Enhancing the Instrumentation and Control Technician Program: Instrumentation Acquisition

加强仪器仪表和控制技术员计划：仪器仪表采购

• 批准号: 1801140
• 负责人: Alan Zube
• 金额: $ 49.97万
• 依托单位: Florida State College at Jacksonville
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-10-01 至 2022-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1801140&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Enhancing; Instrumentation; Control; Technician; Program

Instrumentation and controls technicians are important in the nation's advanced manufacturing industry. These technicians troubleshoot and repair components of production lines that keep manufacturing processes running smoothly. Currently, industries in Northeast Florida face a shortage of skilled instrumentation and controls technicians. This problem is exacerbated by the predicted turnover of approximately one third of the manufacturing workforce over the next five years because of retirements. Advanced manufacturing industries regularly redesign and streamline production lines, including increasing the use of automated processes. As a result, there is an ongoing expansion of the skills that instrumentation and control technicians need to do their jobs. To address this need, Florida State College at Jacksonville (Florida) will develop a new Instrumentation and Controls concentration for its existing Associate of Science degree in Engineering Technology. The project team will work closely with industry partners to: modify the curriculum; obtain industry-standard equipment for laboratory exercises; and provide problem-based, hands-on learning experiences for students. The project will examine and contribute to what is known about hands-on instrumentation training, support effective strategies for recruiting underrepresented students to the instrumentation and controls field, and help fill the critical need for these technicians in Northeast Florida.This project will develop and modify five courses to create a concentration in Instrumentation and Controls for the existing associate degree program. The courses will include hands-on simulation laboratory activities that engage students in the types of processes they will encounter on the job. The activities will give students access to new technologies, and increased practice to master essential industrial instrumentation skills. Authentication assessments and proper procedures for handling sensors and instrumentation will be central components of the curricular modifications. Laboratory tasks will emphasize the development of skills required to manage, operate, calibrate, and troubleshoot equipment. These tasks will also focus on enhancing knowledge associated with experimental, quality, and safety procedures. The project will foster technician skills training using a developmental curriculum that includes embedded and stacked credentials. Students' self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and career awareness related to advanced manufacturing will be measured. The result will be used to document the impact of the courses and lab activities on student learning and preparation for the workforce. Outreach activities will be conducted with area high schools to promote awareness of and career interest in instrumentation and controls technology. The project will emphasize involvement of students from underrepresented and underserved populations, to encourage diversity of the workforce.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

仪表和控制技术人员在国家先进制造业中占有重要地位。这些技术人员对生产线的部件进行故障排除和维修，以保持生产过程的顺利运行。目前，佛罗里达州东北部的工业面临着熟练的仪器和控制技术人员的短缺。预计在未来五年内，大约三分之一的制造业劳动力将因退休而流失，这将加剧这一问题。先进制造业定期重新设计和简化生产线，包括增加自动化过程的使用。因此，仪表和控制技术人员在工作中需要的技能正在不断扩大。为了满足这一需求，位于佛罗里达州杰克逊维尔的佛罗里达州立大学将为其现有的工程技术科学副学士学位开发一个新的仪器与控制专业。项目团队将与行业合作伙伴密切合作：修改课程；获得符合行业标准的实验室设备；并为学生提供基于问题的实践学习经验。该项目将研究并促进实际操作仪器的培训，支持招募仪器和控制领域代表性不足的学生的有效策略，并帮助填补佛罗里达州东北部对这些技术人员的关键需求。该项目将开发和修改五门课程，为现有的副学士学位课程创建仪器和控制的集中。课程将包括动手模拟实验室活动，让学生参与他们在工作中遇到的各种过程。这些活动将使学生接触到新技术，并增加掌握基本工业仪器技术的实践。认证评估和处理传感器和仪器的适当程序将是课程修改的核心内容。实验室任务将强调管理、操作、校准和排除设备故障所需技能的发展。这些任务还将侧重于加强与实验、质量和安全程序相关的知识。该项目将利用包括嵌入式和堆叠证书在内的发展课程促进技术人员技能培训。测量学生对先进制造的自我效能感、归属感和职业意识。结果将用于记录课程和实验室活动对学生学习和准备工作的影响。将与地区高中进行外联活动，以提高对仪器和控制技术的认识和职业兴趣。该项目将强调来自代表性不足和服务不足人群的学生的参与，以鼓励劳动力的多样性。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。