New tech at Manchester Community College
Peter La Monica, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Computer Science at Manchester Community College, discussed some of the innovative new programs and courses being offered at the college, as well as the cutting-edge technology shaping the future of education.
Tell us about the new programs and courses being offered.
There are two new programs. One is the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Program. We’ve taken out some of the database stuff and focused more on artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language programming and computer vision. … We aim to help students make sense of vast amounts of data generated during cyber investigations and use artificial intelligence to analyze and interpret it effectively. … Students can also complete work and get certifications from Amazon Web Services. The other program is Computer Science and Extended Reality. This is an exciting new program where students can join virtual reality classrooms using VR headsets or flat screens. We’re teaching them about platforms to create virtual and augmented reality meetings, making interactions more immersive than traditional Zoom meetings.
What are some real-world applications or careers that students with these skills can pursue?
The Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence program is mainly designed for programmers and focuses on using AI in various fields like advanced manufacturing, healthcare and the cyber world. … Many products and applications today use artificial intelligence, making programming skills highly valuable. … The Computer Science and Extended Reality program is geared towards students who want to work in an office or contract for an office to design meeting spaces or even create virtual avatars for websites. … It can be applied in onboarding, training, meetings and classes, to provide a more engaging and immersive experience.
How do you keep up with the rapid advancements in this field while developing the curriculum?
Staying up-to-date with technology is essential. We closely monitor new products and trends, especially in emerging technologies like 5G and virtual reality. We ensure our students have access to the latest technology, like 5G antennas and virtual reality headsets, to learn and explore these cutting-edge fields.
How have students responded to these new programs?
Students in the Extended Reality class loved it and said it was more engaging than anything they had ever done before. They had the option of coming to class [in person] or [attending via] the metaverse, and most of them did the metaverse. They think it’s great, because this is the type of world they live in now.
Did offering these programs require any additional resources or facilities?
For the Artificial Intelligence program, we had to enhance some computing platforms. However, we had planned ahead and managed most of it progressively. As for Extended Reality, we invested in virtual reality headsets and have been preparing for this program since 2017, waiting for the technology and infrastructure to catch up.
Why did the college decide to invest in these programs for students?
We believe in providing students with opportunities to create successful careers. Technology is the future … and extended reality and augmented reality are becoming a major transition in technology. Everything is going to start to go into this virtual world, in various industries. It’s not really in the mainstream yet, but we want our students to know about it and to start using it so that they can be at the forefront of these advancements. We want to equip them with cutting-edge skills and give them an edge in the job market.