Funding for the Heating, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Technician Department

Funding for the Heating, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Technician department has come available to conduct a research study and a request was made to present three different research study possibilities before conducting a full research proposal.

Problem Statement

At a local community college, adults of both genders and between the ages of 17-65 with diverse work experience as well as different ethnic backgrounds, entering into the career field of air conditioning and heating must take the “Refrigeration Principles” class before any advanced courses of instruction offered in refrigeration and heating. The course is taught two nights a week between 6:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. with an average class size of twenty-six students. The course is designed where the learner must access a web-based program, Blackboard, for reading assignments and quizzes. Learners who do not score a minimum of 70% on an assessment are allowed to take the quizzes up to three times with the final highest grade being recorded. The first class of the week is designed to review prior reading assignments and share additional information about the required reading material by way of instructor led PowerPoint method, as well as answer student questions. Upon completion of the review students proceed to the lab where they apply their knowledge by way of student-led and instructor assisted method. Lab performance learning is generally the last two hours of the first day and three and one half hours the next class day. There are no prior skills required.

Community air conditioning and heating companies have advised the program director many students who have either graduated or are currently enrolled and applying for work are unable to perform the ba...

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