Summary of Assessments

RESULTS FROM NSF GRANT PROJECT #0501885:   Embedding CQI Methodology in Two Year Technical Programs  PREPARATION OF TECHNICAL PROGRAM GRADUATES Graduates were prepared for jobs: ·        All employers reported engineering design and electronics graduates were adequately prepared in on-the-job skills including technical skills, soft skills, self learning and teamwork, and engineering design graduates were adequately prepared in project management. ·        All engineering design and electronics graduates said they were adequately prepared in on-the-job skills including technical skills, soft skills, self learning, project management and teamwork.  Engineering design graduates also said they were adequately prepared in the design process.  Most electronics graduates said they were adequately prepared in troubleshooting. Most graduates were continuing their education or intending to do so in the future. INTEGRATING CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (CQI) IN TECHNICAL PROGRAMS Students who completed the revised programs demonstrated good understanding of the CQI process: ·        Engineering design and electronics students who were completing their two year programs were able to employ the CQI process.  Engineering design students were also able to employ the design process. ·        Engineering design and electronics students who were completing their programs scored significantly higher than engineering design and electronics freshmen on unannounced quizzes over the CQI and design processes. RECRUITING ACTIVITIES The Edible Car Contest increased interest in engineering-related careers: ·        In 2007, 27% of non-engineering students at IVCC said the contest increased their interest in the engineering field. In 2008, 45% said the contest increased their interest. Inventor Camps for 8th graders increased their interest in engineering: ·        Interest in engineering nearly doubled for both young men and women after the camps. CAD exercises at a Career Fair for 8th graders increased their interest in engineering: ·        79% of the 8th graders expressed increased interest after the hands-on exercise. MAKING INDUSTRY MEANINGFUL IN COLLEGE (MIMIC)  MIMIC product quality and marketability improved with reengineering: ·        Industry representatives rated MIMIC products from 2008 as the best and 2006 as second best in the MIMIC project’s 14 years.  Products from 2007 were tied for fifth place. ·        All industry representatives said product quality and marketability had improved over the years. MIMIC students said participation in the project improved their skills: ·        Engineering design, electronics and business students were more comfortable with working in teams and working with new ideas and concepts at the end of the project. ·        Engineering design, electronics and business students were more comfortable with understanding most aspects of the industry process, which includes concept and design, reengineering, prototyping, production, purchasing, marketing, accounting and budgeting. ·        Most MIMIC students said their participation in the project also helped improve their skills/abilities in giving oral presentations and writing technical reports. ·        MIMIC students had more favorable impressions of MIMIC at the end of the project than at the beginning. LEADERSHIP TEAM Leadership Team experiences were beneficial: ·        All Leadership Team members rated their experiences on the team as beneficial to them in 2007; 86% rated their experiences as beneficial to them in 2008. ·        In 2008, all Leadership Team members reported being more comfortable with leadership skills at the end of their team participation including  communication, teamwork, decision making, ability to take initiative, ability motive people, and ability to mentor people. The tutoring Leadership Team members provided was helpful: ·        76% of students enrolled in classes with Leadership Team members asked a team member for help;  80% of those students said they received the help they needed most of the time. Leadership Team members were prepared to tutor: ·        All team members said their team experiences prepared them to provide academic assistance. ·        All team members said they were comfortable to very comfortable providing help.