Exploring factors that shape education & workplace training on essential 21st century competencies: A translational study in four high-STEM job regions

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The University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Rochester Institute of Technology will implement a collaborative project to investigate whether specific 21st century competencies are being cultivated in postsecondary classrooms and workplace training, and the cultural, organizational, and systemic factors that support or impede such practices. Researchers will also examine how educators and employers define critical workforce competencies, student and employee experiences with education/training and the transition from school to work, and types of cross-sector partnerships that bridge the gaps between higher education and STEM industries. The fields investigated include photonics, information technology, energy, and advanced manufacturing industries in four regions in the U.S. with high concentrations of STEM jobs -- Seattle, WA, Raleigh, NC, Houston, TX, and Denver, CO. The study will result in a comprehensive account of how educators in a sample of 2- and 4-year institutions as well as STEM-related industries think about and actively cultivate key 21st century competencies. It will provide empirical evidence of how and when students and employees attain transferrable skills that are critical for their success in school, life, and work.The research team will use a framework integrating field theory, cultural models theory, and systems dynamics to guide a mixed-methods study to investigate five research questions: (1) How do educators and employers define, value, and incorporate into instruction and workplace training the essential 21st century competencies of collaboration, problem solving, communication, and self-regulated learning? (2) To what degree do students engage in these competencies in the classroom? (3) How do students and employees define, value, and think they are learning about these skills?, (4) What is the nature of cross-sector relations between education and industry in each region? and (5) Which individual, organizational, and sectoral factors influence whether (a) these skills are cultivated in school and/or work, and (b) active learning techniques are utilized? A concurrent mixed-methods design will involve collecting interview data from faculty and administrators (n=80) and business owners (n=80), classroom observation data from faculty (n=64), focus group data from students (n=80) and employees (n=80), and survey data from a larger sample of educators and employers (n=464). To study instructional practices, a new module focusing on 21st century competencies will be developed for the Teaching Dimensions Observation Protocol (TDOP), and data will be analyzed using the ICAP (interactive, constructive, active, and passive modes of learning) framework. Data will be analyzed also using inductive content, social network, logistic and multiple regression, and causal network analytic techniques as appropriate to the dataset and research questions. The research team will hold one-day workshops for local stakeholders in each region, as well as a summative national conference, to present regional field data, provide training on how to integrate key 21st century competencies into existing curricula and workplace training programs, and to open new lines of communication between and among educators, employers, government, and other community members.This project is supported by NSF's EHR Core Research (ECR) program. The ECR program emphasizes fundamental STEM education research that generates foundational knowledge in three thematic areas: STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation, and STEM workforce development.