Collaborative Research: Transforming Two-Year College Information Technology, Applied AI, and Data Science Programs

Artificial intelligence (AI) and data science are transforming nearly every sector of the economy, increasing demand for technicians who can apply these technologies in business, government, education, and industry. This project will strengthen the nation's skilled technical workforce by creating and implementing a new applied AI and data science pathway within associate degree information technology programs. The project will be conducted through a partnership between two community colleges, industry partners, and AI education specialists to provide students with workforce-relevant technical skills and hands-on learning experiences. Students will engage in industry-informed projects, experiential learning activities, and applied coursework that connect AI and data science concepts to real-world challenges. The project is expected to prepare at least 150 students for emerging technology careers, provide professional learning opportunities for incumbent workers and educators, and generate curricular resources and implementation models that can be adapted by other two-year colleges seeking to expand AI education. The goals of the project are to develop and implement an applied AI and data science pathway within existing information technology associate degree programs; to strengthen alignment between technician education and workforce needs through experiential learning partnerships; and to investigate effective approaches for teaching AI and data science in hybrid and online learning environments. The scope includes curriculum development, faculty collaboration, industry engagement, student experiential learning projects, professional learning opportunities for working professionals, and dissemination of project resources and findings. Project activities will include the development of new and revised credit-bearing courses, the creation of industry-supported applied learning experiences, the establishment of an industry advisory structure, annual cross-campus student project showcases, and the implementation of AI-supported learning tools. The project will study student learning outcomes, workforce readiness, and the effectiveness of instructional approaches that integrate applied AI, data science, and experiential learning within two-year technician education programs. Findings will contribute to the knowledge base on scalable models for preparing technicians for data-driven and AI-enabled workplaces. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.