Consortium for Optics and Imaging Education

Monroe Community College, Rochester NY

Investigators

Abstract

There is an urgent need to increase the number of optical technicians in U.S. industry to maintain a vital competitive advantage in international markets. This project is developing new educational resources that will both emphasize the appeal of this career path to students and support continuing education. These tools are based upon exploration of real data to develop the necessary technical skills. This is being accomplished by a new synergistic effort that builds upon existing resources and the demonstrated expertise of the team. New educational tools are being developed for testing in the two-year college curriculum in optics technology and the communications department at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY. These new tools include instructional materials co-developed by the academic partners and based upon previous ATE grant work developed by the Center for Image Processing in Education. The materials are also being developed for use in pre-college settings in collaboration with high school teachers. Faculty of the colleges are conducting workshops for K-12 teachers that demonstrate the use of imaging technologies for science and technology education. Particular emphasis is being placed on those schools that have a large minority population and those who deal with students who have difficulty in learning in a typical secondary school setting. A lending library of imaging tools is being established for K-12 education for those institutions that do not have the necessary resources. In order to meet the pressing need for continuing education for established optical/imaging technicians, portions of the programs are being adapted for use in the industrial environments under the guidance of members of the Advanced Precision Optics Manufacturing Association (APOMA) and the Society for Imaging Science and Technology (IS&T). These industrial members are also participating in recruitment and dissemination efforts of this project.