Enhanced Graduate Program Experiences: Electronic Seminar, Internship And Portfolio National Association of Industrial Technology Annual Conference, Panama City, Florida Dr. Donna Trautman, Assistant Professor Dr. John W. Sinn, Professor Bowling Green State University College Of technology November 7, 2002

Enhanced Graduate Program Experiences: Electronic Seminar, Internship And Portfolio Drs. Trautman and Sinn Topics 1.Where did we start? 2.Internship defined 3.Seminar defined 4.Electronic portfolio defined 5.Where are we now? 6.Where to from here?

Where Did We Start? Two good graduate programs –Career and Technology Education (CTE) –Master of Industrial Technology (MIT) –Both solid, chugging along –Steady, moderate growth –Customers seemed to be served –CTE was base, education degree –MIT began in 80’s, modeled generally after MBA

Where Did We Start? Two good graduate programs……… Questions began to emerge –Are we using our resources optimally? –Are we providing integrated experiences? –Are students getting rigorous research experiences? –How do we add value via graduate education? –How do we assess graduate programs? –Engage students, faculty, others in discussion? Can we take our programs to another level?

Graduate student internship –Design based on undergraduate co-op program –Internships serve both programs, CTE, MIT –Evolved during the late 80’s, early 90’s – hours of work experience –Student arranges experience, some support –Documentation for recent experiences was weak –Site visits by faculty encouraged Internship Defined

Questions began to emerge……… –Is the internship articulated with coursework? –Are we maximizing the experience? –What kind of support should be provided? –What is role of faculty, on-site supervisor? –What type documentation should be required? –Are site visits by faculty adding value? –Can we integrate content and process better? Internship Defined

One for each program –CTE offered more regularly, ongoing –MIT under construction Some common ground……..recent past –Discussion of relevant topics, “need to know” –Concerned with research, general methods –Publication process, emphasizing writing –Evaluation, improvement, holistic issues –Communication, information needed by students Seminar Defined

More questions……… –Should seminar be offered more regularly, ongoing? –Should this be required of all, voluntary? –How should seminar interface with research? –How to put relevant topics out there, holistically? –How to interface publication process with seminar? –Evaluation, improvement, holistic issues –How to create communication, information, forum? Seminar Defined

Assessment, document progress –Meet needs of teams, individuals –Designed, managed by individual, teams –Readily matured as individual changes, evolves Resume expansion –Easy to get to, review, electronically –Bulk in extended electronic portfolio Organize information for various functions –Builds, defines a quality system –Manages, stores, catalogues Electronic Portfolio Defined

Portability, electronic –Ease of viewing, general use, communication –Accessible, mobile, flexible for user, developer Ease of electronic expansion, maintenance –Easy to work on, keep relevant, from any location –Systemic changes possible, content and process –Software changes address ways to improve Teaching and learning facilitated, electronically –Grow, navigate, within and via systems –Information, experience merge for knowledge Electronic Portfolio Defined

Redesigned internship systems –Summer of 2002, analyzed what was, reworked –Shifted to an electronic system Becoming documented, available at web –Ease of viewing, general use, communication –Accessible, mobile, flexible for users Becoming integrative experience Where Are We Now?