Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 28, 1994 TAG: 9406300066
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: By PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHLANDS LENGTH: Medium
The TechQuest task force will examine current programs and design ways to improve them. It also seeks to help high school teachers, counselors and college and university faculty to improve their skills in moving students into the working world.
It will redesign the technical curricula at all of Virginia's community colleges, making sure students are taught what industry leaders say will be needed.
As project director, Bishara will collaborate with Mary Sandy, formerly an administrator with NASA and now director of the Virginia Space Grant Consortium.
The task force will divide into teams studying advanced manufacturing, electronics, environmental science and core courses in math and science.
``Preparing for a career in technology is like shooting at a moving target,'' Bishara said. ``Technology will simply not stand still. And unless community colleges remain on the technical cutting edge in how and what they teach, graduates will be obsolete when they join the work force.''
The task force is to submit a proposal to the National Science Foundation by 1995, seeking up to $1 million for Virginia's community colleges each year for a five-year period.
``One of the most difficult tasks is helping the faculty keep up with technologies,'' Bishara said. ``Community college technical faculty are with students anywhere from 25 to 35 hours a week, and you simply cannot learn and apply technical concepts in one-hour spurts. It takes time to concentrate, and the project will make time available for faculty to learn.''
by CNB