Applied Research – What is it Good for? Mark Hoddenbagh

Applied Research –
What is it Good for?
Focus on Learning, Part 2
Mark Hoddenbagh
2012 June 05
St. Lawrence College
Program Learning Outcomes
Through active participation in the Focus on Learning
Program, participants will have demonstrated their ability to
facilitate and guide learning that supports diverse learners in
their achievement of learning outcomes.
 Elements of performance:
• Create an environment conducive to learning
• Select, adapt and design learning experiences appropriate for
a variety of learning styles and learning needs
• Help learners process experiences and derive meaning from
them
• Provide specific, constructive feedback that helps learners
assess their progress toward the achievement of learning
outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes
Create and use a personal action plan that enhances
professional practice.
Elements of performance:
• Set clear goals for personal change in their professional
practice
• Contribute to a learning culture that encourages risk-taking,
continuous learning, reflective practice and peer support
• Identify and assess the impact of their teaching practice on
learners’ achievement
What is Applied Research?
 Activities that focus on the development and
implementation/commercialization of products,
processes and services that lead to stronger
organizations
 For profit - jobs, new markets, economic growth
 NFP – improved efficiencies, effectiveness
 Government – higher productivity, better service
What is Innovation?
 Doing new things old ways.
 Doing old things new ways.
 Doing new things new ways.
In which areas/fields can Applied
Research be done?
How does Applied Research work?
Client brings
problem/
opportunity to
college
Applied Research
office provides
assistance.
Helps identify:
Students
Project
Team
Faculty
Funder
Desired product,
process, service
What does Applied Research have to
do with a College education?
 One of the highest forms of Experiential Learning
 Students get a real-life experience prior to graduation
 Projects mimic the workplace
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Provides a skill set that is valued by employers
Develop interdisciplinary understanding
Helps develop vocational skills
Provides perspective on General Education Themes
Addresses the 11 Essential Employability Skills
General Education Themes
1. Arts in Society
2. Civic Life
3. Social and Cultural Understanding
4. Personal Understanding
5. Science and Technology
11 Essential Employability Skills
1. Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken, and
visual form that fulfills the purpose and meets the needs of the audience.
2. Respond to written, spoken, or visual messages in a manner that ensures
effective communication.
3. Execute mathematical operations accurately.
4. Apply a systematic approach to solve problems.
5. Use a variety of thinking skills to anticipate and solve problems.
6. Locate, select, organize, and document information using appropriate
technology and information systems.
7. Analyze, evaluate, and apply relevant information from a variety of sources.
8. Show respect for the diverse opinions, values, belief systems, and
contributions of others.
9. Interact with others in groups or teams in ways that contribute to effective
working relationships and the achievement of goals.
10. Manage the use of time and other resources to complete projects.
11. Take responsibility for one’s own actions, decisions, and consequences.
What’s in it for faculty?
 Professional development
 Keep up with advances in field of teaching
 Strengthen ties to external community
 Broaden internal horizons
 Interdisciplinary projects
 Access to funding for:
 Projects
 Travel to conferences
Benefits for Clients?
 Access to students, faculty expertise, leveraged funding
 Option for College to become pilot test site
 Product, process, service closer to implementation or
commercialization
 Introduction to other clients/potential customers
 Assistance in international market
 Access to Highly Qualified and Skilled Personnel
 4-8 month job interviews
Sample Projects
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CHEO – symbology for prescription drugs
JUNO Awards – economic impact
B-Con Engineering – novel optical devices
EdeyFX – vertical axis wind turbine
TimekeeperPro – scoreboard
 1st Place in OCE Discovery College Connections competition
 Devera – IT policy management
Applied Research Process
 Problem solving approach
 Can be used in all areas of life, not just formal research
 Focus on problem or opportunity
 Clearly define problem/opportunity and desired outcome
 Write problem/opportunity statement
 Need SMART statement
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Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Timely
Applied Research Process
 List potential outcomes
 May not also get what desire/expect so planning ahead will
enable you to be prepared for this
 List contingencies/actions to be taken with each outcome
 Will enable you to react more quickly to changes
 Set work plan
 Execute project
 Close the loop
 Assess outcome versus initial statement
 Reporting
 Determine path forward
Case Study
Your lawn needs help!
Your backyard lawn is in bad shape. It has large brown
patches, mushrooms, lots of weeds and any green grass
there is appears to be dying, not thriving. Your yard is 100’
deep and 60’ wide, has a cedar hedge on the west side, a
vegetable garden at the back (northeast corner) that is 10’D x
30’W, and chain link fence on the north, east and south sides.
There is a small deck (10’x10’) attached to the house and a
patio that is 10’Dx20’W off of the deck. My disposable
income after taxes and expenses is about $800/month.
Incorporating Applied Research into Education
 Fundamental Guidelines
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Have professor involved
Have students involved (typically)
Have Applied Research office involved
Encourage working with industrial partner from beginning
Meet all client’s needs whether business or technical
 College Provides
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Faculty (through course of SWF release)
Infrastructure – physical, financial, legal
Some funding
Applied Research office
Team Roles
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STUDENT
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Liaise with funders, clients
Purchasing
Budgeting
Contracts
Networking
Host Applied Research Day
Liaise with client
Scope and execute project
Write final report
Get course credits
Display at Applied Research Day
FUNDER
 Provide funds
 Introduce us to
SME partners
 Independent
analysis of clients
Applied
Research
Office
CLIENT
 Bring research idea/
problem to be solved
 Provide guidance to
students
 Provide resources
 Vetting of clients
 Timeline and Milestones
 Setting/Advising/managing
student teams
 Project review and
assessment
PROF
Standalone Projects (SAP) – Cash is King!
 Faculty member
 Full-timer SWF buy-out/11th month
 Depends on funding level and time commitments
 Part-timer paid as Research Associate
 Need to include in grant applications
 Technical liaison with company
 Directs students technical work
 Student Research Assistants
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Hire as part-timers during school, full-timers during summer/Co-op
Work directly for professor for technical aspects
May report to company, but employed by College
ARI handles timesheets, payment, administration
$12-20/hour, depending on skill level and project needs
In-Class Projects (ICP) – Marks Rule
 Integral part of course
 Best way to get as many students and faculty involved
 The team:
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Professor (coordinates as part of teaching load)
Students (3+ preferred; work for marks)
Client (industry/community group)
Funder (grants)
ARI (logistics/support/guidance)
 Interdisciplinary projects encouraged
Role of the STUDENT
 Take responsibility for the success of the project
 Draw upon appropriate resources, in order to make
informed decisions
 The responsibility of any choices however lies with the
student.
 Develop budgets, timelines, scope etc. in collaboration
with professor and client
 Apply for funding
 Execute project
 Report as appropriate
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Role of the INDUSTRIAL PARTNER
 Define project with assistance of faculty supervisor
 Contribute cash and in-kind support
 Provide technical supervision, support and guidance
for duration of project
 Inform students of the broader issues such as the
factors supporting a business case analysis
 Help students develop entrepreneurial/
intrapreneurial skills/mindset
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Role of the PROFESSOR
 Work with students and clients to create tentative
budget
 Consult with students weekly
 Set clear expectations for students
 Grade student
 Appoint student project team leaders
 Set clear expectations for industrial partner
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Competitions for ICP
 Have several groups working on same issue
 Choose best and continue developing it
 Works well for certain industrial projects
 Graphical User Interface design for telecom company
 Can include as class project
 Can run as open competition for whole college
Student-led (SAP or ICP)
 Student has own idea would like to develop
 Can apply for funding
 Encouraged to find faculty advisor/mentor
 Work closely with ARI to ensure solid work plan
Funding Sources
 Ontario Centres of Excellence
 Connections (ICP)
 Experiential Learning Program (ICP/SAP)
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Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
FedDev – Community Futures, Applied Research and
Commercialization
Wow! Free Money!
 If it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be
true
 Funding Organizations do not give away money
 Funding Organizations invest money
Administrivia
 Know and follow College policies around IP, Research
Ethics, Research Administration, Use of Animal,
Biohazards, Purchasing, HR
 Know and follow Funder funding criteria, expense
guidelines, reporting
 Metrics important so start early, measure often
 Risk management is important
 Have Research Collaboration Agreements
Chide.it
 Incubated company for 9 months
 Developed web based applications for
 Software
 Competition management
 In 4 years have grown to
 Over $1M sales
 Over 20 employees
Chide.it
 Algonquin
 Provided faculty and students
 Access to $225,000 in research funding
Hydro One
 Building on existing 4-college consortium
 Mohawk, Georgian, Northern, Algonquin
 Curriculum development
 Equipment
 Bursaries
 Added applied research to second contract
Hydro One
 Plugged-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicle
 Investigating impact on rural grid
 Determine monitoring equipment, parameters
 Have sourced additional funding from OCE
 Applying for more
Acknowledgements
 David Thibodeau
 Professor, Mechanical Engineering Technology
 ICP guru
 Office staff
 Tina, Ricc, John, Teri, Carmel, Alex, Kerry
 Focus on Learning for invitation
Questions?