Gateway has an Associate in Applied Science degree program in Manufacturing Technology and also offers several modular machining technology certificate options (see www.gwc.maricopa.edu for more details). Through a partnership with the NTMA Arizona Chapter they have built their curriculum around the industry standards and credentialing system developed by the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS). Their program is accredited by NIMS in eight areas for Machining Levels I and II.

In Fall 2003, Gateway began a beta test of the Tooling U concept with eight students enrolled in a class aligned with the NIMS Level I Measurement, Materials, and Safety performance outcomes. According to course instructor Carl Wargula who is Gateway’s Program Director for Manufacturing Technology, this initial pilot was very successful and is being expanded to include 5-6 other courses. Twenty students are enrolled in Tooling U classes during the Winter Semester, and this should increase for Spring as the implementation process gains momentum.

“Our instructors like the online approach because it saves time on introductory discussion of basic topics like interpretation of drawings and operational math,” says Wargula. He also noted that Gateway’s approach uses online experiences blended with instructor-led classes. This combination maintains personal contact with each student and brings everyone to a common point of understanding faster. Another aspect of Tooling U that appeals to instructors is added flexibility to accommodate different student needs. Some people may need to repeat material or want extra review to prepare for a NIMS test. The online environment addresses these issues easily and also matches the time schedule better than traditional classes for many working adults.

How will the use of online instruction evolve at Gateway? In the near term they will continue to explore ways to utilize the format more completely for basic concepts and introductory content. Their instructors are just beginning to accept the online option as a dependable method of working with students.

Further along the process there are interesting opportunities for applications to more sophisticated content, but this will require a much higher level of interactivity and simulation capability. “We saw some great instructional demos for technicians in the health care and telecommunications fields at a recent conference,” said Wargula. “Tooling U is working to upgrade their software to include this kind of enhanced presentation. We want to be one of the pilot sites for that initiative.”

So there are the highlights from two different situations that have made the move to Internet based distance learning using Tooling U. Maybe this is something that would work in your situation too. For more information contact NTMA Education Director Dick Walker (email: dick@ntma.org) or visit the Tooling U website at (www.toolingu/ntma).