Innovative STEM Facility Design and Curriculum Implementation:

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. Denise Meeks Science Department Chair, Astronomy & Physics Faculty Dr. Alex Kajstura Campus President 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 region Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Wikipedia

4. PCC Northwest Campus Request for Institutional Change campus expectations submitted to the NCA HLC in April 2003: • 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

5. PCC Northwest Campus 750 students the first academic year? 2003-2004: more than 6,600 students All of the studies and predictions were wrong! Things didn’t work out quite as we expected… We were out of space the day we opened, why? 2011-2012: more than 11,800 students

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 Goodall April 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

14. Innovations: Title III $2 million over 5 years • Redesign between 6 and 8 courses per year to improve student learning experiences 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 Follow-up support and services for students experiencing academic difficulties

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! • 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 • 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

19. Back to Reality and Planet Earth! Collaboration among interdisciplinary faculty to design instructional spaces with multiple uses and maximum flexibility What we want: 92,000 square feet What we have: 47,000 square feet Identification of spaces with multiple uses, including study spaces, eating areas, storage, etc. What is usable for instruction: 26,000 square feet Reassessment of existing classroom spaces, focus on redesign, and additional uses

20. The Solution • Existing 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?