SC ATE Center of Excellence and National Resource Center for Expanding Excellence in Technician Education Florence-Darlington Technical College

SC ATE Center of Excellence To increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of Engineering Technology graduates in support of economic development Partially funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)

How Do You: Increase enrollment, retention, and graduation rates? Engage diverse learners and address multiple learning styles? Improve workplace readiness skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and communications?

Planning Grant Identified needs: –Faculty development –Organizational change –New approach to ET education

Take a different approach Emphasize faculty development Pay attention to learning vs. teaching Help students make connections Focus on what is really important “Loosen” your hold on content coverage

Exemplary Faculty Project

Challenges SC ATE Addressed General education prerequisites Question: “Why am I learning this?” Making connections across disciplines Problem solving skills Communication skills Teamwork skills Learning styles

SC ATE Center of Excellence – Six Years of Funding

SC ATE Solution Interdisciplinary faculty coordinating teams Problem-based learning –Mathematics, physics, communications, & technology –Student teamwork –Industry-based problems –Problems with multiple solutions New ways to assist the under-prepared

SC ATE Center of Excellence Curriculum ET Core: integrated, problem-based –Communications, physics, mathematics, & engineering technology –3 semesters/27 credit hours –Used for all ET majors

Is the SC ATE Curriculum good? SC ATE ET Core curriculum ranked 4.0 on a 0-4 scale for "its effectiveness in helping students learn the knowledge and skills and/or practices needed to be successful in the technical workplace." 1 1 Evaluation Center, Western Michigan University, 2003.

SC ATE Center of Excellence Technology Gateway & Industrial Curricula Technology Gateway: (1 sem.) – integrated (math, English, technology) – problem-based ► design Industrial Core: (1 sem.) – integrated (math, English, technology) – problem-based ► maintenance

Technology Gateway Integrated, multiple-disciplined, problem- based curriculum comprised of workplace scenarios Increases the opportunity for high school students to become “college ready”

Technology Gateway Students

Retention Monograph Data was captured and analyzed by Dr. W. Douglas Evans of Evaluation Research Associates Key findings and recommendations have provided the basis for recruitment and retention strategies for SC ATE Recommended expanded industry involvement

SC ATE Industry Consortium Supports marketing and recruitment efforts for Engineering Technology programs “Grow Your Own” approach to finding the best students Industry pays consortium dues and pays tuition and books not covered by Financial Aid

SC ATE Scholars 75 Students have received tuition, books and wages totaling almost $400,000 since program’s inception Scholar/interns are paid $10/ hour (5/1/08) All classes on Monday-Wednesday-Friday to allow students to work all day on Tuesday and Thursday

“A Win for Students, Companies and The School” “Nan Ya greatly appreciates the student’s cooperation, dependability and contribution to the company. The students’ drive for more knowledge and perfection has been inspiring to many.” Clarence Davis, ATE Scholar Mentor, Nan Ya Plastics

Fast Track to ET Project Reduced time to graduation Credit hour reduction New marketing and recruitment strategies Business & Industry Liaison position created Visits to High School math and science classes ET Career Ambassadors model developed

SC ATE Center of Excellence SC ATE National Resource Center for Expanding Excellence in Technician Education (EEITE) – 2 nd NRC Major partner – National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University Partnering with two Georgia High Schools and three Two-year Colleges to offer the Technology Gateway curriculum

Technology Gateway at the High School Level White County High School Targets students who have failed the Math or Science portion of the GA HS Graduation exit exam Targets students who have failed the Math or Science portion of the GA HS Graduation exit exam First semester results – 80% pass rate on Math/Science graduation exit exams First semester results – 80% pass rate on Math/Science graduation exit exams Stephens County High School Fall 2008 implementation

Technology Gateway at the Community College Level Asheville-Buncombe Technical & Community College, NC Ben Franklin Institute of Technology – Boston, MA Wayne Community College, NC

Ben Franklin Institute of Technology – Boston, MA SC ATE Center Exploratory Partner Implemented Technology Gateway through their TechSMART program after a site visit to SC ATE in South Carolina 34 students entered the 22-week long TechSMART program; 23 completed the program and matriculated to a two-year program at Ben Franklin Institute of Technology

Ben Franklin Institute of Technology Implemented the Technology Gateway curriculum this fall in the Department of Academic Development for new BFIT students Applied for and has received grant funding from ATE through “Small Grants for Institutions New to ATE”

A new approach to connecting providers of faculty development to those seeking faculty development 123 events posted since launch 92 events currently posted 285 registered users to date

SCATE Inc. 501(c)(3), not-for- profit corporation Material sales Project Evaluation Curriculum Development Technical and Grant writing assistance

Future Initiatives Future Initiatives?

Elaine Craft, President/CEO SCATE Inc. & Director, SC ATE Center of Excellence Florence-Darlington Technical College, Florence, SC