ERIC ED485743: MentorLinks: Advancing Technological Education. Project Brief. AACC-PB-04-01

2004·0.21 MB·English

by  ERIC

P R O J E C T B R I E F
MentorLinks: Advancing
AACC-PB-04-1
Technological Education
by Ellen Hause
The American Association of Community Colleges with support from the National Science
Foundation created the MentorLinksAdvancing Technological Education program to help
community colleges develop or strengthen technician training programs in the science, tech-
nology, engineering, and mathematics fields. The program works with community colleges to
establish connections for new ideas and relationships through networking opportunities at
program meetings and national conferences; and to gain insight on building and sustaining
new programs. MentorLinksfeatures professional development opportunities and technical
assistance for community colleges, with emphasis on mentoring relationships.
Through a national grant competition, a peer review team selected seven community colleges
and six mentors working in diverse areas of technician education to participate in a two-year
grant project beginning in September 2002. Modeled after a previous pilot project,
MentorLinksbrings together community colleges seeking program support and pairs them
with an experienced mentor in their disciplinary field. Mentors have strong credentials and
extensive experience in planning and implementing advanced technology programs. Each
college receives a total of $9,500 in direct funding for program development, and additional
monies for travel support to attend national project meetings and conferences.
MentorLinks Colleges are developing programs in biotechnology, natural resources plan-
ning, aquatic science, geographic information systems (GIS), and information technology.
They are successfully working with their mentors in the following areas: curriculum develop-
ment, student recruitment into individual
courses and certificate programs, training
MentorLinks Colleges
programs for faculty and staff, engagement
Albuquerque TVI Community College, NM
of local industry, increased recognition and Flathead Valley Community College, MT
program support among administrators, and Gadsden State Community College, AL
Kentucky Community and Technical College System, KY
program assessment.
Lake Land College, IL
Riverland Community College, MN
University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus, NM
MentorLinks Colleges and Teams
KEY
AAAC
MentorLinks Colleges
MentorLinks Team
Mentor Team Links
MentorLinks Colleges Links
States
2• AACC/MentorLinks:Advancing Technological Education
Albuquerque TVI Community College
A Biotechnology Program to
The primary goals include curriculum develop-
Grow a New Mexico Economy
ment, marketing and recruitment of students, and
the development of partnerships with industry to
A
lbuquerque TVI’s new associate of science provide internships. The college’s MentorLinks
degree program in biotechnology prepares students mentor and an external advisory committee helped
for employment in the biotechnology industry and to refine the course requirements, course
in facilities conducting research and development sequences, and course content for approval by the
through hands-on laboratory learning experiences TVI Institutional Leadership Team and College
in molecular biology, recombinant DNA, protein Curriculum Committee. The New Mexico
purification, and tissue culture. Students participate Commission on Higher Education officially
as a cohort in a five-term program culminating in a approved the biotechnology program to begin in
supervised internship at a local laboratory facility spring 2003. Student enrollment in the first
during their final semester of study. biotechnology classes offered was near the capacity
of 24. Meetings with industry and research repre-
sentatives formalized the 15-week (12 credit)
CONTACT INFO internship. The first graduating class will be in
summer 2004.
Albuquerque TVI Community College
525 Buena Vista SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Program Highlights
www.tvi.edu
Enrollment: 26,000 • Subject areas: molecular/cell biology,
proteomics
MentorLinks Project Director
• New associate degree program in biotechnology
Jenna Johnson
Dean, Health Occupations Department with 20 students enrolled
Phone: [phone]
• State of the art curriculum and facilities includ-
E-mail:[email protected]
ing 24 new work stations, equipment room, tis-
sue culture room, prep area and offices
Team Member
Bill Palmisano • 12-week internships with partnering institutions
Director, Biotechnology Program
such as the University of New Mexico, Lovelace
Phone: [phone]
Respiratory Research Institute, Bio-Tech
E-mail:[email protected]
Imaging, and National Center for Genome
Research
Mentor
Joy McMillan
Madison Area Technical College, WI
AACC/MentorLinks:Advancing Technological Education • 3
Flathead Valley Community College
Strengthening Natural Resources
FVCC is reevaluating its marketing strategies
Programming
and strengthening relationships with postsecondary
partners and local school districts to provide train-
L
ocated in the Crown of the Continent ecosystem ing that will equip students to compete for jobs in
in Montana and surrounded by more than 3.6 mil- the forestry and natural resources management
lion acres of state and federal forest, Flathead industry. Leaders determined that one of the best
Valley Community College (FVCC) is strengthen- ways to strengthen their natural resources curricu-
ing its natural resources associate degree program. lum was to expand geographic information systems
Emphasis is on curriculum development, market- (GIS) programming. They developed an advisory
ing, and student recruitment. Working with local committee whose representatives from diverse
industry, the college is identifying better ways to backgrounds strongly supported the GIS addition.
meet changing industry demands and potential FVCC is seeking Board approval to begin their new
employer needs in the Flathead Valley region. GIS programming in fall 2004.
Program Highlights
CONTACT INFO • Subject areas: natural resources, geographic
information systems
Flathead Valley Community College
777 Grandview Drive • DACUM (Designing a Curriculum) conducted
Kalispell, MT 59901
with local industry representatives to identify
www.fvcc.edu
curricular changes to enhance the program
Enrollment: 2,215
• College maintains an experimental forest where
MentorLinks Project Director students can acquire many hours of hands-on
Lisa Stich time working and studying in the woods
Vice President, Educational Services
Phone: [phone] • Enrollment for fall 2004 increased by more
E-mail:[email protected] than 16 percent through showcasing the natu-
ral resources program at a high school career
Team Member day on campus
Bob Beall
• Participation in a professional alliance of tech-
Instructor
nical natural resource instructors from
Phone: [phone]
E-mail:[email protected] throughout the Northwest and Canada
Mentor
Ara Andrea
Chemeketa Community College, OR
4 • AACC/MentorLinks:Advancing Technological Education
Gadsden State Community College
Aquatic MentorLinks
tional courses, and adding faculty. As a result, the
AEDC implemented four new lab exercises for stu-
T
he Aquaculture Education and Development dents and enlisted the aid of the GSCC biology lab
Center (AEDC) of Gadsden State Community coordinator to develop a new lab manual. Faculty
College (GSCC) in Gadsden, Alabama, is a 40-acre adjusted existing coursework to better align with
facility comprised of 13 outdoor ponds, indoor wet transfer options to four-year degree institutions.
and dry laboratories, a 2,000 sq foot indoor hatch- Professional development occurred through AEDC
ery, classrooms and offices. GSCC is using its state faculty and staff attendance at meetings of the
of the art facilities to increase student enrollment. Florida Aquaculture Association, Florida Tropical
In addition, the college is recruiting host sites for Fish Farmers Association, US Aquaculture
student internships, developing new laboratory Association, Pet Industry Distributors Association,
exercises, and engaging in professional develop- and the Florida Tropic Fish Farmers Association.
ment activities.
GSCC’s MentorLinksmentor conducted an Program Highlights
evaluation of the AEDC and provided suggestions
• Subject areas: aquatic science, aquaculture
for enhancing recruiting practices, creating addi-
• Four new laboratory exercises and a compre-
hensive lab manual
• Seven new student internship sites: Florida
CONTACT INFO
Aquarium, Walt Disney World’s Living Seas,
Gadsden State Community College Harbor Branch Oceanographic, Mote Marine
1000 George Wallace Drive Laboratory, Florida Marine Research Lab,
Gadsden, AL 35902-0227 University of Florida Tropical Aquaculture
www.gadsdenst.cc.al.us Laboratory, and the Oklahoma Aquarium
Enrollment: 5,800
• More than 1,100 local children and high school
MentorLinks Project Director groups hosted at the facility in 2002-2003 for
Hugh Hammer an educational or recreational activity
Director, Aquaculture Education and Development Center
• Educational workshops and technical support
Phone: [phone]
for K-12 teachers and the general public
E-mail:[email protected]
Mentor
Bill Falls
Crystal Beach, FL
AACC/MentorLinks:Advancing Technological Education • 5
Kentucky Community and Technical College System
Geographical Information
development workshops to develop faculty in this
Systems Partnership
rapidly growing area of technology. In designing
the curriculum, KCTCS worked with the
T
he Kentucky Community and Technical College Governors Office of Technology, GIS and geogra-
System (KCTCS) embedded its new geographic phy faculty at the University of Louisville, and
information systems (GIS) program within an other GIS stakeholders from state and local govern-
information technology curriculum that is available ment. KCTCS’ large operational GIS web site,
to all institutions across the Commonwealth of managed by the Governors Office of Technology,
Kentucky. KCTCS plans to offer professional has the ability to post data and create detailed maps.
The KCTCS new five-course GIS certificate,
consisting of three new GIS courses developed with
CONTACT INFO
the MentorLinksgrant, received state approval. The
Kentucky Community and Technical College
project’s steering committee decided to develop a
System
certificate option before considering a full degree
2624 Research Park Dr.
Lexington, KY 40512-4092 program. To reach a broader population, KCTCS is
www.kctcs.edu
considering the exportation of GIS course(s) into a
Enrollment: 72,000+
distance learning format for fall 2004.
MentorLinksProject Director
Vince DiNoto Program Highlights
Director IT Fast-Track
Jefferson Community College • Subject areas: geographic information systems,
1000 Community College Drive information technology
Louisville, KY 40272
• Two colleges, Jefferson Community College
Phone: [phone]
and Hazard Community College are offering
E-mail:[email protected]
the first GIS class in spring 2004 with plans to
Team Members offer the next sequential course in fall 2004
Paul Drake
• Two GIS workshops conducted for college and
Division Chair Technical and Related Services
high school faculty in summer and fall 2003
Jefferson Community College
Phone: [phone] • Close working relationship established with
E-mail:[email protected] area high schools that offer GIS classes
Roger Angevine • Collaboration with Lake Land College and
Division Chair Physical Science and Math Jackson State Community College, also
Somerset Community College involved in theMentorLinks program, to
Phone: [phone] develop a regional consortium of GIS
E-mail:[email protected] institutions
Mentor
Tim Sharp
Jackson State Community College, TN
6 • AACC/MentorLinks:Advancing Technological Education
Lake Land College
Strengthening GIS Education
offices. These organizations identified a core set
of skills and application areas, which led the college
L
ake Land College (LLC) aims to increase the to offer customized training to GIS users through
participation of students in its Introduction to GIS its Center of Business and Industry beginning in
Certificate Program. The college convened its first fall 2003.
GIS advisory board meeting of local GIS users to LLC is enhancing the visibility of GIS technol-
discuss the kinds of skills and delivery methods ogy to incoming students through career day pre-
needed to achieve technology transfer to local sentations, and by integrating GIS into general
employers. As a result, LLC assisted in conducting education courses like American history, environ-
local and regional surveys to determine training mental science, and world geography. The college
needs within their region. The survey results indi- is creating opportunities for incoming students
cated a heavy emphasis towards Illinois’ need for through a new 2 + 2 program with Indiana State
training in local, state, and federal government University.
Program Highlights:
CONTACT INFO
• Subject area: geographic information systems
Lake Land College
• Environmental Systems Research Institute
5001 Lake Land Boulevard
(ESRI) Virtual Campus Training embedded as
Mattoon, IL 61938
the lab component of Introduction to GIS cer-
www.lakeland.cc.il.us
tificate courses so all students who complete
Enrollment: 6,000
LLC’s GIS courses also receive certificates
MentorLinks Project Director fromESRI
Mike Rudibaugh
• GIS User Needs Survey: http://webclass.lake
Geography/GIS Instructor
land.cc.il.us/mrudibau/gisuser/needs2.htm
Phone: [phone]
E-mail:[email protected] • First customized GIS workshop offered
through LLC’s Center of Business and Industry
Team Member:
for county tax assessors with six counties
Deborah Hutti
represented and a total of 11 staff members
Associate Vice President for Educational Services
participating
Phone: [phone]
E-mail:[email protected] • Coordination of a one-year 500 seat Arc-View
3.2 software donation allowing for greater flexi-
Mentor bility in offering customized training across
Tim Sharp
campus
Jackson State Community College, TN
AACC/MentorLinks:Advancing Technological Education • 7
Riverland Community College
IndustryLink/MentorLink
college revitalized its Computer Technology
Advisory board and conducted an external critique
R
iverland Community College serves three rural of its computer science and IT programs that
counties in southeastern Minnesota, each with pop- focused on educational outcomes, effective use of
ulations of about 30,000. Riverland’s MentorLinks faculty, and curriculum alignment with industry
project is strengthening partnerships with area needs.
businesses and secondary schools to improve their As a result of advisory board recommendations,
computer science and information technology (IT) a new program in network security and wireless
programs in order to work with a newly articulated networking is under development for the 2004-
“high school through baccalaureate” program. The 2005 academic year. Riverland also recruits industry
mentors to work closely with community college
and high school students in their computer science
CONTACT INFO programs.
Riverland Community College
2200 Riverland Drive Program Highlights
Albert Lea, MN 56007
• Subject areas: computer science, information
www.riverland.cc.mn.us
technology
Enrollment: 4,825
• Computer Technology Professions program
MentorLinks Project Director
redesigned to be more responsive to industry
Robert J. Silbaugh
needs
Network Technologies Instructor
Phone: [phone] • Cisco network associate degree program
E-mail:[email protected]
• Roster of business representatives to serve as
Team Member internship hosts and mentors to college and
Jan Waller high school students
Dean of Academic Affairs
• New network security and wireless networking
Phone: [phone]
associate of science degree program offered in
E-mail:[email protected]
2004-2005
Mentor
Donald Astrab
Brevard Community College, FL
8 • AACC/MentorLinks:Advancing Technological Education
University of New Mexico – Valencia Campus
Information Technology
routinely hire UNM-VC’s IT graduates. UNM-VC
Program Partnership
convened approximately 60 IT employers in the
Albuquerque area to seek their participation in cur-
T
he University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus riculum development.
(UNM-VC) is improving student placement in To enhance opportunities for career explo-
information technology (IT) programs at its cam- ration in the local high schools, UNM-VC is forg-
pus and at five partnering high schools. The college ing strong articulation links and practicum oppor-
developed a strong information technology industry tunities for high school IT students. A new tracking
advisory committee made up of employers who system monitors IT graduate placements at both
the secondary and postsecondary levels.
Program Highlights
CONTACT INFO
University of New Mexico – Valencia Campus • Subject area: information technology
280 La Entrada
• IT curriculum modified with the approval of
Los Lunas, NM 87031
the curriculum committee to simplify the over-
www.unm.edu/~unmvc
all course offerings and strengthen the course
Enrollment: 1,741
content in response to employer needs
MentorLinks Project Director
• Education partners convened in UNM-VC’s
Kevin Begley
service area to coordinate IT efforts and to re-
Workforce Development Program Manager
align curriculum where appropriate
Phone: [phone]
E-mail:[email protected] • IT program information brochure redesigned
to modernize and improve visual appeal
Team Member
Toni Black
Associate Professor, Information Technology
Phone: [phone]
E-mail:[email protected]
Mentor
Phyllis Owens
Camden County College, NY
AACC/MentorLinks:Advancing Technological Education • 9
AACC MentorLinks Mentor Team
Ara Andrea
CONTACT INFO
Chemeketa Community College, OR Donald Astrab
Executive Vice President and Chief
Ara Andrea is a curriculum developer and instruc- Learning Officer
tor with Chemeketa Community College’s Forest Brevard Community College
1519 Clearlake Road
Resources Technology program in Salem, Oregon.
Cocoa, FL 32922
She was instrumental in developing a new curricu-
Phone: [phone] Ext. 62774
lum for a community college forest technician edu- E-mail:[email protected]
cation program, published and disseminated under
a National Science Foundation Advanced
Technological Education Center. She previously
Bill Falls
taught college level math courses at Brookhaven
Crystal Beach, FL
College in Dallas, Texas, and held teaching
assistant and research assistant positions in the Bill Falls has 27 years experience in marine biology
areas of silviculture and mathematical modeling. and aquaculture in three different states. He was
Andrea holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources from aquaculture program manager and associate profes-
the University of Idaho. sor at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa,
Florida for the past seven years. Prior to that he
was a research administrator for ten years at the
CONTACT INFO
Florida Marine Research Institute’s Stock
Ara Andrea
Curriculum Developer/Instructor Enhancement Research Facility (SERF). Falls
Forest Resources Technology received his M.S. in Biology from Murray State
Program University, and his Ph. D. from the University of
Chemeketa Community College
Southern Mississippi. In 2002-03, Falls received the
P.O. Box 14007
NISOD Excellence in Service & Leadership award,
Salem, OR 97309-7070
and in 2003, he completed a five-year National
Phone: [phone]
E-mail:[email protected] Science Foundation project on “Aquaculture Live
Rock” that was published as a book chapter and
cover article of an international aquaculture journal.
Donald Astrab
In 2004, Falls was selected to Who’s Who Among
Brevard Community College, FL
America’s Teachers.
Donald Astrab is executive vice president and chief
CONTACT INFO
learning officer for academic services for Brevard
Bill Falls
Community College in Cocoa, Florida. He is also
P.O. Box 1134
the principal investigator of the National Science Crystal Beach, FL 34681
Foundation funded Distributed Energy Systems Phone: [phone]
Curricula for the Development of Energy E-mail:[email protected]
Technology Technicians program. He previously
served as the college dean of technical education
Joy McMillan
and as chairman of the Science and Technology
Madison Area Technical College, WI
Department at Brevard. Astrab worked as a water
quality control coordinator and environmental Joy McMillan is associate dean of the Agriscience,
chemist in Hawaii, where he received his M.S. in Apprenticeship, Technical and Industrial Division
Environmental and Occupational Public Health of Madison Area Technical College (MATC) in
and Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from Wisconsin. Prior to her current role as administra-
the University of Hawaii Manoa. tor at the college, she was the program developer
and director for the Biotechnology Laboratory
Technician program at MATC. McMillan received
10 • AACC/MentorLinks:Advancing Technological Education