Pine Technical College Internet 2 Achievements: Engaging the Two-Year College in the K-20 Initiative

PTC: Overview Two-year technical college - - AS, AAS degrees, certificates, diplomas in technical disciplines Part of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system Rural area of the state

PTC: Overview Regional facts: –Degree attainment below state average –College participation below state and national average –Per capita income only slightly higher than Puerto Rico Smallest stand-alone college in system: 420 FYEs, 1600 headcount

PTC: Relationships Shared degree programs with other colleges via distance learning –Shared AA offering –Multi-site social worker program –Course-sharing for efficiency and cost- effectiveness –Strong commitment to technology solutions

PTC: Relationships Curriculum, courses and technology sharing with regional K-12 districts –PTC courses to area high schools –PTC as telecom hub for 12 districts –PTC as Internet 2 conduit for teachers

PTC: Relationships Statewide college connections –Member of 2 of 4 MnSCU Centers of Excellence (Manufacturing & Allied Health) –Involved with U of Minnesota Digital Technology Center

PTC: Relationships Economic development and social mission –Regional Manufacturing Alliance –Regional Early Childhood programming –House both Chamber of Commerce and regional welfare-to-work initiative

PTC: Infrastructure High level of bandwidth into building (gigabit-plus level) Hub for data and ITV for 12 school districts Hub for regional college consortium Hub for community fiber backbone with FTTP in local industrial park

PTC: Technology Flagship Founded only Virtual Reality Center in 2-year college in Midwest Applied research and product development: affordable immersive VR on PC platform for education & training applications VR applicability to distance learning and applied research through Internet 2 Basis for partnership with universities, including UM

PTC: Technology Flagship Awards from MnSCU System for IT Excellence: –Fiber Optic Backbone –JCVR Products for industry partners: –Virtual industrial spray paint booth –Virtual welding –Virtual inspection training

PTC and Internet 2 Relationships with K-12 in region: –East Central Minnesota Educational Cable Cooperative (ECMECC) –12 school districts in rural East Central Minnesota –Share resources, including common data and interactive television backbone at 1 gigabit to the premises. –Culture of using technology to enhance learning or to provide access to learning not otherwise available

PTC and Internet 2 ECMECC collaborations: –Virtual field trips for K-12 students Wolf Center at Ely, MN Cincinnati Zoo –Classes with Vanderbilt University –Joint classes with Japanese schools including joint band concert –Access through gigabit network to Internet 2 resources via hub at Pine Tech

PTC and Internet 2 Partnerships with U of Minnesota and gigapop: –Virtual reality collaboration National Science Foundation grant Minnesota grants for application of VR to industrial uses –Legislative demonstrations of VR and Internet 2 with UM and Iowa

PTC and Internet 2 Partnerships with industry related to Internet 2 initiative Improved infrastructure at college =  ‘Bulk buying’ of bandwidth at discount by combining needs of several public sector entities  Installation of Pine City fiber backbone  FTTP into industrial park  Affordable rate broadband to major industry users

PTC and the Internet 2 Complete win-win scenario for all parties: –K-12 received higher bandwidth at lower cost –City, county government acquired broadband –PTC students networked city hall to take advantage –Cost savings for broadband Internet for government, healthcare, education, industry in region Created grassroots support for infrastructure improvement

PTC and Internet 2 Infrastructure improvement empowered and enabled greater K-12 access and use –Gigabit network to each school district –Access through PTC hub to Internet 2 –Snowball effect in terms of teacher usage Now ‘under the radar’ - - school tech directors handle Internet 2 projects without need for coordination or special help

Two-Year Colleges and the K-20 Initiative: The World through a Different Lens Two-year college mission imperatives and market niche: –Community focus –Economic development emphasis –Technical, occupational, career programs –Access and outreach to the under-served Recent (since 2000) and intense emphasis on Web-based learning

The World through a Different Lens More competitive market dynamic: –Other two-year colleges –Universities –Private or proprietary schools –Advent of web-based programs –Often viewed as a zero-sum game Competition plays itself out on battlefield of the Web Enlightened self-interest as motivator

The World through a Different Lens Two-year colleges as regional facilitators for infrastructure needed for K-12 usage –Savings to the college and partners –Enhanced penetration into high school market –Translates directly to competitive edge –Creation of regional WANs –Advance economic development mission

The World through a Different Lens Current perceived crises: 1. Retirement of technical workforce vs. Fewer numbers in pipeline to replace 2.Increasing demands for services vs. Decreasing state support