Advancing Next Generation Bio-Technician Preparedness in Northeast Florida

该ATE Track 2项目旨在通过改进佛罗里达东北部地区生物技术人员教育的课程和教材来服务于国家利益。生物技术目前正在经历一场全球性的演变，新的创新、发展和突破就是明证。推动生物技术创新的最显著领域涉及计算、人工智能、机器学习、大数据、合成生物学、混合现实技术等。这一领域的关键挑战之一是培养一支拥有这些新兴领域所需的知识、技能和能力的劳动力队伍。为了使学生具备成功进入职场所需的技能，该项目计划将这些新兴技术的教学整合到现有的生物技术计划中。这一多管齐下的计划改进工作有可能更好地为学生和地区技术人员进入快速发展的生物技术领域做好准备。项目目标是：1)更新当前生物技术实验室技术助理科学学位计划的课程，以包括修改后的外部培训课程；2)获得先进的工具，供学生使用研究级仪器发展技能；以及3)实施动手的、移动的生物技术微型实验室，让K-12学生和教师参与当前和应用的STEM课程。综合评价工作力求为正在进行的项目改进提供数据，并提供关于新的和新兴技术领域的培训做法的知识。此外，项目成果旨在提高STEM教育知识，了解生物技术项目中的主动和基于探究设备的学习如何提高学生为生物技术劳动力做好准备的能力。该项目的成果和产品预计将传播给其他对改进课程感兴趣的两年制大学技术课程，以满足地区或国家对熟练生物技术人员的需求。该项目由高级技术教育计划资助，该计划专注于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This ATE Track 2 project aims to serve national interest by improving curricula and educational materials in biotechnician education in the Northeast Florida region. Biotechnology is currently undergoing a global evolution as evidenced by new innovations, developments, and breakthroughs. The most notable areas propelling biotechnology innovation involve computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, synthetic biology, mixed reality technologies, and others. One of the key challenges in this sector is developing a workforce that possesses the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed for these emerging areas. To prepare students with the skills they will need to enter the workforce successfully, this project plans to integrate instruction on these emerging technologies into an existing Biotechnology program. This multipronged program improvement effort has the potential to better prepare students and regional technicians to enter the rapidly advancing biotechnology field.The project goals are to: 1) update courses in the current Biotechnology Laboratory Technology Associate in Science degree program to include a modified externship course; 2) acquire advanced instruments for students to develop skills using research-grade instruments; and 3) implement hands-on, biotechnology mobile mini-labs that engage K-12 students and teachers in current and applied STEM curricula. A comprehensive evaluation effort seeks to provide data for ongoing project improvement as well as to contribute knowledge regarding training practices in new and emerging technical fields. Additionally, project findings aim to advance STEM education knowledge about how active and inquiry-equipment based learning within a biotechnology program improves students' readiness for the biotechnology workforce. Results and products of the project are expected to be disseminated to other two-year college technical programs interested in improving curriculum to meet regional or national needs for skilled biotechnicians. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy.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.