Ivy Institute Foundations

FoundationsLinking Academics with Tech Skills Inside and Outside the Lab

Allison BellStatewide Lead Foundations Instructor

Goals for Foundations:

Increased retention and completion of pre-college classes from 20 to 85%!Responding to skills gap tech employee shortageResponding to high employer demandContextualized learning to appeal to self-described non-academic student

DEMAND875,000 highly skilled jobs unfilled by 2020USDLS, Huffington Post, Dec. 17, 2012

Ivy Tech Industrial Technology InstitutesFoundations Beginnings20+ Institutes-full-time concentrated programs- StatewideFocus was on completing a Technical Certificate16 Campuses in Spring 2014

New FocusAvailable to all students in industrial technology areas and some related tech programs

Who are Foundations Students?Ivy Tech Foundations Students:95% male63% over 25Retention 92% (40 weeks)Completion average of 85%

*Ivy Tech Institute of Technology Report, January 27, 2014

Ivy Tech Academic Students:52% female52% over 25Retention 51% (6 years)Completion 65% (6 years)

*Ivy Tech Institutional Progress Report 2009-2010

What are the needs of tech-oriented students?Kinesthetic and visual contextualized lessonsMaking everything relevantYes, we must explain WHY!Close personal relationships with instructorsCareful and collaborative advising

Why are we here as teachers?The critical connection with students:Try to learn something about their craft.Let them test you!Show youre not perfect and willing to make errors to learn.As long as you put in the effort, we wont give up on you! They feel most teachers have.

IVYT 101 with Foundations: Promoting the Mind ShiftDigging up intrinsic motivation through goal-settingBuilding confidence and knowledge Learning how to learnvisual/kinesthetic stylesApplying job search techniquesConsider Project-Based Learning

Meeting resistanceWhat now?Always present choices.You dont HAVE to be here! But you if you choose to do this you will get the degree and the job.

Give incentive breaks.Complete this, and take 10!

Remind them of what theyre gaining:-replacing 9 remediation credit hours- almost guaranteed job placement-respect and recognition!

Anderson Student Chapter Image of Welding Award 2013

Preparing for Technical Math 122Real world applications:Know your measurements

Proportions for blueprint design

Fractions and decimals

Math Matters!Math mistakes waste materials, lose contracts and jobs.Failing to meet deadlines means, Youre fired!

Ben AmickEmployed at

Finally, all that hard work...Ultimately, it will all pay off! Graduate stories of successJeremy Misa and Beau McHaffey, first Institute graduating class, August 2011Employed upon graduationEarning in $30,000+ range and more