Education Commons^™

Formalizing Mission Analysis And Design Techniques For High Altitude Ballooning, Jeremy Straub, Ronald Fevig

Jeremy Straub

High altitude balloon (HAB) missions can be and are used to teach concepts related to spacecraft and satellite design. A HAB mission, however, presents unique characteristics, which must be understood and respected to produce a desirable outcome. Because of this, flying an unaltered satellite design as a HAB payload would be as undesirable as utilizing an unaltered HAB design as a satellite. A well-defined process for HAB mission design is thus needed. The process presented mirrors commonly used space mission design processes to facilitate easy transition between the two. It is also comparatively simple, due to the smaller scale of …

Finding What Women Want: Developing Strategies To Increase Recruitment And Retention In Along With Attracting External And Internal Sources Of Funding, Shweta Chopra, Gary R. Bertoline, Chad M. Laux

Shweta Chopra

Numerous reports have discussed the dearth of women in Science, Technology, Engineering; Mathematics (STEM) fields. Almost two-thirds of young children of age group 9-15 state that they enjoy science, but girls’ attitudes and interests change by middle school. During high school, girls and boys take the same number of science courses. In addition, girls perform as well as boys in those courses. Despite comparable performance levels, girls rarely continue studying science at college level. Lack of female progress in STEM education has been observed in STEM fields despite multiple measures taken by universities, colleges, schools, industries, and other organizations dedicated …

Improving Automaticity With Basic Addition Facts: Do Taped Problems Work Faster Than Cover, Copy, Compare?, James Cressey, Kristin Ezbicki

James Cressey

This small pilot study compared the effectiveness of two interventions to improve automaticity with basic addition facts: Taped Problems (TP) and Cover, Copy, Compare (CCC), in students aged 6-10. Automaticity was measured using Mathematics Curriculum-Based Measurement (M-CBM) at pretest, after 10 days, and after 20 days of intervention. Our hypothesis was that the TP group will gain higher levels of automaticity more quickly than the CCC and control groups. However, when gain scores were compared, no significant differences were found between groups. Limitations to the study include low treatment integrity and a short duration of intervention.

Student Inquiry And Research At The Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy, Steven Rogg

Steven R Rogg

Student Inquiry and Research at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. The 8th International Student Science Fair, April 30-May 4, 2012. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

The Impact Of Analyzing Correct Versus Incorrect Student Work Samples On Students’ Mathematical Proficiency, Lauren Jeneva Moseley

Lauren Jeneva Moseley

The purpose of this study is to determine if any gains in mathematical understanding differ if calculus learners analyze correct or incorrect student work samples and to investigate students’ perceptions of the effect of analyzing student work samples on their understanding of mathematical concepts. Calculus students will be assigned to two groups: one group analyzing correct student work samples and one group analyzing incorrect student work samples. What difference, if any, exists between groups in determining correct solutions to problems similar to the work samples analyzed? What difference, if any, exists between groups in whether they replicate errors similar to …

From Styles Of Reasoning’ To Modes, Techniques And Objects Of Inquiry: Conferring Positivity On The Cosmos As A Whole, Jacob Pearce

Dr Jacob Pearce

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Precalculus Curricula With E-Learning: Implementation And Assessment, Janet Callahan, Seung Youn Chyung, Joanna Guild, William Clement, Joe Guarino, Doug Bullock, Cheryl Schrader

Janet M. Callahan

During Fall semester of 2007, a semester-long, quasi-experimental study was conducted at Boise State University to investigate the effectiveness of a systematically sequenced and managed, self-paced e-learning activity on improving students’ academic performance and motivation. A total of 125 students enrolled in 3 different sections of a Precalculus class participated in the study. The e-learning activity was implemented in 2 of the 3 sections as a required homework assignment. Students enrolled in one of the 2 selected sections were all engineering majors. The 3^rd section was a control group that did not use the e-learning activity. A pre-test, measuring …

Source Text Re-Use In Engineering Thesis And Dissertation Literature Reviews: A Comparison [Powerpoint Presentation], Edward J. Eckel Mr.

Edward J Eckel

Using random samples of 150 engineering master's theses and 150 doctoral dissertations from the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database, the author conducted 30 Google searches of random seven word strings from the literature review sections for each thesis/dissertation, looking for textual matches to scholarly sources. The author then did a statistical comparison for significance between the thesis and dissertation data for the following measures: length of the longest verbatim string found for each thesis/dissertation, and the number of verbatim matches found for each thesis/dissertation. This study is designed to explore the following research question: Do engineering master's theses have more …

Source Text Re-Use In Engineering Thesis And Dissertation Literature Reviews: A Comparison [Transcript], Edward J. Eckel Mr.

Edward J Eckel

Using random samples of 125 engineering master's theses and 125 doctoral dissertations from the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database, the author conducted 30 Google searches of random seven word strings from the literature review sections for each thesis/dissertation, looking for textual matches to scholarly sources. The author then did a statistical comparison for significance between the thesis and dissertation data for the following measures: length of the longest verbatim string found for each thesis/dissertation, and the number of verbatim matches found for each thesis/dissertation. This study is designed to explore the following research question: Do engineering master's theses have more …

Logo Programming (Part 1) - A Creative And Fun Way To Learn Mathematics And Problem-Solving, Abhay B. Joshi, Sandesh R. Gaikwad

Abhay B Joshi

Programming means tapping into the computerʹs immense power by talking with it directly. Through programming, children use the computerʹs terrific power to draw graphics, design animation, solve mathematical or word puzzles, and even build robots. This idea was first proposed in the famous book ʺMindstormsʺ by Seymour Papert and has subsequently been appreciated and praised by educators and parents all over the world.

Through programming, students discover that the computer is a powerful and flexible tool. Using interesting ideas embedded in programming environments, students solve problems in their favorite subjects, and also develop interest in ʺdifficultʺ subjects like Math and …

Logo Programming (Part 2) - A Creative And Fun Way To Learn Mathematics And Problem-Solving, Abhay B. Joshi, Sandesh R. Gaikwad

Abhay B Joshi

Programming means tapping into the computerʹs immense power by talking with it directly. Through programming, children use the computerʹs terrific power to draw graphics, design animation, solve mathematical or word puzzles, and even build robots. This idea was first proposed in the famous book ʺMindstormsʺ by Seymour Papert and has subsequently been appreciated and praised by educators and parents all over the world.

Through programming, students discover that the computer is a powerful and flexible tool. Using interesting ideas embedded in programming environments, students solve problems in their favorite subjects, and also develop interest in ʺdifficultʺ subjects like Math and …

Broadening The Concept Of 'Just What They Need' In Mathematics Education, Erin Wilding-Martin

Erin Wilding-Martin

The Development Of Professional Expertise Through Reflection In The Principalship, Eric Mclaren

Eric McLaren

The study of principals as learners is important because the landscape of public education is changing. Schools are becoming more diverse and the demands on schools more varied and complex. The role of the principal is increasingly ambiguous, complex, and varied. Principals must adapt and develop'their professional practice. Effective principals learn from experience to meet the shifting expectations of the role and the needs of the school. Multiple learning experiences help principals become more proficient in their jobs. Initial certification, induction into the role, continuing professional education, and learning from experiences are means to the development of expertise. This study …

Discovering And Developing Diverse Stem Talent: Enabling Academically Talented Urban Youth To Flourish, Stephanie Pace Marshall, Glenn W. "Max" Mcgee, Eric Mclaren, Catherine C. Veal

Eric McLaren

The Growing Excellence Gap in K-12 Education, Plucker, Burroughs, and Song (2010) provided compelling evidence that "the presence of an excellence gap is demonstrated on both national and state assessments of student performance," with "economically disadvantaged, English Language Learners, and historically underprivileged minorities representing a smaller proportion of students scoring at the highest levels of achievement" (p. 28). Three "case stories" of students from IMSA illuminate some of the (a) challenges and opportunities inherent in igniting STEM talent in urban youth and ensuring their success; (b) principles for designing and creating learning experiences and environments that ignite and nurture the …

Assessing High School Gifted Student Progress In Science Through Misconceptions And Mosart, Christopher G. Kolar, Evelyn Ho-Wisniewski

Christopher G. Kolar

This paper reports how 188 high school students identified as gifted in science were assessed with the Misconceptions-Oriented Standards-Based Assessment Resource for Teachers (MOSART). Students enrolled in a year-long science-centered curriculum where this instrument appeared to be a means of identifying standards-aligned progress, avoiding ceiling effects and reliance on content mastery. This paper discusses two questions: 1. Is the MOSART a valid measure of conceptual understanding in gifted students? and 2. Can the MOSART be used with this population to measure growth in understanding? We present results from the physics and chemistry tests, and consider results from the earth science …

Introducing Nonlinear Problems To Undergraduate Engineering Students, Mulukutla S. Sarma, Karl E. Lonngren

Sarma Mulukutla

It is argued that preparing good engineers to the present day challenging industry should involve the extension of homework problems to include realistic complications of nonlinearity and extensive use of the available computing facilities. This point of view has been illustrated through a simple Faraday's law problem of an electromechanical system that exhibits nonlinear effects if the resistance of the rails is taken into account. The procedure that is employed in this paper to solve the nonlinear equation is simple enough to be introduced at an undergraduate level for the engineering students

Enhancing Student Learning Experience In Lean Manufacturing With Industry Engagement, Chad M. Laux, Shweta Chopra

Shweta Chopra

Engagement with industry professionals is important to meeting Engineering Technology curriculum goals. Bringing industry representatives (guest speakers) to engage in the classroom, involving students with professional chapters involved in Lean, student field trips and incorporation of a virtual plant tour is based upon a classroom model that incorporates industry advisory board feedback. The model for teaching an introduction to lean manufacturing course introduces students to lean thinking ideas in addition to introducing students to industry professionals as well. This provides students with an opportunity to bridge the gap between classroom education and real world experience. In this paper we are …

Laboratory Manual For Physics, Gary Lewis

Gary C. Lewis

No abstract provided.

Interactive Learningware For Physics Vol. 1: Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Waves, James Tanner, Gary Lewis

Gary C. Lewis

Retaining the comprehensiveness and rigor of the previous edition, this sequel has been dramatically revised to be more student oriented. Definitions and issues have been improved, making them tighter and more easily understood. More than 400 sample problems have been updated and expanded to reinforce physics concepts. Formulas involving elements of calculus are better explained due to additional subsections. A wealth of animated illustrations and full-color photographs will capture today's visually-oriented students' attention.

Interactive Learningware For Physics Vol. 2: Fundamentals Of Physics, James Tanner, Gary Lewis

Gary C. Lewis

Retaining the comprehensiveness and rigor of the previous edition, this sequel has been dramatically revised to be more student oriented. Definitions and issues have been improved, making them tighter and more easily understood. More than 400 sample problems have been updated and expanded to reinforce physics concepts. Formulas involving elements of calculus are better explained due to additional subsections. A wealth of animated illustrations and full-color photographs will capture today's visually-oriented students' attention.

A New Approach To Teaching Science, Gary Lewis, Gail Schiffer

Gary C. Lewis

After several years of hard work, the faculty of Kennesaw State College has adopted and begun to implement a new core of courses to be taken by all undergraduate students. Central to the core philosophy is the integration of knowledge from a wide array of disciplines and the teaching of skills essential to a well-educated college graduate. Course sequences in the area of humanities and the social sciences have been designed to meet these objectives, and the faculties of these disciplines have worked hard developing these courses.

Excellent Adventures In Global Collaboration, Glenn W. "Max" Mcgee, Aracelys Rios

Glenn W. "Max" McGee

No abstract provided.

Discovering And Developing Diverse Stem Talent: Enabling Academically Talented Urban Youth To Flourish, Stephanie Pace Marshall, Glenn W. "Max" Mcgee, Eric Mclaren, Catherine C. Veal

Glenn W. "Max" McGee

The Growing Excellence Gap in K-12 Education, Plucker, Burroughs, and Song (2010) provided compelling evidence that "the presence of an excellence gap is demonstrated on both national and state assessments of student performance," with "economically disadvantaged, English Language Learners, and historically underprivileged minorities representing a smaller proportion of students scoring at the highest levels of achievement" (p. 28). Three "case stories" of students from IMSA illuminate some of the (a) challenges and opportunities inherent in igniting STEM talent in urban youth and ensuring their success; (b) principles for designing and creating learning experiences and environments that ignite and nurture the …

Enhancing The Cs Curriculum With With Aspect-Oriented Software Development (Aosd) And Early Experience, Konstantin Läufer, George K. Thiruvathukal, Tzilla Elrad

Konstantin Läufer

Aspect-oriented software development (AOSD) is evolving as an important step beyond existing software development approaches such as object-oriented development. An aspect is a module that captures a crosscutting concern, behavior that cuts across different units of abstraction in a software application; expressed as a module, such behavior can be enabled and disabled transparently and non-invasively, without changing the application code itself. Increasing industry demand for expertise in AOSD gives rise to the pedagogical challenge of covering this methodology and its foundations in the computer science curriculum. We present our curricular initiative to incorporate a novel course in AOSD in the …

The Extreme Software Development Series: An Open Curricular Framework For Applied Capstone Courses, Konstantin Läufer, George K. Thiruvathukal

Konstantin Läufer

We describe an open, flexible curricular framework for offering a collection of advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in software development. The courses offered within this framework are further unified by combining solid foundations with current technology and play the role of capstone courses in a modern software development track. Our initiative has been very successful with all stakeholders involved.

Existing Specialty Schools As Leverage For Behavioral Sciences Research On Teaching And Learning In Stem Fields, Christopher Kolar, Heather Sondel

Christopher G. Kolar

The National Science Foundation has requested comments and proposals that outline challenge questions for the next decade in behavioral sciences research. At the same time, the NSF has joined the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology as well as the National Academy of Sciences in issuing reports first identifying the need for specialized STEM education as a strategic necessity and then proposing the establishment of an additional 1000 specialized STEM schools. A common theme in these reports is that foundational work must be conducted to establish effective organizational and instructional practices for these schools. The authors of this …

Specialized Science High Schools: Exploring Contributions Of The Model To Adolescent Talent Development Specialized Science, Christopher G. Kolar, Tracy L. Cross, Rena F. Subotnik, Paula Olszewski-Kubilius

Christopher G. Kolar

As the field of gifted education shifts much of its focus to domain-specific talent development, specialized science high schools are taking their place on the stage. Back in 1981,Bloom and Sosniak argued persuasively that talent development cannot take place exclusively in schools. They stressed that schools were not prepared to offer the required levels of expert teaching, time, and effort. Yet, specialized science high schools, by design, are staffed with teachers with advanced degrees, offer relatively flexible schedules, interested peers,reasonable access to appropriate technology, and connections with research institutions to provide apprenticeships for the most motivated and interested students.

Student Usage Patterns And Perceptions For Differentiated Lab Exercises In An Undergraduate Programming Course, Heng Ngee Mok

Heng Ngee MOK

Differentiated instruction in the form of tiered take-home lab exercises was implemented for students of an undergraduate-level programming course. This paper attempts to uncover the perceptions and usage patterns of students toward these new lab exercises using a comprehensive survey. Findings reveal that these tiered exercises are generally very well received and preferred over their traditional "one size fits all" counter-parts. Although the study does not show that tiered exercises have improved proÞciency or scores, it does seem to indicate higher student engagement and motivation levels. Based on the survey results, a list of recommendations is put forth for the …

Exploring Mathematical Competencies, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

The author describes a set of competencies that are fundamental to the development of ‘mathematical literacy’, or a person’s ability to apply their mathematical knowledge to practical situations.

Attracting Black Male Students To Research Careers In Education: A Report From The Grad Prep Academy Project, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Andrew C. Porter, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

This report is about the University of Pennsylvania’s Grad Prep Academy, a project that prepares Black undergraduate men for graduate study and research-related careers in the field of education. The project is also a longitudinal research study that enables us to analyze Black men’s trajectories from undergraduate study through graduate degree programs and eventually into their careers. Eighteen students participated in our first two cohorts of Academy Scholars. The project described in this report, as well as the recommendations we offer, can be instructive for other schools of education and a range of stakeholders who are concerned about the diversity …