Education Commons^™

Quantifying The Information Habits Of High School Students Engaged In Engineering Design, Nathan Mentzer, Michael J. Fosmire

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

stract This study measured the information gathering behaviors of high school students who had taken engineering design courses as they solved a design problem. The authors investigated what types of information students accessed, its quality, when it was accessed during the students’ process, and if it impacted their thinking during the activity. Students overwhelmingly relied on internet searching to acquire information, rather than printed materials available to them. The sites they found were generally popular rather than technical, and persuasive (i.e., trying to sell something) rather than informative. The high school students understood the need for information, as they sought …

Teacher Beliefs About Motivating And Teaching Students To Carry Out Engineering Design Challenges: Some Initial Data, James P. Van Haneghan, Susan A. Pruet, Rhonda Neal-Waltman, Jessica M. Harlan

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

The present study examines middle school teachers’ beliefs about seven learning outcomes related to a project that involves developing and examining the effects of a set of engineering design modules constructed for use by middle school math and science teachers. Overall, the teachers involved in the intervention appear to believe they have the instructional skills, professional development, and resources to carry out the modules. Teachers from all of the schools (both intervention and comparison schools) for the most part valued the outcomes as important. Results of the study indicate that, although teachers believe they value and can obtain most of …

Transforming Institutions: Undergraduate Stem Education For The 21st Century, Gabriela C. Weaver, Wilella D. Burgess, Amy L. Childress, Linda Slakey

Purdue University Press Books

Higher education is coming under increasing scrutiny, both publically and within academia, with respect to its ability to appropriately prepare students for the careers that will make them competitive in the 21^st-century workplace. At the same time, there is a growing awareness that many global issues will require creative and critical thinking deeply rooted in the technical STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines. However, the existing and ingrained structures of higher education, particularly in the STEM fields, are not set up to provide students with extensive skill development in communication, teamwork, and divergent thinking, which is needed …

Pbl In The Era Of Reform Standards: Challenges And Benefits Perceived By Teachers In One Elementary School, Nahid Nariman, Janet Chrispeels

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

We explore teachers’ efforts to implement problem-based learning (PBL) in an elementary school serving predominantly English learners. Teachers had an opportunity to implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) using PBL in a summer school setting with no test-pressures. To understand the challenges and benefits of PBL implementation, a case study method was used and a variety of data collected. Results suggest collaboration amongst teachers is essential to design and implement PBL units. A challenge was the tension between the contradictory accountability and curriculum coverage goals of the regular academic year versus letting go to promote inquiry. Both teachers and …

A Consensus On The Definition And Knowledge Base For Computer Graphics, Michael Alden Roller

Open Access Dissertations

Despite several decades of historical innovation, measurable impacts, and multiple specializations the existing knowledge base for Computer Graphics (CG) lacks consensus, and numerous definitions for it have been published based on distinct contexts. Disagreement among post-secondary academics has divided CG programs into three contextual areas that emphasize different topics. This division has resulted in the decontextualization of CG education, and CG programs now face several challenges in meeting the needs of industry. Employing the Delphi Method, this investigation explored the perceptions among post-secondary educators and industry professionals about the definition of CG and how it is identified in terms of …

(Re)Counting Meaningful Learning Experiences: Using Student-Created Reflective Videos To Make Invisible Learning Visible During Pjbl Experiences, Shaunna Smith

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

This ethnographic case study investigated how the process of learning during a yearlong after-school, project-based learning (PjBL) experience could be documented by student-created reflective videos. Guided by social constructivism, constant comparative analysis was used to explore the meaningful learning that took place in addition to the planned curricula, resulting in an exploration of the intersections of life lessons that include (a) “making learning more real,” (b) being “on a mission to change the world,” and (c) “you can’t control anybody but yourself.” Findings from the study indicate that student-created reflective videos can document meaningful learning that is capable of “counting” …

The Effect Of Senior Medical Student Tutors Compared To Faculty Tutors On Examination Scores Of First- And Second-Year Medical Students In Two Problem-Based Learning Courses, Damon H. Sakai, Marcel D'Eon, Krista Trinder, Richard T. Kasuya

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

At the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, senior medical student volunteers are used as tutors for some problem-based learning groups in both the first and second years. Previous studies on the advantages and disadvantages of student tutors compared to faculty tutors have been equivocal. This study expected to answer the following question: Are there differences in examination scores for learners in their first or second year tutored by fourth-year medical students compared to those tutored by faculty members on two different types of examinations? Students were assessed using more clinically relevant, modified essay question examinations and …

Model Of The Use Of Evolutionary Trees (Muet), Yi Kong, Trevor Anderson, Nancy Pelaez

PIBERG Instructional Innovation Materials

This Glossary is intended for both teachers and their students who are learning about evolutionary trees. To improve K-14 teachers’ and students’ as well as non-biology major undergraduate students’ understanding of trees, the Model of the Use of Evolutionary Trees (MUET) was developed based on professional biologists’ use of evolutionary trees in their scientific publications in 2012-2013. Definitions of terminology in this Glossary are referenced to published literature listed at the end of this Glossary. In addition to the Glossary and the MUET in html format, below as an additional link to a file giving you the Glossary in MSWord …

Editorial, Patricia L. Darbishire

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

No abstract provided.

Transforming Pedagogy: Changing Perspectives From Teacher-Centered To Learner-Centered, Sharon Dole, Lisa Bloom, Kristy Kowalske

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

This study used an online-structured interview methodology to examine the impact of an intensive field experience in facilitating problem (PBL) and project-based learning (PjBL) on teachers’ pedagogy. The purpose of the study was to determine to what extent the field experience had transformed their teaching. Data were collected in the form of online interviews with 36 participants who completed the gifted education licensure program at a regional state university in the southeast. The online interviews were followed up with telephone interviews with four of the participants. The resulting themes can be grouped under the major categories of teacher-related and student-related …

Math, Science, And Engineering Integration In A High School Engineering Course: A Qualitative Study, Clara G. Valtorta, Leema K. Berland

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

Engineering in K-12 classrooms has been receiving expanding emphasis in the United States. The integration of science, mathematics, and engineering is a benefit and goal of K-12 engineering; however, current empirical research on the efficacy of K-12 science, mathematics, and engineering integration is limited. This study adds to this growing field, using discourse analysis techniques to examine whether and why students integrate math and science concepts into their engineering design work. The study focuses on student work during a unit from a high school engineering course. Video data were collected during the unit and were used to identify episodes of …

Preparing Today’S Learners: The Role Of Information Literacy In The Adoption Of Innovative Pedagogies, Clarence Maybee

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This presentation was given at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, Australia on April 20, 2015 as part of the Salon Series.

The presentation described how Purdue University supports teachers developing new classroom experiences through an educational initiative called Instruction Matters: Purdue Academic Course Transformation (IMPACT), which draws together expertise from areas of specialization throughout the campus to support course transformation. Drawing from four years of IMPACT programming and related research, two beneficial aspects of Purdue’s approach to this work were discussed in the presentation:

• The creation of productive partnerships between teachers, instructional designers, instructional technologists and librarians, whose …

Editor's Introduction, Michael M. Grant

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

No abstract provided.

Online Searching In Pbl Tutorials, Jun Jin, Susan M. Bridges, Michael G. Botelho, Lap Ki Chan

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

This study aims to explore how online searching plays a role during PBL tutorials in two undergraduate health sciences curricula, Medicine and Dentistry. Utilizing Interactional Ethnography (IE) as an organizing framework for data collection and analysis, and drawing on a critical theory of technology as an explanatory lens, enabled a textured understanding of student practices and beliefs regarding online searching during face-to-face PBL tutorials. Two event maps trace key transitions in learning regarding online searching in one cycle of problem-based learning in each program. From a critical perspective, analysis of students’ stimulated recall interviews indicated that the use of students’ …

A Qualitative Study On How Health Professional Students And Their Pbl Facilitators Perceive The Use Of Mobile Devices During Pbl, Lap Ki Chan, Susan M. Bridges, Iain Doherty, Manwa L. Ng, Jun Jin, Neel Sharma, Nam Kiu Chan, Henrietta Yan Yu Lai

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Mobile devices are increasingly being used by undergraduate students to access online information in the problem-based learning (PBL) process, initially in the self-directed phase, and more recently within face-to-face tutorials. This qualitative study across three undergraduate health professional programs used semi-structured interviews to investigate facilitators’ and students’ perceptions of mobile device usage in PBL tutorials. Transcribed interviews were analyzed thematically, drawing on the principles of grounded theory. Implications for future practice were identified. Students perceived that mobile devices are useful and convenient for instant access to various sources of information, for note taking, and for visually sharing their research and …

Social Constructivism And Case-Writing For An Integrated Curriculum, Alison F. Doubleday, Blase Brown, Philip A. Patston, Pamela Jurgens-Toepke, Meaghan Driscoll Strotman, Anne Koerber, Colin Haley, Charlotte Briggs, G. William Knight

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Case-writing within an integrated, systems-based health professions education curriculum presents many unique challenges. Specifically, case-writing in this context must consider integration of multidisciplinary learning objectives and synthesis of biomedical and clinical sciences. Establishing an effective process for content integration and determining who should be involved in the case-writing process can be a daunting task and this specific context requires a new model for effective casewriting. This paper provides a model for the cycle of case development, implementation, evaluation and modification in an integrated, systems-based health professions curriculum. We highlight how this collaborative case-writing model parallels the social constructivist approach promoted …

How Do Moroccan Teachers Conceptualize Citizenship?, Tarik Saadi

Open Access Dissertations

Citizenship education plays a critical role in the development of civic attitudes and contributes to the appropriate delivery of a government's policy. However, there is a discrepancy in the literature in defining the meaning and understanding of citizenship concepts. This study is primarily qualitative in nature, using the method of phenomengraphy to investigate teachers' perceptions of citizenship in Morocco. The study recruited six elementary and secondary teachers from Casablanca and Rabat in Morocco to identify their understanding of citizenship. I adapted the three-phase interview approach proposed by Irving Seidman (1998) to frame the interviews with the teachers. The findings demonstrated …

Technology Use Of Online Instructors With High Self-Efficacy: A Multiple Case Study, Barbara L. Albee

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to understand how online instructors with perceived high self-efficacy for online teaching use technology in the online class and how their use compares to a common list of best practices for use of technology with online instruction. One-on-one interviews with four case study participants were the main source of data collection along with direct observations of the participants' online courses. The case study participants were selected based on results from a Sense of Efficacy for Online Teaching Scale and willingness to move forward with the case study. Conventional data analysis was …

A Concept Paper On Networks Of Excellence For Research And Education, Suresh V. Garimella, David B. Janes, Anne Slaughter Andrew

PPRI Digital Library

Research and education ecosystems, foundational components of knowledge-based economies, are relatively underdeveloped in Latin America. The entire ecosystem of a research university — including resources, corporate partnerships, and research — must capitalize on a symbiosis between the research, education and commercialization missions. A university cannot transform unilaterally nor can universities sustain the required transformation without government and industry participation. Initiatives to accelerate the development of research university ecosystems are critical for the realization of knowledge-based economies and resilient civil societies.

To accelerate the development of research and education ecosystems across the Americas, the authors propose to establish “Networks of Excellence” …

Informe Sobre El Taller Universidad Del Futuro Colombia-Purdue, Suresh V. Garimella, David B. Janes, Liliana Gómez Díaz

PPRI Digital Library

El Taller Universidad del Futuro, un evento conjunto de Colombia y Purdue, se llevó a cabo en la Universidad de Purdue en West Lafayette, Indiana, el 28 y 29 de octubre de 2014. Entre sus participantes hubo rectores y consejeros de seis importantes universidades de Colombia, junto con directores ejecutivos de ONG, funcionarios públicos de Estados Unidos y Colombia, y profesores y administradores de Purdue. El taller se centró en el diálogo entre los participantes sobre los programas y áreas de investigación clave que permitirán que las universidades den respuesta a las necesidades del siglo XXI en toda América.

Este …

Assessment Of Competencies Required For Facilities Management Of Educational Institutions, Dipthi Prakash Raavi

Open Access Theses

A facility manager of a campus, in the present times, is usually confused about the scope of his or her job as the expectations of the building owners or employees have increased. (Cotts, Roper & Payant, 2010) The expectations, along with the constant evolution of the construction industry, have created a need for people in this profession to progress along with the times and increase their understanding of the industry. The job description of a facilities manager also varies depending upon the purpose of a facility. The study focused on determining the competencies that are required to become an efficient …

University Of The Future Colombia-Purdue Workshop Report, Suresh V. Garimella, David B. Janes, Liliana Gómez Díaz

PPRI Digital Library

The University of the Future Workshop, a joint Colombia-Purdue event, was held at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, October 28-29, 2014. Participants included rectors and board members from six top universities in Colombia, along with executive directors of NGOs, government representatives from the U.S. and Colombia, and Purdue faculty and administrators. The workshop was focused on a dialog among participants on key programs and focuses that will allow universities to be responsive to the 21st century needs of the Americas.

This report is a summary of the workshop and is based on the contributions of all the participants. Key …

Documento Conceptual Sobre Redes De Excelencia Para La Investigación Y La Educación, Suresh V. Garimella, David B. Janes, Anne Slaughter Andrew

PPRI Digital Library

“Redes de Excelencia” focalizadas permitirán que las instituciones en América Latina desarrollen ecosistemas de investigación y educación de un modo mucho más rápido que si siguieran procesos "orgánicos" o locales. Una vez implementados, estos ecosistemas no solo permitirán profundas transformaciones que lleven a economías basadas en el conocimiento, sino que también desempeñarán roles claves en las redes necesarias para los sistemas de innovación regionales.

Para acelerar el desarrollo de ecosistemas de investigación y educación en toda América, los autores proponen establecer “Redes de Excelencia” en las áreas claves. Cada Red de Excelencia será multiinstitucional, multisectorial (universidad, empresa, gobierno, ONG) y …

The Positive Impact Of Project-Based Learning On Attendance Of An Economically Disadvantaged Student Population: A Multiyear Study, Casey Creghan, Kathleen Adair-Creghan

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Students who do not regularly attend high school are at an increased risk of failure in the classroom and may eventually contribute to a higher dropout rate. More specifically, the attendance rates of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have traditionally been lower than those with average means. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effects of a project-based learning (PjBL) environment on economically disadvantaged high school students in regard to their attendance rates. Data were collected in order to compare attendance rates of a school utilizing traditional teaching methodologies with a school using PjBL as the …

Differ In Socio-Cognitive Processes? Some Comparisons Between Paper And Video Triggered Pbl, Jingyan Lu, Lap Ki Chan

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

This paper investigates whether paper and video triggers stimulate different social and cognitive processes during PBL. The study focused on how medical students identified and described problems, and how they built shared cognitions that lead them to diagnose and solve problems. The results showed that students who used video triggers put more effort into communicating their understanding of the problem and relevant knowledge than students who used paper triggers. The findings contribute to discussions on how to evaluate the effectiveness of different PBL triggers in order to better integrate them into the curriculum.

Information Literacy In The “Pathway To Success”, Sharon A. Weiner

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This presentation explored how information literacy contributes to college student success. Examples of how other universities address information literacy illustrated practical and effective strategies. Finally, the speaker suggested ways that information literacy could support strategic initiatives at Indiana State.

Using Game-Based Learning To Foster Critical Thinking In Student Discourse, Marc I. Cicchino

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Previous research indicates the importance of student discourse in the construction of knowledge and the fostering of critical thinking skills, especially in the field of problem-based learning (PBL). Further, a growing body of research on game-based learning (GBL) draws parallels between playing certain types of games and the solving of ill-structured problems, citing similar conditions for learning (student centered, small student groups, teachers as facilitators, problems as vehicles for development), and similar learning outcomes (communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration) as PBL. However, there is a gap in understanding how GBL affects critical thinking as embodied by student discourse when implemented …