The goals of the project are to create and implement a model robotics technician curriculum and to increase the technical proficiency of underrepresented minorities with skills in robotics, electronics, engineering technology, computer and information technology, and manufacturing through robotics instruction. The project involves partnerships with Morgan State University, Pace University, Carnegie Mellon University, Juxtopia, LLC, Lockheed Martin Corporation, the Advanced Robot for Societal Impact (ARTSI), and the Community Colleges of Baltimore County's NSF-funded ATE TIME Center. The project is : (1) developing a robotics technician curriculum model at the institution; (2) increasing the success rate of Electronics/Computer Information System (CIS)/CADD technician education programs through novel robotics instruction; (3) introducing robotic concepts to underserved and disadvantaged 11th and 12th graders in the Baltimore City Public School System and improving their math skills through robotics hands-on exercises; (4) creating an articulated pathway from Baltimore City Community College's robotics technician program to Morgan State University's School of Engineering for an engineering-related Bachelor's Degree; and (5) providing internship and job opportunities to Baltimore City Community College's robotics technician students. The evaluation effort, under the direction of an outside evaluator, is monitoring student learning outcomes; enrollment, graduation, and transfer rates of robotics technician students, transition rates from Baltimore City Public School System to the robotics program; transfer rates from the robotics program to Morgan State University's Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Information Engineering; internship rate and employment rate of the program's students and graduates; and academic improvement of program's students. Project materials and results are being disseminated through the program's website, through presentations at national technology education and robotics conferences, through a regional workshop for HBCUs, and through the NSF-funded ARTSI and TIME Center. Broader impacts include the dissemination of the curriculum, the strong focus on African American students, and the outreach to high school students.
At the end of the fourth year of the BCCC ATE Robotics Grant DUE-0802454 "Development of Robotics Technician Curriculum (RTC) at BCCC", all three of the following goals have been achieved: (a) educate underrepresented and qualified technicians for autonomous robotics and associated industries; (b) improve underrepresented students’ attitudes about robotics technologies; and (c) produce underrepresented technician graduates with higher GPAs in current BCCC technician programs. The RTC program achieved the program goals through implementation of the following strategies: (a) developed and operated BCCC’s Robotics Technology AAS degree program; (b) helped to develop an Accuplacer preparation for RTC students and expanded the application to all college students; (c) participated in the pilot project to convert BCCC’s developmental math courses into a modular design model; (d) disseminated the results of enhancing BCCC’s Computer Information System (CIS)/Computer Aided Drafting Design (CADD) technician programs by using robotics instruction; (e) expanded the application of augmented reality (AR) into developmental math courses at BCCC; (f) recruited and advised Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) students through robotics seminars; (g) operated a career pathway from BCCC RTC to Morgan State University (MSU) School of Engineering for an engineering-related Bachelor’s Degree; and (h) provided internship and job opportunities to BCCC RTC students and graduates through partnerships. All of the following expected measurable outcomes of project were met: (a) an increase in the number of high school African American students with interests in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and robotics as a result of recruitment and educational efforts; Exit surveys of robotics seminars show 95% of 4000+ BCPSS high school students are interested in STEM fields. (b) an increase in the number of African American high school graduates who transition from the BCPSS to BCCC RTC; RTC enrollment has been increasing since the program started in 2009. Currently, approximately 55 students are enrolled in RTC, 89% of the RTC students are African Americans. (c) an increase of 20% in the number of African American students who major in robotics and engineering and transfer to MSU, School of Engineering; Currently, BCCC transfers approximately 12 RTC and Engineering students to MSU School of Engineering every year in comparing with 8-9 students to MSU School of Engineering before 2009. (d) an increase in the number of African American robotics and engineering majors graduating from BCCC and MSU; In year 2012, 4 robotics students and 5 engineering students graduated from BCCC, 1 BCCC RTC student and 6 BCCC engineering students graduated from MSU. This is to compare with 4 BCCC engineering students graduated from MSU in 2009. (e) a 90% internship/employment rate of BCCC RTC graduates. All BCCC RTC graduates either completed internships or transferred to MSU for further education. Major accomplishments are listed below: RTC Operation: At the end of the Spring 2012 semester, approximately 55 students were enrolled in RTC. 6 students have graduated from the program. 5 students have transferred to 4-years schools for further education. Accuplacer Preparation for RTC Students: A new, online practice application was developed and opened to all BCCC developmental math students. All new RTC students were advised to complete the practice before they took the Accuplacer test. As a result, only 5% of the RTC students started in MAT 80 (Arithmetic) while college wide statistics show that 32% of new students started in MAT 80. Modular Design of BCCC’s Developmental Math Courses: The PIs of this project participated in the development of the modular design of BCCC’s developmental math courses through the Developmental Education Task Force at BCCC. Dissemination of the Results of Enhancement of BCCC Technology Programs through Robotics Instruction: Two journal papers have been published and several papers have been published in related conference proceedings. Several poster presentations were made at related conferences. As part of the dissemination effort, BCCC RTC partner, Pace University, hosted a regional conference "Teaching STEM with Robotics Symposium" at Pace University, White Plains New York, on May 14, 2011, and May 17, 2012, to disseminate the project findings. Recruitment and Advisement for BCPSS Students through Robotics Seminars: PIs have provided robotics seminars in various formats to 4000+ students from BCPSS high schools, middle schools and elementary schools in the city and counties. BCCC RTC hosted a SkillsUSA Maryland State Championship Robotics Competition. Creating Career Pathways and Internships: During the funding period, seven (7) BCCC robotic students transferred to MSU’s engineering school. BCCC Robotics Lab and the MSU Advanced Manufacturing Lab provided 4 internships and training to qualified BCCC robotics 2nd year students. Southwest Airlines, Fluid Medic, Lockheed Martin, et al. provided 6 internships to BCCC robotics students. NASA Goddard Space Center is opening up their internship to BCCC RTC and engineering students.
