Bridging the Instruction-Industry Divide: Multidisciplinary Approaches to 3D Technology Education and the Future of 3D Technology Certification

Dallas County Community College Dist Mountain View College, Mesquite TX

Investigators

Abstract

Over the past decade, rapid advances have been made in 3D technologies, including 3D printing, 3D scanning, and 3D graphics programming. As a result, the workforce increasingly needs technicians with skills in 3D technologies and the education of these technicians is increasingly important for maintaining the Nation's skilled technical workforce. However, a gap often exists between classroom instruction related to 3D technologies and the current skills required in industry. To help narrow this gap, Mountain View College in Texas will work closely with industry to develop a curriculum that provides relevant instruction in current 3D technology areas. The project partners will design courses that align with the knowledge and skills valued by experts in the field. To this end, instruction about 3D technologies will be integrated into courses across technician disciplines at the institution. Mountain View College is a Hispanic-serving institution with a long history of advancing the education of underserved student groups. As a result, this project has the potential to not only improve the skills of the entry-level workforce to meet regional and national employment needs, but also to broaden participation in the skilled technical workforce. The overarching goal of the project is to provide educational experiences that enable students to leave college with highly-marketable and valuable skills in 3D technologies, ready to enter the technician workforce. To achieve this goal, the project will: 1) perform a gap analysis to uncover mismatches between course content and industry needs; 2) develop interdisciplinary modules on topics in 3D printing, scanning, and modeling that address identified gaps, and implement the modules within courses across multiple disciplines; 3) develop and implement a capstone course on 3D technologies and their application; 4) organize and host bi-annual workshops for faculty professional development and a 3D Technology Conference to share project findings; and 5) use results and best practices from these activities to design and propose a new industry-endorsed 3D technology certificate program at the institution. The project team will collaborate with local and regional industry professionals to identify areas for optimal implementation of content and hands-on learning with 3D technologies into existing coursework. The new capstone course will provide cohesive, progressively complex learning and hands-on experiences with 3D technologies, culminating in student capstone projects that feature 3D technology. The approach may augment partnerships between higher education, research, and industry across the region and pave the way for other two-year institutions to expand and enhance their instruction on 3D technologies. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.