ETD Listserv Survey on Electronic Technology

Here is the outcome of the survey I posted to the ETD Listserv in November.  This is my analysis and understanding.

The percentage totals for some questions do not add up to 100% because not all participants answered all questions and/or in many cases participants selected two or more choices.

The comments to the last question are particularly interesting and telling.  Worth a read.

1.       How is your ET program doing today?

a.       Doing well and growing.                        36%

b.      Healthy but flat with no growth.       41%

c.       In decline.  Losing enrollment.           10.2%

d.      Recently closed.                                       10.2%

This is positive news.  77% of programs are doing OK and some growing.  The growth has more to do with local jobs and related activity.  And aggressive recruiting efforts really help.  All this is in contrast to the status of things several years ago.  There has been some improvement.  Still, I hate to see programs closing but often little can be done if there is no jobs market for the graduates.  It’s a local problem.

2.       What factors contribute to the status of your program?

a.       Local industry needs.                             43.6%

b.      Job growth                                                 18%

c.       Lack of jobs                                                                12.8%

d.      Interest in new programs.                   30.6%

e.      Other.  What? 

a.       Quality of program and efficacy of our recruiting efforts.

b.      Transfer to university.

c.       Poor students.

d.      Students do not have the skills to survive the program.

e.      Declining enrollment.

f.        Only one instructor.

g.       Active recruiting.

h.      Students don’t know what electronics is any more and what you can do with it.

Clearly local industry needs are the clues to a healthy program.  Develop local companies as partners and your program can prosper.  Note the 30.6% interest in new programs.  New offerings that match job needs are a positive step to healthy program growth.

 

3.       What new courses or programs have you added lately?

a.       None                                                             23%

b.      Alternative energy (solar, wind, etc.)33.3%

c.       Electric utility                                             10.2%

d.      Wireless/communications                   2.5%

e.      Biomedical                                                  10.2%

f.        Other.  What?

a.       BSEET

b.      Networking (2)

c.        Computer forensics

d.      2^nd microcontroller course

e.      Arduino course (a type of micro)

f.        EE Engineering

g.       Industrial electronics

h.      Robotics (2)

i.        Data acquisition

j.        Electric/mechanical drives

k.       Nanotechnology (2)

l.        Industrial maintenance.

Alternative energy programs have attracted some new enrollments in the past several years.  It is an interesting and exciting field.  Many of these new programs came about with grant funding to support the green energy movement.  Unfortunately, as most schools have learned, there are few if any jobs available in this field.  Some do exist but in areas were the need and availability of techs is greatest.  Wind farms find it hard to find workers but few are willing to do the tower climbing needed in most cases.  And only affluent sunny areas can afford solar.  Another field with this problem is nanotechnology.  Grants are available to fund some courses but where are the jobs?  It is OK to take the grant money and build some courses or a program but just remember there may be no real jobs available.  Maybe in the future.

 

My experience shows that jobs do exist in industry and in networking.  And a second micro course is a great idea.

4.       Have you heard of the system approach to teaching electronics?  If so what are your thoughts?

a.       Have heard of it.                      46.3%

b.      Considering it.                           18%

c.       Plan to incorporate.                                15.4%

d.      Have not heard about it.       7.7%

e.      Do not plan to incorporate. 5.1%

f.        Need more information.      7.7%

g.       NOTES:  Already using.  Have used it for 20 years.  Already doing it.  Not entirely sold.  Not sure yet.

The system approach has been around for five to eight years now and it is surprising to see so many who have not heard of it.  The majority have heard of it and some are already using it.  It is the way of the industry at least for technicians and AAS graduates.  Some do not agree with its premises but I doubt they know the real truth about what goes on in the modern industry.  Others are open minded and still willing to evaluate the concept.  If you have not seen  MATEC’s www.esyst.org  website, take a look to get the full explanation.

 

5.       What factors most influence what you teach or how you update your courses and curriculum?

a.       Industry input.                                          77%

b.      What other schools are doing.           7.7%

c.       What the textbooks include.              18%

d.      Clearly visible industry trends.           49%

e.      Research.                                                    5.1%

f.        Other.  What?   Time available in curriculum.  Advisory board. (2)

I was happy to see that 77% use industry input to help decide what to teach.  How much of this is real and not lip service I do not know.  I have seen advisory boards recommend changes then after the meeting all is forgotten and the status quo is preserved.  In any case, it is always a good idea to defer to local industry ideas and suggestions.  Then actually implement the changes.

 

One problem I have seen is that some local industry representatives see the faculty as the experts in knowing what to teach.  In my experience, the faculty is competent but not in tune with the real world of work and current technology and needed skills.

 

I should have asked how faculty learns of the “clearly visible industry trends”.

 

6.       Do you use a standard textbook?

a.       Yes                                                                                                 92.3%

b.      No.                                                                                                 2.5%

c.       We use print hand outs and other supplements        25.6%

d.      We use an online text and references.                          10.2%

No mystery here.  Most do use standard texts at least for most courses.  There were multiple comments here saying that for some courses no texts were available so other materials are used.  Handouts and supplements are common place and no doubt consist of new material not in the textbooks.

 

7.       What are your thoughts about online courses?

a.       We have them now.                                               56.4%

b.      Like but do not currently use.                             12.8%

c.       Will eventually adopt.                                            5.1%

d.      Do not like them and will not use.                    10.2%

e.      For future consideration.                                     7.7%     

f.        Cannot do labs.                                                         25.6%

This result really surprised me.  I had no idea that so many online courses were being offered.  No full degrees but multiple courses are available.  And these courses are of the hybrid variety with some conventional lab or class activity combined with online instruction.

There is a small group of responders that are vehemently opposed to online work.  Maybe they perceive it as a threat.  Or mostly I think they have never tried an online course.  Online instruction is the wave of the future given the high cost of education today.  Several comments related to how online instruction was mandated at the dean level despite any opposition.

And by the way, there is a way to do labs.  Most think it cannot be done but it has been in the past.  I will have a blog entry up on this shortly.  www.electronictech.blogspot.com   

8.       What is currently your greatest concern or issue today?

a.       Disappearing feeder programs.

b.      Decrease in upcoming student populations.

c.       Lack of preparation of incoming students.

d.      Availability of jobs in local area.

e.      The quality of leadership of the dean.

f.        Program deactivation.

g.       Making sure course content is applicable to current industry requirements.

h.      Maintaining current student count.

i.        Lack of jobs

j.        Recruiting is limited to advisors without faculty input.

k.       Instrumentation and control AAS is going strong.

l.        Need new direction from outside the college.  The big picture.

m.    Lack of appropriate preparation of high school students for ET program.

n.      Failure of high school teachers to push mid-tech careers.

o.      The huge gap between the standard electronics courses and reality.

p.      Sufficient numbers of qualified students.

q.      Moving into a new building.  Logistical nightmare.

r.        I am training the bottom half of the high school class, need to get the tip half involved.

s.       A lot of subjects to add with less room left in the curriculum.

t.        Finding a balance between learning and industry needs.

u.      Getting the resources to incorporate new items.

v.       Maintaining program growth.

w.     Textbooks are mostly out of date with what industry is doing.

x.       State mandated curriculum.

y.       Few system approach textbooks available.

z.       Academic level and interest of students coming into the program.

aa.   What most industries need in an electronic technologist.

bb.  The crazy ideas from politicians and administrators for future solutions of problems.

cc.    Reaching out to potential students.  We have positions in industry we cannot fill.

These comments are priceless.  They really show what is going on and what the real concerns are.  The main issues are jobs, the preparation of students for college work, enrollment maintenance and growth, and textbooks.

Lou Frenzel

Technology Editor, Electronic Design Magazine

Adjunct Professor, Austin Community College