Developing Career Pathways in the Biosciences

Russ Read, Project Director, Forsyth Technical Community College

Judith Alamprese, Evaluation Director, Abt Associates

2014 NCWE Conference

Pittsburgh, PA

October 30, 2014

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Today’s Presentation

Overview of the Community College Consortium for Bioscience Credentials (c3bc) TAACCCT Round 2 Grant

Key Activities: Core Skills Development and Harmonization Learning Hub Activity

Evaluation Design Emerging patterns from implementation study

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c3bc Overview

US DOL TAACCCT Round 2 Grant Forsyth Technical Community College + 11 partner colleges Evaluator: Abt Associates Grant Period: October 1, 2012-September 30, 2016 Grant Value: $14, 998, 474

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Forsyth Tech Alamance

Rowan-Cabarrus

City College of San Francisco

Austin

LA Valley

Salt Lake

Madison Area Tech

Ivy Tech

Montgomery

Bucks

St Petersburg

Project Partners: 12 colleges, 8 states

Hubs by colorLab SkillsMedical DevicesBiomanufacturingLearning

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c3bc Project Model

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New Skill Standards

Tailored Credentials

Revised & Validated Skill Standards

Tailored Credentials

Revised & Validated Skill Standards

Tailored Credentials

Contextual & Modularized Learning Program

Tailored Credentials

Increased Capacity Workforce Assessments & Training Harmonized Core Skill Standards NTER Articulations

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c3bc Activities

Core Skill Standards Development and Harmonization Lab Skills Skill Standards revised Biomanufacturing Standards revalidated by industry experts Medical Device Skill Standards developed, reviewed by industry experts, and are

in final review

Core Skills Harmonization: Bioscience Common Core Skill Standards are drafted and will be reviewed by industry experts in early 2015

Learning Hub “Granules” of information produced; deconstructed and reconstructed modules for modularized learning are operational

New curriculum developed and capacity-building expansion underway

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What is in it for Companies?

• The improved assessment of potential employees from a workforce prospective

• An increased source of qualified employees

• An Industry Recognized Harmonized Core of Skill Standards & Credentials

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Science Skills Laboratory

• It is a multidisciplinary Science Laboratory facility funded by the TAACCT Grant at Forsyth Technical Community College

Aim of the SSL

To aid students in fulfilling the laboratory requirement of their course in a flexible environment.

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What’s the difference between the SSL and Traditional Labs?

Traditional Labs SSLFlexibility Labs have to be done at a set

time each week.Students can schedule labs at various times during the week, depending on their availability.

Lab Material Copy-written materials from established publishers – costly.

Open source materials – lower cost to students

Uniqueness Implemented in most institutions

First facility of its kind to offer flexible labs over various disciplines.Soft skills (accountability) - valuable for workforce

Learning is made easier and more accessible to students while keeping them at a high standard of academic performance.

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Who are served in the SSL?

A wide cross-section of students e.g.:

Working students Displaced workers Stay-at-home parents Early College students Students with different learning

styles and pace

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SSL Hours of Operation

Day TimeMonday 8am – 10pmTuesday 8am – 10pm

Wednesday 7am – 9pmThursday 8am – 9pm

Friday 7am – 5pm

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Courses Facilitated in the SSL To Date

CHM 132 (Spring and

Summer)

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Instructional Design of SSL

Multiple ways of presenting information

Engaging material Mastery-level learning Barriers to student success

are removed

Pre-lab work In-lab support

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Type of Materials Used in SSL

Course materials are posted on Blackboard Class/Lecture materials are provided to

students: Written materials Work examples Mini-lecture videos Animations

Laboratory materials Students print laboratory documents, read the

documents, and bring them to lab Videos and animations are used to demonstrate the

use of equipment or specific techniques

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During Lab

Checklist reminding students what is required before completing their lab

Example of the student sign-in sheet

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The Lab Equipment Manual helps students to locate the equipment needed for each lab.

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Even though students are encouraged to be independent, they receive guidance from instructors.

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After Attending Lab - Chemistry

Data analysis and interpretation at home with the ability to ask questions before submitting completed laboratory assignment– Discussion board for questions

Completed laboratory assignments are submitted online through Bb

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Student Feedback - Chemistry

CHM 132-900 2014 SU “Having the flexibility to come in and complete labs on your own

time” “One positive aspect was that I was able to create my own

schedule for labs…” “…you gave a lot of feedback on labs to help us understand what

we did wrong.” “Positive aspect would be the flexibility of the lab hours.” “I really did appreciate the flexibility of the time slots for labs; that

made the lab work easier to fit into my work schedule and to come in when I could. And the lab instructors were always extremely helpful and ready to do what was needed to get me back on track with lab.”

“You could schedule labs to your own convenience.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb9weUeR4xM

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c3bc Evaluation Activities

Design and data collection Emerging patterns from implementation study

c3bc Evaluation Design

Impact Evaluation Do the enhanced and accelerated training processes that c3bc participants

receive result in their greater: Program completion; Attainment of bioscience certificates or degrees; Job attainment; or Earnings? (Quasi-experimental, difference-in-differences design)

Descriptive Evaluation Did enrollments in bioscience programs at c3bc colleges increase in the

year after the enhanced recruitment, assessment, or other procedures were implemented? (Descriptive, change-focused design)

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c3bc Evaluation Design

College-level Evaluation Sample

Treatment: Students enrolled in courses developed or refined in c3bc

Comparison: Students enrolled in version of course not refined: Before new course was introduced While new course is being taught (but “old” course is taught by a

different faculty member than new course)

Issue: course enrollments are small; can increase sample with more colleges teaching same course “as designed.” May be able to pool samples.

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c3bc Evaluation Design

Implementation Evaluation: Determine processes c3bc colleges used to develop and carry out 4 core activities of project… Improved recruitment and testing of TAA-eligible and other

populations to increase enrollments in biosciences programs

Enhanced training components and accelerated certificate and credentialing processes in biosciences

Harmonizing of skill standards in the biosciences

Building capacity of c3bc colleges to meet emerging needs for biosciences training across subsectors through partnerships with representatives of local, state, and national industry

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c3bc Evaluation Design

Implementation Evaluation: Determine operational strengths and weaknesses of colleges’ activities… Development of c3bc courses, certificates, & credentials Recruitment of target populations of students Delivery of courses Referral of c3bc participants to jobs or placement in jobs Colleges’ relationships with internal (within college) and external

partners—local Workforce Boards, American job centers, business and industry, other entities involved in c3bc activities

Relationship of c3bc activities to other courses of study within colleges Leveraging of other funded projects with c3bc Development of new leaders in community college bioscience

programs

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Data Collection

Student Level Demographic and background information: c3bc Intake Form Course and program participation: College Records Certificates and degrees earned: College Records Employment: College Records, student survey Perceptions of courses and programs: student survey

Site LevelColleges’ activities for key project objectives and areas of work: College Quarterly Progress Report Site visits to colleges during late Summer& Fall 2014, 2015 Information gathered during monthly project calls, meetings

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c3bc College Quarterly Progress Report Name of College

C3bc Activity Date & Status of Activity

1. Course Development /Implementation

2. Student Recruitment

3. Workforce Development/WIB/American Job Center

4. Hub-related Activities

5. Data Collection

6. Coordination with other TAACCCT Activities

7. External Activities/Dissemination

8. Grant Administration and Personnel

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Strategies for Employer/Business Partnerships

Sources of Partnerships Prior relationships with grant coordinator, college Proactive recruitment of partners

Developing Partnerships Identify potential benefits to partner Build from prior successes, connections Specify clear roles for partners; activities valued by partners

Maintaining Partnerships Have process for checking payoff to partners Provide feedback on results of partnership

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Trends in c3bc Employer/Business Involvement

Activities Recruiting students Designing courses/curriculum Reviewing credential requirements Delivering instruction Advising project overall

Outcomes Facilitating course and credential completion Interviewing/hiring credentialed students

Leveraging of grant activities

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c3bc Next Steps

Continue course development, delivery, and refinement Disseminate courses within and outside of c3bc

Model segments of c3bc courses though videos Place courses in NTER

Disseminate Core Skill Standards for Biosciences Continue with evaluation implementation and outcomes

studies