The University of Illinois at Chicago and Wayne State University are leading teams of community colleges, community-based organizations, universities and industry groups in Chicago and Detroit to develop curricula for programs designed to provide a bridge to advanced technological education for adults who lack the requisite basic skills and knowledge. An "Advanced Technology Bridge" program that prepares educationally disadvantaged adults for two-year college certificate and associate degree programs in Manufacturing Technology has been piloted in Chicago. The groundwork has been laid for a similar program in Detroit. The NSF ATE project builds on the efforts to date in Chicago and Detroit to develop Bridge program curricula. The specific objectives of this three-year project are to (1) develop a model Bridge curriculum suitable for national dissemination; (2) produce multimedia instructional software to enhance learning of the fundamentals of technical literacy by ESL students; (3) pilot a curriculum for training Bridge program instructors; and (4) publish a Bridge program implementation guide. Formative evaluation of the project is carried out by advisors from industry and from community college and university manufacturing and engineering technology programs, who will ensure that the Bridge curriculum provides the foundation for career-long learning both in postsecondary technical education and in the advanced technological workplace. A nationally known evaluation organization will be commissioned to conduct a summative evaluation of the project's outcomes and impacts. Dissemination is integral to the project, which will adapt for Detroit a model initially developed in Chicago and facilitate knowledge sharing between the "Bridge building" efforts in the two cities. More widespread dissemination is also planned. The funds requested from NSF ATE for curriculum development will leverage more than $2.6 million already raised by the project partners for piloting of the Bridge curricu lum and other program operations.
