Getting Results: ATE Teaching in Community Colleges
Large Scale Materials Development
for Professional Development

Project Summary

The WGBH Educational Foundation and the League have partnered to develop, field test, and disseminate multimedia resources to foster the use of effective teaching and learning practices among adjunct faculty in Advanced Technology Education programs nationwide. The three-year project is funded by the National Science Foundation.

The Getting Results faculty development modules are customized materials that will feature video segments illustrating exemplary practice and online resources and strategies targeted to ATE disciplines, making them easily available as needed for self-study. The project’s primary audience is adjunct faculty teaching in ATE programs, many of whom come from industry, have no pedagogical framework for their teaching, and have significant time constraints on their ability to participate in professional development.

The resources will be field-tested in thirteen ATE centers and programs in community colleges across the country, starting in the first year with two core partners:

• The National Center for Manufacturing Education (MERC) at Sinclair Community College (OH)
• Aquarium Technology and Marine Interpretation program at Oregon Coast Community College (OR)

Following revisions to increase effectiveness and ease of use, in the second year the materials will be piloted and further evaluated at a representative range of eleven additional ATE programs across the country.  These are:

• Albuquerque TVI (NM)
• Bristol Community College (MA)
• Bronx Community College (NY)
• Collin County Community College District (TX)
• Daytona Beach/Seminole iTEC Florida (FL)
• Florence-Darlington Community College (SC)
• Middlesex County College (NJ)
• Nashville State Technical College (TN)
• New Hampshire Community College (NH)
• Norwalk Community College (CT)
• Richland College (TX)

In Year 3, the final curriculum will be disseminated to the community and technical college field through a turnkey trainer system.

The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) and the Community College Leadership Program at The University of Texas will conduct formative and summative evaluation activities to ensure that the new materials are rigorously tested at each stage of development.