Page 5 - Fall 2016 Update

technical education. Third, since the projects are grant- courses. VESTA acts as a consortium in that students UPDATE Fall 2016 3

funded, we knew there would be project personnel and wishing to earn an associate’s degree or certificate

documentation to help us understand the development declare one of the alliance institutions as their home

and results of the courses and programs created. The institution, and online credits received from any member

main goal is to investigate how technical education institution are accepted as though they were taken at

is being offered online and to develop resources that the home institution. The online courses do require

highlight models and best practices for development. some synchronous components in which students

meet virtually as a class one or two times per week.

Project Design Students are also required to find an industry partner

for the hands-on or laboratory components of the class.

The qualitative design of our study centers on mini-case VESTA currently has 15 state partners. Students can

studies to investigate the projects and the contexts in work with state coordinators within partner states to

which they developed. Each mini-case study consists find a vineyard or winery to work with, they can check

of interviews, document review, and document analysis. the list on the VESTA website, or the student may

Interviews are conducted with a Principal recommend a vineyard or winery that is not

Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator yet on the list. VESTA has existed for

from each project and at least one faculty Over the past 13 years and is currently expanding
member involved with developing and/or six years, ATE its scope to include business and
teaching the online material. Documents has funded at least entrepreneurial skills.
collected include course descriptions 30 projects involving
and syllabi, course and program significant online Central Maine Community
enrollment information, demographics, educational elements College (CMCC) created the
yearly reports, and information available at the community Regional Advanced Machining
from public websites. college level. Partnership, which offers a
certificate in advanced machining

Descriptive Findings to meet the demand from regional

companies. The certificate is available to

To date, data have been collected for twelve mini- students who have completed an associate’s

case studies. While analysis is ongoing, my intent is to degree in machining or an equivalent and is offered

share some initial findings of our study. The projects primarily online. The curriculum is competency-based

range in scope and intent, but all have developed online and modular, so students move forward at their own

courses or course elements in an effort to increase pace after attaining the necessary skills. After meeting

student learning and provide learning opportunities a particular level of competency, the students contact

for those who are not able to make it to campus due the faculty and reserve the equipment they need to

to work or other obligations. Although some programs work on assigned projects. Students demonstrate

are considered fully online, they all require lab and/ competency through their work on the equipment and

or internship time in which students gain hands-on the projects. The rationale for putting the curriculum

experience under the guidance of faculty or industry online was two-fold: to meet the needs of employed

personnel. The following are two examples of these students who could not make traditional class times and

projects. to allow enrollment to grow despite limited lab space.

The college reported that several local companies have

The Viticulture Enology Science and Technology Alliance assisted employees in enrolling in the program, even

(VESTA) is a partnership between the Missouri State providing time and transportation for them to do their

University system — including two state universities — hands-on work at the college. CMCC has also partnered

and 13 community colleges and universities, as well with a local university so students who complete the

as vineyards and wineries, across the country. In all, advanced certificate can go on to complete a bachelor’s

VESTA partner institutions are located in Arkansas, degree with only one additional year of coursework. The

Arizona, California, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New college has also provided workshops to train faculty and

York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Washington, and Wisconsin, industry professionals on the curriculum and has made

but their students are located around the world. The the material available for other colleges to adapt.

partners work together to develop and deliver online