PLATTEVILLE — In a groundbreaking effort, University of Wisconsin-Platteville engineering professors and area high school teachers worked during the week of June 17 to develop early college credit engineering courses for high school students. 

Responding to requests from area school districts for such a program, the UW-Platteville engineering department issued an invitation to interested area school districts to collaborate on development of these courses. The two courses addressed in the effort were Introduction to Engineering Projects and Engineering Graphics. 

During the course of the three days, engineers from mechanical, civil, environmental, software, electrical and computer, sustainable and renewable energy systems, industrial, and engineering physics presented their introductory power points and hands-on investigations that they envisioned would be included in the courses. Additionally, university entities that would be involved in the set up and dissemination of the courses, worked with the combined group to develop check lists and time lines for registration for the courses. The area high school teachers addressed the conditions needed for implementation of the courses in their various venues. 

The plan is to deliver these courses to the pilot high schools in spring of 2020. This will allow schools to apply for ECCP funds from the Department of Public Instruction to help fund the effort, as well as, plan for an on-site instructor who will work with the on-line component of the course and the in-class hands-on explorations. 

The resulting courses will be collaborative efforts and pilots for study of sustainability and dissemination. Students participating in the courses will have the advantage of gaining, while in high school, three college credits (and, in some cases, three high school credits). Additionally, the students will have the opportunity to work, at times, on campus and will become familiar with a university campus.