| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 21, 2011 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | April 23, 2013 |
| Award Number: | 1104158 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Abby Ilumoka
ailumoka@nsf.gov (703)292-2703 DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | July 15, 2011 |
| End Date: | June 30, 2015 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $672,350.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $672,350.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2012 = $222,600.00 FY 2013 = $164,719.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
300 N MAIN ST VERSAILLES KY US 40383-1245 (859)256-3397 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
300 N MAIN ST VERSAILLES KY US 40383-1245 |
| 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: |
04001213DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04001314DB 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
This project is developing a partnership with the local community college, community leaders and industry to enhance existing training programs. Specifically Mechatronics and Innovation training is being provided to rural students and technicians. The project fulfills a local industrial need and could serve as a national model for delivering advanced technology education in rural areas. Because of its rural setting and focus on secondary and industry programs, the project serves students from underrepresented groups better than many other programs. In addition to increasing the number of graduates ready for employment and trained in Mechatronics, the project is developing graduates with entrepreneurial skills. Entrepreneurial skills are helping build the local economy and providing graduates more opportunities nationally.
The project uses proven delivery methods and emphasizes technician education relevancy so students are fully engaged. Engagement will increase student recruitment, retention and graduation numbers. Through the project partnership, articulation between secondary schools and the community college is being enhanced which will also lead to improved student success.
The project also provides professional development opportunities for secondary and post-secondary faculty. Faculty development is expected to make it easier to integrate new curriculum materials into existing courses thereby creating a sustainable program.
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.
Gateway Community and Technical College’s Mechatronics
Project involved the development of a partnership program that included industry and secondary education programs to expand and enhance Gateway’s existing manufacturing and trades technology programs, focusing on the establishment of a Fundamentals of Mechatronics Certificate. This project was implemented at the Grant County Career and Technical Center (GCCTC), a rural technical high school in Kentucky. To complete the certificate, students had to complete and pass a two-part Mechatronics
class (Mechatronics A and B) for six college credits. The project was motivated by Gateway’s desire to increase the relevance of technician education to modern practices and to ensure well-equipped graduates ready to enter high performance advanced manufacturing workplaces.
The projects’ two primary objectives were:
(1) to deliver the multi-skilled Mechatronics Certificate to rural communities (specifically, the development and implementation of an outreach plan and creation of promotional materials including visual career pathways; expansion of Mechatronics program to rural students; increase in number of graduates of Mechatronics Certificate Program; and increase in number of graduates placed in jobs or transferred to Gateway to complete degree
or other postsecondary program) and
(2) to develop and offer a curriculum to prepare students with entrepreneurial skills (specifically, the development of four to six modules; increase of faculty knowledge and skills in preparing future technicians in entrepreneurship skills; and creation and review of assessments to document individual student mastery of entrepreneurship skills).
The project exceeded the target enrollment numbers. Four cohorts of students were enrolled with a total of 53 students accepted to take
Mechatronics A; 37 (70%) moved on to Mechatronics B; 32 (86%) completed the Mechatronics Certificate. There were a number of project accomplishments in terms of program delivery:
- Student self-esteem, self-confidence, engagement in class and sense of responsibility improved.
- Students’ mechatronics skills were recognized across the state; four out of the 12 students chosen as apprentices by the Federation for the Advancement of Manufacturing
Education (FAME) from different high schools across Northern Kentucky came from Cohort 4 of this Mechatronics Project; two representatives of this Mechatronics Cohort 4 won second place in a regional 2015 Competitor Skills USA program. - Gateway leveraged its linkages with business and industry within the state of Kentucky to establish strong partnerships and collaboration with the business community.
- Business partners expressed satisfaction with the students’ preparation in the Mechatronics Certificate Program.
- The Mechatronics certificate courses continue to be promoted and offered even beyond the NSF funding. Gateway’s continuous supervision of the Mechatronics Certificate
Program that will be implemented at GCCTC beyond the NSF funding to ensurequality and rigor of the program. - Four modules were developed including one introduction to Mechatronics and three Business Entrepreneurial
scenarios.
Perhaps the greatest outcome of the grant project is the institutionalization of the project beyond the grant period.
Last Modified: 09/30/2015
Modified by: Dee Wright
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