SENSE

American Welding Online will provide support for AWS SENSE schools through online learning content designed to be implemented in the SENSE classrooms, as well as by offering the SENSE LEVEL 1 module exams.

In the near future, AWO will afford SENSE schools a new student and instructor registration process, student module and completion examinations, student technical skill assessment testing, and school benchmarking functionalities in a new SENSE interface. AWO will also offer instructors with complementary online content that can be utilized in their classrooms.

Over the last year, the AWS Education Services staff has had numerous discussions with SENSE schools, students, and instructors about ways to improve the quality of the AWS SENSE program and facilitate its implementation and use. The four most common suggestions were:

1. Online testing for module and completion exams
2. Online student tracking and reporting
3. Better access to information and resources
4. Modularization of SENSE Level II

I would like to take this opportunity to describe how the new AWS SENSE Online system addresses these issues and provide a brief update on SENSE Level II.

SENSE Online Registration, Tracking, and Testing System

Over the last six months, AWS has been working diligently to develop a SENSE Online registration, tracking, and testing system. The SENSE Online system will provide several key functions to school administrators, instructors and students. First, administrators will be able to track student progression through their school’s program, run a variety of reports including school, state and national comparisons, and manage school instructors and students through the online database.

SENSE Management ENTIRELY online

Secondly, instructors will be able to manage the entirety of the SENSE program online. Student registration, records, graduation, and payments can be managed through the AWO website, thus eliminating the need for instructors to mail paperwork to AWS headquarters. One of the system’s most important features is online testing for SENSE module and completion exams, which includes the instructor’s ability to set testing parameters. The system will automatically grade the exams, update student records, and make the information instantaneously available to students and instructors.

Alpha Testing for SENSE Level I Nearly Complete

Alpha testing on the new SENSE Online system for SENSE Level I is nearly complete and we will begin a closed BETA test with approximately 10 schools within the next week. The closed BETA is scheduled to last for three weeks, but may be extended if any issues in the system arise. Once we feel comfortable with the functionality and stability of the system, we will open it to all SENSE schools.

Update on SENSE Level II Program

The AWS Education Committee has also been working hard to complete the updated version of the SENSE Level II program. The EG3.0: 2012 document is complete and is currently being prepared for printing. The committee is presently completing a comprehensive review and update of the SENSE Level II exams. We project that the revised SENSE Level II will be available for distribution within the next 12 weeks. The SENSE Level II Online system will be released simultaneously with the new EG3.0.

User Manual Under Development

Even though the SENSE Online system was designed to be user friendly and intuitive, a comprehensive user manual for administrators and instructors is currently under development and will be available for complimentary download prior to the release of the system to SENSE schools. In addition to the manual, a series of tutorial videos will also be made available to all users.

In the coming weeks, I will be sending several updates and informative emails to all SENSE Schools concerning these exciting developments.

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at dhernandez@aws.org or Nichole Bradley at nbradley@aws.org.

Sincerely,

David Hernandez

American Welding Society