The project is: 1) To develop and field test wind turbine technician training materials, simulation modules, and a supporting remote laboratory for wind turbine technology. Multimedia learning materials are to be aligned with industry standards and deliverable via the Internet to supplement and complement the current curriculum; 2) To integrate the developed materials, modules, and the remote laboratory into two-year college wind technology programs to sustain workforce development in the field of wind power, with three community colleges as evaluation sites; and 3) To disseminate the materials, modules, and the remote laboratory nationwide via the NSF/ATE National Center for Manufacturing Education, the National Engineering Technology Education Clearinghouse, and ATE TV. The proposed professional development workshops for two-year college faculty members are to provide an additional channel for dissemination. The co-PI will identify technician programs aimed at or serving under-represented populations in the Northern Illinois area and make in-person presentations to the faculty of these programs aimed at making them aware of the potential uses of the modules.
This project has 3 major goals: 1) To develop and field test learning materials for wind turbine technicians that are aligned with industry standards and deliverable via the internet; 2) To integrate the materials into two-year college wind technology programs in order to sustain workforce development in the wind power sector; 3) To disseminate the materials nationwide. Intellectual Merit: The project team has succeeded in producing and distributing high-quality learning materials that address the needs of students and instructors in secondary and post-secondary alternative energy programs. The materials are used worldwide by thousands of individuals and have been formally adopted by five community colleges. Twenty-one video lessons have been produced, along with seven animated lesson and one 3-D simulation. All of the learning materials are available free of charge, with no log-in required, at www.windtechtv.org and through www.youtube.com/user/WindTechtv . The materials are distributed under a Creative Commons attribution license, allowing teachers to customize them to suit their needs. The acceptance of the materials by students and instructors is an important outcome, but use by the general public is substantial as well. YouTube analytics show that the videos have been viewed over 42,400 times; the channel has 143 subscribers. The video "Wind Technician Careers," which is designed to enhance public understanding of the wind technician career field, has been viewed more than 10,000 times, advancing awareness of the STEM skills needed to succeed as a wind technician. WindTechTV is listed as an educational resource by the American Association of Community Colleges’ SEED Center, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, TeachingTechnicians.org, and ATE Central. Broader Impacts: Google and YouTube analytics document use of the materials in 46 states and 108 countries. The PI has received correspondence from users in Germany, Denmark, Turkey, and India containing specific questions about the technical materials. WindTechTV is prominent in Google and YouTube searches relating to wind turbine technicians, often appearing on the first page of results, sometimes at the top. A webinar presented in February, 2013, demonstrated the project materials to faculty from 8 states; attendees were also provided with an overview of the ATE program and proposal process. A teacher workshop given in April, 2014, presented similar material to regional K-12 and college faculty, and emphasized the STEM skills needed by technicians. The role of women in STEM careers was highlighted by Kem Winter and Teri Vowell, student web designers for WindTechTV. Teri and Kem's contributions to the project were featured in a TeachingTechnicians.org article in November, 2013 (http://scateonline.blogspot.com/2012/11/student-focused-student-built_27.html). Kem and Teri also received a scholarship from the American Association of Community Colleges to attend the 2012 ATE Principal Investigator's conference, where they presented a display of their work. They have also spoken to the Illinois Ag Women conference "Women Changing the Face of Agriculture," about their work with WindTechTV. WindTechTV.org provides a key piece of infrastructure for technicians both in the U.S. and around the world. The materials are all available online 24 hours a day, and will remain in place long after project funding has ended.
