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
1
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
2
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
3
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl,
Wikipedia
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
4
PCC Northwest Campus
750 students the first academic year?
All of the studies and predictions were wrong!
Things didn’t work out quite as we expected…
2003-2004: more than 6,600 students
We were out of space the day we opened, why?
2011-2012: more than 11,800 students
5
Innovations: Integrated Lecture/Lab
Lectures, labs, and
activities take place
in the same class
session
6
Innovations: Hybrid Science Learning Lab
Science Hybrid Learning Lab
7
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
8
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-ofclass instruction to supplement in-class learning
• Website: nw.pima.edu/dmeeks/sla
9
Innovations: Arizona NASA Space Grant
ASCEND!
Video
10
Innovations: Outreach Events
Dr Jane Goodall
April 19, 2007
and
April 28, 2010
11
Innovations: April Earth Day and
October Earth Science Day
• More than 60 community
organizations with handson STEM activities
• Ecology, botany,
astronomy, hydrology,
resource management,
advising
• Conduit for expanding
STEM partnerships
among community
participants
12
Innovations: Partnerships
Speed Advising and Transfer Fair
Pima Air & Space Museum
Great Paper Airplane Fly-Off
• Girl Scouts Imagine Engineering
• Raytheon Math & Science FunFest
• University of Arizona Lunar & Planetary Lab Summer Saturday
13
Innovations: Title III
Redesign between
6 and 8 courses
per year to
improve student
learning
experiences
Follow-up support and
services for students
experiencing academic
difficulties
$2 million over 5 years
Campus Resource
Center redesign
created a more
collaborative learning
and teaching
environment
14
Innovative learning
opportunities
facilitated with new
technology
Faculty Technology
Exploration Center
and faculty
professional
development to
augment and
enhance instruction
Innovations: Title III and Technology
15
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
16
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
17
The Sky is the Limit!
• Utilities: electrical outlets,
wiring, water, gas
• Ergonomics: lighting, soundproofing, 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
18
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
19
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
20
Our New STEM Building!
21
Earth as Our North-End Logo
22
New Learning Opportunities and
Doubling Enrollments
23
Thank you!
Questions?
24