Improving Educational Outcomes in Manufacturing Engineering Technologist and Technician Education (METTE) Programs

来自威斯康辛大学麦迪逊分校和四所两年制学院（福克斯谷技术学院、冰碛公园技术学院、中北部技术学院和沃克夏县技术学院）的研究人员和实践者团队正在开展活动，以提高学生在制造工程技术专家和技术人员教育（METTE）项目中的成功率和保留率，并研究与这些活动相关的关键因素。该项目审查了学生参与作为中学和高等教育机构之间衔接协议的一部分的课程作业的影响，以及高等教育因素（例如，提供财政援助和参与学术和学生支助活动）对学生在METTE的表现和保留的影响。该研究考察了参加高中双学分课程与学生成绩之间的联系，如获得文凭的可能性、坚持到大学第二学期、高中毕业后一年的平均绩点较高、高中毕业后两年坚持上大学、从两年制课程转到四年制课程以及毕业后在劳动力市场上的成功。该研究还考察了影响METTE表现和保留的中学后因素，如学生对机构支持活动的参与、学术经历和补习课程的注册，以及就业和家庭责任等外部需求。此外，两年制大学的地方领导团队（LLT）参与校园层面的行动研究，以检查与加强学生成功和/或改进其METTE计划相关的本地或区域重要问题，以满足当地或地区的劳动力发展需求。调查结果将通过出版物以及国家和地方介绍来传播。

A team of researchers and practitioners from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and four 2-year colleges (Fox Valley Technical College, Moraine Park Technical College, Northcentral Technical College, and Waukesha County Technical College)is developing activities to increase student success and retention in Manufacturing Engineering Technologist and Technician Education (METTE) Programs and examining key factors associated with these activities. The project examines the influence of student participation in coursework that is part of articulation agreements between secondary and post-secondary institutions and the influence of post-secondary factors (e.g., the availability of financial aid and participation in academic and student support activities) on student performance and retention in METTE. The study examines the link between participation in dual-credit programs in high school with student outcomes, such as likelihood of earning a diploma, persistence to the second semester of college, higher Grade Point Average on year after high school graduation, persistence in college 2 years after high school graduation, transfer from 2-year to 4-year program, and post-graduation labor market success. The study also examines post-secondary factors on performance and retention in METTE, such as student engagement in institutional support activities, academic experiences and enrollment in remedial courses, and external demands such as employment and family responsibilities. In addition, Local Leadership Teams (LLT) at the 2-year colleges are engaged in campus-level action research studies to examine locally or regionally important issues associated with strengthening student success and/or improving their METTE programs to meet the workforce development needs of the locale or region. Findings will be disseminated through publications and national and local presentations.