On September 21, 2021, EdSystems presented a deep dive on the Illinois Model Programs of Study Guide in Health Sciences and Technology, available at edsystemsniu.org/guides. The webinar is designed for community college faculty and staff (particularly academic deans and department heads, early college liaisons, and employer relations staff) and high school faculty working in pathways. The presentation includes:
- An overview of the creation of the Model Programs of Study Guides and how the work aligns with other statewide policies.
- The key recommendations of the Model Programs of Study Guides and the implications for course sequencing, early college, and student competencies.
- How the Model Programs of Study Guide in Health Sciences and Technology is being applied.
This is the first in a special webinar series focused on the Model Programs of Study Guides hosted by EdSystems in partnership with the Illinois Community College Board.
Background
The ICCB sponsored the development of Model Programs of Study Guides in crucial industry areas as part of the Illinois State Plan for Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (also known as the Perkins V Plan). These guides were developed in consultation and collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education through a process led and facilitated by EdSystems. The process involved extensive research into labor market information and credential programs, and dialogue across secondary, postsecondary, and employer stakeholders.
The primary purposes and goals for the guides are to provide guidance and exemplars for local colleges to adopt or customize as they develop programs of study as part of the Perkins V Plan, identify priority dual credit courses that are foundational to the industry area, and define the competencies that should be sequenced across a program of study to prepare students for the future of work in that industry area.
