Materials Aspects of Manufacturing Technology Institute

This Materials Aspects of Manufacturing Technology Institute is developing a set of instructors with sufficient background and understanding of the materials processing aspects of manufacturing technology to serve as leaders to enhance technology education in the U.S. It is also aimed at providing a model interactive program involving high school and community college instructors and students and industry. This model is demonstrating successful interactive curricular, laboratory and project programs as well as assisting in the transition for technology students across the high school-community college boundary. This Institute is being developed by the University of Washington in partnership with high schools, community colleges and industry in the Pacific Northwest. Over a three-year period, it will provide 60 instructors at the high school and community college level with an understanding of the principles and applications of materials as they are used in the manufacturing technology field. It consists of a 15 day program intensive in materials science and technology, including lectures, labs, discussion sessions, independent research and projects for community college and high school instructors from the Pacific Northwest. Each year of the 3-year program includes 20 new participants; of the 3-year total of 60, approximately 40 participants will be from high schools and 20 from community colleges. Generally, one community college instructor and two high school instructors from the same geographical area form a team for project and follow-up work. Selected participants are allowed to return for a second year at their own expense. Academic year follow-up programs consist of 2, 1-day meetings on campus. Participants develop interactive high school--community college projects, performed jointly by a team of students from nearby schools with local industry involvement. Evaluation tools are being developed, and evaluation data is being collected annually and analyzed by the project team.