Agenda

1. Agenda • Welcome, Introductions & Overview ~ 5-10 minutes • David Cedrone, MA Dept of Higher Education; Deborah Boisvert, BATEC Center for IT • MassTransfer Overview ~ 5-10 minutes • Participants identify other models • Envisioning a STEM transfer block ~35 minutes • What would be included? (15) • Talk in small groups; report out to the larger group • Implications at the high school level • How feasible is this and what is needed to make it happen? (10) • Wrap-Up STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

2. Introductions • Welcome! • David Cedrone and Deborah Boisvert • Please introduce yourselves briefly please • Name • School • State • Transfer Experience? STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

3. Introductions • Welcome! • David Cedrone and Deborah Boisvert • Help us understand who you are: • High School • Community College • 4-year schools? • Transfer Experience? STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

4. Session Overview: • Consider the context – what issues can be addressed through a STEM Transfer block • Introduce an example of a statewide transfer system – MassTransfer • Implications for 4 year programs, high school preparation • Participants will discuss alternative models and implementation strategies STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

5. STEM Transfer Block • Challenges to address • Acceleration to 4 year degree - workforce • Lower total cost for students • Agility of education pipeline • Common foundation across STEM programs and career pathways • Consistency of outcomes from 2 year programs • Support student mobility between two-year programs? • Adult student acceleration to completion STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

6. MassTransfer Associate Degree • Associate’s degreesunder MassTransfer are linked to bachelor’s degrees and schools at Massachusetts state colleges and University of Massachusetts campuses. For example: STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

7. Associated Degree Transfer Benefits Benefits for students who complete associate’s degrees under MassTransfer are • Stipulations: If the student changes his or her major or if the linked baccalaureate program requires a higher grade point average or specific courses which are required of native students, the MassTransferstudent must meet these requirements. If because of space or fiscal limitations the receiving institution does not admit all qualified applicants to a given major or program, the receiving institution will use the same criteria for MassTransfer applicants as it does for its native students. STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

8. MassTransfer – General Education General Education Transfer Block (34 credit hours) English Composition/Writing 6 credit hours Behavioral and Social Sciences 9 credit hours Humanities and Fine Arts 9 credit hours Natural or Physical Science 7 credit hours Math/Quantitative Reasoning 3 credit hours • Satisfies the general education requirements at the receiving institution with the receiving institution able to add no more than six additional credits / two courses in compliance with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges’ Standards for Accreditation. STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

9. General EducationTransfer Benefits • Automatic satisfaction of the general education requirements at the receiving institution, with the receiving institution able to add no more than six additional credits/two courses. • Stipulation: Students enrolled in a specific major or degree program may be required to take additional courses if these courses are specifically required for the major or program and are required of native students. STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

10. Typical approaches: • Enforcing a common course numbering system and standardized course syllabi across the state.   • Articulation agreements negotiated institution by institution for each individual program.  • Ad-hoc 1 on 1 student advising and course equivalency mapping STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

11. Questions to be addressed • Could public higher education institutions agree on a 30-35 CR block of STEM courses that would work both in transfer and career programs for community colleges and have direct equivalences in 4YR colleges? • A “block” transfer that might vary in implementation and individual courses, but would be accepted and would help insure a student could complete a 4YR STEM major in 2 years following transfer and also serve as a basis for career programs STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

12. Possible Framework Workforce Discipline-Specific 4-year Program Discipline-Specific Transfer Program Discipline-Specific Transfer Program Discipline-Specific Transfer Program Discipline-Specific CTE Program STEM Transfer Block STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

13. Discussion: Can we agree? • Is there a common base for 2YR to 4YR transfer and 2YR CTE curricula? • Can we create an effective bridge? • How many credits? • 30CR, More? Less? • Which Science courses? Which Math courses? • Fixed, menu? • Multiple pathways? Workforce Discipline-Specific 4-year Program Discipline-Specific Transfer Program Discipline-Specific CTE Program STEM Transfer Block STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

14. Discussion: Can we agree? • If such a block was developed, what would be the impact on common core curricula? e.g., curricula content and advising • How would it affect K12 programs and in particular engineering/technology curricula? • How could "computational thinking" be incorporated in this block? • How to define, rally support? • Would industry see this as a prerequisite to workforce needs? CC grads? 4YR grads? • Would 4yr and CCs agree to accept as in the agreement? Workforce Discipline-Specific 4-year Program Discipline-Specific Transfer Program Discipline-Specific CTE Program STEM Transfer Block Incorporates Computational Thinking STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

15. Contact Information: David Cedrone MA Department of Higher Education dcedrone@bhe.mass.edu Deborah Boisvert BATEC Center for Computing Technologies deborah.boisvert@umb.edu STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011

16. Thank you! STEMTech Conference, October 2, 2011