| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 22, 2010 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 17, 2012 |
| Award Number: | 1003879 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Yvette Weatherton
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | August 15, 2010 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2014 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $792,534.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $792,534.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2011 = $241,564.00 FY 2012 = $285,775.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
6500 PACIFIC BLVD SW ALBANY OR US 97321-3755 (541)917-4999 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
6500 PACIFIC BLVD SW ALBANY OR US 97321-3755 |
| Primary Place of Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | Advanced Tech Education Prog |
| Primary Program Source: |
04001112DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04001213DB NSF Education & Human Resource |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this project is to expand an existing mechatronics program to include emerging technologies (e.g. sustainable energy/green technology) by partnering with the state of Oregon, middle and secondary schools, academia, and key industry partners. Educational opportunities are delivered to middle, high school and community college level participants from rural communities through a blend of distance education, technology weekends, and career academies to ensure future graduates have the right skill-sets to meet regional, state and national demands. Embedded in the program design are curricular improvements, professional development for teachers and college faculty, and the articulation of career pathways leading from two-and four year colleges to industry. Specifically, the project provides opportunities for middle and high school students to engage in inquiry based learning projects about renewable energy production. Faculty work directly with industry to integrate emerging technologies into the mechatronics curriculum and to develop applied capstone projects that integrate the principles of sustainable energy manufacturing. By partnering with nine Oregon community colleges, the project develops and initiates a one year Oregon Green Certificate program through blended instruction in renewable energy generation, energy conservation, and practical physics.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Program Enhancement: Mechatronics faculty reviewed and revised all Mechatronics courses and outcomes adding to and increasing the importance of “improving energy efficiency and sustainability”. The percentage of time allotted to “green content” now averages about 30% for 27 of our 28 individual program courses. These materials are available upon request for use by other programs or institutions. (greend@linnbenton.edu). Expanding the scope of the program to include alternative energy options and energy efficiency assists with student placement which is currently 85% with minimum starting wages over $12 per hour.
This work required extensive revisions of teaching plans, modifications of almost all Mechatronics courses, development of new lab activities, and the development of a new course entitled Energy Efficiency and Sustainability, a general science course open to all students in the college. Significant faculty learning was required by these activities.
Oregon Green Technician Certificate Support: the Mechatronics program supplied syllabi, course descriptions and outlines, learning objectives, and teaching materials for 12 of the 15 GT courses in the 45 credit program. Throughout the duration of the GT grant the TOF PI and Co-PI were active in advising, teaching, developing and managing courses. The majority of the courses were taught in the Mechatronics facility and equipment was stored there.
The GT grant operated from 2010 until 2013. The sustainability of the GT program when it completed was uncertain so the Mechatronics program created a one-year certificate which was approved by the state of Oregon in 2012 and was modified in 2013. This certificate is being used by Mechatronics students and by two local industries that have 21 workers completing the certificate on a part-time basis. The certificate and several pathway certificate descriptions follow:
Purchase and design/building of energy efficiency trainers: TOF served as a catalyst for $190,000 of private donations. $30,000 from the TOF was used to “top off” the purchase of a state-of-the-art flexible manufacturing system. The TOF funds were used to build in energy efficiency protocols into the system.
TOF funds were used to design and build six multiple use, mechanical systems trainers to serve classes of 24 for three separate Mechatronics courses. Six refrigeration systems trainers were refitted and several older HVAC and alternative energy trainers were upgraded to support classes of 24 for four separate Mechatronics courses. This increased program capabilities and saved many thousands of dollars from our initial, stand-alone trainer budget.
Presenting:
ATE National Principal Investigators Conference, Washington, DC
Breakfast Roundtable, Thursday, October 24, 2013
Blended Tech Learning Denis F. H. Green, Department Chair, Mechatronics, Linn Benton Community College.
ATE National Principal Investigators Conference, Washington, DC
Breakfast Roundtable, Thursday October 25, 2012
Capstone Projects for Technical Education Denis F.H. Green, Department Chair, Mechatronics, Linn Benton Community College
Oegon Association for Career and Technical Education," The common technical Manufacturing core: Skills and Delivery Methods (Industrial and Engineering Systems)", Sun River, Oregon, April, 2014
Oregon Association for Career and Technical ...
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