Chapter 7 Professional Exchange

7.0.0.0.1 Bringing together professionals from different organizations and geographical locations facilitates knowledge diffusion, collaboration, and professional interaction (Chai & Freeman, 2019). Research has shown that “diverse collaborative networks” enhance innovation and complex problem-solving (Biancani et al., 2014).
7.0.0.0.2 The ATE program has two funding tracks that support activities to catalyze professional exchange. One such track supports coordination networks, which facilitate collaboration and communication about research, training, and education across disciplines, organizations, and geographical boundaries. The other track provides funding for conferences, meetings, and events to improve understanding of advanced technological education issues (National Science Foundation (NSF), 2018, p. 9).
7.0.0.0.3 ATE PIs whose projects hosted conferences or similar events were asked to identify the names and purposes of the events and the number of attendees. Those engaged in network coordination were asked to identify the purpose of their networks.

7.1 Coordination Networks

7.1.0.1 Three percent of ATE projects indicated coordination networks as a primary purpose of their grant.

10 ATE projects indicated that developing and facilitating coordination networks was the primary purpose of their grant.

  • A Regional Approach to College and Career Readiness Pathways in Career and Technical Education focuses on developing career and technical education pathways in southwest Missouri for automotive, construction, and welding technology.
  • A Sustainable ATE Coordination Network for Enhancing Personalized Learning Using Virtual and Augmented Reality-based Technology enhances the advanced automotive and aviation manufacturing workforce pipeline, via the use of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies.
  • Advanced Technological Education Coordination Network for Knowledge Sharing in Robotics/Automation and Cybersecurity intends to facilitate the sharing of best practices about how to develop community college students’ knowledge and skills in robotics/automation and cybersecurity.
  • Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance (CSSIA) supported the development of successful cybersecurity certificate and degree programs across the country.
  • Enhancing the Independent Mechatronics Technical Curriculum and Creating a New Pathway from Rural High Schools into Mechatronics Careers aims enhance and expand high-quality/low-cost distance education models and create a new pathway to mechatronics programs in partnership with dedicated rural high schools.
  • Impact of System-Wide Contextualization of Math in Rural Arizona Colleges on Producing More Qualified Technicians (SFAz+8 CXM) encourages the integration of mathematics into technical education courses to encourage student completion.
  • Manufacturing Alliance Keeping Education Relevant to Technical Employee Competence (MakerTEC) seeks to find solutions for the advanced manufacturing sector that result in meeting their skilled worker needs and reducing costs.
  • Technician Education in Additive Manufacturing and Materials (TEAMM) is focused on identifying the ways in which the convergence of materials science and additive manufacturing can be addressed in technician education resources.
  • The Necessary Skills Now Network facilitates collaboration between educators and employers to improve the employability skills of entry-level technicians in STEM fields.
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Geospatial Information Technology Integration (GIT) into Technician Education aims to develop curriculum, establish collaborative educational pathways, and expand UAS and GIT professional development opportunities.
  • Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry to Develop Advanced Laboratory Skills in Collaboration with Industry provides workshops that help high school STEM educators increase their understanding of high-resolution mass spectrometry.

7.2 Conferences and Meetings

7.2.0.1 Only a few ATE projects are funded specifically to organize conferences, but other projects also actively engaged in professional exchange.

Six ATE projects were explicitly funded to coordinate conferences or meetings in 2020. Two additional projects indicated that hosting a conference was a main purpose of their grant. Of these 8 projects, 4 were able to host conferences in 2020. These 4 projects hosted a total of 6 conferences or meetings, with attendance that ranged from 6 to 900 people. ATE PIs identified the purposes of these events as networking and professional development, disseminating best practices, and bringing together stakeholders from industry and education.

Projects that organized conference or meeting events in 2020 included:

  • Conference to Explore the Impact of Future of Work Issues on Technician Education in Florida hosted a National Science Foundation Future of Work caucus.
  • Smart Manufacturing for America’s Revolutionizing Technological Transformation held (virtually) a third smart manufacturing workshop.
  • Strengthening and Supporting the Community College Leadership Role in Advancing STEM Technician Education hosted the 2020 virtual ATE conference, as well as a 2020 MentorLinks Project meeting.
  • Workshop to Improve the Assessment of Professional Development in Teacher Education held meetings with ATE projects to advance their development of formative assessment tools.

References

Biancani, S., McFarland, D. A., & Dahlander, L. (2014). The semiformal organization. Organization Science, 25(5), 1306–1324.
Chai, S., & Freeman, R. B. (2019). Temporary colocation and collaborative discovery: Who confers at conferences. Strategic Management Journal, 1–27.
National Science Foundation (NSF). (2018). Advanced technological education program solicitation (NSF18-571). Washington, DC: Author. https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?WT.z_pims_id=5464&ods_key=nsf18571