Incorporating Virtual Reality into Advanced Manufacturing Technician Education at a Rural Community College

该项目旨在通过在农村社区学院纳入虚拟现实活动来推进工程技术教育计划，从而为国家利益服务。最重要的是，该项目将增加准备进入先进制造业职业生涯的熟练技术人员的数量，特别注重为学生在该地区不断增长的半导体制造业中的工作做好准备。 该项目的一个重要重点将是提高学生和在职工人对半导体制造洁净室中使用的自动化设备的认识和能力。此外，该项目将提供培训机会，在物理设备不可用或成本高昂的情况下，使用虚拟现实在工厂环境中模拟自动化设备。将实际操作与虚拟现实相结合，培养农村学生对制造业的兴趣，将其作为一条可行的职业道路。该项目将通过将虚拟现实纳入符合行业需求的两年制大学课程，以现有的工程技术课程为基础。该项目的具体目标是：1）提高学生使用半导体制造洁净室中通常使用的先进自动化设备的能力; 2）为大学和高中教师提供技术虚拟现实培训; 3）增加农村学生和妇女攻读工程技术学位和证书的方案入学率和保留率，以及4）试点基于虚拟现实的先进制造模块作为劳动力培训的工具。将进行正式评价，以评估项目活动和成果，重点是促进知识体系，培养熟练技术人员，以支持先进制造业。将执行一项有针对性的传播计划，与类似的两年制学院和国家一级的技术教育界分享项目成果，包括招聘战略、课程、技术和专门培训活动。 该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重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价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest by advancing engineering technology education programs through the incorporation of virtual reality activities at a rural community college. Most significantly, this project will increase the number of skilled technicians that are prepared to enter careers in the advanced manufacturing industry with a specific focus on preparing students for jobs in the growing semiconductor manufacturing industry in the region. A significant focus of the project will be on increasing students’ and incumbent workers’ awareness and ability to work with automation equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing clean rooms. Further, the project will provide training opportunities that simulate automation equipment in a factory environment using virtual reality when physical equipment is unavailable or cost prohibitive. The coupling of both hands-on and virtual reality training will serve as an engaging method to cultivate rural students’ interest in the manufacturing industry as a viable career path.This project will build on existing engineering technology programs through the incorporation of virtual reality into two-year college courses that are aligned with industry needs. The specific goals of the project are to 1) increase students’ ability to work with advanced automation equipment typically used in semiconductor manufacturing clean rooms; 2) provide technical virtual reality training to college and high school instructors; 3) increase program enrollment and retention of rural students and women pursuing degrees and certificates in engineering technology, and 4) pilot virtual reality-based advanced manufacturing modules as a tool for workforce training. A formal evaluation will be conducted to assess project activities and outcomes with a focus on contributing to the body of knowledge on preparing skilled technicians to support the advanced manufacturing industry. A targeted dissemination plan will be carried out that shares project results including recruitment strategies, curriculum, technology, and specialized training activities with similar two-year colleges and with the technical education community at the national level. 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.