Computer Engineering Commons^™

Work In Progress: Teaching Game Design And Robotics Together: A Natural Marriage Of Computing And Engineering Design In A First-Year Engineering Course, Adam R. Carberry, Ashish Amresh

Ashish Amresh

The increased dependence on computer programming in engineering has made it essential for engineering students to learn about programming throughout their undergraduate education. In the same vein, computing students benefit when given an opportunity to learn more about engineering design and systematic thinking. This paper discusses how one college embedded computing and engineering into a combined first-year introductory course. The course fuses computing and engineering using game design and robotics as an offering for both cohorts of students to work together in a multidisciplinary environment. Over the course of the semester, students learn introductory computing and engineering design concepts by …

Pythagorean Combinations For Lego Robot Building., Ronald I. Greenberg

Ronald Greenberg

This paper provides tips for LEGO robot construction involving bracing or gear meshing along a diagonal using standard Botball kits.

Pythagorean Approximations For Lego: Merging Educational Robot Construction With Programming And Data Analysis, Ronald I. Greenberg

Ronald Greenberg

Abstract. This paper can be used in two ways. It can provide reference information for incorporating diagonal elements (for bracing or gear meshing) in educational robots built from standard LEGO kits. Alternatively, it can be used as the basis for an assignment for high school or college students to recreate this information; in the process, students will exercise skills in both computer programming and data analysis. Using the paper in the second way can be an excellent integrative experience to add to an existing course; for example, the Exploring Computer Science high school curriculum concludes with the units “Introduction to …

The Engineering Admissions Partnership Program: A Navigation Strategy For Community College Students Seeking A Pathway Into Engineering, Marcia R. Laugerman, Mack C. Shelley, Steven K. Mickelson, Diane T. Rover

Diane Rover

This paper presents the evaluation of a program designed to improve transfer outcomes for community college students pursuing an engineering degree. The program, the Engineering Admissions Partnership Program (E-APP), was designed to improve the navigational success of community college transfer students through connections to the university. These connections include coordinated academic advising, peer-mentoring, campus visits, and online social and professional networks. The objective of the study is to determine the efficacy of the E-APP and its interventions, which will be measured by increased participation rates and increased university retention rates for E-APP participants. Outcome data for the students are analyzed …

Augmented Reality Engine In Classroom_Hololens.Jpg, Lori Brown

Lori Brown

Session D-4: Coolhub.Imsa: Collaborative Innovation In Action, Carl Heine, James Gerry

Carl Heine

Transform STEM teaching and learning with CoolHub.IMSA, a free virtual platform where youth and adults collaborate on projects they create. Explore the site through the eyes of project members and discover powerful ways to collaborate, innovate and network for learning.

Social Media For Informal Science Learning In China: A Case Study, Ke Zhang, Fei Gao

Fei Gao

This article reports a case study on a popular informal science learning community via social media in China, named GuoKr (meaning “nutshell” in English). Data were collected through a variety of Chinese social media and social networking sites, web-based community portals, and discussion boards. Content analyses and data mining were conducted to investigate how GuoKr successfully attracted and engaged public in informal learning on scientific topics in particular. The study found three key characteristics that contributed to the success of such learning communities: (a) utilizing a variety of social media to empower participants with just-in-time, accidental learning opportunities; (b) daily …

Comparing Role-Playing Activities In Second Life And Face-To-Face Environments, Fei Gao, Jeongmin J. Noh, Matthew J. Koehler

Fei Gao

This study compared student performances in role-playing activities in both a face-to-face (FTF) environment and a virtual 3D environment, Second Life (SL). We found that students produced a similar amount of communication in the two environments, but the communication styles were different. In SL role-playing activities, students took more conversational turns, but have shorter exchanges compared to the FTF environment. Students generated an equal amount of topic-related concepts in the two environments. They also reported role-playing activities in SL as more interesting and less formal. The educational implications for this study are discussed.

Case Study Of Using A Social Annotation Tool To Support Collaboratively Learning, Fei Gao

Fei Gao

The purpose of the study was to understand student interaction and learning supported by a collaboratively social annotation tool — Diigo. The researcher examined through a case study how students participated and interacted when learning an online text with the social annotation tool — Diigo, and how they perceived their experience. The findings suggested that students participated actively in the collaborative learning activity and were engaged in a variety of behaviors including self-reflection, elaboration, internalization, and showing support. Although students generally had a moderately positive attitude toward using the social annotation tool for collaborative learning, a few problems were identified. …

Exploring The Use Of Discussion Strategies And Labels In Asynchronous Online Discussion, Fei Gao

Fei Gao

Drawing on research in both constrained online discussion environments and strategy instruction, this approach combines explicit instruction on discussion strategies with the use of post type labels. In a trial of this approach in an online course, students actively used the discussion strategies and post type labels in their discussion. Analysis of student posts and survey responses suggested that students in the experimental group used discussion strategies more frequently after the intervention as compared to the control group and perceived that this approach positively impacted their discussions. In addition, there is a certain degree of improvement in the quality of …

Enhancing Classroom Learning Experience By Providing Structures To Microblogging-Based Activities, Tian Luo, Fei Gao

Fei Gao

Microblogging tools such as Twitter have been frequently adopted in educational settings to facilitate learning in recent years. Although the original purpose of microblogging tools is to connect with others in a wide network and instantly share what is happening to them with the rest of the world, educators have vigorously attempted to repurpose the utilization of the tool and integrate it into various educational settings to promote student learning. The purpose of this study is to examine student learning experience under a set of structured microblogging-based activities and to identify the affordances and constraints of the technology. Students participated …

Designing A Discussion Environment To Enhance Connectivity And Sustainability In Asynchronous Online Discussion, Fei Gao

Fei Gao

Lack of connectivity and sustainability are two common problems in asynchronous online discussions. In this paper, the author proposes that the two problems may have to do with the structure of threaded forums, that is, the design of threaded forums may constrain participants from having well-connected and sustained discussions. A new discussion environment was developed to promote the connectivity and sustainability of discussion in an online course, and an exploratory study was conducted to test the effectiveness of the new environment.

New Model Of Productive Online Discussion And Its Implications For Research And Instruction, Fei Gao, Charles Xiaoxue Wang, Yanling Sun

Fei Gao

We develop a new model of productive online discussion based on a brief review of research literature on online discussion. As compared to previous discussion models, the new model provides a more systematic and comprehensive framework to understand how learning occurs through online discussion. Based on the new model, we propose several directions for research on improving the quality of online discussion and learning.

Designing Asynchronous Online Discussion Environments: Recent Progress And Possible Future Directions, Fei Gao, Tianyi Zhang, Teresa Franklin

Fei Gao

Asynchronous online discussion environments are important platforms to support learning. Research suggests, however, threaded forums, one of the most popular asynchronous discussion environments, do not often foster productive online discussions naturally. This paper explores how certain properties of threaded forums have affected or constrained the quality of discussions, and argues that developing alternative discussion environments is highly needed to offer better support for asynchronous online communication. Using the Productive Discussion Model developed by Gao, Wang & Sun (2009), we analyzed current work on four types of asynchronous discussion environments that have been developed and researched: constrained environments, visualized environments, anchored …

Enhancing Student Experience In Team-Based Project Courses Using Essence Reflection Meetings, Todd Sedano, Cécile Péraire

Cécile Péraire

Background: Many software engineering curriculum contain a team-based project course. This is the case of Carnegie Mellon University Silicon Valley’s masters of science in software engineering. In this context, we have been using Essence Reflection Meetings for five semesters with 17 teams and approximately 70 students. During these meetings, the teams reflect on various project’s dimensions based on a systems thinking framework. The positive results have been published in research papers.

Activity and Discussions: Participants will learn about Essence Reflection Meetings for team-based project courses by practicing in a classroom environment. They will discuss challenges and solutions for team-based project …

Using Essence Reflection Meetings In Team-Based Project Courses, Todd Sedano, Cécile Péraire

Cécile Péraire

No abstract provided.

Integrating Games To Teach A First Programming Course, Soumia Ichoua

Soumia Ichoua

In the past few years, there has been an increased interest in game-based learning as a powerful tool to stimulate students’ interest and promote their engagement in the learning process. In this paper, we discuss our experience in integrating gaming to teach a first programming course. The course is restructured and redesigned to allow teaching the basics of programming through games. Students actively use fundamental programming concepts learned to modify and create two dimension games using C# and XNA with .Net framework. This is an on-going work. Surveys and worksheets are developed to be used in assessing the effectiveness of …

Supporting Teacher Orchestration In Ubiquitous Learning Environments: A Study In Primary Education, Juan Muñoz Cristóbal, Ivan Jorrín Abellán, Juan Asensio Perez, Alejandra Martínez Monés, Luis Prieto, Yannis Dimitriadis

Ivan M. Jorrín Abellán

During the last decades, educational contexts have transformed into complex technological and social ecologies, with mobile devices expanding the scope of education beyond the traditional classroom, creating so-called Ubiquitous Learning Environments (ULEs). However, these new technological opportunities entail an additional burden for teachers, who need to manage and coordinate the resources involved in such complex educational scenarios in a process known as “orchestration”. This paper presents the evaluation of the orchestration support provided by GLUEPS-AR, a system aimed to help teachers in the coordination of across-spaces learning situations carried out in ULEs. The evaluation, following an interpretive research perspective, relied …

Coming Down To Earth: Helping Teachers Use 3d Virtual Worlds In Across-Spaces Learning Situations, Juan Muñoz Cristóbal, Luis Prieto, Juan Asensio Pérez, Alejandra Martínez Monés, Ivan Jorrín Abellán, Yannis Dimitriadis

Ivan M. Jorrín Abellán

Different approaches have explored how to provide seamless learning across multiple ICT-enabled physical and virtual spaces, including three-dimensional virtual worlds (3DVW). However, these approaches present limitations that may reduce their acceptance in authentic educational practice: The difficulties of authoring and sharing teacher-created designs across different 3DVW platforms, or the lack of integration of 3DVWs with existing technologies in the classroom ecosystem (e.g., widespread web-based learning platforms such as Moodle, or mobile augmented reality applications). Focusing on a specific kind of 3DVW (virtual globes, such as Google Earth, used like 3DVWs), we propose a system that enables teachers to deploy across-spaces …

Wikis For Group Work: Encouraging Transparency, Benchmarking And Feedback, Amir Abdekhodaee, Dini Kourosh, Farnaz Modarres, Anne-Marie Chase, Bella Ross

Dr Anne-Marie Chase

Graduate Curricula In Software Engineering And Software Assurance: Need And Recommendations, T. B. Hilburn, Andrew J. Kornecki

Andrew J. Kornecki

In discussions about the development and use of computer systems and software products, the term “professional software engineer” is used repeatedly. In the last two decades there has been significant effort devoted to enhancing and advancing the state of professional software engineering (SwE) – new software engineering processes, methods, tools, and practices; creation of a software engineering body of knowledge [1]; development of a code of ethics and professional conduct [2], and software certification and licensing programs [3] . In 1989 the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) of Carnegie Mellon University published a landmark report on graduate education in software engineering …

Population Validity For Educational Data Mining Models: A Case Study In Affect Detection, Ryan Baker, Jaclyn Ocumpaugh, Sujith Gowda, Neil Heffermnan, Cristina Heffernan

Ryan S.J.d. Baker

ICT-enhanced research methods such as educational data mining (EDM) have allowed researchers to effectively model a broad range of constructs pertaining to the student, moving from traditional assessments of knowledge to assessment of engagement, meta-cognition, strategy, and affect. The automated detection of these constructs allows EDM researchers to develop intervention strategies that can be implemented either by the software or the teacher. It also allows for secondary analyses of the construct, where the detectors are applied to a data set that is much larger than one that could be analyzed by more traditional methods. However, in many cases, the data …

The Effective Use Of Research Tools And Resources, Nader Ale Ebrahim

Nader Ale Ebrahim

This presentation is prepared to help scholars who seek to reduce the search time by extending the knowledge of researchers to more effectively use the “Research Tools" that are available through the Net.

Leveraging Machine-Learned Detectors Of Systematic Inquiry Behavior To Estimate And Predict Transfer Of Inquiry Skill, Ryan Baker, Michael Sao Pedro, Janice Gobert, Orlando Montalvo, Adam Nakama

Ryan S.J.d. Baker

We present work toward automatically assessing and estimating science inquiry skills as middle school students engage in inquiry within a physical science microworld. Towards accomplishing this goal, we generated machine‐learned models that can detect when students test their articulated hypotheses, design controlled experiments, and engage in planning behaviors using two inquiry support tools. Models were trained using labels generated through a new method of manually hand‐coding log files, “text replay tagging”. This approach led to detectors that can automatically and accurately identify these inquiry skills under student‐level cross‐validation. The resulting detectors can be applied at run‐time to drive scaffolding intervention. …

Career Advising Workshop Exercise For Software Engineers, Todd Sedano, Mikelynn Romero

Todd Sedano

Carnegie Mellon University’s Silicon Valley Campus (CMU-SV) attracts science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students who want to make an impact in Silicon Valley, an area known for its innovative and entrepreneurial culture. The goal of the various CMU-SV masters programs is to provide a transformative educational experience – one that changes how the students perform in the workplace. The students are immersed in a “learn-by-doing” environment that makes them valuable members of the workforce as they graduate with practical experience in high-demand technical areas.

Despite this “state-of-the-art” graduate education in software engineering and software management, when it comes time …

The Legal Challenges Of Networked Robotics: From The Safety Intelligence Perspective, Yueh-Hsuan Weng, Sophie T.H. Zhao

Yueh-Hsuan Weng

International Ict Research Collaboration: Experiences And Recommendations, Erich Prem, Emma Barron, Arcot Desai Narasimhalu, Ian Morgan

Arcot Desai NARASIMHALU

This paper presents results of a study into the collaboration experiences of researchers. The focus is on long-distance collaboration in information and communication technologies (ICT) research and technology development, i.e. between the EU on the one side and Australia, Singapore or New Zealand on the other. The aim of the study was to provide useful recommendations for researchers who engage in international collaboration and to improve the quality of international co-operation projects. The emphasis here is on the views and experiences of Europe"s international partners. The paper analysis collaboration motives, challenges, co-operation types and provides recommendations for project initiation, networking, …

A Critical Perfomance Analysis Of Thin Client Platforms, Faith J. Shimba, Renatus Michael

Faith Joel Shimba

The nature of operation of Thin Client computing makes their performance to be affected by both the quality of the network and the terminals. For the past few years, there are few analyses on the performance of Thin Clients that can produce reliable, valid, and up-to-date results collected in a well designed and evaluated experiment based research. This paper analyses the performance of Thin Clients through experiment based research. The approach is to use benchmark application which is designed specifically for measurement of desktop computers by inserting delays in the visual elements of such benchmark application. In this technique, packet’s …

Design Of A Gps-Web Fleet Tracking Application, Djilali Idoughi, Abdenour Alliche, Karim Touloum

Professor Djilali IDOUGHI

We describe our ongoing research investigations aimed at developing a Location-Based System integrating web and Geolocation technologies. This article addresses main design issues of a GPS and web based application dedicated to the fleet and assets tracking system.

Adding User Experience Into The Interactive Service Design Loop: A Persona-Based Approach, Djilali Idoughi, Ahmed Seffah, Christophe Kolski

Professor Djilali IDOUGHI

Approaches to service design share HCI's commitment to developing with and for people useful, usable and accessible services. However, there has been little explicit interaction between the emerging service sciences and the interaction design communities. This paper explores HCI's actual position and opportunities to service design and requirements and vice versa. We propose a design framework for service oriented interactive systems integrating the concept of persona. This enables to extract relevant elements towards deriving the design of the main functionalities of the user interface. This framework is applied to a case study of the e-maintenance of an agro-alimentary group.