This CPATH collaborative project develops the models for extending Penn State's successful institutional transformation based on building system of systems to other institutions of higher education. The first phase of the project is aimed at adoption of strategy at Georgia State University. The second phase involves systemic programmatic evaluation of the strategy in both settings. The third phase targets extending the strategy to include an open source element. The Penn State transformation strategy, Augmenting Education of Systems-of-Systems Professionals (AESOP), prepares computing professionals who can build and support large and complex systems. The strategy contains five major elements including organizational, curricular, active learning, problem-based learning, and experiential learning components.
The intellectual merit of this project stems from the strong research team, the soundness of the combined activities, and the timeliness of the systems of systems focus to address critical information systems education issues. The research team members have solid research records in both enterprise integration and in education. The strategy that is being adopted, evaluated, and extended has a sound research basis and offers the possibility of new research results that can be incorporated by others.
The broader impacts of this project stem from the dissemination of the results and learning resources on a wide scale. The project extensions to both higher education and industry partners offers many unique models which may be of value as national models. Thus the project has the potential to impact the preparation of a cadre of computing professionals who can provide leadership in a wide range of application fields and thus enhance an area of significant national need.
