner, Co-PI, Blended Learning for Biomanufacturing Education and Training in Emerging Technologies #1902673, The Internet of Things Education Project #1801090, ATeL – Advanced Tools for e-Learning, Swampscott, MA; Isso Bayala, Professor of Biotechnology and Compliance at Quincy College, Blended Learning for Biomanufacturing Education and Training in Emerging Technologies, #1902673, Quincy College, Quincy, MA; Gary Mullett, Professor and Department Chair of Applied Engineering Technologies Department, The Internet of Things Education Project #1801090, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, MA
DOE FIU Science and Technology Workforce Development Program
The DOE-FIU Science and Technology Workforce Development Program is designed to build on the existing DOE-FIU relationship by creating a pipeline of minority scientists and engineers specifically trained and mentored to enter the DOE workforce in technical areas of need. In this session participants will learn about the successful approaches and lessons learned during the FIU’s workforce development, including best practices in student recruiting, hands-on training, research engagement, and summer internship partnership development. Detailed case studies will present successful histories of students from groups underrepresented in STEM already placed in diverse research institutions and industries across the DOE complex.
Leonel Lagos, Director of Research, Applied Research Center @ Florida International University, Miami, FL; Anthony Abrahao, Research Cientist, Florida International University, Miami, FL
Thursday, July 28, 3:00–3:45
Program Recruitment and Retention
This session will cover best practices that have been discovered from outreach to K-12 students, returning students, and veteran students who show an interest in our programs. Our recruitment practices help students see themselves in the program and gives the potential student actual experience in the program prior to application/enrollment. Our retention practices follow the student from first contact with a faculty member to completion of the program. This is accomplished through meaningful faculty mentoring, employer connections, and hands-on student services.
Tom Hebert, Gas Utility Construction and Service Program Faculty, Utilities and Energy Coordination Network, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Green Bay, WI
Rebuilding Lost Virtual Educational Worlds Using Solidworks, Blender, and Second Life
Since the great Virtual World (VW) exodus that started in 2012 from Second Life, educational institutions have struggled to find engaging low-cost virtual content for education. Some of the lost worlds just mimicked campuses around the world in a virtual space while others attempted to blur the lines between the real world and what could be. This presentation will show how Ivy Tech has started to rebuild some of the past virtual worlds by infusing and using new MEMS (from SCME) and CAD (Solidworks and Blender) technology into existing coursework for enhanced student education.Andrew Bell, Department Chair, Engineering, SCME, Ivy Tech Community College, Fort Wayne, IN
From Concept to Deployment: The LiFi Lab at Wharton County Junior College
This session will give attendees the information needed to deploy a LiFi (Light Fidelity) lab at their college or school. Workforce development classes in optical wireless communications at WCJC will also be covered.
JB Groves III, Instructor of Computer Science, National Convergence Technology Center, Wharton County Junior College, Richmond, TX
Engaging Industry and Education to Solve Ag Technology Workforce Issues
This session will highlight AgCentric participants, including secondary teachers, postsecondary staff, curriculum designers and authors, and industry partners. Each will discuss their role in the project and review the lessons learned to date in bringing in a new career pathway in technology applications in the agricultural engineering and maintenance sector. A project overview and completed trainings to date will be reviewed, along with best practices gathered from trainees (secondary teachers) and industry partners. Additionally, the presenter will review the concurrent enrollment options originating from this project. Participants will experience one activity utilized in the training of ag technicians. Finally, the session will cover next steps for industry in solving talent shortages in collaboration with high schools and colleges.
Keith Olander, AgCentric, Executive Director, Technical Applications In Agriculture (#2000787), Central Lakes College/AgCentric, Staples, MN
Build Inclusion and Universal Design Concepts in the Classroom with Educational/Assistive Technology
Educational/assistive technology in the classroom can help level the playing field for students of all learning types, including students with disabilities, student veterans, and educationally disadvantaged students. Learn how these technologies are used by students and how you can build them into your universal-design classroom for a more inclusive learning environment for all students.
Mike Sauter, Alternate Media/Assistive Technology Specialist, ATE Access, DeafTEC, Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA