Education Commons^™

Educational Outcomes From The Openorbiter Small Spacecraft Development Program, Jeremy Straub

Jeremy Straub

The OpenOrbiter program [1] is developing a low-cost framework for the creation of space-craft by researchers and educators worldwide [8]. In addition to the technical objectives, ed-ucational assessment [2, 3] has also been a key focus. Students working on development of the spacecraft [4] were asked what types of benefits they sought from their participation [5]. The assessment of the attainment of these benefits is ongoing, in conjunction with continued development in pursuit of the crea-tion of a set of designs that can be used to build a spacecraft with a cost of under $5,000 [13] .

Openorbiter Combined Software Work Breakdown Structure, Jeremy Straub, Timothy Whitney, Tyler Leben, Kelton Karboviak, Zach Maguire, Christoffer Korvald, Scott Kerlin

Jeremy Straub

As part of CSCI 297, students created work breakdown structures for different areas of the OpenOrbiter project’s software groups. In CSCI 207, they learned about all aspects of project management via experiential learning. They acted as project management ‘consultants’ to the OpenOrbiter software teams. To facilitate the creation of the work breakdown structures, they interviewed team leads, attended team meetings and discussed current progress and needs with members of the teams. In some cases, they collected additional information from reference sources and/or spoke with other teams which would be the ‘customer’ of a particular area of the software system. These …

A Proposed Learner-Centered Mechatronics Engineering Instructional Program, Patrick N. Currier, Richard Goff, Janis Terpenny

Patrick N. Currier

This paper examines the need and requirements for a mechatronics degree program. The results of a survey of the few existing programs in this field are provided. Then, using a case study example for Virginia Tech, a proposed mechatronics curriculum based on a learner-centered paradigm is described. The curriculum combines existing courses in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering with new, hands-on courses to provide students with a chance to practice and explore the subject matter in ways consistent with the demands of both industry and accreditation. This program, if implemented, could provide a university with a unique offering to attract …

Health Behavior Patterns Among First-Year And Non-First-Year College Students Attending A North Carolina Historically Black University, Dixie Dennis, Terence Hicks

Terence Hicks, Ph.D., Ed.D.

The major purpose of this study was to conduct a baseline investigation of self-rated health behavior and quality of life among first-year and non-first-year college students. The authors used a quality of life questionnaire that was designed to gauge college students' health status, lifestyle, mental health, and living conditions. Results from this study indicated that there were significant differences among health behavior patterns between first-year and non-first-year college students. Most importantly, this study provides compelling information regarding the physical and psychological health behaviors among a mostly African American student population who attended a historically Black university in North Carolina. Implications …

Assessing The Effects Of Parental Involvement On First-Generation And Second-Generation College Students, Terence Hicks

Terence Hicks, Ph.D., Ed.D.

Few researchers have studied the effects that parental influence has on first-generation and second-generation college students. This lack of empirical knowledge prompted this investigation on the effectiveness of parental involvement on first- and second-generation college student performance. A recent review of literature reveals that researchers have used different definitions of the "first-generation" concept (Bean&Metzner. 1985; Billson&Terry. 1982). Bean and Metzner (1985) examined the research on the correlation between parental education and the first-generation college student's persistence and reported that other researchers found equivocal results when examining this relationship. Billson and Terry (1987) argued, however, that the analysis performed by Bean …

Advising The First-Generation College Student: Effective Retention Tools For Colleges And Universities, Terence Hicks

Terence Hicks, Ph.D., Ed.D.

No abstract provided.

Academic Characteristics Among First-Generation And Non-First-Generation College Students, Catrina G. Murphy, Terence Hicks

Terence Hicks, Ph.D., Ed.D.

The present study involved a sample (n = 203) of college students and investigated the differences in academic expectations of first-generation and non-first-generation undergraduates who attended a doctoral-granting public four-year historically Black university on the eastern shore of Maryland. There were 133 first-generation and 70 non-first-generation students. This study focused on the expressed needs of first-generation and non-first-generation college students to determine whether differences exist in academic expectations. In addition, this study sought to lead to an increase in the understanding of the academic expectations shared by first-year first-generation and non-first-generation college students. This study used an ex post facto …

Correlates Of Alcohol Consumption, Drug Usage, Sexual Behaviors, And Knowledge About Hiv/Aids Infection Among Traditional College Students, Terence Hicks, Juanita Ashby-Bey, Leontye Lewis, Johnny Harpe, Francis Keane

Terence Hicks, Ph.D., Ed.D.

This study evaluated the correlates of alcohol consumption, drug use, sexual behaviors, and knowledge about HIVPIDS infection among traditional college students attending a university in North Carolina. A Health Behaviors, Self-Rated Health and Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaire was administered to 447 university students. The participants in this study were all identified as traditional college students between the ages of 18 and 23, most of whom were first-year African American students. Results from this study determined significant relationships between alcohol consumption, drug use, protective behaviors, and having sexual intercourse among traditional college students. Most importantly, this study documented statistically significant …

Hospitality Management Graduates' Perceptions Of Career Factor Importance And Career Factor Experience And The Relation With Turnover Intentions, Eric A. Brown

Eric A. Brown

Previous researchers have shown hospitality management students have different expectations than experiences in a career in the hospitality industry. The purpose of this research was to determine the importance and experiences of career factors of hospitality management graduates and how they relate to turnover intentions. In particular, differences between those that stayed in the hospitality and those that left the hospitality industry were examined. Web-based questionnaires were distributed to hospitality management graduates from different four-year institutions. These questionnaires were designed to measure the perception of experience and perceptions of importance of 20 factors that could influence a hospitality management graduate's …

The Dialectics Of Staff Unionism And University Management; Critical Discourse For Effective Educational Service Delivery, Olukunle Saheed Oludeyi, Adebayo Olatunde Akinsanya

Olukunle Saheed, OLUDEYI

This paper was poised by the lingering lamentations about the acute fall in standard of education and rapid knowledge declination among Nigerians today. The problem has become so intense that Nigerian ivory towers are now accused of producing ill-prepared and unemployable graduates who seriously lack the skills and competencies needed to positively assist the nation in its quest for growth and development. Unfortunately apart from poor university management, suspicious and insincere, if not selfish relationship between leadership of staff unions and leadership of university management is another factor impeding adequate and effective educational service delivery in Nigeria today. With pluralist …

A Curriculum-Integrated Small Spacecraft Program For Interdisciplinary Education, Jeremy Straub, Anders Nervold, Josh Berk

Jeremy Straub

Space generates inspiration, aspiration, and passion in many students, traits that are often lacking in the traditional college classroom. By utilizing a meaningful space project with a tangible product, which serves a valuable purpose in the curriculum, instructors can generate passion in their students with regards to the topics being explored. Additionally, it can fuel interest in aerospace science and commerce, guiding more students towards valuable STEM degrees and job opportunities, which can lead to future growth and fresh blood in the aging aerospace employee pool.

OpenOrbiter is a student-run research project at the University of North Dakota that can …

Modeling Spiritual Formation From A Distance - Paul's Formation Transactions With The Roman Christians, Benjamin Forrest

Benjamin Forrest

Unequal Access To Tertiary Education; Implication For National Security, Olukunle Saheed Oludeyi

Olukunle Saheed, OLUDEYI

This paper examines the growing rate of unequal access to tertiary education among Nigerian youths and its implication for national security. Although bias has existed during the colonial era, recent events reveal high waves of access-inequality and prejudice. Following the trend of violence, terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria today, this paper contends that youth education, reorientation and empowerment organized through unbiased processes are fundamental requisites for socio-economic, political and national security. The paper argues further that the number of youths who enjoy unrestricted access to tertiary education is unequal to the number of those who find it as privilege rather …

Introduction To The Ilr School At Fifty: Voices Of The Faculty, Alumni, And Friends, David B. Lipsky

David B Lipsky

[Excerpt] Today the school's faculty is as strong as it has ever been. It consists of renowned researchers and accomplished practitioners who are, at the same time, dedicated to their students and to classroom teaching. Our students are outstanding—so outstanding that I wonder if I could be admitted if I were applying today! Our extension and outreach programs serve 30,000 adults every year and are the envy of all our academic competitors. As we look to the future we know we have a solid foundation on which to build. In dreams begin responsibilities. The dream that Irving Ives and a …

The Future Lies Ahead (With Apology To Mort Sahl), David B. Lipsky

David B Lipsky

[Excerpt] The progress and development of the ILR School during the past 50 years, though sometimes uneven in both pace and direction, has largely met the promise and expectations embodied in the founding legislation. The fulfillment of the legislative purpose testifies to the contributions of those many individuals and institutions with whom we have interacted over this period of astonishing growth in size, complexity of structure and programs, and recognized stature at home and abroad in both the academic and practitioner worlds. Because the largest part of my professional life h a s been spent as a member of the …