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Educational Monograph
Text Box: weeks and was structured with 3 weeks of lecture, then a week of meeting with mentors, three more weeks of lecture, meeting with the mentors, etc. The instructors incorporated full class discussion and small group discussion throughout the course. Working with their business mentors, students learned not just the technology transfer process and differing perspectives of experts in the field, but also teamwork, critical-thinking, and decision-making skills. The majority of the course grade was based on a formal team presentation made to a team of judges, community business leaders and venture capitalists. Prizes were awarded for the best team presentations. Students in the class ranged in age from 15 to 62 (part of the NSF grant was to include high school students in the technology transfer learning.). Because the class was so diverse in age, background and interests, working in teams gave them an additional opportunity to gain different perspectives. The instructors observed that many of the younger students had a greater knowledge of technology, but the life skills and business acumen of the older students factored in to formulating plans for bringing the technology to the marketplace. Results. The instructors reported that the best aspect of the class was that students were given technical expertise from different points of view. The most difficult aspect was the organizational part (mentors working in different organizations with different working schedules). None of them had ever participated in a team teaching experience prior to this class. The Howard Community College instructor felt that the contact with all of the outside mentors taught him aspects of research and development as well as technology transfer that he could not have obtained in any other way. He found it a personally enriching experience, but also a challenge to keep up with what is going on in the area of technology transfer. Students also benefited from this team teaching approach. Among their comments are: “Meeting with mentors and inventors contributed more to my learning skills” “I had a chance to interview an inventor and receive advice from mentors.” “I loved review sessions with mentors. I learned a lot about technology.” “We worked together as a team of people of different ages. We got to meet new and interesting people from (industry) such as inventors and mentors, and speakers from the technology transfer field. The course and the team teaching was deemed to be a success by all who participated-instructors, mentors and students. All agreed that it brought real-life experience and the relevance of technology transfer into the classroom. It will continue to be offered at Howard Community College as part of the Entrepreneurship Program. Dr. Mihelcic-Chapman is Professor Emeritus in Business Education at Howard Community College, Columbia, MD 21044 References: Shafer, Ingrid (2000). Team teaching: Education for the future: Available: http://www.usao.edu/~facshaferi/teamteaching.htm. Davis, J.R. (1995) Interdisciplinary courses and team teaching: New arrangements for learning. Phoenix: ACE/oryx. Maroney, Sharon A. (1995) Some notes on team teaching. Available: http://wiu.edu/users/mfsam1/Teamtchg.html. (April, 2007) Goetz, Karin (2007). Perspectives on Team Teaching. Available: http://www.ucalgary.ca/~egallery/goetz.html. (April, 2007). Robinson, B. and Schaible,R. (1995). Collaborative teaching: Reaping the benefits. College Teaching, 43(2), 57-60. E-mail interview with Wayne Swann, Lead Instructor, (June, 2007). Howard Community College, Columbia, MD.21044. E-mail interview with Lev Volynskiy, Assisting Instructor, (June, 2007). Howard Community College. Columbia, MD.21044.