Teach for Knowledge, Mentor for Success: Preparing Students to Enter the Workforce

Abstract

This work has been presented as a 20 minute session at the International Conference on Technology-Enhanced Learning (ICTEL) in July 2011 (http://www.ictel.innov.org/). In addition, a paper has been published in the conference proceedings titled "Proceedings of INNOV 2011 - Second International Conference on Innovative Developments in ICT."The future well-being of any society arguably depends on the full knowledge potential students are able to transfer from academia to the workplace upon graduation. There are different mechanisms to transfer this knowledge, and at the University of Maryland, efforts are concentrated on establishing honors programs. These programs prepare students for the acquisition of lifelong skills such as research skills, team work and leadership skills by using emerging technologies in teaching and mentoring students through their course of study. The Gemstone program is one of the five honors programs on campus and its goal is “to give our students transferable skills that will be valuable for wherever life leads them.” This paper presents how campus collaboration may help with building the foundation of this academic knowledge and with transferring it later to the workplace