Engineering-Engineering Technology (58) The project is developing laboratory exercises and an accompanying electronic laboratory manual for a course in fire behavior and combustion for both associate and baccalaureate degree programs. The project is providing an opportunity to introduce students to scientific inquiry and is being developed in a constructivist fashion, which provides students to arrive at their own conclusions from conducting the experiments. The curriculum material is being developed from the existing knowledge base at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and other research institutes such as the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). Formative and summative assessments that include pre-testing and post-testing of student learning are being incorporated throughout the project to provide feedback to improve the process and create more effective curricular material.
The institution's Engineering Technology Program is engaging in a multi-year project to increase the participation of underrepresented students in the fire safety and other technology programs. Community and technical colleges are being engaged in this collaborative effort in order to develop a unified educational structure and to beta-test the curriculum.
Development of a CD and web access is providing a method through which institutions can access fire safety curriculum. The curriculum is being disseminated through conferences and is being made available through the Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education contortion, which includes about 250 institutions that offer fire related degrees.
