Education Commons^™

Mentoring Prospective Engineering Students Through The After School Program "Girls In Engineering" Focused On Building An Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle, Vukica M. Jovanović, Deborah Marshall, Jeff Warren Larson Jr., Abdul Rahman Badawi, Neil R. Stclair, Otilia Popescu, Murat Kuzlu, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Linda Vahala, Michael Anthony Crespo

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A number of studies by engineering education researchers have pointed out that all-female teams, rather than mixed teams, result in better forms of participation and interaction in engineering related after-school programs and clubs. In particular, for after-school programs or clubs that form in response to a STEM competition, all-female teams have better chances of developing. One such competition, which will be discussed in this paper, is a regional Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) competition in which students from Blind_Review High School have been participating for many years.For each year’s competition, an all-female team of students enrolled in the Career and …

Effects Of Argumentation Prompts On Alternative Positions In Ill-Structured Problem-Solving, Chrysoula Malogianni

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Little is known about the role of prompts to help learners solve ill-structured learning problems. Instructors do not devote adequate time to formulate pedagogically useful prompts, and the usefulness of different types of prompt is unclear. The question of whether prompt variation can generate superior argumentative depth has not been resolved. This mixed-methods study, using quantitative and qualitative data collected from 32 students, examined the role of argumentative prompts in the writing of essays based on business case studies. The research questions were: Is there a significant relationship between the type of argumentative prompt and argumentative depth? Is there a …

Decision Making In The Sciences: Understanding Heuristic Use By Students In Problem Solving, Elizabeth Csikar

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of heuristics by students and gain insight into the thought process behind their problem-solving skills. The study used an adaptive narrative as the information delivery medium. An adaptive narrative was chosen because it could be designed to simulate decision making processes encountered in real world situations. Students enrolled in an introductory biology major class were chosen for the study because their fields of interest all require complex problem solving and decision-making skills. It was of interest to investigate what decisions were made when heuristics were given and how that may …

Supporting Mathematics Coaches' Learning Of Probability Through Professional Development Tasks, Mary C. Enderson, Melva R. Grant, Yating Liu

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This study was conducted to propose a framework of professional development tasks (PDTs) that may be used to enhance mathematics coaches’ content knowledge and understanding of student work, as well as to help them conceptualize their role in facilitating a professional learning community in school. In this qualitative design experiment, researchers developed and implemented a set of PDTs to use with elementary and middle school mathematics coaches. The PDTs, with a focus on K-8 probability topics, required coaches to conduct mathematics problem solving, student work analysis, and create a community to reflect individually and collaboratively on such experiences. Qualitative data …

The Utility Of Storytelling Strategies In The Biology Classroom, Elizabeth Csikar, Jill E. Stefaniak

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Conveying scientific information with high intrinsic cognitive load to students is a challenge. Often, students do not have the existing schema to incorporate the information in a comprehensive manner. One method that has shown promise is storytelling. Storytelling has been successfully used to convey public health information to non-experts. Therefore, it was of interest to determine whether storytelling could be used in the classroom to present information with high intrinsic load to students in a meaningful manner. This study used a post-test only quasi-experimental study design to explore the utility of storytelling as an instructional strategy in anatomy and physiology …

Give Me A Formula Not The Concept! Student Preference To Mathematical Problem Solving, Manveer Mann, Mary C. Enderson

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study was to assess student preference for procedural (formula-driven) versus conceptual (concept-driven) approaches to solve mathematical problems. Additionally, we evaluated differences in preferences among students who performed above average and those who performed at or below average on simple arithmetic problems.

Methods/Design and Sample: We used a single-factor (Instructional Approach: conceptual vs. procedural) between-subjects experiment. Instructional approach was manipulated using short embedded instructional videos. Students evaluated each approach on a five-point scale.

Results: We found that students (above-average and average/below-average) preferred the procedural approach to the conceptual approach. Interestingly, however, although students preferred …

Questions As A Generative Strategy For Knowledge Transfer And Problem Solving, Brett Howard Cook-Snell

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Consistent with generative learning theory, Grabowski (1996) suggests the use of questions may serve as an effective generative strategy for learning. However, the learning effects of questions have produced conflicting results (Bulu & Pedersen, 2010; Chen & Bradshaw, 2007; Choi, Land, & Turgeon, 2005; Chou & Liang, 2009; Davis & Linn, 2000; Dornisch & Sperling, 2008; Ge & Land, 2003). Similarly, there are five basic challenges inherent in question research (Andre, 1979). These include lack of intentional and consistent question design, lack of detail making it difficult to replicate studies, lack of control groups against which to measure differences, aggregation …

Aligning Technology Education Teaching With Brain Development, Petros Katsioloudis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This exploratory study was designed to determine if there is a level of alignment between technology education curriculum and theories of intellectual development. The researcher compared Epstein's Brain Growth Theory and Piaget's Status of Intellectual Development with technology education curriculum from Australia, England, and the United States. The researcher hypothesized that there would be alignment between technology education curriculum, brain growth, and intellectual development theories. The results indicate that students could become more technologically literate citizens if technology education was presented to them earlier in their school careers. School systems and students may be missing an opportunity since technology education …

Epistemic Strategies For Solving Two-Dimensional Physics Problems, Mary Elyse Hing-Hickman

Physics Theses & Dissertations

An epistemic strategy is one in which a person takes a piece of knowledge and uses it to create new knowledge. Students in algebra and calculus based physics courses use epistemic strategies to solve physics problems. It is important to map how students use these epistemic strategies to solve physics problems in order to provide insight into the problem solving process.

In this thesis three questions were addressed: (1) What epistemic strategies do students use when solving two-dimensional physics problems that require vector algebra? (2) Do vector preconceptions in kinematics and Newtonian mechanics hinder a student's ability to apply the …

Breathing Like A Fish, Petros J. Katsioloudis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article offers information on industrial oxygen rebreathers, an underwater breathing equipment used by divers. It states that rebreather is an electromechanical device that supply breathing gas through infusion of oxygen and reprocessing of carbon dioxide by using a chemical scrubber. It mentions that most rebreathers comprise of breathing loop, breathing lungs, and a canister where the scrubber is placed with the partial pressure (pO₂) sensors and interface devices like heads-up display (HUD) to show pO₂ levels. It also discusses types of rebreathers such as the oxygen rebreather, the oldest rebreather mainly used by navy diver, and …

A New Generation Of Goals For Technology Education, John M. Ritz

STEMPS Faculty Publications

[Introduction, First paragraph]

To develop meaningful instructional programs for technology education, goals need to be in place to direct the outcomes of curriculum development and teaching. Goals are program terminal outcomes that focus curriculum writers or teachers who structure content for learners. Goals provide direction so content can be delivered for long-term impact to students who study the subject. They go beyond everyday teaching objectives; they are directed at long-term learning and programmatic outcomes.

Privatization Initiatives: A Source For Engineering Economy Case Studies, Paul Kauffmann, Tarek Abdel-Salam, Keith Williamson, Carol L. Considine

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A case study method which reviews the basic structure of the circular A-76 privatization decision model is discussed. It highlights the possibilities for development of case studies that can challenge student teams to apply engineering economy tools while developing skills in a range of circular areas that are important to undergraduate engineering education and career success in engineering practice. Beyond building quantitative and qualitative business analysis skills, engineering economy cases can enhance student skills in other topical areas such as technical presentations, and report writing. The privatization initiatives and related decision models can also enhance human relations oriented skills in …

Active Learning In Distance Education, Carol Considine, Tony Dean

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Although there are many strategies for incorporating active learning exercises into the traditional classroom, incorporating active learning exercises in a distance education delivery format is more challenging. Active learning has been shown to enhance student performance and attitudes when used in conjunction with a traditional lecture format.¹ In order for students to be actively involved they must read, write, discuss, problem solve and engage higher-order thinking tasks such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.² The implementation of active learning exercises in distance education classes may help establish student rapport and enhance the feeling of community among the students in …

Systemic Issues In Asynchronous Delivery Of Graduate Engineering Management Programs, Charles Keating, David Dryer, Andres Sousa-Poza, William Peterson, Robert Safford

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The purpose of this paper is to examine systemic issues that impact the design, delivery, and maintenance of asynchronous engineering management educational products. Asynchronous education continues to rapidly evolve as an alternative to traditional classroom delivery. An asynchronous educational system requires the effective integration of technology, supporting processes, and infrastructure design to prepare, deliver, and maintain asynchronous educational products. Currently, the technological capabilities for delivery of asynchronous education have outstripped the ability to maximize those advanced technologies. To help understand this rift between technology and our ability to deploy that technology this paper examines three critical areas. First, the distinctions …

A Study Comparing The Technical Problem Solving Abilities Of Middle School Students Who Have Participated In One Or More Technology Education Courses To Those Of Students Having No Course Work In Technology Education, Anthony A. Cardoza

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem in this study was to compare the technical problem solving capabilities of middle school students that have had one or more nine-week courses in technology education with the technical problem solving capabilities of middle school students that had no course work in technology education.

A Study Of Creative And Critical Thinking Abilities Of Traditional As Compared To New Problem Solving Programs In Technology Education, Edward L. Welliver

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The following hypothesis was applied to this study: 1. The research contained in this study will demonstrate that the innovative approach to problem solving in education, characteristic of the "new" Technology Education programs, is more effective than is traditional Industrial Arts instruction.