The Northwest Network for Application Development and Technology Connections (AppConnect NW)

Lake Washington Institute Of Technology, Kirkland WA

Investigators

Abstract

The Northwest Network for Application Development and Technology Connections (AppConnect NW) project is a faculty-led coordination network across five colleges. AppConnect NW will engage with information technology (IT) industry leaders, regional employers and local high school teachers and counselors to develop and support a technician pathway from an associate's degree to a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree in Software Development. Data produced through AppConnect NW activities will inform states and community colleges that are creating new BAS degrees in software development. Best practices will be disseminated nationwide through the ATE network including college consortium collaboration strategies that meet industry expectations, curriculum development strategies that prepare under-served students with technical and soft skills to succeed in a competitive, fast-changing industry, and recruitment strategies that successfully support bringing under-served students into software development programs. AppConnect NW serves the national interests by growing a diverse software development BAS student body, preparing the students to succeed upon graduation, and expanding regional recognition of an emerging applied degree. The project will educate and engage regional employers on the value of Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degrees and BAS graduates to meet high-demand software development, programming and web development workforce needs in the greater Seattle area. AppConnect NW will create a professional network that brings together BAS software development faculty members and industry to develop, enhance and validate industry-relevant BAS technical training curriculum and standards ingrained with the philosophy that intelligence and talent are traits that can be fostered to achieve success rather than being inherited and static traits. This approach has the potential to enable non-traditional students to understand IT culture and thrive within the industry. Finally, the project will educate and engage local high school faculty and counselors to encourage students who would benefit from earning a bachelor's degree in software development at lower cost than a traditional computer science baccalaureate program and in a smaller-classroom setting. This project network will engage stakeholders in the pipeline from K12 through post-secondary education and industry to support student success in software development.