“Best Practices” are strategies for the Technology Workforce Development (TWD) program that both show positive results for the increase of electrical engineering and computer science graduate numbers and have the potential to be of benefit to other institutions.

 

The idea of gathering Best Practices follows from TETC's aim to formulate experiences gained through TWD, or found elsewhere, so that individual departments can focus their limited resources on proven methods and tools. Best Practices strategies stand in contrast to innovative strategies.

 

"Innovative strategies" put forward creative, even 'of the wall' ideas that require relatively small budgets. Innovation can be a positive aspect of a Best Practices strategy, but a Best Practices project requires strategies proven successful based on nationwide experiences and/or TWD experiences.

 

TETC industry members understand and stress the importance of Best Practices:

Best Practices address the sustainability and replicability aspects of TETC investments. Best Practices will increase the impact of TETC investments and TWD awards by having others (TETC member institutions as well as non-members) improve education more efficiently by leveraging what has already been learned.

TETC held a Best Practices meeting at SMU on Janyary 10 and 11, 2006.

 

The 2005 annual report will define Best Practices strategies through four critical aspects. A Best Practice:

 

1. is anchored by its context: What is the setting of the topic(s) addressed by the strategy? This includes issues and challenges, the size of the institution, the characteristics of the target group, the demands and benefits to participants, the time duration of the project, etc. From the context it should be clear what kind of situation and institution the Best Practice addresses.

 

2. is supported by underlying groundwork: Critical are citations and summaries of supporting work from the TWD institution as well as from nation-wide efforts.

 

3. has demonstrated quantifiers: Tables, graphs, and text with concrete data showing the effects of the Best Practice in operation. Disscussion needs to include significance of data and details of program assessment tools.

 

4. has established conditions for transfer: Experience should translate into specification of requirements necessary to consider before embarking on the Best Practice. This experience should help others to evaluate whether the Best Practice is feasible for their budget, situation, and scope.