| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | June 17, 2013 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | February 20, 2015 |
| Award Number: | 1303584 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
ece yaprak
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2013 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2016 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $200,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $200,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1625 HIGHWAY 150 CALMAR IA US 52132-7606 (563)556-5110 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
8342 NICC Dr. Peosta IA US 52068-9703 |
| 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: |
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| 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 project is developing a comprehensive career pathway for rural technicians and women, the cornerstone of which is a new mechanical engineering technician associate's degree program. The program includes field-based experiences, hands-on practice with modern instrumentation, integration of technical and 21st century skills, and establishment of clear pathways from secondary schools to Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) to four-year programs. The project is developing a curriculum that includes problem-based learning scenarios in partnership with business and industry and providing professional development for educators to increase the availability of rural instructors for advanced Project Lead the Way (PLTW) classes to assist in career pathway development for area high schools. The project demonstrates intellectual merit by improving student learning through a program based on evidence-based best practices and business and industry input; building on a body of evidence documenting the need for students to develop both technical and 21st century skills; utilizing an evaluation plan clearly tied to project outcomes and developed in collaboration with a well-experienced evaluator; and planning for ABET-accreditation of the program. Broader impacts include replicable models of collaboration with local employers, recruitment of women and rural technicians, and an engineering talent pipeline from secondary school to associate's degree to bachelor's degree.
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.
Engineering Technicians in Northeast Iowa is a project funded by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education program. Housed under the Small Grants for Institutions New to ATE track, the overarching goal of the project is to improve excellence in technician training through the development of a comprehensive career pathway for rural technicians and women, the cornerstone of which is a new mechanical engineering technician program.
The Engineering Technicians in Northeast Iowa project made significant progress during the NSF funding period. Highlights include the following outcomes that demonstrate intellectual merit and broader impact.
Intellectual Merit:
- The Mechanical Engineering Technology program is established, and the college is committed to growing and enhancing the program. Six students have graduated from the program; and two of those students have gone on to 4-year colleges and are enrolled in STEM baccalaureate programs.
- Students in the MET program are engaged in project-based activities that are preparing them for the world of work.
- Students in the program are benefitting from meaningful internships at a variety of companies in the region. Industry support for and commitment to the program is growing. Eight companies have already hosted ten student interns, and response from both industry supervisors and students has been overwhelmingly positive.
- An Additive Advanced Manufacturing Prototype (AAMP) laboratory has been established that is expected to be a cornerstone of the MET program in the future. The lab is designed to give students the ability to personally work with contemporary technology that corresponds with current workforce needs. Students are using solid modeling to design structures, print and machine these structures, and check structures for accuracy in the Quality Lab.
Broader Impact:
- An articulation agreement with University of Northern Iowa is in place. Two MET students have transferred to UNI and to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
- Baseline data for Project Lead the Way high school students has been gathered and will help to inform strategies for recruiting students into the MET program. Only one PLTW student has enrolled in the MET program, but marketing to and recruitment of these students will take time.
- A strong multi-faceted recruitment model has been developed and will continue to be used to attract rural students, with a particular focus on females.
Last Modified: 09/07/2016
Modified by: Doug Binsfeld
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NICC students practice 3-D printing with a College logoMarketingCreative CommonsDoug Binsfeld3D Printing -
Designing and blueprintsMarketingCreative CommonsDoug BinsfeldNICC MET Student -
Designing and printingMarketingCreative CommonsDoug BinsfeldNICC MET Student 2
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