1

Innovative STEM Facility Design and Curriculum Implementation:

How we achieved cooperation, collaboration, and communication among innovative programs and

interdisciplinary faculty with multiple space, materials, and technology requirements

Dr. Alex Kajstura Campus President

Dr. Denise MeeksScience Department Chair, Astronomy & Physics Faculty

Pima Community College Northwest Campus

2

About Pima Community College (PCC)

• Pima Community College is a two-year college serving the greater Tucson metropolitan area at six locations throughout Pima County• Founded in 1966, Pima's credit courses award certificates and

associate's degrees in a variety of fields• PCC also provides workforce development, career training

programs, continuing education, and adult education• PCC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an

Hispanic-Serving Institution

3

PCC Northwest Campus Rationale for the Request for Institutional Change submitted to the NCA Higher Learning Commission, April 2003:• county population growth

• the MRT (Maas, Rao, and Taylor) Educational Master Plan reported that a large portion of the county was underserved by PCC• passage of the capital bond, raising northwest

Pima County residents’ interest• open community forums held in a local high

school• overall PCC growth enrollment projections

related to the northwest county regionFerruginous Pygmy Owl,

Wikipedia

4

PCC Northwest Campus

• Approximately 750 full time equivalent (FTE) students are expected to enroll during the 2003-2004 academic year• Approximately 25 staff and 17

full time instructional faculty, 2 educational support faculty• Approximately 100 adjunct

faculty will be employed

Request for Institutional Change campus expectations submitted to the NCA HLC in April 2003:

5

PCC Northwest Campus

2003-2004: more than 6,600 students

750 students the first academic year?

All of the studies and predictions were wrong!

2011-2012: more than 11,800 students

We were out of space the day we opened, why?

Things didn’t work out quite as we expected…

6

Innovations: Integrated Lecture/Lab

Lectures, labs, and activities take place

in the same class session

7

Innovations: Hybrid Science Learning Lab

Science Hybrid Learning Lab

8

Innovations: Math Emporium• Foundational Studies in

Mathematics course• Designed by a team of faculty to

serve the needs of students who need to take developmental math

• Currently serves about 270 students at NWC

• Faculty, staff, and students are present during all hours to help students

• Very short wait times for assistance

• Students need to demonstrate mastery at the 80% level in each of 15 different modules

• After completion of all modules students may register for college-level mathematics courses

9

Innovations: Structured Learning Assistance Pilot Program

• Faculty identified biology, chemistry, math, and physics courses which serve as “gate keepers” to student persistence

• Discipline faculty members teaching these courses partner with Structured Learning Assistants (SLAs)

• SLAs attend class, and provide several hours of out-of-class instruction to supplement in-class learning

• Website: nw.pima.edu/dmeeks/sla

10

Innovations: Arizona NASA Space Grant ASCEND!

Video

11

Innovations: Outreach Events

Dr Jane GoodallApril 19, 2007 and April 28, 2010

12

Innovations: April Earth Day and October Earth Science Day

• More than 60 community organizations with hands-on STEM activities• Ecology, botany,

astronomy, hydrology, resource management, advising• Conduit for expanding

STEM partnerships among community participants

13

Innovations: Partnerships

• Girl Scouts Imagine Engineering• Raytheon Math & Science FunFest

• University of Arizona Lunar & Planetary Lab Summer Saturday

Speed Advising and Transfer Fair Pima Air & Space Museum Great Paper Airplane Fly-Off

Innovations: Title III

14

Redesign between 6 and 8 courses per year to improve student learning experiences

Follow-up support and services for students experiencing academic difficulties

Innovative learning opportunities facilitated with new technology

Campus Resource Center redesign created a more collaborative learning and teaching environment

Faculty Technology Exploration Center and faculty professional development to augment and enhance instruction

$2 million over 5 years

15

Innovations: Title III and Technology

16

Planning• First campus-wide project

meeting summer, 2011• Many meetings with architectural

team, discipline faculty, lab staff, and others during the fall 2011 and spring 2012 semesters

• Cooperation, collaboration, and communication among interdisciplinary faculty teams, Student Services, and District personnel

17

The Participants• STEM Faculty: Astronomy, Biology,

Chemistry, Engineering, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, Physics • Non-STEM Faculty: Anthropology,

Hotel & Restaurant Management, Languages, Psychology• Student Services Faculty and Staff• Library Services Faculty and Staff• Information Technology Staff• Physical Plant Staff• District Services Staff

18

The Sky is the Limit! • Classrooms: types, design, and

configuration• Equipment: classroom

materials, white boards, bulletin boards• Technology: SMART boards and

slates, tablets, laptops, projectors, wireless networking• Lab prep area: safety, design,

accessibility, storage space• Other: study rooms, relaxation

and eating spaces, display areas

• Utilities: electrical outlets, wiring, water, gas• Ergonomics: lighting, sound-proofing,

window locations, room darkening, room color• Safety: fire extinguishers, fire

blankets, sprinkler systems, chemical showers• Building infrastructure: hallway

configurations, internal and external “traffic patterns,” stairways, elevators, exits

19

Back to Reality and Planet Earth!What we want: 92,000 square feet

What we have: 47,000 square feet

What is usable for instruction:26,000 square feet

Identification of spaces with multiple uses, including study spaces, eating areas, storage, etc.

Collaboration among interdisciplinary faculty to design instructional spaces with multiple uses and maximum flexibility

Reassessment of existing classroom spaces, focus on redesign, and additional uses

20

The SolutionExisting space•Astronomy/Physics/Geology (1)•General Biology (1)•A & P (1)•General Chemistry (1)•Microbiology (1)•Biology Learning Lab•Math Emporium•Lab Prep Area•Study Spaces

New space• General Biology (2)• Microbiology (1)• A & P I (1)• A & P II (1)• General Chemistry (2)• Organic Chemistry (2)• Physics/Engineering/Optics (1)• Expanded Lab Prep Area• Math Emporium• Hotel & Restaurant

Management• Multipurpose Learning Lab

Reorganization of existing space•Astronomy/Physics/Anthropology (1)•Geology/Geography (1)• General Biology (1)•General Chemistry (1)•NASA Space Grant ASCEND! Lab

21

Our New STEM Building!

22

Earth as Our North-End Logo

23

New Learning Opportunities and Doubling Enrollments

24

Thank you!

Questions?