Partnership to recharge computer science education in Cd'A
University of Idaho student Dan Blanchette adjusts a piece in a programmable logic controlled mini-factory in the computer science labs in Coeur d’Alene.
Courtesy of University of Idaho
COEUR d'ALENE — Doctoral students from University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene will now be able to give supervised instruction to North Idaho College students in associate-level computer science courses offered at the NIC campus.
U of I and NIC are partnering under the new “North Idaho Fellowship for Excellence in Computer Science and Robotics Engineering,” and U of I Coeur d’Alene Center Executive Officer Andrew Fields said the agreement benefits all students involved.
“This partnership is a win-win because not only do our doctoral students get valuable supervised teaching experience, but NIC students get access to computer science instructors that are otherwise unavailable in today’s local market,” Fields said.
Fellows will be selected and supervised by U of I computer science faculty, and NIC and U of I will collaborate on curriculum and instructional delivery for the courses. The partnership is set to begin in the Fall 2024 semester and continue for four years.
The fellowship agreement will strengthen and streamline pathways for local computer science students by enabling them to pursue each academic degree level at the NIC campus. Students can achieve any computer science degree they desire — from an associate degree to a Ph.D. — without leaving Coeur d’Alene.
“We get access to great instructors in a growing field and students have tremendous opportunities open up for them right here in North Idaho," said NIC President Nick Swayne. "It’s a game-changer.”
All courses offered through the fellowship are associate's-degree level courses that NIC currently offers; however, faculty shortages have stalled enrollment in computer science courses, which include computer organization and assembly language, programming language, computer operating systems and system software.
U of I Dean of Engineering Suzanna Long said bringing undergraduate and graduate students together can forge an important and impactful connection.
“Supervised teaching experiences will provide these fellows with amazing opportunities to share their passion for computer science with a rising audience of undergraduate students and may help the fellows find their career path,” Long said.
The Hedlund Building on NIC’s campus is home to both NIC’s computer science program and U of I Coeur d’Alene’s computer science program, which is a program within the university’s College of Engineering. U of I’s Center for Intelligent Industrial Robotics is also based out of the Vandal computer science program housed in the Hedlund Building on NIC’s campus.
“This partnership is important for U of I and NIC to help meet the needs of a rapidly growing industry in a rapidly growing state,” Fields said. “It’s a good investment for both higher education and the industry throughout Idaho and the nation, and the benefits to computer science students in Coeur d’Alene cannot be overstated.”
For information, contact U of I Coeur d’Alene at 208-667-2588 or cdactr@uidaho.edu.