Increasing Accessibility to Advanced Manufacturing Programs Using Competency-Based Education

Regional industry in northwestern Arkansas has a growing demand for technicians who have the necessary technical skills to implement and maintain advanced manufacturing technologies. Traditional on campus technician programs can create barriers for potential students who have time constraints due to commuting in a rural environment, jobs, or family obligations. New training strategies are needed to increase accessibility to technical education programs for students who need greater flexibility in their schedules and current workers who need upskilling. This project will implement competency-based education for a core set of courses in electronics and controls that will allow students to complete a certificate program at their own pace. Instructional materials, competency assessments, and simulation tools will be available for students online to address the need for greater accessibility and flexibility. Competency-based assessments will provide meaningful feedback allowing students to practice, refine their techniques, and improve their performance until they achieve the necessary competency for a module in a course. Simulation tools will help students understand how to work with technologies without requiring a physical lab space. The results of this project will be made available to technical education programs at other community colleges.

The overall goal of this project is to increase the number of skilled technicians to address the need of regional manufacturers. Four objectives will guide the execution of this project. First is to increase program accessibility and improve alignment with employer needs by implementing competency-based modularized hybrid course modules. Second is to expand the role of the current foundational Business and Industry Leadership Team to guide the development of the modules. Third is to provide professional development for faculty to develop and implement modules in their courses. Fourth, and finally, is to recruit and retain students for the certificate program with an emphasis on broadening participation. The project will use the Backward Design Process to develop competency-based modularized hybrid content for each technical course in the Electronics Technology program. Hybrid delivery options include online, on or off campus, simulations including virtual reality, and physical simulations. Remote delivery and open industrial labs will be available during times that are convenient for industry partners and employees. Hands-on skills assessment will be conducted in an open industrial lab environment on campus or at industry sites. The impact of the competency-based modules on student enrollment, engagement and retention will be assessed using institutional data and student surveys.