South Central College: iMEC

机电一体化工程师和技术人员在先进制造业中发挥着关键作用，地区和国家对这一领域的熟练工人的需求日益增长。作为回应，南方中央学院(SCC)正在创建一个远程学习教育计划(IMEC)，该计划建立在其现有的机电工程技术(MET)面对面计划的基础上。SCC的MET项目是与地区行业成员建立强大合作伙伴关系的直接结果，这些成员提供行业专业知识和资源来支持该项目。为实现这一目标，目标是1)开发和实施在线远程访问学位计划，2)与教育和行业合作伙伴并通过外展创建一个区域系统，以及3)建设SCC MET计划的机构能力。该项目利用在线和模拟工具以及远程访问方法来调整其现有的MET讲座和实验室，以适应明尼苏达州的学生。通过远程访问实验室系统，远程学习的学生培养机电一体化工程技术人员所需的故障排除技能。IMEC项目正在利用SCC最先进的机电一体化资源，为广大学生群体提供机会。IMEC项目从Moultrie技术学院和佛罗里达高级技术教育中心(FLAATE)的合作伙伴那里整合了远程和面对面学习的最佳实践。项目评估包括对面对面和远程学习者的学生成功和学生认知的比较，以及改进iMEC项目的评估过程。IMEC计划为传统和非传统学生提供先进的制造业远程教育以及进入MET的教育和职业途径，并扩大来自代表性不足群体的学生的参与，包括妇女、少数族裔和退伍军人，以及分散在不同地理位置的学生。IMEC项目中使用的远程学习的创新方法可以被其他工程和技术项目所采用，并满足未来工程教育的需求。IMEC计划作为一种教育模式，整合了持续质量改进和最佳实践，并通过创新方法调整课程和教学交付模式，为学生带来远程教育。

Mechatronics engineers and technicians play a critical role in advanced manufacturing, and there is a growing need for skilled workers in this field regionally and nationally. In response, South Central College (SCC) is creating a distance learning education program (iMEC) that builds on its existing Mechatronics Engineering Technology (MET) face-to-face program. The MET program at SCC is a direct result of strong partnerships with regional industry members, which provide industrial expertise and resources to support this project. To achieve this, the objectives are to 1) develop and implement the online remote access degree program, 2) create a regional system with educational and industry partners and through outreach, and 3) build the institutional capacity of SCC's MET program. This project utilizes online and simulation tools and remote access methods to adapt its existing MET lectures and laboratories to students across the state of Minnesota. Through the remote access of laboratory systems distance learning students develop troubleshooting skills that are necessary for mechatronics engineering technicians. The iMEC program is leveraging the state-of-the-art mechatronics resources at SCC to provide access to broad groups of students. The iMEC program is integrating best practices for both distance and face-to-face learning from partners at Moultrie Technical College and the Florida Advanced Technological Education Center (FLATE). The project evaluation includes a comparison of the student success and student perception between the face-to-face and distance learners and an evaluation process to improve the iMEC program. The iMEC program provides advanced manufacturing distance education as well as educational and career pathways into MET for traditional and non-traditional students and broadens the participation of students from underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, and veterans, and geographically dispersed students. The innovative methods for distance learning used in the iMEC program can be adapted by other engineering and technology programs and addresses the demands of future engineering education. The iMEC program serves as an education model that integrates continuous quality improvement and best practices and adapts curricula and instructional delivery models through innovative methods to bring distance education to students.