ERIC Number: EJ1216696
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1066-8926
EISSN: N/A
Assessing IT Educational Pathways That Support Rural Broadband: Strategies for Aligning IT Curricula, Policy, and Employer Needs
Mardis, Marcia A.; Jones, Faye R.; McClure, Charles R.
Community College Journal of Research and Practice, v43 n9 p625-630 2019
In this National Science Foundation Advanced Technician Education program (NSF ATE) project, we aimed to explore factors that would strengthen the rural IT employee workforce and improve educational support related to broadband, telecommunications, and networks in rural settings. Using multiple methods to triangulate rural IT program curricula content with employers' perceptions and new professionals' on-the-job experiences, we gained an understanding of common general and technical competencies, perceived rural IT technician workforce readiness, and strategies to bring educational experiences in alignment with professional performance. We also offer findings concerning alignment of technician pathways and recommendations for how to transfer identified competencies to other similar rural markets, along with examples of extensions of this work for exploring and assessing IT pathways.
Descriptors: Strategic Planning, Employer Attitudes, Information Technology, Technical Education, Telecommunications, Curriculum Development, Career Readiness, Education Work Relationship, Competency Based Education, Rural Economics, Rural Development, Community Colleges, State Colleges, Federal Programs, Research Projects, Labor Needs, Job Skills, Course Descriptions, Occupational Information, Work Experience, 21st Century Skills, Professional Personnel, Policy Formation, Alignment (Education), Internet
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Florida
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1304382