| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
|
| Initial Amendment Date: | September 12, 2011 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | September 28, 2012 |
| Award Number: | 1104159 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard 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, 2015 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $761,447.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $761,447.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
|
| History of Investigator: |
|
| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
2411 W 14TH ST TEMPE AZ US 85281-6941 (480)731-8402 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
|
| Primary Place of Performance: |
2411 W 14TH ST TEMPE AZ US 85281-6941 |
| Primary Place of Performance Congressional District: |
|
| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
|
| Parent UEI: |
|
| NSF Program(s): | Advanced Tech Education Prog |
| Primary Program Source: |
|
| Program Reference Code(s): |
|
| Program Element Code(s): |
|
| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
MATEC NetWorks is an Advanced Technological Education (ATE) National Resource Center that supports teaching about semiconductors, automated manufacturing, and electronics. In addition to faculty development opportunities, the center provides venues for creating, sharing, and using its collection of digital resources. These include a web site; a digital online library of classroom-ready technology lessons and other pedagogical resources; a web seminar series; a virtual community with forums; and a national conference.
The center continues to provide resources to technical and community college programs across the country and expects to expand services with an additional focus on students and impact measures.
In this effort there are four major goals for the project:
Goal 1: Expand the contribution to and usage of the Digital Resource Library by the technician education community. This goal is focused on developing enhanced Digital Library resources and services.
Goal 2: Establish effective approaches and programs for broadly disseminating learning material and faculty professional development. This goal is focused on Dissemination.
Goal 3: Accelerate the ability of the technician education community to adapt as learner needs and technologies change. The focus is on of technician education.
Goal 4: Identify and apply appropriate frameworks for evaluation. This goal is focused on the impact of NetWorks' activities on improving student, faculty and technician learning.
Intellectual Merit: Focus on Use and Usability
The goals and objectives lead to the generation and acquisition of resources and to an integrated approach to implementation of those resources. The strategies, events, webinars, podcasts, conferences and other activities all focus on helping the community utilize the resources and services to enhance the content of and pedagogical approaches to STEM technician education programs and curricula.
Broader Impacts: Exemplary Resource Collection Influences Teaching & Learning
NetWorks' collection of classroom-ready technology lessons and pedagogical resources are accessed by an increasing number of users each month. Almost all users of the searchable database report that they incorporate NetWorks' materials directly into their teaching and laboratory activities. NetWorks' coordination with other ATE resource centers, ATE Central and the National Science Digital Library connects educators with an even wider array of resources.
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.
Project Outcomes Report
MATEC NetWorks National Resource Center
The Resource Center has focused on professional development for community college faculty to achieve these outcomes:
- Up-to-date digital learning materials available for classroom use
- Web seminars, to keep faculty current with trends
- Community of faculty developed, who openly share what works best in technical education programs.
Community college students preparing for work in technical fields need to have the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by employers. In turn, community college faculty need to have industry relevant material and knowledge to construct learning opportunities for students. How do colleges’ best prepare students for the work environment and further education? Knowledgeable and skilled faculty are one of the answers.
The Center created a digital library of classroom-ready learning materials. This means that a faculty member could search the library, download an activity or reference to use with their students, and incorporate the materials into their education programs the next day. The Resource Center carefully selected items for the library; providing students with cutting-edge information on topics such as: developments in 3D printing and nanotechnology. This supported faculty, with tools, to update course materials. Over 1000 people became users of the digital library.
The Center also created a major series of seminars, delivered in an all web format (called webinars), enabling faculty to keep up- to-date at any time in any place. From 2011 – 2015 the MATEC NetWorks Resource Center produced or co-produced 128 webinars for a total of 10,455 registered participants.
Faculty either attended at the time of the webinar or viewed the recording and handouts later. These webinars broadly distributed the Center’s resources throughout the nation. In just 60 – 90 minutes a faculty member could log on and view the latest from industry on topics such as: nanoimprinting or the best approaches to creating new industry relevant credentials, providing viewers pertinent information to move forward with their career goals.
As a result of these webinars faculty reported their outcomes (based on a survey of 450 participants):
- About 40% added a new activity or updated existing activities
- About 30% modified their teaching strategies and approaches
- 88% would recommend the webinars to a colleague.
Community college faculty work best and develop professionally when they are part of a community. The Resource Center worked closely with sister ATE centers to create and produce the High Impact Technology Exchange Conference (HI-TEC), now in its seventh year. This national event convenes faculty from over 40 states and creates a community environment where information and “what works” topics are freely shared. Through a combination of workshops, sessions, posters, and exhibits faculty convene, exchange ideas, and grow. Participants ranked “Industry trends and Industry Needs” as the highest value topic discussed. Conference participants offered the following comments on what they could do now as a result of attending the HI-TEC conference:
-
- I have learned about some great resources that can be used for student recruitment and retention as well as in my teaching every day. This conference is the best one that I attend all year
- The networking and sharing was incredible. This allowed me the opportunity to hear about best practices, find mentors, talk to others who have had similar challenges/opportunities, and grow professionally. This will impact individuals and communities throughout our c...
Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.
