Work Group Report:

TRANSFERABILITY OF CREDITS

Critical Issues Menu

Although environmental technology programs have grown significantly at the postsecondary education level, curriculum coordination between secondary and postsecondary has been minimal. A plan to facilitate communication and curriculum coordination among educational institutions would improve programs and better serve students, employers, and the community.

A prerequisite for curriculum coordination and articulation is having courses and programs that are competency-based. At the two-year college level, these program outcomes need to match with the entry-level competencies required for new employees. At the secondary level, the program outcomes need to be matched with specific employment opportunities and must allow for transition into two-year college course work. Currently, many high school graduates seeking to enroll in an environmental technology program at a two-year or four-year institution find themselves inadequately prepared, especially in science and mathematics. Therefore, many students are required to begin their college education with "remedial" courses, thus increasing the financial burden on both students and colleges. Others may have to repeat course work at the post-secondary level that they have already mastered at the secondary level. Developing and maintaining a formal articulation process throughout an educational system would help provide students with a smooth transition from one level of instruction to another without experiencing unnecessary delays or duplication of learning.

Articulation should not be limited to the transferability of credit from high school to two-year colleges and from two-year colleges to four-year institutions; it must also include assessment of knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of interest to potential employers.

Furthermore, two-year college missions have an effect on the overall philosophy of transferability within the college system. College missions may vary from state to state and region to region within a state. If the primary mission of a two-year college is to prepare graduates for the workforce, then less emphasis will be placed on articulating their programs with a four-year institution. When two-year colleges have the dual role of workforce development and preparation for further education, these colleges will have a parallel track of transfer programs available and the college mission will dictate the amount of effort dedicated to each track. It is critical that the college's mission is made clear before beginning a 2+2+2 articulation effort.

In addition to the lack of communication and curriculum coordination among educational institutions, there is also a lack of knowledge about the career opportunities and the preparation required to work in the environmental technology field. This includes the general public and, more importantly, educational institutions at all levels.

All transferability issues identified share a common need for funding. Financial support would allow faculty and staff the release time needed to share information, to coordinate their efforts in curriculum development, and to develop state and regional plans.

Following are issues and recommendations that address transferability of credit.

ISSUE: Communication is inadequate among high schools, postsecondary educational institutions, businesses, industries, and the community. Mechanisms to facilitate communication among representatives from high schools, community colleges, universities, and industries are lacking.

RECOMMENDATIONS: To foster open, clear, and frequent communication, two-year colleges should:

• Establish formal mechanisms for networking among all parties such as:

• Regular meetings among faculty and staff from high schools, community colleges, and four-year institutions
• Electronic bulletin boards
• An advisory board with representation from educational institutions, local community, relevant industries, and governmental agencies
• Other formal and informal activities designed to build working relationships. These activities may include:

- Site visits at schools, businesses, etc.

- Curriculum and other program information exchange

- Guest lecturers/faculty exchange from participating institutions.

• Provide release time to faculty and staff for meetings.
• Create partnerships among academic, business, industry, government, and professional organizations.

ISSUE: Although articulation activities are occurring among different levels of educational institutions, the degree of activity and commitment varies from one community to another, from one educational institution to another, and even among departments within institutions. Articulation decreases when funding is not available to support the staff involved. If articulation is part of an institution's mission, then articulation activities must be an integral part of the system.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Articulation should be a part of every educational institution, with strong leadership and commitment at the top administrative level. Secondary and postsecondary schools should:

• Provide release time to instructors for curriculum development and revision; before a school can begin articulation activities, its curriculum must be competency-based for faculty to be able to compare courses;
• Involve faculty and staff in the development of articulation procedures;
• Identify the math and science core competencies for each educational level;
• Compare, assess, and revise course content based on the identified math and science core for each educational level;
• Encourage revision of traditional math and science courses to incorporate critical and creative thinking skills, reduce memorization of facts, and increase the application of knowledge to real-life situations;
• Encourage high school and college instructors to work together to develop a recommended sequence of high school courses that will prepare students for college courses in an environmental program;
• Establish and maintain an electronic bulletin board directory of successfully articulated programs;
• Publish and distribute semester-by-semester curriculum materials of model programs;
• Develop and distribute an articulation guidebook that provides step-by-step instructions for effective articulation;
• Provide joint professional/staff development opportunities for faculty and staff at all educational levels;
• Hold local forums to enhance networking opportunities among community leaders and faculty and staff from all levels of educational institutions;
• Disseminate information and promote articulation agreements to students, teachers, counselors, parents, and employers;
• Develop and implement a system to ensure that curricula are reviewed annually and articulation agreements are revised as necessary.

ISSUE: The majority of students are insufficiently prepared for technical programs.

RECOMMENDATIONS: To help prepare students for technical programs, schools should:

• Expose elementary and high school students to the value of technical programs and career opportunities available;
• Use small-group discussion techniques to improve students' analytical skills;
• Provide continuing education on both technical topics and instructional methods for faculty at all levels of educational institutions;
• Obtain or develop valid techniques for the assessment of students' understanding of the process of science and their ability to use appropriate mathematics skills;
• Establish internship/co-op positions with local businesses; and
• Provide exchange opportunities for faculty with business and industry.

ISSUE: A poor perception of environmental studies and earth science courses is common among educators, parents, students, and the public. Such courses are often viewed as inferior and are populated with students who are not preparing for a technician/technologist career.

RECOMMENDATIONS: To create a positive perception of environmental studies and earth science courses as well as the environmental field, secondary and postsecondary schools should:

• Publicize and promote exceptional courses that already exist;
• Host career days and distribute information on environmental employment opportunities, job responsibilities, and salary ranges;
• Establish active outreach programs to increase community awareness regarding the environmental field;
• Establish long-term relationships with local regulatory agencies and request that technician-level positions be created or accepted for entry-level duties within the organization;
• Establish and maintain an electronic bulletin board listing environmental jobs and typical salaries;
• Develop/obtain and distribute environmental career resources (e.g., videotapes) that provide role models for students; and
• Encourage the development of high quality environmental studies courses at all educational levels.

ISSUE: There is a need to break down institutional bureaucratic barriers that inhibit or discourage articulation efforts.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Two-year colleges should take the initiative to:

• Increase inter-institutional and intra-institutional communication among administrators, faculty, and staff by creating a mechanism to bring all parties together; and
• Host regional and state-wide conferences on nationally recommended articulation standards and initiatives.