MIT
Reports to the President 1994-95
The Lowell Institute School (LIS) was established at MIT in 1903 to provide
evening instruction in technical subjects for residents of the Boston area.
Today the School continues this tradition by offering subjects in the areas of
modern technology which are not readily available at other evening
institutions. Entry-level courses require an adequate high school preparation,
and the more advanced instruction is geared to the practicing technician who
has an Associate degree or equivalent experience.
Programs of study range from single subjects designed to broaden job skill
levels to comprehensive study of new technological areas in preparation for
employment in a new field. There is a strong emphasis on practical aspects and
development of careful experimental technique combined with sufficient theory
to provide an adequate foundation of understanding. Certificates are awarded
to those who satisfactorily complete a course. In addition, students who
complete a program of courses may earn a Certificate in Electronics Technology,
Computer Technology, or Engineering Drawing.
During 1994-95, LIS offered 40 different courses in analog and digital
electronics, microprocessors, computer literacy, computer aided drafting and
circuit board design, engineering drawing, computer networking, and computer
programming in BASIC, C, UNIX, and X-Windows. In addition to refresher courses
in mathematics, calculus was included in the curriculum.
New courses were introduced in QuarkXPress, CorelDRAW, Visual Basic
programming, advanced computer networking, engineering materials and processes,
field programmable gate array design, and SMD concepts for printed circuit
design.
A summer program was continued this year to respond to the heavy demand for
computer instruction. Two hundred thirty five students enrolled in courses in
AutoCAD, CorelDRAW, computer literacy, computer networking, Mathcad, the IBM
disk operating system, and programming in BASIC, Visual Basic, C, UNIX, and
X-Window environments.
LIS admitted a total of 1120 students to its courses in 1994-95. Of those
enrolled, 180 were MIT employees and 232 were women, with 80 percent of the
students enrolled completing the course requirements. Nineteen completed the
eight-course Certificate Program: five in Electronics Technology, six in
Engineering Drawing, and eight in Computer Technology. Twenty-one percent of
the students were women desiring to enter or to improve their positions in
technical fields. The instructing staff of 40 includes one black, three
Asians, and three women.
The past academic year has seen LIS continue its program of unique courses
which no other Boston area school can match. The high percentage of students
who successfully complete their courses indicates that both the subjects
offered and the level of instruction are well matched to their needs.
Bruce D. Wedlock
MIT
Reports to the President 1994-95