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The goal of this program, funded by the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE) program, is to provide additional professional and technical skills to cohorts of high school students through a Saturday Program. The program has provided inner-city high school students with out-of-school, hands-on educational experiences focusing on both professional and technical skills. Participant demographics will be discussed in this paper as diversity is a key objective of the program. The program utilizes industry-driven, project-based learning (PBL) and lessons in career and college readiness to prepare students for the workforce. Each student session consists of five consecutive Saturdays and is taught by a team of high school teachers, community college faculty, and instructors with expertise in professional skills, teambuilding, leadership, technical writing, coding, and STEM disciplines. The program is held on community college campuses as a way to show students that they are welcome in a college environment, which has inspired participants to have confidence in their own abilities to attend college and pursue educational and career goals in technology fields. Principals from participating high schools have commented that students who attended the Program have demonstrated an improvement in their academics and behavior due to the knowledge of professional and technical skills that they have gleaned from the program. The program’s leadership team disseminates best practices through presentations, social media, publications, and workshops at national conferences. The virtual four-day Summer Teachers’ Workshop allows high school and community college educators from throughout the United States to experience the same program that is used for the high school students. Although the workshop is virtual, participants are provided with materials and supplies, so they have the same hands-on experiences as the students in the Saturday program.
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An Examination of the "After-Effects" of a Leadership Training Program on University Students
The purpose of the study was to examine the “after-effects” of a leadership training program on university students. Data were collected using both cross-sectional and case study methods, and by interviewing students. The data were tabulated and analyzed using descriptive statistics and analyses. The participants included both male and female students; most of them were in their early twenties; juniors, and held department-wide, college-wide, or university-wide positions. Moreover, the majority of participants indicated that they participated in the workshops offered because they wanted to improve their leadership skills. They also indicated that they learned one new thing; for instance, leadership skills; teamwork; managing people, and grant writing. Furthermore, they all indicated that they have used, at least some of the information that they received from the workshops, such as information on voluntary organizations; leadership skills; financial management; grant writing; how to network; and dealing with different types of persons in organizations. Also, all the respondents mentioned that they were doing one thing differently, such as flexibility in leading; how to prioritize activities and tasks; using conflict resolution information; paying more attention to team members; sharing information with networks; and encouraging colleagues to provide or contribute ideas in team meetings. The students made suggestions for future workshops, such as including students from other colleges; more role-playing in the delivery of the workshops, and starting workshops early. The study has provided additional knowledge as to what university students think about the after-effects of a leadership training program.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2154049
- PAR ID:
- 10608101
- Editor(s):
- Christopher, M; Sharma, P
- Publisher / Repository:
- International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- International journal of economics commerce and management
- Volume:
- 12
- Issue:
- 10
- ISSN:
- 2348-0386
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 55-69
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- After-Effects, Effects, Leadership, Leadership Training Program, University Students
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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The goal of this program, funded by the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE) program, is to provide additional professional and technical skills to cohorts of high school students through a five-week Saturday Program. The curriculum is continuously reviewed and modified to address current skills needed by the technician workforce. While this program was originally proposed and planned as in-person, the leadership team decided to shift to a virtual environment as the pandemic caused the closure of community college campuses where the program was to be held. Program modalities and curriculum were modified to shift to an online experience. In Fall 2022, the program was able to return to an in-person format. The program’s leadership team disseminates best practices through presentations, social media, publications, and workshops at national conferences. The four-day Summer Teachers’ Workshop brings high school and community college educators from throughout the United States to experience the same program that is used for the high school students. The Program’s outreach efforts and the national dissemination of best practices for engaging underrepresented populations in technology careers has a national impact that will potentially increase the diversity of the technician workforce. The program has inspired participants to have confidence in their own abilities. Principals from participating high schools have commented that students who attended the Program have demonstrated an improvement in their academics and behavior due to the knowledge of professional and technical skills that they have gleaned from the program. The program has provided inner-city students from four high schools with out-of-school, hands-on educational programs focusing on professional skills, technical writing and engineering technology competencies. Participant demographics will be discussed in this paper as diversity is a key objective of the program. The program utilizes industry-driven, project-based learning (PBL) and lessons in career and college readiness to prepare students for the workforce. Each student session consists of five consecutive Saturdays and is taught by a team of high school teachers, community college faculty, and instructors with expertise in professional skills, teambuilding, leadership, technical writing, coding, and STEM disciplines.more » « less
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