Award Abstract # 1104145
Broadening Advanced Technological Education Connections

NSF Org: DUE
Division Of Undergraduate Education
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF MASS AT BOSTON
Initial Amendment Date: September 14, 2011
Latest Amendment Date: May 24, 2017
Award Number: 1104145
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: Virginia Carter
vccarter@nsf.gov
 (703)292-4651
DUE
 Division Of Undergraduate Education
EDU
 Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date: September 1, 2011
End Date: August 31, 2018 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $4,999,080.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $4,999,080.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2011 = $2,467,581.00
FY 2013 = $2,531,499.00
History of Investigator:
  • Deborah Boisvert (Principal Investigator)
    dboisvert@edc.org
  • Paula Velluto (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Joyce LaTulippe (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Warren Hioki (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Massachusetts Boston
100 WILLIAM T MORRISSEY BLVD
DORCHESTER
MA  US  02125-3300
(617)287-5370
Sponsor Congressional District: 08
Primary Place of Performance: University of Massachusetts Boston
100 WILLIAM T MORRISSEY BLVD
DORCHESTER
MA  US  02125-3300
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
08
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): CGCDJ24JJLZ1
Parent UEI: CGCDJ24JJLZ1
NSF Program(s): Advanced Tech Education Prog
Primary Program Source: 04001112DB NSF Education & Human Resource
04001314DB NSF Education & Human Resource
Program Reference Code(s): 1032, 9178, SMET
Program Element Code(s): 7412
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.076

ABSTRACT

The Boston Area Technological Education Connections (BATEC) is a well developed regionally coordinated system of high schools, community colleges, the University of Massachusetts at Boston and industry. Talented students from diverse backgrounds are attracted to information technology (IT) careers particularly in - programming, databases, analytics, and business intelligence. BATEC developed a sequence of industry driven and validated IT courses that articulate from high school through community college to a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. The National Center extends and strengthens computing discipline pathways and industry connections to produce 21st century IT professionals. The work that the Regional Center is doing in defining the knowledge, skills and attitudes that IT technicians need to be technically and professionally successful in their employment is continued. Because IT is pervasive in every industry, this goal is extended to learn about and implement innovations that increase technicians' ability to work at the intersection of IT and other fields - such as manufacturing, energy management, law enforcement, and health. The National Center uses partnerships with urban districts in Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Chicago as learning laboratories to learn how to scale up the work done in Boston. The Center focuses on longer-term interventions that are collaborative with existing centers and new partners and conducts research that contributes to the continuous improvement of IT, CS and IS programs to keep up with regional and national needs.

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.

Broadening Advanced Technological Education Connections (BATEC), an ATE National Center of Excellence for Computer and Information Technologies, has functioned as an urban laboratory dedicated to broadening participation in computing by building a collaborative learning community of education, business, government and community partners that share subject-matter expertise and resources.  Throughout its tenure, BATEC has concentrated on increasing career-focused pathways in Computer Science and Information Technology to include Web Development, Secure Software Development, Network Security Administration, Data Analytics, and Health Information Technology. BATEC's academic and career pathways facilitate students' progress from high school and community college classrooms to internships, first jobs, and lifelong careers. BATEC's efforts have been aided by local employers who provide guidance to faculty on integrating authentic workforce-based problems and exercises into course materials, as well as mentoring and internships for students to build professional workplace skills.

BATEC has used an authentic, team-based approach whereby educators and industry advisors collaborate to build innovative academic programs in emerging technologies. Degree programs in 3 courses of study (Computer Science, Web Development and Networking) offer an inventory of stackable certificate and degree programs which can serve as reference models for transferable academic pathways between high schools, community colleges and four-year universities. CyberSecurity pathways (designed to be CAE-2Y certifiable in two focus areas - Secure Software Development and Network Security Administration) and Data Analytics coursework are ground-breaking at the community college level and pioneering models available for adaptation and use by other academic institutions.

However, building innovative coursework does not ensure that students "see themselves" as succeeding in those pathways.  Helping students envision themselves in a future positive role serves as a powerful motivator to persist.  To that end, BATEC leadership developed two cutting-edge introductory courses - IT Problem Solving for college and Computational Thinking and Problem Solving for high school - which have provided over 7000 students with hands-on experience in a wide range of applied problem solving techniques needed to become an IT Professional. The problem sets reflect different information technology domains, feature realistic situations which offer well-defined or ill-defined goals and outcomes, include limited scope with concrete tasks or infinite scope requiring self-determined constraining as resource limitations are discovered, and involve increasingly complex steps. Students learn how to: (1) select, analyze, and critique information and courses of action; (2) grapple with problems that have multiple solutions; (3) work together with those of differing views; and (4) confront and address problems and situations in constructive and creative ways. As they work through challenges in the course, students identify what they already know, what they need to know, and how and where to access new information that may lead to resolution of the problem, allowing them to develop strong technical knowledge combined with critical thinking and higher-order analytical skills that will empower and advance them in today's workplace.

Yet, innovative coursework alone is not enough; and therefore, BATEC has designed and implemented wrap-around interventions aimed at improving academic pathways for college and career success. Dual Enrollment allows high school students to experience college classes and receive course credit.  College/Career Fairs connect students with higher education opportunities, admissions counseling and career information. The Tech Apprentice Program connects talented high school students with paid technology-focused internships in local companies, while college students gain experience and provide real value for small businesses and high-tech start-ups. The Bridge to Community College Initiative transitions underserved adults to the Community College system.

Educators, as primary influencers, play an important role in helping students persist and advance in computing. In order for educators to engage with students in a performance-based learning model that makes use of case and/or problem-based methodologies, they must become comfortable with those teaching and learning methodologies.  To that end, BATEC has provided extensive professional development opportunities through its Summer Institutes and ongoing learning community interactions to ensure that educators are comfortable with the constructivist approach, become facilitators of learning who provide appropriate scaffolding of that process and measure student preparation in the technical and employability skills via outcome-based assessments.

These approaches have resulted in impressive gains. Enrollment in BATEC-affiliated community college degree programs (Computer Science and Information Technology to include the sub-specializations of Web Development, Network Security Administration, Secure Software Development, and Data) increased from 5,243 students in 11 colleges in 2011 to 23 colleges serving 15,733 students in 2018. The minority populations of BATEC's community colleges rose from a baseline of 15% to 29% for Latinos and from 19% to 46% for African Americans. Female enrollment rose from 23% to 35% over the duration of the grant. High school pathway enrollments now exceed 7,500 in 2018 with 42% female participation and 74% of the students categorizing themselves as either Latino or African American.

 

 


Last Modified: 11/30/2018
Modified by: Deborah G Boisvert

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