American industries require employees with strong computation-based problem solving skills. Traditionally, industry needs have been couched in terms of proficiency with specific applications rather than around functional capabilities. Also traditionally, academic institutions have developed curricula that address disciplinary principles without regard to industry needs. These two "traditions" have hindered industries from meeting their needs, and academic institutions from meeting their societal responsibilities. This CPATH Community Building (CB) project addresses these problems.
Project investigators will develop, implement, and evaluate a process to create an academic/industry community as a lynchpin of curricular change. The specific project goal is to demonstrate the process in the context of meeting industrial needs for computational problem solving.
Project participants are Michigan State University (lead institution), Lansing Community College, the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce, Western Michigan University, and representatives of ABET, Inc. The project team consists of academic representatives from MSU and LCC and representatives from technology-based companies in mid-Michigan via CSW and the Mid-Michigan Innovation Team (MMIT), lead group in the mid-Michigan US Department of Labor WIRED initiative. WMU will evaluate the development process. Generalization of the process for aligning curricular change and industry needs is expected.
