Using Chemistry to Enhance the Technical Workforce in the Innovation Age

This project provides opportunities for high school and two-year college students to gain workplace readiness and safety skills in a chemistry context through integrated learning experiences based on national science standards. The project aims to: (1) create standards-based college and high school resource materials that provide contextual integration of chemistry content with workplace readiness and safety skills and that are aligned with the National Science Education standards; (2) provide professional development courses for college and high school educators that enhance their knowledge of industrial uses of chemistry and standard operating practices used in the chemistry-based workplace; and (3) create an infrastructure of local and national support for developing and sustaining new local partnerships among high school chemistry teachers, two-year college chemistry and chemical technology faculty, and workplace specialists (technicians, process operators, scientists, and management). The following outcomes are anticipated: chemical technology courses and supporting materials; high school lessons which are to be developed, piloted, field-tested, and disseminated; professional development courses for high school chemistry and college chemistry and chemical technology educators; improvements in high school and two-year college student learning as documented by appropriate assessment protocols; and improvement in students' critical thinking skills.