07-31-2022 EDU - Flipbook - Page 1
The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, July 31, 2022 1
EDUCATION
A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF BALTIMORE SUN MEDIA • SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2022
The training classrooms at Clauson Center for Innovation and Skilled Trades at AACC was built based on imput from the local business community.
By E. Rose Scarff, Contributing Writer
T
he new Clauson Center for Innovation
and Skilled Trades at Anne Arundel
Community College (AACC) was
built for the needs of the community with funds from the community.
Realizing the need for skilled workers in many
trades, AACC was approached by employers in
the community looking for training for workers
beyond what could be found at the high school.
Because capital funding would take too long, the
Foundation at AACC raised the funds though
private donations. The new building was opened
to students this past January.
The center is off to a good start. “We've had
169 students go through programming at the
center,” says Sandy Jones, assistant dean, school of
continuing education and workforce development
programs, “and that's between pre-apprenticeship
and apprenticeship programs.” Those students
have found entry level positions in the trades or
have been placed into registered apprenticeship
programs.
Presently the center offers classes in elec-
trical, HVAC and low-voltage electrical (which
deals with things like setting up home theaters
and smart home systems). Carpentry, plumbing
and fire protection will be added in the fall. Preapprenticeship programs lead to entry level jobs,
and if a student is accepted into an apprenticeship,
they do 144 hours of instruction each year and
work full-time or at least 2,000 hours. Their skills
in the classroom and on the job are assessed along
the way. “At the end of four years they can apply
for the journey worker license once they successfully complete their apprenticeship program,” says
Jones.
One of the challenges in opening the center
has been finding instructors for the classes. Skilled
workers can make much more on the job than by
teaching. “It is a way to give back to their profession, their trade,” says Jones, of they way they
recruit instructors right now. AACC has curriculum specialists to help new instructors with their
course outlines and help in other ways to ensure
their success.
The Emilio A. Fernandez IDEA Factory is
a new building on the University of Maryland
campus designed so that students and faculty can
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work on interdisciplinary projects. “IDEA stands
for Innovate, Design and Engineer for America,”
says Samuel Graham, Ph.D., dean of the Clark
School of Engineering, “we want to have groundbreaking, innovative ideas come through this
facility, both in terms of research, but also student
innovation.”
To accomplish these goals, the building is
designed with different work areas. ALEx Garage
is available for students who have a proposal for
something they want to tackle. “Depending on
the award of these proposals,” says Graham, “they
could receive some funding and also space where
they can have up to a year to work on a major
prototype and design.” This will give them space
to work on and store larger projects they might
not be able to keep in their dorm room.
There is a quantum center in the basement of
the building with specialized labs for the development of new quantum technologies in computing
and other areas. The Maryland robotic center is
also housed in the IDEA Factory. Student and
faculty work on the advancement in underwater,
land based and aerial robotic systems. They look
Design in mind,
continued on page 7
Schools launch programs to meet
workforce needs
Monetary grants make the efforts possible
Towson University recently created the state’s first dual studies program in Computer and Mathematical Sciences
Secondary Education that can lead to teacher certification in both disciplines.
By Lisa Baldino, Contributing Writer
L
ocal colleges and universities are pursuing innovative programs designed to
better prepare students for the workforce
and to meet the needs of the region’s
businesses and military. Grants and
funding through government and private sector
have made these programs possible by covering
costs of equipment, transportation and student
materials.
Towson University recently created the state’s
first dual studies program in Computer and
Mathematical Sciences Secondary Education that
can lead to teacher certification in both disciplines. Approved in January 2022, the dual-major
program is being marketed to students through
scholarships funded by the Kahlert Foundation,
a long-time supporter of the Towson UTeach
Program that also provides resources for student
transportation and classroom supplies for field
placements.
Linda Cooper, professor of mathematics and
director of Towson UTeach, the school’s teacher
preparation for STEM disciplines, says, “There is a
critical need for computer science and mathematics teachers in secondary schools. Graduates of
this new program will have a robust experience,
2 STEM programs
Hands-on access
2 Expanded liberal arts
As needs change,
schools adapt
3 Lifelong career
support
UMGC
4 Preparing students
Graduate programs
reflect advances in
technology
5 Technology & learning
Expanded use of tech
7 SU welcomes
next president
Salisbury University
8 Innovative business
programs
Critical to today's
marketplace
Education publishes four times a year
Design in mind
High-tech facilities with purpose
INSIDE:
enabling them to adapt to the dynamic changes in the computer science discipline.” Cooper
describes the concept of ‘computational thinking’
as the heart of the dual major. It includes, “decomposition of tasks, pattern recognition, algorithms,
and abstraction, stepping stones of computer
programming .”
Mary Grace Lucas, a Towson University senior
studying education and computer science, is excited about the new dual major. “When I heard about
this, I thought it was appealing,” she says. “I know
how to do computer science, but I don’t have a
teaching background. Most computer scientists
probably don’t know how to handle a classroom
and the various learning styles. I want to bring
the knowledge of computer science to students.
This is a growing field in teaching.” Lucas says she
hopes to teach computer science to middle school
students upon graduation.
Development of the new program was a joint
effort of TU’s computer science, mathematics,
and education faculty. Supported by a grant from
the Maryland Center for Computing Education,
teachers from Eastern Technical high school created and piloted a computer science methods
course that focuses on pedagogy for future teachers. Faculty and advisors from four community
colleges collaborated with TU to devise pathways
so that transfer students can complete the program in four years.
Cooper was proud to say the team has begun
to recruit its first freshman class for Fall 2022. To
be eligible for Kahlert Scholarships, high school
students must have a GPA of 3.25, with transfer
students requiring a 3.0 GPA. “We strive to support and prepare the students. We are recruiting
as many as we can. We will build the space if we
need it,” she exclaims.
Regional biotechnology companies will be
reaping the benefits of prepared graduates from
Harford Community College, where the biotech
program has undergone some major changes.
The college’s associate of applied sciences certification has been revised to give students several
pathways for careers in biotechnology, positioning
Workforce needs,
continued on page 7
Above: Loyola University has a new minor in innovation and entrepreneurship. See article on page 2.
Correction: In the article titled, “Lessons well
learned,” that ran in the April 17 edition of the
“Education” special advertising section, the name
of Afra Hersi, Ph.D., interim dean at the school of
education at Loyola University Maryland, was misspelled and the incorrect pronoun was used for her.
Baltimore Sun Media regrets the error.
Ask Margit
By Margit B. Weisgal, Contributing Writer
mbweisgal@gmail.com
Assessing colleges:
Do you have a major area
of study in mind?
Geoffrey L. asked, “My father is pushing me into programming, math and chess.
My mother exposed me to art, music,
outdoor activities and Chinese. My godmother encouraged me to write essays and
poetry. Where do I start when thinking
about choosing a college?”
Ask 10 people how they decided where
to go for college and you could get 10 different answers.
When choosing where you’ll do your
advanced education, the options – and
choices – are plentiful. Among the considerations are small versus large, state
school versus private, local versus far away,
the number of extracurricular activities
or sports teams, and then there’s the issue
of cost.
Let’s break it down into bite-sized pieces to get a better picture of the types of
schools you should examine and consider
applying to.
Do you know what you want to study?
Ben L. knew he wanted to study linguistics, mathematics and languages,
so he chose a university that had pretty
good programs in all of them. At 18, he
also knew that he wanted to teach, which
meant he’d eventually need a doctorate.
His life was all planned out – or so he
thought. After college, he went in a completely different direction. Now 33 years
old, he’s working in applied mathematics
doing very specialized research. It is nothing like what he imagined 15 years earlier.
Doris L. planned to study chemical/
mechanical engineering to eventually work
on dyes and finishes in the textile industry.
One school had that very program, so
that’s where she went and, after graduating,
the industry in which she worked. Today,
though, she’s had a checkered work life, the
most recent of which was as a real estate
agent. You just never know.
Some students know (or think they
know) exactly what they want. With that
in mind, they’re going to look for a college
with the best program in the field. Even if
you know you want to eventually work in,
Ask Margit, continued on page 7