PathTech LISTEN: Mixed Methods Longitudinal Investigations of Students in Technician EducatioN

在先进技术领域培养更多的中等技能专业人才对国家的繁荣至关重要。为了促进高等技术教育取得更大的成功，本项目旨在研究社区大学出勤率与以后教育和职业成果之间的关系。来自南佛罗里达大学和希尔斯堡社区学院佛罗里达技术教育中心的研究小组提议扩展他们目前对学校-工作-生活平衡的研究。为了实现这一目标，他们将进行一项纵向研究，考察从参加社区大学课程到获得副学士学位和学士学位，再到实现职业目标（如加薪和升职）的转变。该项目将为追求先进技术证书和职业的学生增加对学校-工作-生活平衡所涉及的问题和挑战的理解。一项定性和定量混合的纵向研究将考察学生的生活经历和途径，从入学到完成学术课程，再到进入劳动力市场。这项研究将解决关于大学前和大学技术人员和职业途径以及获得证书和项目后成果（例如，职业和就业）的信息短缺问题。拟议的工作建立在PathTech Life研究的前两个阶段，重点是工程技术、先进制造和生物技术。项目团队将在全国范围内进行纵向访谈研究，并结合全国调查的开发和管理，回答四组研究问题，检查学校，工作和其他生活责任之间的联系：来自不同背景、不同人生阶段的学生如何体验他们的先进科技项目？2. 学生的短期教育目标是什么（即完成特定课程，获得证书或学位），他们是否实现了这些目标？3. 先进的技术教育计划的哪些方面准备学生满足他们更广泛的教育和就业目标？4. 大学采取了哪些项目和制度上的努力来增加来自不同背景的学生的招生、留用和联系？这项研究的结果可以告知改进先进的技术教育，支持更大的保留，毕业，并成功进入技术劳动力。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。

Producing more middle skills professionals in advanced technology fields is important for the nations' prosperity. To promote greater success in advanced technology education, this project aims to study the relationships between community college attendance and later educational and occupational outcomes. The research team from the University of South Florida and the Florida Technological Education Center at Hillsborough Community College propose extending their current research on school-work-life balance. To accomplish this goal, they will conduct a longitudinal research study that examines the transition from taking community college courses, to attaining associates and baccalaureate degrees, to reaching career goals, such as better pay and job promotion. The project will increase understanding of issues and challenges involved in the school-work-life balance for students pursuing credentials and careers in advanced technology. A qualitative and quantitative mixed method longitudinal study will examine student life experiences and pathways, from entry to completion of academic programs to entrance into the workforce. The study will address the shortage of information about pre-college and college technician and occupational pathways, and attainment of credentials and post-program outcomes (e.g., careers and employment). The proposed work builds on the first two phases of the PathTech Life study and focuses on Engineering Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, and Biotechnology. The project team will conduct a longitudinal interview study with national scope coupled with the development and administration of a national survey to answer four sets of research questions that examine the connections among school, work, and other life responsibilities: 1. How do students from diverse backgrounds at different life stages experience their advanced technological program? 2. What are students' short-term education goals (i.e., complete specific coursework, earn certificate or degree) and do they accomplish them? 3. What aspects of an advanced technology education programs prepare student to meet their broader educational and employment goals? 4. What program and institutional efforts do colleges employ to increase recruitment, retention, and connections with students from diverse backgrounds? Results of this research can inform improvements to advanced technological education that support greater retention, graduation, and successful entry into the technical 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.