How Technology is Changing Hands-On Learning

Nursing students at Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center in Chillicothe rescue a “victim” suffering from cardiac arrest in an exercise that uses a high-fidelity mannequin to simulate a vast range of symptoms, medical events and behaviors. Elsewhere at the center, a fire-training unit allows the creation of a live fire that generates smoke in a controlled environment for those enrolled in the firefighter program.  

“Our firefighter students suit up and feel what it’s really going to be like in the field,” says Carrie Fife, Director of Adult Education at Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center. “Those simulations are critical.”

Students benefit greatly from these sorts of advanced equipment and tools, and the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills grants (commonly known as RAPIDS grants) make this connection possible. 

The phrase “regionally aligned” is key, Fife says, explaining that higher-education institutions across the area gather to discuss what training is necessary — from the equipment to the technology to the skills — to fulfill in-demand job openings. All state-funded equipment and technology acquisitions to facilitate learning are endorsed by local employers. Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center has employer-advisory committees that represent each department at the school. 

“We are hearing every day they need maintenance mechanics, Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses,” Fife says of the region’s employment gaps. “So, when we go to the table to advocate, we seek recommendations from employers who write letters to validate a need.” 

The idea is for students to gain competency and confidence in the latest technologies and best practices so they become attractive job candidates for employers in the area. 

“A lot of our students are hands-on learners, and it’s not as relevant if they read about it or watch videos,” Fife says. “We want them to get their hands on equipment, touch, feel and perform the task.” 

The program that started in 2015 with $8 million in funding has consistently grown by leveraging state capital funds and higher-education bonds, and six rounds of funding has infused more than $48 million to career technical centers, preparing students for in-demand careers. 

“The state is investing across the geography in equipment so students of all ages can be successful in their careers,” says John Magill, Associate Vice Chancellor, Economic Advancement for the Ohio Department of Higher Education. “We are working to help fund equipment and place it near families and students — not just those coming out of high school but also older students making a transition or who need training to get promoted. RAPIDS funding is giving individuals a big step ahead.”

In addition, a $40 million Super RAPIDS program from the Ohio Department of Higher Education is bolstering the initiative with even more support. 

“Advanced manufacturing has been a preeminent investment area, followed by healthcare and information technology,” Magill says, adding that, in some cases, the equipment being funded is the same model of machine those learning will use when employed. “We are seeing students be more responsible for their own learning because they know they will see this equipment in the field, and they want to be successful.” 

This story ran in the Winter-Spring 2024 issue of College 101.