Workforce and Community College Education SIG

Workforce & Community College Education Papers in LearnTechLib (68+)

Potential Members of SIGWFE:

With the current focus on STEM learning across the globe and concern over the new essential skills needed to succeed in a global knowledge society driven by technology, this SIG will bring together teacher educators, curriculum developers, and researchers who are passionate about exploring the innovative technology experiences of students and teachers in the PK-20 system and the workforce and education programs needed to prepare these students for success in school and work.

The goals of the SIG will be to:

• Facilitate discussion on research related to the changing world of work, workforce trends and projected human talent needs, new essential skills needed by 21st century workers; as well as career development/workforce preparation of the new learner empowered with technology.
• Plan, coordinate, and encourage research related to the skills and knowledge needed for workforce success in innovation economies including but not limited to essential workforce skills such as expert thinking, complex communication, computational thinking, inventive thinking, and self-directed learning; and topics such as skills needed by globally distributed teams working in virtual environments.
• Share research findings on advances in these and related areas of STEM learning/education, career and workforce development including disconnects in S, T, E, & M in K-20 curriculum, technology-empowered learners and new implementation challenges for STEM educators (i.e. computational thinking in the K-20 continuum, computational sciences in high schools and colleges; integration of informal and formal STEM learning).
• Develop a network among the members to identify funding opportunities and collaborate on research projects
  Create international partnership among the members to explore common interests in workforce and talent development, and to examine the workforce development needs of a global knowledge society driven by technology and engage in discussion/activities that transform K-12 and higher education to strengthen the STEM pipeline.
  • SIG Activities:
    • SIGWFE wiki
    • Monthly meeting using SecondLife
    • Annual business meeting at SITE
    • Quarterly electronic bulletin