Work-Ready Electronics: An Industry-Supported System for Synchronizing Curriculum to the Rapidly Changing Workplace

Work-Ready Electronics解决了使两年制电子课程中使用的课程与行业快速变化的性质保持同步的挑战。该项目设立了一个常设的工业和教育工作组--新兴电子课程工作组(EECTF)，以监测该项目，并就电子行业的进展向该项目提供建议。在该工作队的指导下，该项目正在开发、试点测试和传播一个新的电子图书馆中的前25个模块，这些材料可供课堂上使用，用于教授最新的电子技术。这些模块采用了由Matec在之前的NSF拨款下开发的Web和CD-ROM混合交付格式。这些模块的目标用户最终是教职员工，他们在大约1000个两年制学位课程中任教。在该项目的36个月中，Matec建立了EECTF，开发了25个模块，在三个地点对至少100名学生进行了现场测试，并在30%的目标项目中实现了教师采用这些模块。在授权期过后，EECTF将继续协助MATEC不断更新模块。这些模块是一种教学资源，教职员工可以与任何商业教科书集成。Work-Ready Electronics的主要智力价值在于，该项目解决了技术员教育面临的根本挑战。也就是说，它试图弥合电子教材与工作场所要求之间存在的差距。Matec通过1)对90%的两年制电子课程的教科书进行文献审查，以及2)对10家主要的电子公司和制造商进行调查，初步确定了这些差距。项目负责人在电子行业和教育领域都有相关经验。Matec是NSF的国家半导体制造教育卓越中心。行业合作伙伴是美国电子协会、国际半导体设备和材料技术人员业绩改进委员会(SEMI)和10家公司。该项目通过以下几个方面获得了一些更广泛的影响：1)行业愿意与该项目合作，这表明Work-Ready Electronics满足了行业对技术人员的需求，他们的准备更有针对性地针对工作场所；2)通过不断提供行业电子更新模块，使任何两年制大学的电子课程现代化；以及3)通过地区讲习班为STEM教员和高中教师做好教学准备。项目成果将通过合作伙伴的学术和行业网络广泛传播。

Work-Ready Electronics addresses the challenge of keeping the curriculum used in two-year electronics programs current with the rapidly changing nature of the industry. The project established a permanent industry and education working group the Emerging Electronics Curriculum Task Force (EECTF) to monitor and advise the project on industry advances in electronics. Under the guidance of that task force, the project is develops, pilot testing, and disseminating the first 25 modules in a new electronic library of classroom-ready materials for teaching updated electronics technology. The modules take a hybrid Web-and CD-ROM-delivered format developed by MATEC under a previous NSF grant. The intended users of the modules are ultimately faculty who teach in approximately 1,000 two-year degree programs. During the 36 months of the project, MATEC is establishing the EECTF, developing 25 modules, field testing the modules with at least 100 students in three locations, and achieving adoption of the modules by faculty in 30% of targeted programs. Beyond the grant period the EECTF will continue to assist MATEC in a continuous updating of the modules. The modules are an instructional resource that faculty can integrate with any commercially available textbook. The principal intellectual merit of Work-Ready Electronics is that the project addresses a fundamental challenge facing technician education. That is it attempts to close gaps that exist between electronics teaching materials and workplace requirements. MATEC made a preliminary identification of those gaps by 1) conducting a literature review of the textbooks assigned in 90% of two-year electronics programs and 2) surveying 10 major electronics companies and manufacturers. Project leaders have relevant experience in both the electronics industry and education. MATEC is the NSF's National Center of Excellence for Education in Semiconductor Manufacturing. Industry partners are the American Electronics Association, the Technician Performance Improvement Council of Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI), and 10 companies. The project attains a number of broader impacts through the following: 1) Industry's willingness to partner in the project, which suggests that Work-Ready Electronics addresses industry's need for technicians whose preparation is better targeted to the workplace; 2) The modernizing of electronics curriculum at any 2-year college by continuously providing modules of industry electronic updates; and 3) The pedagogical preparation of STEM faculty and high school teachers through regional workshops. The project results will be widely disseminated through the academic and industry networks of the partners.