This institution along with its high school and industry partners provide a technician education pathway for lower achieving students that boosts high school student math and science proficiency while generating interest in manufacturing and energy careers. The project is feasible for small, rural high schools with enrollments of fewer than 350 students and limited resources. Many manufacturing and energy companies struggle to hire entry-level employees with the necessary math, science and basic technical skills. Area high schools offer no manufacturing or energy related courses and students have little knowledge of those expanding career sectors. Additionally, over sixty percent of partner high school students score below state math and science proficiency standards. With industry-education collaboration, this project improves math and science proficiency by inserting industry-based contextual learning modules into grades 9 and 10 algebra, geometry and physical science courses. Industry technicians and college faculty assist teachers with curriculum and instruction and present special hands-on industry related workshops for students. High school juniors and seniors enroll in a dual-credit Technological Studies Certificate program offered through the college and are awarded a technical certificate upon completion. Enrolled students acquire foundational knowledge for entry-level manufacturing and energy jobs or prepare for 2 and 4-year technical majors. Students are able to connect math and science success with high demand careers.
The Rural Energy and Manufacturing Education Report (REMTEP) is a 3 year project that concluded in June of 2013. This project consisted of the following parameters / components - -1 Recruit and train high school teachers to deliver learning modules to students in 8th - 12th grade. - 2 These teachers, along with a Co-PI (faculty member) would develop the modules with the assistance of local employers / industry leaders who would help to define the learning modules based on real life working scenarios students / employees would encounter at their businesses. -3 Teachers would develop lesson plans based on these modules to connect math and science concepts to real life working scenarios student might encounter upon training and employment at these or similar businesses. -4 Our college would offer an Industrial Maintenance certificate program to participating PSEO high school students that would match up well with industry need within the companies that helped design the learning modules. The first year of the project was based mainly in the development phase of the modules. This involved teachers visiting manufacturing facilities in our geographic region to see first hand how math and science concepts were applied in real life working scenarios. After these visits took place, the teachers worked closely with the Co-PI / faculty member to craft the modules for classroom instruction. Years 2 and 3 consisted of delivering these modules to students throughout the academic year. These modules where tied directly to required curriculum and mirrored real life scenarios that are happening in local industry / professional environments. Students were able to work through required math and science curriculum items by engaging in the modules designed through this project. Many of these modules required additional materials not generally used in the school, the grant was able to provide those materials to teachers and students. We received positive feedback from the participating teachers about the effects of the modules and the enthusiasm from the students. During Year 3 we also ran the certificate program out of our Wadena campus. We had 5 participating students. 3 of the students decided to come back for more training at the college after graduation. Overall the project seemed to be successful. The modules worked well for the teachers and students and the certificate offering was successful.
