Environmental Science and Engineering Merit Badges: An Exploratory Case Study of a Non-Formal Science Education Program and the U.S. Scientific and Engineering Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vick, Matthew E.; Garvey, Michael P.

2016-01-01

The Boy Scouts of America's Environmental Science and Engineering merit badges are two of their over 120 merit badges offered as a part of a non-formal educational program to U.S. boys. The Scientific and Engineering Practices of the U.S. Next Generation Science Standards provide a vision of science education that includes integrating eight…

The philosophical and pedagogical underpinnings of Active Learning in Engineering Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christie, Michael; de Graaff, Erik

2017-01-01

In this paper the authors draw on three sequential keynote addresses that they gave at Active Learning in Engineering Education (ALE) workshops in Copenhagen (2012), Caxias do Sol (2014) and San Sebastian (2015). Active Learning in Engineering Education is an informal international network of engineering educators dedicated to improving engineering education through active learning (http://www.ale-net.org/). The paper reiterates themes from those keynotes, namely, the philosophical and pedagogical underpinnings of Active Learning in Engineering Education, the scholarly questions that inspire engineering educators to go on improving their practice and exemplary models designed to activate the learning of engineering students. This paper aims to uncover the bedrock of established educational philosophies and theories that define and support active learning. The paper does not claim to present any new or innovative educational theory. There is already a surfeit of them. Rather, the aim is to assist Engineering Educators who wish to research how they can best activate the learning of their students by providing a readable, reasonable and solid underpinning for best practice in this field.

Elementary Education Program for Engineering by Dual System of Workshop and Teaching Program with Practical Subject

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hara, Toshitsugu

Elementary education program for engineering by the dual system combined with workshop program and teaching program with practical subject was discussed. The dual system which consists of several workshop programs and fundamental subjects (such as mathematics, English and physics) with practical material has been performed for the freshmen. The elementary workshop program (primary course) has four workshops and the related lectures. Fundamental subjects are taught with the practical or engineering texts. English subjects are taught by specified teachers who have ever worked in engineering field with English. The dual system was supported by such systems as the center for success initiative and the English education center.

Design Practices of Preservice Elementary Teachers in an Integrated Engineering and Literature Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wendell, Kristen Bethke

2014-01-01

The incorporation of engineering practices and core ideas into the "Next Generation Science Standards" at the elementary school level provides exciting opportunities but also raises important questions about the preparation of new elementary teachers. Both the teacher education and engineering education communities have a limited…

Scientific and Engineering Practices in K-12 Classrooms: Understanding "A Framework for K-12 Science Education"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bybee, Rodger W.

2011-01-01

In this article, the author presents the science and engineering practices from the recently released "A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas" (NRC 2011). The author recognizes the changes implied by the new framework, and eventually a new generation of science education standards will present new…

The ACCEND program: a combined BS and MS program in environmental engineering that includes co-operative work experience.

PubMed

Bishop, P L; Keener, T C; Kukreti, A R; Kowel, S T

2004-01-01

Environmental engineering education has rapidly expanded in recent years and new teaching methods are needed. Many professionals and educators believe that a MS degree in environmental engineering should be the minimum in order to practice the profession, along with practical training. This paper describes an innovative program being offered at the University of Cincinnati that combines an integrated BS in civil engineering and an MS in environmental engineering with extensive practical co-operative education (co-op) experience, all within a five-year period. The program includes distance learning opportunities during the co-op periods. The result is a well-trained graduate who will receive higher pay and more challenging career opportunities, and who will have developed professionalism and maturity beyond that from traditional engineering programs.

Paired Peer Learning through Engineering Education Outreach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fogg-Rogers, Laura; Lewis, Fay; Edmonds, Juliet

2017-01-01

Undergraduate education incorporating active learning and vicarious experience through education outreach presents a critical opportunity to influence future engineering teaching and practice capabilities. Engineering education outreach activities have been shown to have multiple benefits; increasing interest and engagement with science and…

Learning Styles in Engineering Education: The Quest to Improve Didactic Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holvikivi, Jaana

2007-01-01

This article discusses a dilemma that engineering educators encounter when attempting to develop pedagogical methods: that of finding efficient and scientifically valid didactic practices. The multitude of methods offered by educational consultants is perplexing. Moreover, the popularity of commercially offered solutions such as learning styles…

Educating Engineers: Designing for the Future of the Field. Book Highlights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheppard, Sheri D.; Macatangay, Kelly; Colby, Anne; Sullivan, William M.

2008-01-01

This multi-year study of undergraduate engineering education in the United States initiated questions about the alignment of engineering programs with the demands of current professional engineering practice. While describing engineering education from within the classroom and the lab, the report on the study offers new possibilities for teaching…

Stirring the Pot: Supporting and Challenging General Education Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Faculty to Change Teaching and Assessment Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stieha, Vicki; Shadle, Susan E.; Paterson, Sharon

2016-01-01

Evidence-based instructional practices (ebips) have been associated with positive student outcomes; however, institutions struggle to catalyze widespread adoption of these practices in general education science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (stem) courses. Further, linking ebips with integrated learning assessment is rarely discussed…

Educating the humanitarian engineer.

PubMed

Passino, Kevin M

2009-12-01

The creation of new technologies that serve humanity holds the potential to help end global poverty. Unfortunately, relatively little is done in engineering education to support engineers' humanitarian efforts. Here, various strategies are introduced to augment the teaching of engineering ethics with the goal of encouraging engineers to serve as effective volunteers for community service. First, codes of ethics, moral frameworks, and comparative analysis of professional service standards lay the foundation for expectations for voluntary service in the engineering profession. Second, standard coverage of global issues in engineering ethics educates humanitarian engineers about aspects of the community that influence technical design constraints encountered in practice. Sample assignments on volunteerism are provided, including a prototypical design problem that integrates community constraints into a technical design problem in a novel way. Third, it is shown how extracurricular engineering organizations can provide a theory-practice approach to education in volunteerism. Sample completed projects are described for both undergraduates and graduate students. The student organization approach is contrasted with the service-learning approach. Finally, long-term goals for establishing better infrastructure are identified for educating the humanitarian engineer in the university, and supporting life-long activities of humanitarian engineers.

The Fall and Rise of Experiential Construction and Engineering Education: Decoupling and Recoupling Practice and Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forster, Alan Mark; Pilcher, Nick; Tennant, Stuart; Murray, Mike; Craig, Nigel; Copping, Alex

2017-01-01

From the mid-20th C., construction and engineering pedagogy and curricula have moved from long-held traditional experiential apprenticeship approaches to one ostensibly decoupling practice and theory. This paper traces this decoupling and explores modern-day opportunities and challenges for recoupling university education with industry practice.…

The Roles of Engineering Notebooks in Shaping Elementary Engineering Student Discourse and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hertel, Jonathan D.; Cunningham, Christine M.; Kelly, Gregory J.

2017-01-01

Engineering design challenges offer important opportunities for students to learn science and engineering knowledge and practices. This study examines how students' engineering notebooks across four units of the curriculum "Engineering is Elementary" (EiE) support student work during design challenges. Through educational ethnography and…

Training Program for Practical Engineering Design through the Collaboration with Regional Companies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gofuku, Akio; Tabata, Nobuhisa; Tomita, Eiji; Funabiki, Nobuo

An education program to bring up engineering design capabilities through long-term internship by the collaboration with regional companies has been put in practice for five years. The program is composed of two types of long-term internships and several lectures for patent systems and engineering ethics. This paper describes the outline of the program, educational effects, and our experiences. The program was improved into two educational programs in 2011. The one is a special course to educate engineers and scientists who can lead the technologies of their domains. The other is a long-term internship program for master students in engineering divisions of graduate school. This paper also describes the current activities of the latter program.

Increasing the Roles and Significance of Teachers in Policymaking for K-12 Engineering Education: Proceedings of a Convocation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Steve

2017-01-01

Engineering is a small but growing part of K-12 education. Curricula that use the principles and practices of engineering are providing opportunities for elementary, middle, and high school students to design solutions to problems of immediate practical and societal importance. Professional development programs are showing teachers how to use…

Elementary Students' Engagement in Failure-Prone Engineering Design Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Chelsea Joy

2017-01-01

Although engineering education has been practiced at the undergraduate level for over a century, only fairly recently has the field broadened to include the elementary level; the pre-college division of the American Society of Engineering Education was established in 2003. As a result, while recent education standards require engineering in…

Positioning Technology and Engineering Education as a Key Force in STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strimel, Greg; Grubbs, Michael E.

2016-01-01

As the presence of engineering content and practices increases in science education, the distinction between the two fields of science and technology education becomes even more vague than previously theorized. Furthermore, the addition of engineering to the title of the profession raises the question of the true aim of technology education. As a…

Engineering Ethics in the Subject of Engineering History

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isohata, Hiroshi

Engineering ethics has been focused in the field of engineering education since the introduction of accreditation system of engineering education. In this paper, contents of the subject of engineering history are examined and discussed from the viewpoints of education of engineering ethics through a practical case of civil engineering history in a college. For the first step, codes of engineering ethics regulated in various engineering organizations are analyzed and the common contents are extracted to set the requirements for the education of engineering ethics. Then contents of the subject of engineering history are examined according to the requirements. Finally, conditions of engineering history for engineering ethics are discussed.

47 CFR 73.508 - Standards of good engineering practice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standards of good engineering practice. 73.508 Section 73.508 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES... engineering practice. (a) All noncommercial educational stations and LPFM stations operating with more than 10...

47 CFR 73.508 - Standards of good engineering practice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Standards of good engineering practice. 73.508 Section 73.508 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES... engineering practice. (a) All noncommercial educational stations and LPFM stations operating with more than 10...

47 CFR 73.508 - Standards of good engineering practice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Standards of good engineering practice. 73.508 Section 73.508 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES... engineering practice. (a) All noncommercial educational stations and LPFM stations operating with more than 10...

47 CFR 73.508 - Standards of good engineering practice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Standards of good engineering practice. 73.508 Section 73.508 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES... engineering practice. (a) All noncommercial educational stations and LPFM stations operating with more than 10...

47 CFR 73.508 - Standards of good engineering practice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Standards of good engineering practice. 73.508 Section 73.508 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES... engineering practice. (a) All noncommercial educational stations and LPFM stations operating with more than 10...

Practice in Master Course of Techno-Business Administration as a Techno-Business School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Takashi; Matsuura, Chikako

In this paper, the educational practice of the master course of techno-business administration (MTA) at Nagoya Institute of Technology (NIT) is introduced to propose the practical engineering education at a postgraduate level. MTA was established in 2003 on the basis of hundred years' engineering education at NIT. An objective of this school is to educate engineers to be leaders, entrepreneurs and managers. The practical tuition covers the fields in Industrial Management of Technologies, Core-Technologies and Laboratories work. Among these, the most focused and effective subject is “Case-Study,” in which students are encouraged to simulate business settings using elemental technologies developed by teaching staff. Discussions are made to apply the technology to match the possible markets. This type of experiences certainly motivates the students work and is clearly reflected in their research paper.

How Engineers Perceive the Importance of Ethics in Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taajamaa, Ville; Majanoja, Anne-Maarit; Bairaktarova, Diana; Airola, Antti; Pahikkala, Tapio; Sutinen, Erkki

2018-01-01

Success in complex and holistic engineering practices requires more than problem-solving abilities and technical competencies. Engineering education must offer proficient technical competences and also train engineers to think and act ethically. A technical "engineering-like" focus and demand have made educators and students overlook the…

Industrial Partners in the Education of an Engineer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Barnard E.

1973-01-01

Discusses the theory, operation, and practical problems encountered in conducting a professional program which emphasizes close contact with industrial engineers in engineering education. Indicates that the partnership program provides one means for firms to participate in educational activities while serving their own interests. (CC)

Chemical Engineering Education Revisited.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theodore, Louis

1978-01-01

The opinion is presented that chemical engineering education seems to emphasize the professor's research and/or professional interests with little regard for the real needs of the student who intends to become a practicing engineer. (BB)

First-year Engineering Education with the Creative Electrical Engineering Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsukamoto, Takehiko; Sugito, Tetsumasa; Ozeki, Osamu; Ushiroda, Sumio

The Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in Toyota National College of Technology has put great emphasis on fundamental subjects. We introduced the creative electrical engineering laboratory into the first-year engineering education since 1998. The laboratory concentrates on the practice exercise. The final questionnaire of students showed that our first-year education is very effective to promote students motivation and their scholastic ability in engineering.

Teaching business ethics to professional engineers.

PubMed

Sauser, William I

2004-04-01

Without question "business ethics" is one of the hot topics of the day. Over the past months we have seen business after business charged with improper practices that violate commonly-accepted ethical norms. This has led to a loss of confidence in corporate management, and has had severe economic consequences. From many quarters business educators have heard the call to put more emphasis on ethical practices in their business courses and curricula. Engineering educators are also heeding this call, since the practice of engineering usually involves working for (or leading) a business and/or engaging in business transactions. In the summer of 2002, Auburn University's Engineering Professional Development program made the decision to produce--based on the author's Executive MBA course in Business Ethics--a distance-delivered continuing education program for professional engineers and surveyors. Participants across the USA now may use the course to satisfy continuing education requirements with respect to professional licensing and certification. This paper outlines the purpose and content of the course and describes its production, distribution, application, and evaluation.

Effects of Engineering Design-Based Science on Elementary School Science Students' Engineering Identity Development across Gender and Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capobianco, Brenda M.; Yu, Ji H.; French, Brian F.

2015-01-01

The integration of engineering concepts and practices into elementary science education has become an emerging concern for science educators and practitioners, alike. Moreover, how children, specifically preadolescents (grades 1-5), engage in engineering design-based learning activities may help science educators and researchers learn more about…

Development of Key Performance Indicators for the Engineering Technology Education Programs in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Lung-Sheng; Lai, Chun-Chin

2004-01-01

In comparison with engineering, engineering technology is more practical and purposeful. The engineering technology education programs in Taiwan have been mainly offered in 56 universities/colleges of technology (UTs/CTs) and are anticipated to continuously improve their performance to prepare quality engineering technologists. However, it is…

Education and Research Laboratories as a Means of Enhancing the Quality of Professional Engineering Education in Design and Production of Composite Parts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khaliulin, Valentin I.; Gershtein, Elena M.

2016-01-01

Relevance of this research is determined by quality improvement of professional engineering education. The purpose of this paper is to offer practical recommendations for those interested in establishment of education and research laboratories as a means of enhancing the quality of professional engineering education in design and production of…

Engineering Student's Ethical Awareness and Behavior: A New Motivational Model.

PubMed

Bairaktarova, Diana; Woodcock, Anna

2017-08-01

Professional communities are experiencing scandals involving unethical and illegal practices daily. Yet it should not take a national major structure failure to highlight the importance of ethical awareness and behavior, or the need for the development and practice of ethical behavior in engineering students. Development of ethical behavior skills in future engineers is a key competency for engineering schools as ethical behavior is a part of the professional identity and practice of engineers. While engineering educators have somewhat established instructional methods to teach engineering ethics, they still rely heavily on teaching ethical awareness, and pay little attention to how well ethical awareness predicts ethical behavior. However the ability to exercise ethical judgement does not mean that students are ethically educated or likely to behave in an ethical manner. This paper argues measuring ethical judgment is insufficient for evaluating the teaching of engineering ethics, because ethical awareness has not been demonstrated to translate into ethical behavior. The focus of this paper is to propose a model that correlates with both, ethical awareness and ethical behavior. This model integrates the theory of planned behavior, person and thing orientation, and spheres of control. Applying this model will allow educators to build confidence and trust in their students' ability to build a professional identity and be prepared for the engineering profession and practice.

[Civil engineering education at the Imperial College of Engineering in Tokyo: an analysis based on Ayahiko Ishibashi's memoirs].

PubMed

Wada, Masanori

2014-01-01

The Imperial College of Engineering (ICE or Kobu-Daigakko) in Tokyo, founded in 1873 under the auspices of the Ministry of Public Works, was one of the most prominent modern institutions of engineering education in early Meiji Japan. Previous studies have revealed that the ICE offered large scale practical training programs at enterprises of the Ministry, which sometimes lasted several months, and praised their ideal combination of theory and practice. In reality, it has been difficult to evaluate the quality of education at the ICE mainly because of scarcity of sources. ICE students published a collection of memoirs for alumni members, commemorating the fiftieth-year of the history of the Tokyo Imperial University. Drawing on the previously neglected collection of students' memoires, this paper appraises the education of civil engineering offered by the ICE. The paper also compares this collection with other official records of the college, and confirms it as a reliable source, even though it contains some minor errors. The author particularly uses the memoirs by Ayahiko Ishibashi, one of the first graduates from its civil engineering course, who left sufficient reminiscences on education that he received. This paper, as a result, illustrates that the main practical training for the students of civil engineering was limited to designing process, including surveying. Furthermore, practical training that Ishibashi received at those enterprises often lacked a plan, and its effectiveness was questionable.

Broadening engineering education: bringing the community in : commentary on "social responsibility in French engineering education: a historical and sociological analysis".

PubMed

Conlon, Eddie

2013-12-01

Two issues of particular interest in the Irish context are (1) the motivation for broadening engineering education to include the humanities, and an emphasis on social responsibility and (2) the process by which broadening can take place. Greater community engagement, arising from a socially-driven model of engineering education, is necessary if engineering practice is to move beyond its present captivity by corporate interests.

Core Ideas of Engineering and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sneider, Cary

2012-01-01

Last month, Rodger Bybee's article, "Scientific and Engineering Practices in K-12 Classrooms," provided an overview of Chapter 3 in "A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas" (NRC 2011). Chapter 3 describes the practices of science and engineering that students are expected to develop during 13 years…

Engineering students' experiences and perceptions of workplace problem solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Rui

In this study, I interviewed 22 engineering Co-Op students about their workplace problem solving experiences and reflections and explored: 1) Of Co-Op students who experienced workplace problem solving, what are the different ways in which students experience workplace problem solving? 2) How do students perceive a) the differences between workplace problem solving and classroom problem solving and b) in what areas are they prepared by their college education to solve workplace problems? To answer my first research question, I analyzed data through the lens of phenomenography and I conducted thematic analysis to answer my second research question. The results of this study have implications for engineering education and engineering practice. Specifically, the results reveal the different ways students experience workplace problem solving, which provide engineering educators and practicing engineers a better understanding of the nature of workplace engineering. In addition, the results indicate that there is still a gap between classroom engineering and workplace engineering. For engineering educators who aspire to prepare students to be future engineers, it is imperative to design problem solving experiences that can better prepare students with workplace competency.

Educational technologies and the teaching of ethics in science and engineering.

PubMed

Loui, Michael C

2005-07-01

To support the teaching of ethics in science and engineering, educational technologies offer a variety of functions: communication between students and instructors, production of documents, distribution of documents, archiving of class sessions, and access to remote resources. Instructors may choose to use these functions of the technologies at different levels of intensity, to support a variety of pedagogies, consistent with accepted good practices. Good pedagogical practices are illustrated in this paper with four examples of uses of educational technologies in the teaching of ethics in science and engineering. Educational technologies impose costs for the purchase of hardware, licensing of software, hiring of support personnel, and training of instructors. Whether the benefits justify these costs is an unsettled question. While many researchers are studying the possible benefits of educational technologies, all instructors should assess the effectiveness of their practices.

Requirements for Continuing Engineering Education in Israel.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandon, D. G.; Nir, D.

1985-01-01

The population of practicing engineers in Israel was analyzed by age, specialization, and country of training. These results were compared with results of a questionnaire survey of Israeli engineering graduates on the need for continuing engineering education in Israel. Results are reported and discussed. (JN)

Robert Henry Thurston: Professionalism and Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nienkamp, Paul

2016-01-01

Robert Henry Thurston is presented in this article. He provides one the most significant examples of professionalizing engineering through innovative education and promoting scientific education practices in the late nineteenth century. The son of a draftsmen and steam engine mechanic, Thurston spent his early years in Providence, Rhode Island.…

Analysing the Integration of Engineering in Science Lessons with the Engineering-Infused Lesson Rubric

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterman, Karen; Daugherty, Jenny L.; Custer, Rodney L.; Ross, Julia M.

2017-01-01

Science teachers are being called on to incorporate engineering practices into their classrooms. This study explores whether the Engineering-Infused Lesson Rubric, a new rubric designed to target best practices in engineering education, could be used to evaluate the extent to which engineering is infused into online science lessons. Eighty lessons…

Does Curriculum Practical Training Affect Engineers' Workplace Outcomes? Evidence from an Engineer Survey in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jing; Zhang, Yu; Tsang, Mun; Li, Manli

2015-01-01

With the increasing attention to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), hands-on Curriculum Practical Training (CPT) has been expanding rapidly worldwide as a requirement of the undergraduate engineering education. In China, a typical CPT for undergraduate engineering students requires several weeks of hands-on training in the…

Relationships, variety & synergy: the vital ingredients for scholarship in engineering education? A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Robin; Andrews, Jane

2014-11-01

This paper begins with the argument that within modern-day society, engineering has shifted from being the scientific and technical mainstay of industrial, and more recently digital change to become the most vital driver of future advancement. In order to meet the inevitable challenges resulting from this role, the nature of engineering education is constantly evolving and as such engineering education has to change. The paper argues that what is needed is a fresh approach to engineering education - one that is sufficiently flexible so as to capture the fast-changing needs of engineering education as a discipline, whilst being pedagogically suitable for use with a range of engineering epistemologies. It provides an overview of a case study in which a new approach to engineering education has been developed and evaluated. The approach, which is based on the concept of scholarship, is described in detail. This is followed by a discussion of how the approach has been put into practice and evaluated. The paper concludes by arguing that within today's market-driven university world, the need for effective learning and teaching practice, based in good scholarship, is fundamental to student success.

The Gap between Engineering Education and Postgraduate Preparedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warsame, Abdulla Farah

2017-01-01

Engineering students entering the workforce often struggle to meet the competency expectations of their employers. Guided by constructivist theory, the purpose of this case study was to understand engineers' experiences of engineering education, deficiencies in practical skills, and the self-learning methods they employed to advance their…

Engineering Design Education Program for Graduate School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohbuchi, Yoshifumi; Iida, Haruhiko

The new educational methods of engineering design have attempted to improve mechanical engineering education for graduate students in a way of the collaboration in education of engineer and designer. The education program is based on the lecture and practical exercises concerning the product design, and has engineering themes and design process themes, i.e. project management, QFD, TRIZ, robust design (Taguchi method) , ergonomics, usability, marketing, conception etc. At final exercise, all students were able to design new product related to their own research theme by applying learned knowledge and techniques. By the method of engineering design education, we have confirmed that graduate students are able to experience technological and creative interest.

Examining Elementary School Students' Transfer of Learning through Engineering Design Using Think-Aloud Protocol Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Todd; Sung, Euisuk

2017-01-01

The introduction of engineering practices within the "Next Generation Science Standards" provides technology educators with opportunities to help STEM educators infuse engineering design within a core curriculum. The introduction of teaching engineering design in early elementary grades also provides opportunities to conduct research…

Graduate Engineering Education Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pettit, Joseph M.; Gere, James M.

1969-01-01

Describes rapid growth of graduate education in engineering between 1900 and 1969. Points out need for graduate curricula in engineering that are both practical and research-oriented. Adapted from paper presented at International Conference on the Trends in the Teaching and Training of Engineers, Paris, France, December 9-13, 1968, and at Second…

About, for, in or through entrepreneurship in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mäkimurto-Koivumaa, Soili; Belt, Pekka

2016-09-01

Engineering competences form a potential basis for entrepreneurship. There are pressures to find new approaches to entrepreneurship education (EE) in engineering education, as the traditional analytical logic of engineering does not match the modern view of entrepreneurship. Since the previous models do not give tangible enough tools on how to organise EE in practice, this article aims to develop a new framework for EE at the university level. We approach this aim by analysing existing scientific literature complemented by long-term practical observations, enabling a fruitful interplay between theory and practice. The developed framework recommends aspects in EE to be emphasised during each year of the study process. Action-based learning methods are highlighted in the beginning of studies to support students' personal growth. Explicit business knowledge is to be gradually increased only when professional, field-specific knowledge has been adequately accumulated.

Transferring experience labs for production engineering students to universities in newly industrialized countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leiden, A.; Posselt, G.; Bhakar, V.; Singh, R.; Sangwan, K. S.; Herrmann, C.

2018-01-01

The Indian economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and the demand for the skilled engineers is increasing. Subsequently the Indian education sector is growing to provide the necessary number of skilled engineers. Current Indian engineering graduates have broad theoretical background but lack in methodological, soft and practical skills. To bridge this gap, the experience lab ideas from the engineering education at “Die Lernfabrik” (learning factory) of the Technische Universität Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig) is transferred to the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani (BITS Pilani), India. This Lernfabrik successfully strengthened the methodological, soft and practical skills of the TU Braunschweig production-engineering graduates. The target group is discrete manufacturing education with focusing on energy and resource efficiency as well as cyber physical production systems. As the requirements of industry and academia in India differs from Germany, the transfer of the experience lab to the Indian education system needs special attention to realize a successful transfer project. This publication provides a unique approach to systematically transfer the educational concept in Learning Factory from a specific university environment to a different environment in a newly industrialized country. The help of a bilateral university driven practice partnership between the two universities creates a lighthouse for the Indian university environment.

Development of Engineering Design Education in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kanazawa Technical College

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Hirofumi; Ten-Nichi, Michio; Mathui, Hirosi; Nakamura, Akizi

This paper introduces a method of the engineering design education for college of technology mechanical engineering students. In order to teach the practical engineering design, the MIL-STD-499A process is adapted and improved upon for a Mechatronics hands-on lesson used as the MOT method. The educational results in five years indicate that knowledge of the engineering management is useful for college students in learning engineering design. Portfolio for lessons and the hypothesis method also have better effects on the understanding of the engineering specialty.

Sustainable Development in Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taoussanidis, Nikolaos N.; Antoniadou, Myrofora A.

2006-01-01

The principles and practice of environmentally and socially sustainable engineering are in line with growing community expectations and the strengthening voice of civil society in engineering interventions. Pressures towards internationalization and globalization are reflected in new course accreditation criteria and higher education structures.…

Engineering Infrastructure Diagramming and Modeling. Engineering Education and Practice in The United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC. Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems.

This report forms an integral part of a study conducted by the Committee on the Education and Utilization of the Engineer, under the auspices of the National Research Council. Five major tasks undertaken by the panel were: (1) defining engineering; (2) determining influences on the engineering community, including external influences and internal…

Exploration and practice for engineering innovative talents training based on project-driven

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yishen; Lv, Qingsong; Ye, Yan; Wu, Maocheng; Gu, Jihua

2017-08-01

As one of the "excellent engineer education program" of the Ministry of Education and one of the characteristic majors of Jiangsu Province, the major of optoelectronic information science and engineering in Soochow University has a long history and distinctive features. In recent years, aiming to the talents training objective of "broad foundation, practiceoriented, to be creative", education and teaching reforms have been carried out, which emphasize basis of theoretical teaching, carrier of practical training, promotion of projects and discussion, and development of second class. By optimizing the teaching contents and course system of the theoretical courses, the engineering innovative talents training mode based on the project-driven has been implemented with playing a practical training carrier role and overall managing the second class teaching for cultivating students' innovative spirit and practical ability. Meanwhile, the evaluation mechanism of the students' comprehensive performance mainly based on "scores of theory test" is being gradually changed, and the activities such as scientific research, discipline competitions and social practices are playing an increasing important role in the students' comprehensive assessment. The produced achievements show that the proposed training model based on project-driven could stimulate the students' enthusiasm and initiative to participate in research activities and promote the training of students' ability of engineering practice and consciousness of innovation.

Combined Engineering Education Based on Regional Needs Aiming for Design Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hama, Katsumi; Yaegashi, Kosuke; Kobayashi, Junya

The importance of design education that cultivates integrated competences has been suggested in higher educational institutions in fields of engineering in relation to quality assurance of engineering education. However, it is also pointed out to lay stress on cooperative education in collaboration with the community because there is a limit to correspond to the design education only by a group of educational institutions. This paper reports the outline of the practical engineering education, which is executing in the project learning of Hakodate National College of Technology, based on regional needs and the result of the activity as a model of education program for fusion and combination.

How Engineers Negotiate Domain Boundaries in a Complex, Interdisciplinary Engineering Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panther, Grace; Montfort, Devlin; Pirtle, Zachary

2017-01-01

Engineering educators have an essential role in preparing engineers to work in a complex, interdisciplinary workforce. While much engineering education focuses on teaching students to develop disciplinary expertise in specific engineering domains, there is a strong need to teach engineers about the knowledge that they develop or use in their work (Bucciarelli 1994, Allenby Sarewitz, 2011; Frodeman, 2013). The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of the knowledge systems of practicing engineers through observations of their practices such that the insights learned can guide future education efforts. Using an example from a complex and interdisciplinary engineering project, this paper presents a case study overviewing the types of epistemological (or knowledge-acquiring or using) complexities that engineers navigate. Specifically, we looked at a discussion of the thermal design of a CubeSat that occurred during an engineering review at NASA. We analyzed the review using a framework that we call 'peak events', or pointed discussions between reviewers, project engineers, and managers. We examined the dialog within peak events to identify the ways that knowledge was brought to bear, highlighting discussions of uncertainty and the boundaries of knowledge claims. We focus on one example discussion surrounding the thermal design of the CubeSat, which provides a particularly thorough example of a knowledge system since the engineers present explained, justified, negotiated, and defended knowledge within a social setting. Engineering students do not get much practice or instruction in explicitly negotiating knowledge systems and epistemic standards in this way. We highlight issues that should matter to engineering educators, such as the need to discuss what level of uncertainty is sufficient and the need to negotiate boundaries of system responsibility. Although this analysis is limited to a single discussion or 'peak event', our case shows that this type of discussion can occur in engineering and suggests that it could be important for future engineering education research.

Aeronautical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering: A Learner-Centered Teaching Perspective in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gohardani, Omid; Gohardani, Amir S.; Dokter, Erin; Macario, Kyla

2014-01-01

Teaching in the 21st century requires a modern teaching practice coherent with the evolutions of the Information Age. Interestingly, teaching practices have stretched beyond an art form and into the realm of science. Following these scientific trails, one can argue that one of the greatest challenges educators currently face is to maintain student…

Engineering education in the wake of hurricane Katrina

PubMed Central

Lima, Marybeth

2007-01-01

Living through hurricane Katrina and its aftermath and reflecting on these experiences from technical and non-technical standpoints has led me to reconsider my thoughts and philosophy on engineering education. I present three ideas regarding engineering education pedagogy that I believe will prepare future engineers for problem-solving in an increasingly complex world. They are (1) we must practice radical (to the root) engineering, (2) we must illustrate connections between engineering and public policy, and (3) we will join the charge to find sustainable solutions to problems. Ideas for bringing each of these concepts into engineering curricula through methods such as case study, practicing broad information gathering and data interpretation, and other methods inside and outside the classroom, are discussed. I believe that the consequences of not considering the root issues of problems to be solved, and of not including policy and sustainability considerations when problems to be solved are framed will lead our profession toward well meaning but insufficient utility. Hurricane Katrina convinced me that we must do better as educators to prepare our students for engineering for a sustainable world. PMID:18271988

A Trial of PBL Education with Emphasis on Improving Practical Competence of Engineering Students-A Trial Connected with the Support for Science Education in Elementary School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsutsumi, Hirotaka; Nikkuni, Hiroyuki; Kitakoshi, Daisuke; Yasuda, Toshitaka; Kikuchi, Akira; Mitani, Tomoyo

Recently Colleges of technology as well as universities have some experience-oriented classes in sciences for elementary school students. These have proved to be successful as good motivation for students in the primary education to be engineers. This research has tried the PBL education, which combined the Support of Science Education in Elementary School and the improvement of students‧ practical competence in their careers. The support of science education in elementary school was carried out by using LEGO blocks, widely utilized in the educational researches of robots, and was conducted in the practical class with the autonomous robots. Finally, the method for the class was evaluated by the elementary school students on the basis of the questionnaire.

Introducing survival ethics into engineering education and practice.

PubMed

Verharen, C; Tharakan, J; Middendorf, G; Castro-Sitiriche, M; Kadoda, G

2013-06-01

Given the possibilities of synthetic biology, weapons of mass destruction and global climate change, humans may achieve the capacity globally to alter life. This crisis calls for an ethics that furnishes effective motives to take global action necessary for survival. We propose a research program for understanding why ethical principles change across time and culture. We also propose provisional motives and methods for reaching global consensus on engineering field ethics. Current interdisciplinary research in ethics, psychology, neuroscience and evolutionary theory grounds these proposals. Experimental ethics, the application of scientific principles to ethical studies, provides a model for developing policies to advance solutions. A growing literature proposes evolutionary explanations for moral development. Connecting these approaches necessitates an experimental or scientific ethics that deliberately examines theories of morality for reliability. To illustrate how such an approach works, we cover three areas. The first section analyzes cross-cultural ethical systems in light of evolutionary theory. While such research is in its early stages, its assumptions entail consequences for engineering education. The second section discusses Howard University and University of Puerto Rico/Mayagüez (UPRM) courses that bring ethicists together with scientists and engineers to unite ethical theory and practice. We include a syllabus for engineering and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) ethics courses and a checklist model for translating educational theory and practice into community action. The model is based on aviation, medicine and engineering practice. The third and concluding section illustrates Howard University and UPRM efforts to translate engineering educational theory into community action. Multidisciplinary teams of engineering students and instructors take their expertise from the classroom to global communities to examine further the ethicality of prospective technologies and the decision-making processes that lead to them.

Elementary teachers' mental models of engineering design processes: A comparison of two communities of practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMahon, Ann P.

Educating K-12 students in the processes of design engineering is gaining popularity in public schools. Several states have adopted standards for engineering design despite the fact that no common agreement exists on what should be included in the K-12 engineering design process. Furthermore, little pre-service and in-service professional development exists that will prepare teachers to teach a design process that is fundamentally different from the science teaching process found in typical public schools. This study provides a glimpse into what teachers think happens in engineering design compared to articulated best practices in engineering design. Wenger's communities of practice work and van Dijk's multidisciplinary theory of mental models provide the theoretical bases for comparing the mental models of two groups of elementary teachers (one group that teaches engineering and one that does not) to the mental models of design engineers (including this engineer/researcher/educator and professionals described elsewhere). The elementary school teachers and this engineer/researcher/educator observed the design engineering process enacted by professionals, then answered questions designed to elicit their mental models of the process they saw in terms of how they would teach it to elementary students. The key finding is this: Both groups of teachers embedded the cognitive steps of the design process into the matrix of the social and emotional roles and skills of students. Conversely, the engineers embedded the social and emotional aspects of the design process into the matrix of the cognitive steps of the design process. In other words, teachers' mental models show that they perceive that students' social and emotional communicative roles and skills in the classroom drive their cognitive understandings of the engineering process, while the mental models of this engineer/researcher/educator and the engineers in the video show that we perceive that cognitive understandings of the engineering process drive the social and emotional roles and skills used in that process. This comparison of mental models with the process that professional designers use defines a problem space for future studies that investigate how to incorporate engineering practices into elementary classrooms. Recommendations for engineering curriculum development and teacher professional development based on this study are presented.

Collaborations in a Community of Practice Working to Integrate Engineering Design in Elementary Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehman, James D.; Kim, WooRi; Harris, Constance

2014-01-01

The new standards for K-12 science education in the United States call for science teachers to integrate engineering concepts and practices within their science teaching in order to improve student learning. To accomplish this, teachers need appropriate instructional materials as well as the knowledge and skills to effectively use them. This mixed…

Infusing Real World Experiences into Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academies Press, 2012

2012-01-01

The aim of this report is to encourage enhanced richness and relevance of the undergraduate engineering education experience, and thus produce better-prepared and more globally competitive graduates, by providing practical guidance for incorporating real world experience in US engineering programs. The report, a collaborative effort of the…

Dual education and industrial cooperation in electrical engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Váradiné Szarka, A.

2016-11-01

Dual education in higher education is a new system in Hungary introduced by Mercedes Benz with cooperation of Kecskemet College. In the new system companies support certain number of students and provide them strong practical education in their field. Students applying successfully for dual education study together with non-dual students at the university, so they go through the same university courses as their non-dual colleagues, but while non-dual students’ academic year includes 2×14 weeks active semester and 2×6 weeks exam session, all over 40 weeks, dual students have 48 working weeks including study at the university and practicing at the company. The main question of the success which one is the most effective model to be applied. This paper summarises 2 models of dual education with their advantages and disadvantages and also it presents practical realization at the University of Debrecen with special attention to measurement and instrumentation. Dual education in BSc level electrical engineering course cooperates with 6 multinational companies of the region in four specialization. Dual education also has great impact to the modernisation of engineering education. Detailed study of dual education in field of instrumentation and measurement is provided in the paper.

Institute-Industry Interoperation Model: An Industry-Oriented Engineering Education Strategy in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yanqing; Qi, Zhongying; Li, Ziru; Zhang, Lijie

2011-01-01

Engineering education has been well implemented in the majority of developed countries such as the USA, Germany, and the United Kingdom so that the gap between engineering science and engineering practice is greatly bridged. However, in China, the gap still exists, and some attempts by Chinese government, even though having made obvious progress,…

Evaluating Admission Practices as Potential Barriers to Creating Equitable Access to Undergraduate Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Beth Ann

2016-01-01

To create a more competitive and creative engineering workforce, breakthroughs in how we attract and educate more diverse engineers are mandated. Despite a programmatic focus on increasing the representation of women and minorities in engineering during the last few decades, no single solution has been identified and is probably not realistic. But…

Using Student Video Cases to Assess Pre-service Elementary Teachers' Engineering Teaching Responsiveness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalvi, Tejaswini; Wendell, Kristen

2017-10-01

Our study addresses the need for new approaches to prepare novice elementary teachers to teach both science and engineering, and for new tools to measure how well those approaches are working. This in particular would inform the teacher educators of the extent to which novice teachers are developing expertise in facilitating their students' engineering design work. One important dimension to measure is novice teachers' abilities to notice the substance of student thinking and to respond in productive ways. This teacher noticing is particularly important in science and engineering education, where students' initial, idiosyncratic ideas and practices influence the likelihood that particular instructional strategies will help them learn. This paper describes evidence of validity and reliability for the Video Case Diagnosis (VCD) task, a new instrument for measuring pre-service elementary teachers' engineering teaching responsiveness. To complete the VCD, participants view a 6-min video episode of children solving an engineering design problem, describe in writing what they notice about the students' science ideas and engineering practices, and propose how a teacher could productively respond to the students. The rubric for scoring VCD responses allowed two independent scorers to achieve inter-rater reliability. Content analysis of the video episode, systematic review of literature on science and engineering practices, and solicitation of external expert educator responses establish content validity for VCD. Field test results with three different participant groups who have different levels of engineering education experience offer evidence of construct validity.

Paired peer learning through engineering education outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fogg-Rogers, Laura; Lewis, Fay; Edmonds, Juliet

2017-01-01

Undergraduate education incorporating active learning and vicarious experience through education outreach presents a critical opportunity to influence future engineering teaching and practice capabilities. Engineering education outreach activities have been shown to have multiple benefits; increasing interest and engagement with science and engineering for school children, providing teachers with expert contributions to engineering subject knowledge, and developing professional generic skills for engineers such as communication and teamwork. This pilot intervention paired 10 pre-service teachers and 11 student engineers to enact engineering outreach in primary schools, reaching 269 children. A longitudinal mixed methods design was employed to measure change in attitudes and Education Outreach Self-Efficacy in student engineers; alongside attitudes, Teaching Engineering Self-Efficacy and Engineering Subject Knowledge Confidence in pre-service teachers. Highly significant improvements were noted in the pre-service teachers' confidence and self-efficacy, while both the teachers and engineers qualitatively described benefits arising from the paired peer mentor model.

Conceptual and Procedural Approaches to Mathematics in the Engineering Curriculum--Comparing Views of Junior and Senior Engineering Students in Two Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergsten, Christer; Engelbrecht, Johann; Kågesten, Owe

2017-01-01

One challenge for an optimal design of the mathematical components in engineering education curricula is to understand how the procedural and conceptual dimensions of mathematical work can be matched with different demands and contexts from the education and practice of engineers. The focus in this paper is on how engineering students respond to…

Career preference theory: A grounded theory describing the effects of undergraduate career preferences on student persistence in engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dettinger, Karen Marie

This study used grounded theory in a case study at a large public research university to develop a theory about how the culture in engineering education affects students with varying interests and backgrounds. According to Career Preference Theory, the engineering education system has evolved to meet the needs of one type of student, the Physical Scientist. While this educational process serves to develop the next generation of engineering faculty members, the majority of engineering undergraduates go on to work as practicing engineers, and are far removed from working as physical scientists. According to Career Preference Theory, students with a history of success in mathematics and sciences, and a focus on career, enter engineering. These students, who actually have a wide range of interests and values, each begin seeking an identity as a practicing engineer. Career Preference Theory is developed around a concept, Career Identity Type, that describes five different types of engineering students: Pragmatic, Physical Scientist, "Social" Scientist, Designer, and Educator. According to the theory, each student must develop an identity within the engineering education system if they are to persist in engineering. However, the current undergraduate engineering education system has evolved in such a way that it meets only the needs of the Physical Scientist. Pragmatic students are also likely to succeed because they tend to be extremely goal-focused and maintain a focus on the rewards they will receive once they graduate with an engineering degree. However, "Social" Scientists, who value interpersonal relationships and giving back to society; Designers, who value integrating ideas across disciplines to create aesthetically pleasing and useful products; and Educators, who have a strong desire to give back to society by working with young people, must make some connection between these values and a future engineering career if they are to persist in engineering. According to Career Preference Theory, "Social" Scientists, Designers, and Educators are likely to leave engineering, while Pragmatics and Physical Scientists are likely to persist.

Gender and teamwork: an analysis of professors' perspectives and practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beddoes, Kacey; Panther, Grace

2018-05-01

Teamwork is increasingly seen as an important component of engineering education programmes. Yet, prior research has shown that there are numerous ways in which teamwork is gendered, and can lead to negative experiences for women students. This article presents the first interview findings on professors' perspectives on gender and teamwork. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 39 engineering professors to determine what and how they thought about gender in engineering and engineering education. For this article, the parts of the interviews about teamwork are analysed. We conclude that professors need tools to help them facilitate gender-inclusive teamwork, and those tools must address the beliefs that they already hold about teamwork. The findings raise questions about the adoption of evidence-based instructional practices and suggest current teamwork practices may exacerbate gender inequalities in engineering.

Feminist methodologies and engineering education research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beddoes, Kacey

2013-03-01

This paper introduces feminist methodologies in the context of engineering education research. It builds upon other recent methodology articles in engineering education journals and presents feminist research methodologies as a concrete engineering education setting in which to explore the connections between epistemology, methodology and theory. The paper begins with a literature review that covers a broad range of topics featured in the literature on feminist methodologies. Next, data from interviews with engineering educators and researchers who have engaged with feminist methodologies are presented. The ways in which feminist methodologies shape their research topics, questions, frameworks of analysis, methods, practices and reporting are each discussed. The challenges and barriers they have faced are then discussed. Finally, the benefits of further and broader engagement with feminist methodologies within the engineering education community are identified.

The Development of a Conceptual Framework for New K-12 Science Education Standards (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, T.

2010-12-01

The National Academy of Sciences has created a committee of 18 National Academy of Science and Engineering members, academic scientists, cognitive and learning scientists, and educators, educational policymakers and researchers to develop a framework to guide new K-12 science education standards. The committee began its work in January, 2010, released a draft of the framework in July, 2010, and intends to have the final framework in the first quarter of 2011. The committee was helped in early phases of the work by consultant design teams. The framework is designed to help realize a vision for science and engineering education in which all students actively engage in science and engineering practices in order to deepen their understanding of core ideas in science over multiple years of school. These three dimensions - core disciplinary ideas, science and engineering practices, and cross-cutting elements - must blend together to build an exciting, relevant, and forward looking science education. The framework will be used as a base for development of next generation K-12 science education standards.

Improving Teacher-Made Assessments in Technology and Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Jesse W.; Moye, Johnny J.; Gareis, Christopher R.; Hylton, Sarah P.

2018-01-01

In the interest of learning how to effectively use the technological literacy standards and of adhering to education regulation, this article focuses on efforts to improve the professional teaching practices of Technology and Engineering Education (TEE) teachers by using the Gareis and Grant (2015) process with respect to "Standards for…

STEAM by Another Name: Transdisciplinary Practice in Art and Design Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costantino, Tracie

2018-01-01

The recent movement to include art and design in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has made Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) an increasingly common acronym in the education lexicon. The STEAM movement builds on existing models of interdisciplinary curriculum, but what makes the union…

Iteration in Early-Elementary Engineering Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McFarland Kendall, Amber Leigh

K-12 standards and curricula are beginning to include engineering design as a key practice within Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. However, there is little research on how the youngest students engage in engineering design within the elementary classroom. This dissertation focuses on iteration as an essential aspect of engineering design, and because research at the college and professional level suggests iteration improves the designer's understanding of problems and the quality of design solutions. My research presents qualitative case studies of students in kindergarten and third-grade as they engage in classroom engineering design challenges which integrate with traditional curricula standards in mathematics, science, and literature. I discuss my results through the lens of activity theory, emphasizing practices, goals, and mediating resources. Through three chapters, I provide insight into how early-elementary students iterate upon their designs by characterizing the ways in which lesson design impacts testing and revision, by analyzing the plan-driven and experimentation-driven approaches that student groups use when solving engineering design challenges, and by investigating how students attend to constraints within the challenge. I connect these findings to teacher practices and curriculum design in order to suggest methods of promoting iteration within open-ended, classroom-based engineering design challenges. This dissertation contributes to the field of engineering education by providing evidence of productive engineering practices in young students and support for the value of engineering design challenges in developing students' participation and agency in these practices.

A National Satellite-Based System for Providing Continuing Education to Engineers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta.

This document proposes, and indicates initial reaction to, a multi-point satellite-based delivery system which will permit expansion of current programs and services of the Association for Media-based Continuing Education for Engineers, Inc. (AMCEE) consortium to a much larger aggregated audience of practicing engineers throughout the country. It…

Student Interest in Engineering Design-Based Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selcen Guzey, S.; Moore, Tamara J.; Morse, Gillian

2016-01-01

Current reform efforts in science education around the world call on teachers to use integrated approaches to teach science. As a part of such reform efforts in the United States, engineering practices and engineering design have been identified in K-12 science education standards. However, there is relatively little is known about effective ways…

Inclusion by Design: Engineering Inclusive Practices in Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dukes, Charles; Lamar-Dukes, Pamela

2009-01-01

In order to help teachers understand the importance of intentional design for inclusive education, this article describes the design process an engineer might use when designing a new project. If teachers learn to think like engineers, it is possible for them to design inclusive education. This conceptual design can then be combined with…

Practicing Engineers' Perspective on Mathematics and Mathematics Education in College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tosmur-Bayazit, Nermin; Ubuz, Behiye

2013-01-01

This paper reports on a qualitative study focusing on engineers' point of view in regard to university mathematics and mathematics education. An individual interview was conducted with three electrical and two mechanical engineers between the ages of 25-40, all engaged in successful careers. The subjects were requested to reflect upon themselves…

Teacher Challenges to Implement Engineering Design in Secondary Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Todd R.; Wicklein, Robert C.

2009-01-01

This descriptive study examined the current status of technology education teacher practices with respect to engineering design. This article is the third article in a three-part series presenting the results of this study. The first article in the series titled "Examination of Engineering Design Curriculum Content" highlighted the research…

Studies on the Use of Extramural Videopublished Materials in Continuing Education. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sjogren, Douglas; And Others

The Engineering Renewal and Growth (ERG) program at Colorado State University (CSU) was designed for continuing education of engineers. The program used videotapes and coordinated written materials to deliver instruction to the practicing engineer. Courses were leased to individual students or industries in which students worked. The courses were…

The Industrial Property Rights Education in Collaboration with the Creative Product Design Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokoro, Tetsuro; Habuchi, Hitoe; Chonan, Isao

Recently, the Advanced Courses of Electronic System Engineering and Architecture and Civil Engineering of Gifu National College of Technology have introduced a creative subject, “Creative Engineering Practice”. In this subject, students study intellectual property rights. More specifically, they learn and practice industrial proprietary rights, procedures for obtaining a patent right, how to use Industrial Property Digital Library and so forth, along with the practice of creative product design. The industrial property rights education in collaboration with the creative product design education has been carried out by the cooperation of Japan Patent Office, Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation and a patent attorney. Through the instruction of the cooperative members, great educative results have been obtained. In this paper, we will describe the contents of the subject together with its items to pursue an upward spiral of progress.

The role of a creative "joint assignment" project in biomedical engineering bachelor degree education.

PubMed

Jiehui Jiang; Yuting Zhang; Mi Zhou; Xiaosong Zheng; Zhuangzhi Yan

2017-07-01

Biomedical Engineering (BME) bachelor education aims to train qualified engineers who devote themselves to addressing biological and medical problems by integrating the technological, medical and biological knowledge. Design thinking and teamwork with other disciplines are necessary for biomedical engineers. In the current biomedical engineering education system of Shanghai University (SHU), however, such design thinking and teamwork through a practical project is lacking. This paper describes a creative "joint assignment" project in Shanghai University, China, which has provided BME bachelor students a two-year practical experience to work with students from multidisciplinary departments including sociology, mechanics, computer sciences, business and art, etc. To test the feasibility of this project, a twenty-month pilot project has been carried out from May 2015 to December 2016. The results showed that this pilot project obviously enhanced competitive power of BME students in Shanghai University, both in the capabilities of design thinking and teamwork.

The Engineering Design Process: Conceptions Along the Learning-to-Teach Continuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iveland, Ashley

In this study, I sought to identify differences in the views and understandings of engineering design among individuals along the learning-to-teach continuum. To do so, I conducted a comprehensive review of literature to determine the various aspects of engineering design described in the fields of professional engineering and engineering education. Additionally, I reviewed literature on the methods used in teaching engineering design at the secondary (grade 7-12) level - to describe the various models used in classrooms, even before the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013). Last, I defined four groups along the learning-to-teach continuum: prospective, preservice, and practicing teachers, as well as teacher educators. The context of this study centered around a California public university, including an internship program where undergraduates engaged with practicing mentor teachers in science and engineering teaching at local high schools, and a teacher education program where secondary science preservice teachers and the teacher educators who taught them participated. Interviews were conducted with all participants to gain insights into their views and understandings of engineering design. Prospective and preservice teachers were interviewed multiple times throughout the year and completed concept maps of the engineering design process multiple times as well; practicing teachers and teacher educators were interviewed once. Three levels of analyses were conducted. I identified 30 aspects of engineering discussed by participants. Through phenomenographic methods, I also constructed six conceptual categories for engineering design to organize those aspects most commonly discussed. These categories were combined to demonstrate a participant's view of engineering design (e.g., business focused, human centered, creative, etc.) as well as their complexity of understanding of engineering design overall (the more categories their ideas fit within, the more complex their understanding was thought to be). I found that the most commonly referenced aspects of engineering design were in line with the three main dimensions described in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013). I also found that the practicing teacher participants overall conveyed the most complex and integrated understandings of engineering design, with the undergraduate, prospective teachers not far behind. One of the most important factors related to a more integrated understanding of engineering design was having formal engineering experience, especially in the form of conducting engineering research or having been a professional engineer. Further, I found that female participants were more likely than their male counterparts to view engineering as having a human element--recognizing the need to collaborate with others throughout the process and the need to think about the potential user of the product the engineer is solving the problem for. These findings suggest that prior experience with engineering, and not experience in the classroom or with engineering education, tends to lead to a deeper, more authentic view of engineering. Finally, I close with a discussion of the overall findings, limitations of the study, potential implications, and future work.

Science Teachers' Misconceptions in Science and Engineering Distinctions: Reflections on Modern Research Examples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antink-Meyer, Allison; Meyer, Daniel Z.

2016-10-01

The aim of this exploratory study was to learn about the misconceptions that may arise for elementary and high school science teachers in their reflections on science and engineering practice. Using readings and videos of real science and engineering work, teachers' reflections were used to uncover the underpinnings of their understandings. This knowledge ultimately provides information about supporting professional development (PD) for science teachers' knowledge of engineering. Six science teachers (two elementary and four high school teachers) participated in the study as part of an online PD experience. Cunningham and Carlsen's (Journal of Science Teacher Education 25:197-210, 2014) relative emphases of science and engineering practices were used to frame the design of PD activities and the analyses of teachers' views. Analyses suggest misconceptions within the eight practices of science and engineering from the US Next Generation Science Standards in four areas. These are that: (1) the nature of the practices in both science and engineering research is determined by the long-term implications of the research regardless of the nature of the immediate work, (2) engineering and science are hierarchical, (3) creativity is inappropriate, and (4) research outcomes cannot be processes. We discuss the nature of these understandings among participants and the implications for engineering education PD for science teachers.

Contextual Shaping of Student Design Practices: The Role of Constraint in First-Year Engineering Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goncher, Andrea M.

thResearch on engineering design is a core area of concern within engineering education, and a fundamental understanding of how engineering students approach and undertake design is necessary in order to develop effective design models and pedagogies. This dissertation contributes to scholarship on engineering design by addressing a critical, but as yet underexplored, problem: how does the context in which students design shape their design practices? Using a qualitative study comprising of video data of design sessions, focus group interviews with students, and archives of their design work, this research explored how design decisions and actions are shaped by context, specifically the context of higher education. To develop a theoretical explanation for observed behavior, this study used the nested structuration. framework proposed by Perlow, Gittell, & Katz (2004). This framework explicated how teamwork is shaped by mutually reinforcing relationships at the individual, organizational, and institutional levels. I appropriated this framework to look specifically at how engineering students working on a course-related design project identify constraints that guide their design and how these constraints emerge as students interact while working on the project. I first identified and characterized the parameters associated with the design project from the student perspective and then, through multi-case studies of four design teams, I looked at the role these parameters play in student design practices. This qualitative investigation of first-year engineering student design teams revealed mutual and interconnected relationships between students and the organizations and institutions that they are a part of. In addition to contributing to research on engineering design, this work provides guidelines and practices to help design educators develop more effective design projects by incorporating constraints that enable effective design and learning. Moreover, I found that when appropriated in the context of higher education, multiple sublevels existed within nested structuration's organizational context and included course-level and project-level factors. The implications of this research can be used to improve the design of engineering course projects as well as the design of research efforts related to design in engineering education.

Evolution of the Systems Engineering Education Development (SEED) Program at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bagg, Thomas C., III; Brumfield, Mark D.; Jamison, Donald E.; Granata, Raymond L.; Casey, Carolyn A.; Heller, Stuart

2003-01-01

The Systems Engineering Education Development (SEED) Program at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center develops systems engineers from existing discipline engineers. The program has evolved significantly since the report to INCOSE in 2003. This paper describes the SEED Program as it is now, outlines the changes over the last year, discusses current status and results, and shows the value of human systems and leadership skills for practicing systems engineers.

A Language for the Analysis of Disciplinary Boundary Crossing: Insights from Engineering Problem-Solving Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolff, Karin

2018-01-01

Poor graduate throughput and industry feedback on graduate inability to cope with the complex knowledge practices in twenty-first century engineering "problem solving" have placed pressure on educators to better conceptualise the theory-practice relationship, particularly in technology-dependent professions. The research draws on the…

Practice and Educational Effect of a Project Based Learning Program Collaborated with Local Enterprises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagashima, Masaaki; Kondo, Yasuo; Tanaka, Hisataka; Miyachika, Kouitsu; Akiyama, Masahiko; Ishibuchi, Nobutaka; Hayakawa, Motozo

The ICEE (Innovation Center for Engineering Education) was founded in April 2004 as an educational facility in the Faculty of Engineering of Tottori University. The ICEE plans the development and training of creative professionals in all fields of engineering through Project Based Learning (PBL) programs in collaboration with local enterprises. In this report, the outline and the educational effect of the education program are described. Through PBL programs, we can give problem finding and solving abilities, self-initiative and communicative skill to the students.

The Critical Incident Technique: An Effective Tool for Gathering Experience from Practicing Engineers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, James H.; Brophy, Patrick D.

2012-01-01

Not all knowledge and skills that educators want to pass to students exists yet in textbooks. Some still resides only in the experiences of practicing engineers (e.g., how engineers create new products, how designers identify errors in calculations). The critical incident technique, CIT, is an established method for cognitive task analysis. It is…

The Promise of the Maker Movement for Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Lee

2015-01-01

The Maker Movement is a community of hobbyists, tinkerers, engineers, hackers, and artists who creatively design and build projects for both playful and useful ends. There is growing interest among educators in bringing making into K-12 education to enhance opportunities to engage in the practices of engineering, specifically, and STEM more…

NAKAHARA JUNZO Who Was A Leading Japanese Practical Engineer of The Meiji Era Born in Kumamoto

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwai, Zenta

Nakahara Junzo is one of the leading engineers in the Meiji era who contributed the introduction and the construction of western style higher engineering education system after the Meiji restoration. He was born at Yamaga, Kumamoto Prefecture, in 1856. He learned at Kumamoto Yo-Gakko from 1871 to 1874. Then he entered Kohbu Dai-Gakko, one of the forerunners of the engineering departments of the University of Tokyo, in 1876 and graduated from this school in 1882. He served as the first principal of the Kumamoto Koto Kogyou Gakko, the first dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu Imperial University and the 7th president of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, respectively. In this report, it is summarized and evaluated about his contributions concerning the progress of the Japanese higher engineering education and practical researches done by him in the field of mechanical engineering.

The Use of Motivation Theory in Engineering Education Research: A Systematic Review of Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Philip R.; McCord, Rachel E.; Matusovich, Holly M.; Kajfez, Rachel L.

2015-01-01

Motivation is frequently studied in the context of engineering education. However, the use of the term motivation can be inconsistent, both in how clearly it is defined and in how it is implemented in research designs and practice. This systematic literature review investigates the use of motivation across recent engineering education…

Development of Graduate Course Education by Industry Collaboration in Center for Engineering Education Development, CEED

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noguchi, Toru; Yoshikawa, Kozo; Nakamura, Masato; Kaneko, Katsuhiko

New education programs for engineering graduate courses, and the achievements are described. Following the previous reports on overseas and domestic internship2) , 3) , this article states other common programs ; seminars on state of technologies in industries, practical English and internationalization programs, and a program to accept overseas internship students. E-learning system to assist off-campus students is also described. All these programs are developed and conducted by specialist professors invited from industries and national institutions, in collaboration with faculty professors. Students learn how the engineering science apply to the practical problems, acquire wider view and deeper understanding on industries, and gain abilities to act in global society including communication skill, those are not taught in classrooms and laboratories. Educational effects of these industry collaborated programs is significant to activate the graduate course education, although the comprehensive evaluation is the future subject.

A systematic approach to engineering ethics education.

PubMed

Li, Jessica; Fu, Shengli

2012-06-01

Engineering ethics education is a complex field characterized by dynamic topics and diverse students, which results in significant challenges for engineering ethics educators. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a systematic approach to determine what to teach and how to teach in an ethics curriculum. This is a topic that has not been adequately addressed in the engineering ethics literature. This systematic approach provides a method to: (1) develop a context-specific engineering ethics curriculum using the Delphi technique, a process-driven research method; and (2) identify appropriate delivery strategies and instructional strategies using an instructional design model. This approach considers the context-specific needs of different engineering disciplines in ethics education and leverages the collaboration of engineering professors, practicing engineers, engineering graduate students, ethics scholars, and instructional design experts. The proposed approach is most suitable for a department, a discipline/field or a professional society. The approach helps to enhance learning outcomes and to facilitate ethics education curriculum development as part of the regular engineering curriculum.

Instructional Design Issues in a Distributed Collaborative Engineering Design (CED) Instructional Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koszalka, Tiffany A.; Wu, Yiyan

2010-01-01

Changes in engineering practices have spawned changes in engineering education and prompted the use of distributed learning environments. A distributed collaborative engineering design (CED) course was designed to engage engineering students in learning about and solving engineering design problems. The CED incorporated an advanced interactive…

Reflection for Meaning and Action as an Engine for Professional Development across Multiple Early Childhood Teacher Education Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isik-Ercan, Zeynep; Perkins, Kelley

2017-01-01

Drawing from sociocultural theories of learning and literature on reflection in educational contexts, this article describes reflective practices as a meaning-making and action engine to support early childhood education practitioners' professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions. We argue that the process of reflection requires a differential…

Ethical Risk Management Education in Engineering: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Guntzburger, Yoann; Pauchant, Thierry C; Tanguy, Philippe A

2017-04-01

Risk management is certainly one of the most important professional responsibilities of an engineer. As such, this activity needs to be combined with complex ethical reflections, and this requirement should therefore be explicitly integrated in engineering education. In this article, we analyse how this nexus between ethics and risk management is expressed in the engineering education research literature. It was done by reviewing 135 articles published between 1980 and March 1, 2016. These articles have been selected from 21 major journals that specialize in engineering education, engineering ethics and ethics education. Our review suggests that risk management is mostly used as an anecdote or an example when addressing ethics issues in engineering education. Further, it is perceived as an ethical duty or requirement, achieved through rational and technical methods. However, a small number of publications do offer some critical analyses of ethics education in engineering and their implications for ethical risk and safety management. Therefore, we argue in this article that the link between risk management and ethics should be further developed in engineering education in order to promote the progressive change toward more socially and environmentally responsible engineering practices. Several research trends and issues are also identified and discussed in order to support the engineering education community in this project.

"Finding the Joy in the Unknown": Implementation of STEAM Teaching Practices in Middle School Science and Math Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quigley, Cassie F.; Herro, Dani

2016-06-01

In response to a desire to strengthen the economy, educational settings are emphasizing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum and programs. Yet, because of the narrow approach to STEM, educational leaders continue to call for a more balanced approach to teaching and learning, which includes the arts, design, and humanities. This desire created space for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education, a transdisciplinary approach that focuses on problem-solving. STEAM-based curricula and STEAM-themed schools are appearing all over the globe. This growing national and global attention to STEAM provides an opportunity for teacher education to explore the ways in which teachers implement STEAM practices, examining the successes and challenges, and how teachers are beginning to make sense of this innovative teaching practice. The purpose of this paper is to examine the implementation of STEAM teaching practices in science and math middle school classrooms, in hopes to provide research-based evidence on this emerging topic to guide teacher educators.

IEEE Validation of the Continuing Education Achievement of Engineers Registry System. Procedures for Use with a CPT 8000 Word Processor and Communications Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., New York, NY.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) validation program is designed to motivate persons practicing in electrical and electronics engineering to pursue quality technical continuing education courses offered by any responsible sponsor. The rapid acceptance of the validation program necessitated the additional development of a…

Engineering Education and Practice in the United States: Foundations of Our Techno-Economic Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC.

The National Research Council's Committee on the Education and Utilization of the Engineer conducted a study aimed at achieving a comprehensive understanding of engineering in the United States and an assessment of its capacity to meet present and future needs. This document reports on the findings of the committee's work over a 2-year period. The…

An Analog Computer for Electronic Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitch, A. L.; Iu, H. H. C.; Lu, D. D. C.

2011-01-01

This paper describes a compact analog computer and proposes its use in electronic engineering teaching laboratories to develop student understanding of applications in analog electronics, electronic components, engineering mathematics, control engineering, safe laboratory and workshop practices, circuit construction, testing, and maintenance. The…

Comparison of China-US Engineering Ethics Educations in Sino-Western Philosophies of Technology.

PubMed

Cao, Gui Hong

2015-12-01

Ethics education has become essential in modern engineering. Ethics education in engineering has been increasingly implemented worldwide. It can improve ethical behaviors in technology and engineering design under the guidance of the philosophy of technology. Hence, this study aims to compare China-US engineering ethics education in Sino-Western philosophies of technology by using literature studies, online surveys, observational researches, textual analyses, and comparative methods. In my original theoretical framework and model of input and output for education, six primary variables emerge in the pedagogy: disciplinary statuses, educational goals, instructional contents, didactic models, teaching methods, and edificatory effects. I focus on the similarities and differences of engineering ethics educations between China and the U.S. in Chinese and Western philosophies of technology. In the field of engineering, the U.S. tends toward applied ethics training, whereas China inclines toward practical moral education. The U.S. is the leader, particularly in the amount of money invested and engineering results. China has quickened its pace, focusing specifically on engineering labor input and output. Engineering ethics is a multiplayer game effected at various levels among (a) lower level technicians and engineers, engineering associations, and stockholders; (b) middle ranking engineering ethics education, the ministry of education, the academy of engineering, and the philosophy of technology; and (c) top national and international technological policies. I propose that professional engineering ethics education can play many important roles in reforming engineering social responsibility by international cooperation in societies that are becoming increasingly reliant on engineered devices and systems. Significantly, my proposals contribute to improving engineering ethics education and better-solving engineering ethics issues, thereby maximizing engineering sustainability.

Why Industry Must Step In to Train Engineers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Business Week, 1981

1981-01-01

Suggests industrial training of Japanese engineers since engineering education in Japan focuses on abstract science and rote learning of fundamental principles and not on practical laboratory experiences characteristic of training in the United States. (SK)

Technology of interdisciplinary open-ended designing in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaev, A. P.; Plotnikov, L. V.; Fomin, N. I.

2017-11-01

Author’s technology of interdisciplinary open-ended engineering is presented in this article. This technology is an integrated teaching method that significantly increases the practical component in the educational program. Author’s technology creates the conditions to overcome the shortcomings in the engineering education. The basic ideas of the technology of open-ended engineering, experience of their implementation in higher education and the author’s vision of the teaching technology are examined in the article. The main stages of development process of the author’s technology of open-ended engineering to prepare students (bachelor) of technical profile are presented in the article. Complex of the methodological tools and procedures is shown in the article. This complex is the basis of the developed training technology that is used in educational process in higher school of engineering (UrFU). The organizational model of the technology of open-ended engineering is presented. Organizational model integrates the functions in the creation and implementation of all educational program. Analysis of the characteristics of educational activity of students working on author’s technology of interdisciplinary open-ended engineering is presented. Intermediate results of the application of author’s technology in the educational process of the engineering undergraduate are shown.

Learning Theories and Assessment Methodologies--An Engineering Educational Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassan, O. A. B.

2011-01-01

This paper attempts to critically review theories of learning from the perspective of engineering education in order to align relevant assessment methods with each respective learning theory, considering theoretical aspects and practical observations and reflections. The role of formative assessment, taxonomies, peer learning and educational…

Theorizing the Nexus of STEAM Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peppler, Kylie; Wohlwend, Karen

2018-01-01

Recent advances in arts education policy, as outlined in the latest National Core Arts Standards, advocate for bringing digital media into the arts education classroom. The promise of such Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM)-based approaches is that, by coupling Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)…

Positioning of Engineer Ethics from the Standpoint of a Company. And the Ethics Education Towards Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Masaki

The purpose of a company is contribution to society by operating activities. Therefore, it has a company principle and “Business ethics” conduct codes in each. On the other hand, many engineers with specialties are performing business toward the same purpose at the same company. And it will produce new inconsistency by introducing “Engineer ethics” and “the ethics of each professional” all at once in the situation of that company. Then, the engineer ethics education in company needs to carry out by arranging company conduct codes and Engineer ethics. This paper proposes what the company ethics education should be from exemplifying results by make activities and engineer ethics education of the corporate ethics observance in the Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc.

Colorblind and Multicultural Ideologies Are Associated with Faculty Adoption of Inclusive Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aragón, Oriana R.; Dovidio, John F.; Graham, Mark J.

2017-01-01

Professional workshops aimed at increasing student diversity typically urge college-level science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) educators to implement inclusive teaching practices. A model of the process by which educators adopt such practices, and the relationship between adoption and 2 ideologies of diversity is tested here. One…

Engineering Encounters: An Engineering Design Process for Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lottero-Perdue, Pamela; Bowditch, Michelle; Kagan, Michelle; Robinson-Cheek, Linda; Webb, Tedra; Meller, Megan; Nosek, Theresa

2016-01-01

This column presents ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month's issue shares information about trying (again) to engineer an egg package. Engineering is an essential part of science education, as emphasized in the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS Lead States 2013). Engineering practices and performance…

Engineering Encounters: Engineer It, Learn It--Science and Engineering Practices in Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lachapelle, Cathy P.; Sargianis, Kristin; Cunningham, Christine M.

2013-01-01

Engineering is prominently included in the "Next Generation Science Standards" (Achieve Inc. 2013), as it was in "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (NRC 2012). The National Research Council, authors of the "Framework," write, "Engineering and technology are featured alongside the natural sciences (physical…

Effects of Engineering Design-Based Science on Elementary School Science Students' Engineering Identity Development across Gender and Grade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capobianco, Brenda M.; Yu, Ji H.; French, Brian F.

2015-04-01

The integration of engineering concepts and practices into elementary science education has become an emerging concern for science educators and practitioners, alike. Moreover, how children, specifically preadolescents (grades 1-5), engage in engineering design-based learning activities may help science educators and researchers learn more about children's earliest identification with engineering. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which engineering identity differed among preadolescents across gender and grade, when exposing students to engineering design-based science learning activities. Five hundred fifty preadolescent participants completed the Engineering Identity Development Scale (EIDS), a recently developed measure with validity evidence that characterizes children's conceptions of engineering and potential career aspirations. Data analyses of variance among four factors (i.e., gender, grade, and group) indicated that elementary school students who engaged in the engineering design-based science learning activities demonstrated greater improvements on the EIDS subscales compared to those in the comparison group. Specifically, students in the lower grade levels showed substantial increases, while students in the higher grade levels showed decreases. Girls, regardless of grade level and participation in the engineering learning activities, showed higher scores in the academic subscale compared to boys. These findings suggest that the integration of engineering practices in the science classroom as early as grade one shows potential in fostering and sustaining student interest, participation, and self-concept in engineering and science.

The Engineer of 2020: Visions of Engineering in the New Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academies Press, 2004

2004-01-01

To enhance the nation's economic productivity and improve the quality of life worldwide, engineering education in the United States must anticipate and adapt to the dramatic changes of engineering practice. The Engineer of 2020 urges the engineering profession to recognize what engineers can build for the future through a wide range of leadership…

The roles of engineering notebooks in shaping elementary engineering student discourse and practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hertel, Jonathan D.; Cunningham, Christine M.; Kelly, Gregory J.

2017-06-01

Engineering design challenges offer important opportunities for students to learn science and engineering knowledge and practices. This study examines how students' engineering notebooks across four units of the curriculum Engineering is Elementary (EiE) support student work during design challenges. Through educational ethnography and discourse analysis, transcripts of student talk and action were created and coded around the uses of notebooks in the accomplishment of engineering tasks. Our coding process identified two broad categories of roles of the notebooks: they scaffold student activity and support epistemic practices of engineering. The study showed the importance of prompts to engage students in effective uses of writing, the roles the notebook assumes in the students' small groups, and the ways design challenges motivate children to write and communicate.

Educational Effects of Practical Education Using a Debate Exercise on Engineering Ethics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takanokura, Masato; Hayashi, Shigeo

The educational effects of practical education using a debate exercise are investigated using questionnaires. For the group-work composed of discussion and debate, students understand thoroughly various engineering ethical topics, such as factors preventing ethical decision-making. Students enhance their abilities to make a rational and logical decision by themselves such as a judgment based on correct information. Mutual evaluation by students through group interaction elevates positive educational effects. However, students answer fewer questions related to the understanding of professional duties and cooperate social responsibility because of the group-work using failure cases. Students also show less progress in their abilities to communicate with others and to express their opinions to audiences. A more suitable number of group members solves the latter problem.

32 CFR 22.105 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... knowledge and understanding in science and engineering, rather than the practical application of that... part, basic research includes: (1) Research-related, science and engineering education, including... to enhance the infrastructure for science and engineering research. Claim. A written demand or...

32 CFR 22.105 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... knowledge and understanding in science and engineering, rather than the practical application of that... part, basic research includes: (1) Research-related, science and engineering education, including... to enhance the infrastructure for science and engineering research. Claim. A written demand or...

32 CFR 22.105 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... knowledge and understanding in science and engineering, rather than the practical application of that... part, basic research includes: (1) Research-related, science and engineering education, including... to enhance the infrastructure for science and engineering research. Claim. A written demand or...

32 CFR 22.105 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... knowledge and understanding in science and engineering, rather than the practical application of that... part, basic research includes: (1) Research-related, science and engineering education, including... to enhance the infrastructure for science and engineering research. Claim. A written demand or...

Questioning Power: Deframing the STEM Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinstein, Matthew; Blades, David; Gleason, Shannon C.

2016-01-01

Internationally, STEM has become a slogan for organizing new discourses and practices in science education. In the form of a three-act play, we argue that STEM as social engineering orients and organizes school science education curriculum development in directions of scientific innovation and engineering that reinforce and legitimize a neoliberal…

Enhancing Elementary Teacher Practice through Technological/Engineering Design Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deck, Anita S.

2016-01-01

As widespread as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiatives and reforms are today in education, a rudimentary problem with these endeavors is being overlooked. In general, education programs and school districts are failing to ensure that elementary teachers who provide children's early academic experiences have the appropriate…

Implementing Large Projects in Software Engineering Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coppit, David

2006-01-01

In software engineering education, large projects are widely recognized as a useful way of exposing students to the real-world difficulties of team software development. But large projects are difficult to put into practice. First, educators rarely have additional time to manage software projects. Second, classrooms have inherent limitations that…

Incorporating global components into ethics education.

PubMed

Wang, George; Thompson, Russell G

2013-03-01

Ethics is central to science and engineering. Young engineers need to be grounded in how corporate social responsibility principles can be applied to engineering organizations to better serve the broader community. This is crucial in times of climate change and ecological challenges where the vulnerable can be impacted by engineering activities. Taking a global perspective in ethics education will help ensure that scientists and engineers can make a more substantial contribution to development throughout the world. This paper presents the importance of incorporating the global and cross culture components in the ethic education. The authors bring up a question to educators on ethics education in science and engineering in the globalized world, and its importance, necessity, and impendency. The paper presents several methods for discussion that can be used to identify the differences in ethics standards and practices in different countries; enhance the student's knowledge of ethics in a global arena.

Teaching medical management and operations engineering for systems-based practice to radiology residents.

PubMed

Brandon, Catherine J; Mullan, Patricia B

2013-03-01

To better prepare radiology residents for providing care within the context of the larger health care system, this study evaluated the feasibility and impact of a curriculum to enhance radiology residents' understanding and ability to apply concepts from medical management and industrial and operational engineering to systems-based practice problems in radiology practice. A multiprofessional team including radiology, medical education, and industrial and operational engineering professionals collaborated in developing a seven-module curriculum, including didactic lectures, interactive large-group analysis, and small-group discussions with case-based radiology examples, which illustrated real-life management issues and the roles physicians held. Residents and faculty participated in topic selection. Pre- and post-instruction formative assessments were administered, and results were shared with residents during teaching sessions. Attendance and participation in case-based scenario resolutions indicate the feasibility and impact of the interactive curriculum on residents' interest and ability to apply curricular concepts to systems-based practice in radiology. Paired t test analyses (P < .05) and effect sizes showed residents significantly increased their knowledge and ability to apply concepts to systems-based practice issues in radiology. Our iterative curriculum development and implementation process demonstrated need and support for a multiprofessional team approach to teach management and operational engineering concepts. Curriculum topics are congruent with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requirements for systems-based practice. The case-based curriculum using a mixed educational format of didactic lectures and small-group discussion and problem analysis could be adopted for other radiology programs, for both residents and continuing medical education applications. Copyright © 2013 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Creating Learning Environment Connecting Engineering Design and 3D Printing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pikkarainen, Ari; Salminen, Antti; Piili, Heidi

Engineering education in modern days require continuous development in didactics, pedagogics and used practical methods. 3D printing provides excellent opportunity to connect different engineering areas into practice and produce learning by doing applications. The 3D-printing technology used in this study is FDM (Fused deposition modeling). FDM is the most used 3D-printing technology by commercial numbers at the moment and the qualities of the technology makes it popular especially in academic environments. For achieving the best result possible, students will incorporate the principles of DFAM (Design for additive manufacturing) into their engineering design studies together with 3D printing. This paper presents a plan for creating learning environment for mechanical engineering students combining the aspects of engineering design, 3D-CAD learning and AM (additive manufacturing). As a result, process charts for carrying out the 3D printing process from technological point of view and design process for AM from engineering design point of view were created. These charts are used in engineering design education. The learning environment is developed to work also as a platform for Bachelor theses, work-training environment for students, prototyping service centre for cooperation partners and source of information for mechanical engineering education in Lapland University of Applied Sciences.

Accreditation of Engineering Programs: An Evaluation of Current Practices in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Said, Suhana Mohd; Chow, Chee-Onn; Mokhtar, N.; Ramli, Rahizar; Ya, Tuan Mohd Yusoff Shah Tuan; Sabri, Mohd Faizul Mohd

2013-01-01

The curriculum for undergraduate engineering courses in Malaysia is becoming increasingly structured, following the global trend for quality assurance in engineering education, through accreditation schemes. Generally, the accreditation criteria call for the graduates from engineering programs to demonstrate a range of skills, from technical…

Children's Language Production: How Cognitive Neuroscience and Industrial Engineering Can Inform Public Education Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leisman, Gerry

2012-01-01

Little of 150 years of research in Cognitive Neurosciences, Human Factors, and the mathematics of Production Management have found their way into educational policy and certainly not into the classroom or in the production of educational materials in any meaningful or practical fashion. Whilst more mundane concepts of timing, sequencing, spatial…

Structural engineering masters level education framework of knowledge for the needs of initial professional practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balogh, Zsuzsa Enriko

For at least the last decade, engineering, civil engineering, along with structural engineering as a profession within civil engineering, have and continue to face an emerging need for "Raising the Bar" of preparedness of young engineers seeking to become practicing professional engineers. The present consensus of the civil engineering profession is that the increasing need for broad and in-depth knowledge should require the young structural engineers to have at least a Masters-Level education. This study focuses on the Masters-Level preparedness in the structural engineering area within the civil engineering field. It follows much of the methodology used in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Body of Knowledge determination for civil engineering and extends this type of study to better define the portion of the young engineers preparation beyond the undergraduate program for one specialty area of civil engineering. The objective of this research was to create a Framework of Knowledge for the young engineer which identifies and recognizes the needs of the profession, along with the profession's expectations of how those needs can be achieved in the graduate-level academic setting, in the practice environment, and through lifelong learning opportunities with an emphasis on the initial five years experience past completion of a Masters program in structural engineering. This study applied a modified Delphi method to obtain the critical information from members of the structural engineering profession. The results provide a Framework of Knowledge which will be useful to several groups seeking to better ensure the preparedness of the future young structural engineers at the Masters-Level.

Short educational programs in optical design and engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voznesenskaya, Anna; Romanova, Galina; Bakholdin, Alexey; Tolstoba, Nadezhda; Ezhova, Kseniia

2016-09-01

Globalization and diversification of education in optical engineering causes a number of new phenomena in students' learning paths. Many students have an interest to get some courses in other universities, to study in international environment, to broaden not only professional skills but social links and see the sights as well etc. Participation in short educational programs (e.g. summer / winter schools, camps etc.) allows students from different universities to learn specific issues in their or in some neighbor field and also earn some ECTS for the transcript of records. ITMO University provides a variety of short educational programs in optical design and engineering oriented for different background level, such are: Introduction into optical engineering, Introduction into applied and computer optics, Optical system design, Image modeling and processing, Design of optical devices and components. Depending on students' educational background these programs are revised and adopted each time. Usually the short educational programs last 4 weeks and provide 4 ECTS. The short programs utilize a set of out-of date educational technologies like problem-based learning, case-study and distance-learning and evaluation. Practically, these technologies provide flexibility of the educational process and intensive growth of the learning outcomes. Students are satisfied with these programs very much. In their feedbacks they point a high level of practical significance, experienced teaching staff, scholarship program, excellent educational environment, as well as interesting social program and organizational support.

A report on NASA software engineering and Ada training requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Legrand, Sue; Freedman, Glenn B.; Svabek, L.

1987-01-01

NASA's software engineering and Ada skill base are assessed and information that may result in new models for software engineering, Ada training plans, and curricula are provided. A quantitative assessment which reflects the requirements for software engineering and Ada training across NASA is provided. A recommended implementation plan including a suggested curriculum with associated duration per course and suggested means of delivery is also provided. The distinction between education and training is made. Although it was directed to focus on NASA's need for the latter, the key relationships to software engineering education are also identified. A rationale and strategy for implementing a life cycle education and training program are detailed in support of improved software engineering practices and the transition to Ada.

Laboratory experiments in integrated circuit fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, Thomas J.; Kolesar, Edward S.

1993-01-01

The objectives of the experiment are fourfold: to provide practical experience implementing the fundamental processes and technology associated with the science and art of integrated circuit (IC) fabrication; to afford the opportunity for the student to apply the theory associated with IC fabrication and semiconductor device operation; to motivate the student to exercise engineering decisions associated with fabricating integrated circuits; and to complement the theory of n-channel MOS and diffused devices that are presented in the classroom by actually fabricating and testing them. Therefore, a balance between theory and practice can be realized in the education of young engineers, whose education is often criticized as lacking sufficient design and practical content.

Incorporating Risk Assessment and Inherently Safer Design Practices into Chemical Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seay, Jeffrey R.; Eden, Mario R.

2008-01-01

This paper introduces, via case study example, the benefit of including risk assessment methodology and inherently safer design practices into the curriculum for chemical engineering students. This work illustrates how these tools can be applied during the earliest stages of conceptual process design. The impacts of decisions made during…

Constructing engineers through practice: Gendered features of learning and identity development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonso, Karen L.

How do women and men student engineers develop an engineering identity (a sense of belonging, or not), while practicing "actual" engineering? What are the influences of gender, learning and knowledge, relations of power, and conceptions of equality on cultural identity development? I studied these issues in reform-minded engineering design classes, courses organized around teaching students communications, teamwork, and practical engineering. Engineering-student cultural identity categories revealed a status hierarchy, predicated on meeting "academic" criteria for excellence, and the almost total exclusion of women. While working as an engineering colleague on five student teams (three first-year and two senior) and attending their design classes, I documented how cultural identities were made evident and constructed in students' practical engineering. Design projects promoted linking academic knowledge with real-world situations, sharing responsibilities and trusting colleagues, communicating engineering knowledge to technical and non-technical members of business communities, and addressing gaps in students' knowledge. With a curriculum analysis and survey of students' perceptions of the differences between design and conventional courses, I embedded the design classes in the wider campus and found that: (1) Engineering education conferred prestige, power, and well-paying jobs on students who performed "academic" engineering, while failing to adequately encourage "actual" engineering practices. High-status student engineers were the least likely to perform "actual" engineering in design teams. (2) Engineering education advanced an ideology that encouraged its practitioners to consider men's privilege and women's invisibility normal. By making "acting like men act" the standards to which engineering students must conform, women learned to put up with oppressive treatment. Women's accepting their own mistreatment and hiding their womanhood became a condition of women's belonging. (3) Despite all of the pressures to do otherwise, (some) teams of students (at all levels) carved out small oases where "actual" engineering prevailed and women's participation was robust. Students--not faculty, not progressive pedagogy, not "reformed" courses--disrupted prevailing norms. However, two women engineering students, one on each senior team, performed fabulous "actual" engineering, yet neither of them had a job when they graduated--the only two senior students on my teams without jobs.

Iteration in Early-Elementary Engineering Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFarland Kendall, Amber Leigh

2017-01-01

K-12 standards and curricula are beginning to include engineering design as a key practice within Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. However, there is little research on how the youngest students engage in engineering design within the elementary classroom. This dissertation focuses on iteration as an essential aspect…

24 CFR 3282.358 - Personnel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... résumés of their experience. (3) The names of engineers practicing electrical engineering who will be... Standard E-541 except that the requirement for registration as a professional engineer or architect may be waived for personnel whose qualifications by experience or education equal those of a registered engineer...

24 CFR 3282.358 - Personnel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... résumés of their experience. (3) The names of engineers practicing electrical engineering who will be... Standard E-541 except that the requirement for registration as a professional engineer or architect may be waived for personnel whose qualifications by experience or education equal those of a registered engineer...

24 CFR 3282.358 - Personnel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... résumés of their experience. (3) The names of engineers practicing electrical engineering who will be... Standard E-541 except that the requirement for registration as a professional engineer or architect may be waived for personnel whose qualifications by experience or education equal those of a registered engineer...

24 CFR 3282.358 - Personnel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... résumés of their experience. (3) The names of engineers practicing electrical engineering who will be... Standard E-541 except that the requirement for registration as a professional engineer or architect may be waived for personnel whose qualifications by experience or education equal those of a registered engineer...

24 CFR 3282.358 - Personnel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... résumés of their experience. (3) The names of engineers practicing electrical engineering who will be... Standard E-541 except that the requirement for registration as a professional engineer or architect may be waived for personnel whose qualifications by experience or education equal those of a registered engineer...

Trends in U.S. Engineering and Engineering Technology: A Comparative Study of Admissions, Curricula, and Employment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lebold, W. K.; Lebold, D. J.

1985-01-01

Discusses the admissions selection practices, educational programs, quality standards, and employment characteristics of engineering and engineering technology in the United States. The importance of these two occupations as part of technical teams (which include scientists and technicians) is documented and stressed. (JN)

The Development of a Concept Inventory for Engineering Graphics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nozaki, Steven Yasuto

2017-01-01

Graphics education has been a central component in the engineering course of study. As technology advances, so have the methods in which graphics are expressed and practiced. Though the of media of graphics education have evolved, the concepts of the field remain relatively consistent. Tools are needed to measure students' comprehension,…

Data Sharing in Interpretive Engineering Education Research: Challenges and Opportunities from a Research Quality Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walther, Joachim; Sochacka, Nicola W.; Pawley, Alice L.

2016-01-01

This article explores challenges and opportunities associated with sharing qualitative data in engineering education research. This exploration is theoretically informed by an existing framework of interpretive research quality with a focus on the concept of Communicative Validation. Drawing on practice anecdotes from the authors' work, the…

A Systematic Review of Research on the Flipped Learning Method in Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karabulut-Ilgu, Aliye; Jaramillo Cherrez, Nadia; Jahren, Charles T.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the current state of knowledge and practice in the flipped learning approach in engineering education and to provide guidance for practitioners by critically appraising and summarizing existing research. This article is a qualitative synthesis of quantitative and qualitative research investigating the…

After the Workshop: A Case Study of Post-Workshop Implementation of Active Learning in an Electrical Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shekhar, Prateek; Maura Borrego

2017-01-01

Engineering education research has empirically validated the effectiveness of active learning over traditional instructional methods. However, the dissemination of education research into instructional practice has been slow. Faculty workshops for current and future instructors offer a solution to promote the widespread adoption of active learning…

Integrating Sustainable Development in Chemical Engineering Education: The Application of an Environmental Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montanes, M. T.; Palomares, A. E.; Sanchez-Tovar, R.

2012-01-01

The principles of sustainable development have been integrated in chemical engineering education by means of an environmental management system. These principles have been introduced in the teaching laboratories where students perform their practical classes. In this paper, the implementation of the environmental management system, the problems…

Design of a Professional Practice Simulator for Educating and Motivating First-Year Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesler, Naomi C.; Arastoopour, Golnaz; D'Angelo, Cynthia M.; Bagley, Elizabeth A.; Shaffer, David Williamson

2013-01-01

Increasingly, first-year engineering curricula incorporate design projects. However, the faculty and staff effort and physical resources required for the number of students enrolled can be daunting and affect the quality of instruction. To reduce these costs, ensure a high quality educational experience, and reduce variability in student outcomes…

Professional Development for the Integration of Engineering in High School STEM Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Jonathan E.; Ross, Julia M.; Jackson-Lee, Yvette

2016-01-01

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in the U.S. is in transition. The recently published "A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas" as well as the "Next Generation Science Standards" are responsive to this call and clearly articulate a vision that…

Perceptions and Practices of Data Sharing in Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johri, Aditya; Yang, Seungwon; Vorvoreanu, Mihaela; Madhavan, Krishna

2016-01-01

As part of our NSF funded collaborative project on Data Sharing within Engineering Education Community, we conducted an empirical study to better understand the current climate of data sharing and participants' future expectations of the field. We present findings of this mixed method study and discuss implications. Overall, we found strong…

Promising Practices in Undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education: Summary of Two Workshops

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Natalie

2011-01-01

Numerous teaching, learning, assessment, and institutional innovations in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education have emerged in the past decade. Because virtually all of these innovations have been developed independently of one another, their goals and purposes vary widely. Some focus on making science…

Creating meaningful learning experiences: Understanding students' perspectives of engineering design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleong, Richard James Chung Mun

There is a societal need for design education to prepare holistic engineers with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to innovate and compete globally. Design skills are paramount to the espoused values of higher education, as institutions of higher learning strive to develop in students the cognitive abilities of critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity. To meet these interests from industry and academia, it is important to advance the teaching and learning of engineering design. This research aims to understand how engineering students learn and think about design, as a way for engineering educators to optimize instructional practice and curriculum development. Qualitative research methodology was used to investigate the meaning that engineering students' ascribe to engineering design. The recruitment of participants and corresponding collection of data occurred in two phases using two different data collection techniques. The first phase involved the distribution of a one-time online questionnaire to all first year, third year, and fourth year undergraduate engineering students at three Canadian Universities. After the questionnaire, students were asked if they would be willing to participate in the second phase of data collection consisting of a personal interview. A total of ten students participated in interviews. Qualitative data analysis procedures were conducted on students' responses from the questionnaire and interviews. The data analysis process consisted of two phases: a descriptive phase to code and categorize the data, followed by an interpretative phase to generate further meaning and relationships. The research findings present a conceptual understanding of students' descriptions about engineering design, structured within two educational orientations: a learning studies orientation and a curriculum studies orientation. The learning studies orientation captured three themes of students' understanding of engineering design: awareness, relevance, and transfer. With this framework of student learning, engineering educators can enhance learning experiences by engaging all three levels of students' understanding. The curriculum studies orientation applied the three holistic elements of curriculum---subject matter, society, and the individual---to conceptualize design considerations for engineering curriculum and teaching practice. This research supports the characterization of students' learning experiences to help educators and students optimize their teaching and learning of design education.

Engineering education in research-intensive universities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpay, E.; Jones, M. E.

2012-12-01

The strengths and weaknesses of engineering education in research-intensive institutions are reported and key areas for developmental focus identified. The work is based on a questionnaire and session summaries used during a two-day international conference held at Imperial College London. The findings highlight several common concerns, such as the need to improve faculty motivation towards teaching, broaden the workplace skills of students, widen employer engagement in teaching and raise the relevance and value of scholarly activity in the discipline of engineering education. Examples of good practice used to address such issues are reported.

Engineering Ethics Education: A Comparative Study of Japan and Malaysia.

PubMed

Balakrishnan, Balamuralithara; Tochinai, Fumihiko; Kanemitsu, Hidekazu

2018-03-22

This paper reports the findings of a comparative study in which students' perceived attainment of the objectives of an engineering ethics education and their attitude towards engineering ethics were investigated and compared. The investigation was carried out in Japan and Malaysia, involving 163 and 108 engineering undergraduates respectively. The research method used was based on a survey in which respondents were sent a questionnaire to elicit relevant data. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed on the data. The results of the analyses showed that the attainment of the objectives of engineering ethics education and students' attitude towards socio-ethical issues in engineering were significantly higher and positive among Japanese engineering students compared to Malaysian engineering students. Such findings suggest that a well-structured, integrated, and innovative pedagogy for teaching ethics will have an impact on the students' attainment of ethics education objectives and their attitude towards engineering ethics. As such, the research findings serve as a cornerstone to which the current practice of teaching and learning of engineering ethics education can be examined more critically, such that further improvements can be made to the existing curriculum that can help produce engineers that have strong moral and ethical characters.

[Engineering education reform plan created by Prof. Dr. Shimizu and establishment of Nagoya Municipal Science Museum--regarding cooperative education between universities and industries in Japan after the Second World War].

PubMed

Mabuchi, Koichi

2014-07-01

This paper gives an account of Prof. Dr. Kinji Shimizu, the first president of Nagoya Institute of Technology, and his establishment of Nagoya Municipal Science Museum. After graduating from the Electrical Engineering Department of Kyoto Imperial University in 1923, Shimizu was impressed by the German Museum in Munich during his stay there as a student in 1932. It's the first time that he learned the education in cooperation with industries. Just after the Second World War, he became director general of the Ministry of Education. However, new education system given by the United States focused not on developing practical ability but on gaining the basic knowledge, which is contrary to what he expected. Then, he contributed to the establishment of the Japanese Society for Engineering Education, besides working as the president of Nagoya Institute of Technology in the earlier 1950s. His idea was supported by industries for the economic growth. Throughout his career, Prof. Dr. Shimizu was convinced that practical engineering education would benefit Japan, and wanted to introduce cooperative education between universities and industries, along the lines of the same system in Germany and the United States. With this vision he founded Nagoya Municipal Science Museum in cooperation with local industries and local government as his final achievement. The museum was completed in 1964.

Youth's Engagement as Scientists and Engineers in an Afterschool Making and Tinkering Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, Amber; Burris, Alexandra; Maltese, Adam

2017-11-01

Making and tinkering is currently gaining traction as an interdisciplinary approach to education. However, little is known about how these activities and explorations in formal and informal learning spaces address the content and skills common to professionals across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As such, the purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how youth were engaged in the eight science and engineering practices outlined within the US Next Generation Science Standards within an informal learning environment utilizing principles of tinkering within the daily activities. Findings highlight how youth and facilitators engaged and enacted in practices common to scientists and engineers. Yet, in this study, enactment of these practices "looked" differently than might be expected in a formal learning environment such as a laboratory setting. For example, in this setting, students were observed carrying out trials on their design as opposed to carrying out a formal scientific investigation. Results also highlight instances of doing science and engineering not explicitly stated within parameters of formal education documents in the USA, such as experiences with failure.

Theory and Practice Meets in Industrial Process Design -Educational Perspective-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aramo-Immonen, Heli; Toikka, Tarja

Software engineer should see himself as a business process designer in enterprise resource planning system (ERP) re-engineering project. Software engineers and managers should have design dialogue. The objective of this paper is to discuss the motives to study the design research in connection of management education in order to envision and understand the soft human issues in the management context. Second goal is to develop means of practicing social skills between designers and managers. This article explores the affective components of design thinking in industrial management domain. In the conceptual part of this paper are discussed concepts of network and project economy, creativity, communication, use of metaphors, and design thinking. Finally is introduced empirical research plan and first empirical results from design method experiments among the multi-disciplined groups of the master-level students of industrial engineering and management and software engineering.

Resources and the Quality of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jemian, Wartan A.

1975-01-01

Describes the speakers involved and presents the issues addressed at the Plenary Session of the American Society of Engineering Education in 1974. Speakers included a historian, a representative of the Army Corps of Engineers, a practicing engineer, and a consultant on national materials policy. (GS)

Explore-create-share study: An evaluation of teachers as curriculum innovators in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, Ayora

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a curriculum design-based (CDB) professional development model on K-12 teachers' capacity to integrate engineering education in the classroom. This teacher professional development approach differs from other training programs where teachers learn how to use a standard curriculum and adopt it in their classrooms. In a CDB professional development model teachers actively design lessons, student resources, and assessments for their classroom instruction. In other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, CDB professional development has been reported to (a) position teachers as architects of change, (b) provide a professional learning vehicle for educators to reflect on instructional practices and develop content knowledge, (c) inspire a sense of ownership in curriculum decision-making among teachers, and (d) use an instructional approach that is coherent with teachers' interests and professional goals. The CDB professional development program in this study used the Explore-Create-Share (ECS) framework as an instructional model to support teacher-led curriculum design and implementation. To evaluate the impact of the CDB professional development and associated ECS instructional model, three research studies were conducted. In each study, the participants completed a six-month CDB professional development program, the PTC STEM Certificate Program, that included sixty-two instructional contact hours. Participants learned about industry and education engineering concepts, tested engineering curricula, collaborated with K-12 educators and industry professionals, and developed project-based engineering curricula using the ECS framework. The first study evaluated the impact of the CDB professional development program on teachers' engineering knowledge, self-efficacy in designing engineering curriculum, and instructional practice in developing project-based engineering units. The study included twenty-six teachers and data was collected pre-, mid-, and post-program using teacher surveys and a curriculum analysis instrument. The second study evaluated teachers' perceptions of the ECS model as a curriculum authoring tool and the quality of the curriculum units they developed. The study included sixty-two participants and data was collected post-program using teacher surveys and a curriculum analysis instrument. The third study evaluated teachers' experiences implementing ECS units in the classroom with a focus on identifying the benefits, challenges and solutions associated with project-based engineering in the classroom. The study included thirty-one participants and data was collected using an open-ended survey instrument after teachers completed implementation of the ECS curriculum unit. Results of these three studies indicate that teachers can be prepared to integrate engineering in the classroom using a CDB professional development model. Teachers reported an increase in engineering content knowledge, improved their self-efficacy in curriculum planning, and developed high quality instructional units that were aligned to engineering design practices and STEM educational standards. The ECS instructional model was acknowledged as a valuable tool for developing and implementing engineering education in the classroom. Teachers reported that ECS curriculum design aligned with their teaching goals, provided a framework to integrate engineering with other subject-area concepts, and incorporated innovative teaching strategies. After implementing ECS units in the classroom, teachers reported that the ECS model engaged students in engineering design challenges that were situated in a real world context and required the application of interdisciplinary content knowledge and skills. Teachers also reported a number of challenges related to scheduling, content alignment, and access to resources. In the face of these obstacles, teachers presented a number of solutions that included optimization of one's teaching practice, being resource savvy, and adopting a growth mindset.

From Content to Practice: Sharing Educational Practice in Edu-Sharing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klebl, Michael; Kramer, Bernd J.; Zobel, Annett

2010-01-01

For technology-enhanced learning, the idea of "learning objects" transfers the technologies of content management, methods of software engineering and principles of open access to educational resources. This paper reports on CampusContent, a research project and competence centre for e-learning at FernUniversitat in Hagen that designed…

Analysing the integration of engineering in science lessons with the Engineering-Infused Lesson Rubric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterman, Karen; Daugherty, Jenny L.; Custer, Rodney L.; Ross, Julia M.

2017-09-01

Science teachers are being called on to incorporate engineering practices into their classrooms. This study explores whether the Engineering-Infused Lesson Rubric, a new rubric designed to target best practices in engineering education, could be used to evaluate the extent to which engineering is infused into online science lessons. Eighty lessons were selected at random from three online repositories, and coded with the rubric. Overall results documented the strengths of existing lessons, as well as many components that teachers might strengthen. In addition, a subset of characteristics was found to distinguish lessons with the highest level of engineering infusion. Findings are discussed in relation to the potential of the rubric to help teachers use research evidence-informed practice generally, and in relation to the new content demands of the U.S. Next Generation Science Standards, in particular.

The Impact of Design-Based STEM Integration Curricula on Student Achievement in Engineering, Science, and Mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selcen Guzey, S.; Harwell, Michael; Moreno, Mario; Peralta, Yadira; Moore, Tamara J.

2017-04-01

The new science education reform documents call for integration of engineering into K-12 science classes. Engineering design and practices are new to most science teachers, meaning that implementing effective engineering instruction is likely to be challenging. This quasi-experimental study explored the influence of teacher-developed, engineering design-based science curriculum units on learning and achievement among grade 4-8 students of different races, gender, special education status, and limited English proficiency (LEP) status. Treatment and control students ( n = 4450) completed pretest and posttest assessments in science, engineering, and mathematics as well as a state-mandated mathematics test. Single-level regression results for science outcomes favored the treatment for one science assessment (physical science, heat transfer), but multilevel analyses showed no significant treatment effect. We also found that engineering integration had different effects across race and gender and that teacher gender can reduce or exacerbate the gap in engineering achievement for student subgroups depending on the outcome. Other teacher factors such as the quality of engineering-focused science units and engineering instruction were predictive of student achievement in engineering. Implications for practice are discussed.

Examining the Teaching of Science, and Technology and Engineering Content and Practices: An Instrument Modification Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Tyler S.; Wells, John G.; Parkes, Kelly A.

2017-01-01

A modified Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) (Piburn & Sawada, 2000) instrument was used to separately examine eight technology and engineering (T&E) educators' teaching of science, and T&E content and practices, as called for by the "Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology"…

The Construction and Practice of Classified Talent Cultivation System Combining with Professional Certification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jianwei, Yang; Aihua, Zhu; Yuanyuan, Zhang; Chunqing, Zhao

2016-01-01

According to the idea of CDIO engineering education, this paper, combing with professional certification, makes training plan of Urban Rail Transit Vehicles Engineering direction in our school on the basis of research on universities at home and abroad. It strengthens the teaching of basic subjects and increases the weeks of practice link in the…

Distance Learning Engineering Students Languish under Project-Based Learning, but Thrive in Case Studies and Practical Workshops

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swart, Arthur James

2016-01-01

The International Engineering Alliance lists 12 important graduate attributes that students must demonstrate during their higher educational career. One of these important graduate attributes is the ability to solve problems, which can be demonstrated by the use of project-based learning, case studies, and practical workshops. The purpose of this…

Coming to Terms with Engineering Design as Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Theodore

2005-01-01

This article addresses the challenges posed by engineering design as a content area of technology education. What adjustments will technology teachers have to make in their approach to teaching and learning when they teach design as engineering in response to the new standards? How faithful to engineering as practiced must their approach be? There…

Black Engineering Students' Motivation for PhD Attainment: Passion Plus Purpose

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Ebony O.; White, Devin T.; Jenkins, Akailah T.; Houston, Stacey; Bentley, Lydia C.; Smith, William J.; Robinson, William H.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Much of the extant research, practice and policy in engineering education has focused on the limited persistence, waning interest and lack of preparation among Black students to continue beyond the post-secondary engineering pipeline. However, this research suggests that many Black PhD students persist and succeed in engineering, fueled…

Development of a Web-Based System to Support Self-Directed Learning of Microfabrication Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jou, Min; Wu, Yu-Shiang

2012-01-01

Having engineers in microfabrication technologies educated has become much more difficult than having engineers educated in the traditional technologies, and this may be because of the high cost for acquirement of equipment, materials, and infrastructural means (i.e., cleaning rooms), all in addition to the hands-on practices that are often times…

A Study of Trial and Error Learning in Technology, Engineering, and Design Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franzen, Marissa Marie Sloan

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research study was to determine if trial and error learning was an effective, practical, and efficient learning method for Technology, Engineering, and Design Education students at the post-secondary level. A mixed methods explanatory research design was used to measure the viability of the learning source. The study sample was…

On the Prospects and Concerns of Integrating Open Source Software Environment in Software Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamthan, Pankaj

2007-01-01

Open Source Software (OSS) has introduced a new dimension in software community. As the development and use of OSS becomes prominent, the question of its integration in education arises. In this paper, the following practices fundamental to projects and processes in software engineering are examined from an OSS perspective: project management;…

Teachers' Incorporation of Argumentation to Support Engineering Learning in STEM Integration Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathis, Corey A.; Siverling, Emilie A.; Glancy, Aran W.; Moore, Tamara J.

2017-01-01

One of the fundamental practices identified in Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is argumentation, which has been researched in P-12 science education for the previous two decades but has yet to be studied within the context of P-12 engineering education. This research explores how elementary and middle school science teachers incorporated…

Avoid, Control, Succumb, or Balance: Engineering Students' Approaches to a Wicked Sustainability Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lönngren, Johanna; Ingerman, Åke; Svanström, Magdalena

2017-01-01

Wicked sustainability problems (WSPs) are an important and particularly challenging type of problem. Science and engineering education can play an important role in preparing students to deal with such problems, but current educational practice may not adequately prepare students to do so. We address this gap by providing insights related to…

Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM): Catalyzing Change Amid the Confusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barakos, Lynn; Lujan, Vanessa; Strang, Craig

2012-01-01

Over the past eight years or so, educators have struggled to make sense of the many views and definitions of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and what constitutes quality in STEM practices. The multitude of recent STEM funding opportunities has done little to create a common understanding about how to best engage…

Problematising the `Career Academic' in UK construction and engineering education: does the system want what the system gets?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilcher, Nick; Forster, Alan; Tennant, Stuart; Murray, Mike; Craig, Nigel

2017-11-01

'Career Academics' are principally research-led, entering academia with limited or no industrial or practical experience. UK Higher Education Institutions welcome them for their potential to attain research grant funding and publish world-leading journal papers, ultimately enhancing institutional reputation. This polemical paper problematises the Career Academic around three areas: their institutional appeal; their impact on the student experience, team dynamics and broader academic functions; and current strategic policy to employ them. We also argue that recent UK Government teaching-focused initiatives will not address needs to employ practical academics, or 'Pracademics' in predominantly vocational Construction and Engineering Education. We generate questions for policy-makers, institutions and those implementing strategy. We argue that research is key, but partial rebalancing will achieve a diverse academic skill base to achieve contextualised construction and engineering education. In wider European contexts, the paper resonates with issues of academic 'drift' and provides reflection for others on the UK context.

[From gene cloning to expressional analysis--practice and experience from educational reform of experimental gene engineering].

PubMed

Wu, Yan-Hua; Guo, Bin; Lou, Hui-Ling; Cui, Yu-Liang; Gu, Hui-Juan; Qiao, Shou-Yi

2012-02-01

Experimental gene engineering is a laboratory course focusing on the molecular structure, expression pattern and biological function of genes. Providing our students with a solid knowledge base and correct ways to conduct research is very important for high-quality education of genetic engineering. Inspired by recent progresses in this field, we improved the experimental gene engineering course by adding more updated knowledge and technologies and emphasizing on the combination of teaching and research, with the aim of offering our students a good start in their scientific careers.

VirTUal remoTe labORatories managEment System (TUTORES): Using Cloud Computing to Acquire University Practical Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caminero, Agustín C.; Ros, Salvador; Hernández, Roberto; Robles-Gómez, Antonio; Tobarra, Llanos; Tolbaños Granjo, Pedro J.

2016-01-01

The use of practical laboratories is a key in engineering education in order to provide our students with the resources needed to acquire practical skills. This is specially true in the case of distance education, where no physical interactions between lecturers and students take place, so virtual or remote laboratories must be used. UNED has…

The Emergence of a Community of Practice in Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolikant, Yifat Ben-David; McKenna, Ann; Yalvac, Bugrahan

2006-01-01

This chapter describes how engineering faculty and learning scientists developed a collective wisdom--shared language, capabilities, and world view--in order to work together to achieve a common goal of developing course materials in the domain of biomedical engineering. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

Improving System Engineering Excellence at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takada, Pamela Wallace; Newton, Steve; Gholston, Sampson; Thomas, Dale (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) management feels that sound system engineering practices are essential for successful project management, NASA studies have concluded that recent project failures could be attributed in part to inadequate systems engineering. A recent survey of MSFC project managers and system engineers' resulted in the recognition of a need for training in Systems Engineering Practices, particularly as they relate to MSFC projects. In response to this survey, an internal pilot short-course was developed to reinforce accepted practices for system engineering at MSFC. The desire of the MSFC management is to begin with in-house training and offer additional educational opportunities to reinforce sound system engineering principles to the more than 800 professionals who are involved with system engineering and project management. A Systems Engineering Development Plan (SEDP) has been developed to address the longer-term systems engineering development needs of MSFC. This paper describes the survey conducted and the training course that was developed in response to that survey.

Research and Innovation of Engineering Education in Europe the contribution of SEFI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graaff, Erik De; Borri, Claudio

The roots of engineering education lie in the workplace. It was not until the 19th century that higher engineering education moved to a more scholarly environment. True to its origins, research in the applied sciences never aimed at pure understanding alone. The goal of engineering investigations has always been to devise solutions to practice problems with a mixture of design, construction and innovation. If the establishing of a research tradition in engineering has taken quite a long time, the time needed to apply an academic mode of thinking to the approach to teaching and learning has been much longer. In fact, most of the design choices concerning the curricula in higher engineering education were made based on intuition, rather than on insight, until well over the half of the last century. Aiming at to support the development of engineering education in Europe, in 1973 the European Society of Engineering Education was established (labelled SEFI according to the French acronym Société. Européenne pour la Formation des Ingénieurs). Presently the society represents 196 institutional members. SEFI promotes cooperation between higher engineering education institutions and other scientific and international bodies on issues of research and development in Engineering Education, for instance through participating in European network projects such as the SOCRATES Thematic Network “TREE” (Teaching and Research in Engineering Education in Europe). SEFI is also engaged in policy development regarding engineering education publishing statements regarding issues like the Bologna process and the proposed European Institute of Technology. In the future SEFI aims to consolidate and strengthen its role in the European arena and to represent Europe on the Global stage.

Teachers' Perceptions and Practices of STEAM Education in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, HyunJu; Byun, Soo-yong; Sim, Jaeho; Han, Hyesook; Baek, Yoon Su

2016-01-01

This study examined teachers' perceptions and practices of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education in South Korea, drawing on a survey of teachers in STEAM model schools. Results showed that the majority of Korean teachers, especially experienced teachers and male teachers, had a positive view on the role of STEAM…

Gaming, texting, learning? Teaching engineering ethics through students' lived experiences with technology.

PubMed

Voss, Georgina

2013-09-01

This paper examines how young peoples' lived experiences with personal technologies can be used to teach engineering ethics in a way which facilitates greater engagement with the subject. Engineering ethics can be challenging to teach: as a form of practical ethics, it is framed around future workplace experience in a professional setting which students are assumed to have no prior experience of. Yet the current generations of engineering students, who have been described as 'digital natives', do however have immersive personal experience with digital technologies; and experiential learning theory describes how students learn ethics more successfully when they can draw on personal experience which give context and meaning to abstract theories. This paper reviews current teaching practices in engineering ethics; and examines young people's engagement with technologies including cell phones, social networking sites, digital music and computer games to identify social and ethical elements of these practices which have relevance for the engineering ethics curricula. From this analysis three case studies are developed to illustrate how facets of the use of these technologies can be drawn on to teach topics including group work and communication; risk and safety; and engineering as social experimentation. Means for bridging personal experience and professional ethics when teaching these cases are discussed. The paper contributes to research and curriculum development in engineering ethics education, and to wider education research about methods of teaching 'the net generation'.

Didactical Engineering in France; An Insider's and an Outsider's View on Its Foundations, Its Practice and Its Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margolinas, Claire; Drijvers, Paul

2015-01-01

The notion of didactical engineering has influenced and characterized contemporary research in mathematics education in France to an important extent. In this paper, we address the following from an insider's and an outsider's perspective: (1) the way this notion is theoretically grounded, (2) the kinds of design research practices it has led to…

Examining Correlations between Preparation Experiences of US Technology and Engineering Educators and Their Teaching of Science Content and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Tyler S.; Wells, John G.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate the extent of the relationship between select technology and science preparation experiences of United States (US) technology and engineering (T&E) teachers and their teaching of science content and practices. Utilizing a fully integrated mixed methods design (Teddlie and Tashakkori in "Res…

Engineering Design for Engineering Design: Benefits, Models, and Examples from Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Ken L., Jr.; Kirby, Melissa; Bober, Sue

2016-01-01

Engineering design, a framework for studying and solving societal problems, is a key component of STEM education. It is also the area of greatest challenge within the Next Generation Science Standards, NGSS. Many teachers feel underprepared to teach or create activities that feature engineering design, and integrating a lesson plan of core content…

The Impact of Design-Based STEM Integration Curricula on Student Achievement in Engineering, Science, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selcen Guzey, S.; Harwell, Michael; Moreno, Mario; Peralta, Yadira; Moore, Tamara J.

2017-01-01

The new science education reform documents call for integration of engineering into K-12 science classes. Engineering design and practices are new to most science teachers, meaning that implementing effective engineering instruction is likely to be challenging. This quasi-experimental study explored the influence of teacher-developed, engineering…

Examining Elementary School Students' Mental Models of Sun-Earth Relationships as a Result of Engaging in Engineering Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dankenbring, Chelsey; Capobianco, Brenda M.

2016-01-01

Current reform efforts in science education in the United States call for students to learn science through the integration of science and engineering practices. Studies have examined the effect of engineering design on students' understanding of engineering, technology, and science concepts. However, the majority of studies emphasize the accuracy…

Development, Implementation, and Analysis of Desktop-Scale Model Industrial Equipment and a Critical Thinking Rubric for Use in Chemical Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golter, Paul B.

2011-01-01

In order to address some of the challenges facing engineering education, namely the demand that students be better prepared to practice professional as well as technical skills, we have developed an intervention consisting of equipment, assessments and a novel pedagogy. The equipment consists of desktop-scale replicas of common industrial…

Engineering for Everyone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Christine M.; Higgins, Melissa

2015-01-01

The new Next Generation Science Standards make it a priority for schools to focus more on the E in STEM, to help students learn the skills and practices of engineering. Schools that are doing so face a challenge, however: How to design educational experiences in engineering that engage all students--including girls and minorities, who are…

Leading Practice in Space Education: Successful Approaches by Specialist Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schools Network, 2010

2010-01-01

The aim of the Government's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme is to ensure Britain's future success as a major centre for science, engineering and innovation. Specialist science, technology, engineering and maths & computing colleges help to drive this programme by becoming centres of excellence in STEM…

Ethics, engineers and drama.

PubMed

Monk, John

2009-03-01

This paper describes four plays which illustrate ethical themes relevant to engineers and which could be used as a resource for engineers who wish to explore ethical topics and their relationship with professional practice. The plays themselves have been chosen because a character in the play is involved in engineering activities. Each play is analysed to highlight some of the ethical issues the play raises. Often ethical topics are presented in abstract terms but the plays relate ethical issues to individuals and individual actions in specific situations that connect either directly or figuratively to practical situations engineers find themselves in. The paper describes how the resources have or could be used in an educational programme.

Internationalizing Practical ChE Education: The M.I.T. Practice School in Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Andrea J.; Kandas, Angelo W.; Natori, Yukikazu; Hatton, T. Alan

1999-01-01

Describes the establishment, benefits, and difficulties of an overseas branch of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) chemical engineering Practice School for student internship study at the Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation's Mizushima Plant in Kurashiki, Japan. (WRM)

A sociocultural analysis of Latino high school students' funds of knowledge and implications for culturally responsive engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mejia, Joel Alejandro

Previous studies have suggested that, when funds of knowledge are incorporated into science and mathematics curricula, students are more engaged and often develop richer understandings of scientific concepts. While there has been a growing body of research addressing how teachers may integrate students' linguistic, social, and cultural practices with science and mathematics instruction, very little research has been conducted on how the same can be accomplished with Latino and Latina students in engineering. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature by investigating how fourteen Latino and Latina high school adolescents used their funds of knowledge to address engineering design challenges. This project was intended to enhance the educational experience of underrepresented minorities whose social and cultural practices have been traditionally undervalued in schools. This ethnographic study investigated the funds of knowledge of fourteen Latino and Latina high school adolescents and how they used these funds of knowledge in engineering design. Participant observation, bi-monthly group discussion, retrospective and concurrent protocols, and monthly one-on-one interviews were conducted during the study. A constant comparative analysis suggested that Latino and Latina adolescents, although profoundly underrepresented in engineering, bring a wealth of knowledge and experiences that are relevant to engineering design thinking and practice.

Reflexive Principlism as an Effective Approach for Developing Ethical Reasoning in Engineering.

PubMed

Beever, Jonathan; Brightman, Andrew O

2016-02-01

An important goal of teaching ethics to engineering students is to enhance their ability to make well-reasoned ethical decisions in their engineering practice: a goal in line with the stated ethical codes of professional engineering organizations. While engineering educators have explored a wide range of methodologies for teaching ethics, a satisfying model for developing ethical reasoning skills has not been adopted broadly. In this paper we argue that a principlist-based approach to ethical reasoning is uniquely suited to engineering ethics education. Reflexive Principlism is an approach to ethical decision-making that focuses on internalizing a reflective and iterative process of specification, balancing, and justification of four core ethical principles in the context of specific cases. In engineering, that approach provides structure to ethical reasoning while allowing the flexibility for adaptation to varying contexts through specification. Reflexive Principlism integrates well with the prevalent and familiar methodologies of reasoning within the engineering disciplines as well as with the goals of engineering ethics education.

Photoelectric professional students in common universities cultivate way to explore under the background of professional certification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yan-jun; Wang, Li; Leng, Yan-bing

2017-08-01

In view of the engineering education professional certification of specialty construction and the specific requirements of the training system, combining with our school optoelectronic information science and engineering characteristics, analysis of the optoelectronic information science and engineering in our school problems and challenges, to locate the specific professional training objectives. From the service oriented industry demand for talent ability, at the same time, according to the ministry of education professional norms of the development of the photoelectric teaching steering committee, and the professional development and the characteristics of target, to build a set to conform to the goal of cultivating the professional curriculum system. At the same time set up a from fundamental to professional practice teaching system, covers the course experiment, course design, case teaching, comprehensive training, such as graduation design practice. Which implements a whole ability training from the practice of foundation to high-end chain, embodies the training goal emphasize "outstanding practical skills, quality education is distinct culture characteristic. By further speed up the professional construction, professional certification standards to standardize our training process, improved the level of professional training, and improve the comprehensive quality of the graduates and talent of social competitiveness, fostered more professional talents for the country.

Engineering Encounters: The Cat in the Hat Builds Satellites. A Unit Promoting Scientific Literacy and the Engineering Design Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rehmat, Abeera P.; Owens, Marissa C.

2016-01-01

This column presents ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month's issue shares information about a unit promoting scientific literacy and the engineering design process. The integration of engineering with scientific practices in K-12 education can promote creativity, hands-on learning, and an improvement in students'…

A Pilot Study of the Effectiveness of Augmented Reality to Enhance the Use of Remote Labs in Electrical Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borrero, A. Mejias; Marquez, J. M. Andujar

2012-01-01

Lab practices are an essential part of teaching in Engineering. However, traditional laboratory lessons developed in classroom labs (CL) must be adapted to teaching and learning strategies that go far beyond the common concept of e-learning, in the sense that completely virtualized distance education disconnects teachers and students from the real…

Dropouts and Budgets: A Test of a Dropout Reduction Model among Students in Israeli Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bar-Am, Ran; Arar, Osama

2017-01-01

This article deals with the problem of student dropout during the first year in a higher education institution. To date, no model on a budget has been developed and tested to prevent dropout among Engineering Students. This case study was conducted among first-year students taking evening classes in two practical engineering colleges in Israel.…

The Development of Educational Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakamoto, Takashi

The degree to which the concepts of educational technolgoy are penetrating into educational practice in Japan is surveyed. Educational technology is defined as a branch of study in which the results of engineering techniques, information science, the natural sciences, the behavioral sciences and human technology are used to promote efficiency in…

Concept and Practice of Teaching Technical University Students to Modern Technologies of 3d Data Acquisition and Processing: a Case Study of Close-Range Photogrammetry and Terrestrial Laser Scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kravchenko, Iulia; Luhmann, Thomas; Shults, Roman

2016-06-01

For the preparation of modern specialists in the acquisition and processing of three-dimensional data, a broad and detailed study of related modern methods and technologies is necessary. One of the most progressive and effective methods of acquisition and analyzing spatial data is terrestrial laser scanning. The study of methods and technologies for terrestrial laser scanning is of great importance not only for GIS specialists, but also for surveying engineers who make decisions in traditional engineering tasks (monitoring, executive surveys, etc.). The understanding and formation of the right approach in preparing new professionals need to develop a modern and variable educational program. This educational program must provide effective practical and laboratory work and the student's coursework. The resulting knowledge of the study should form the basis for practical or research of young engineers. In 2014, the Institute of Applied Sciences (Jade University Oldenburg, Germany) and Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture (Kiev, Ukraine) had launched a joint educational project for the introduction of terrestrial laser scanning technology for collection and processing of spatial data. As a result of this project practical recommendations have been developed for the organization of educational processes in the use of terrestrial laser scanning. An advanced project-oriented educational program was developed which is presented in this paper. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the program a 3D model of the big and complex main campus of Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture has been generated.

A New Paradigm of Engineering Education for the 21st Century:Perspectives of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Western, Arthur; Stamper, Richard

Strategic initiatives for engineering education in the next decade as planned by the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology are presented. The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is a private college in the United States that specializes in undergraduate engineering, mathematics and science education. The initiatives are in response to broad changes in the practice of the engineering profession in its modern global context. The initiatives comprise five strategic thrust areas and five programmatic themes. The thrust areas are: Energy and Environment; Health and Safety; Transportation; Materials; and Information, Computation, and Communication. The programmatic themes are: Excellence in Education; International Awareness; Business Awareness;Service Learning; and Life-long Learning. The objective of these initiatives is to prepare students to meet the challenges of the 21st century and to serve as leaders in society.

Microbeads and Engineering Design in Chemistry: No Small Educational Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Adam; Turner, Ken

2015-01-01

A multipart laboratory activity introducing microbeads was created to meet engineering and engineering design practices consistent with new Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Microbeads are a current topic of concern as they have been found to cause adverse impacts in both marine and freshwater systems resulting in multiple states proposing…

Infusing Ethics into the Development of Engineers: Exemplary Education Activities and Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academies Press, 2016

2016-01-01

Ethical practice in engineering is critical for ensuring public trust in the field and in its practitioners, especially as engineers increasingly tackle international and socially complex problems that combine technical and ethical challenges. This report aims to raise awareness of the variety of exceptional programs and strategies for improving…

A Pragmatic Approach to Ethical Decision-Making in Engineering Practice: Characteristics, Evaluation Criteria, and Implications for Instruction and Assessment.

PubMed

Zhu, Qin; Jesiek, Brent K

2017-06-01

This paper begins by reviewing dominant themes in current teaching of professional ethics in engineering education. In contrast to more traditional approaches that simulate ethical practice by using ethical theories to reason through micro-level ethical dilemmas, this paper proposes a pragmatic approach to ethics that places more emphasis on the practical plausibility of ethical decision-making. In addition to the quality of ethical justification, the value of a moral action also depends on its effectiveness in solving an ethical dilemma, cultivating healthy working relationships, negotiating existing organizational cultures, and achieving contextual plausibility in everyday professional practice. This paper uses a cross-cultural ethics scenario to further elaborate how a pragmatic approach can help us rethink ethical reasoning, as well as ethics instruction and assessment. This paper is expected to be of interest to educators eager to improve the ability of engineers and other professional students to effectively and appropriately deal with the kinds of everyday ethical issues they will likely face in their careers.

Aristotle and Autism: Reconsidering a Radical Shift to Virtue Ethics in Engineering.

PubMed

Furey, Heidi

2017-04-01

Virtue-based approaches to engineering ethics have recently received considerable attention within the field of engineering education. Proponents of virtue ethics in engineering argue that the approach is practically and pedagogically superior to traditional approaches to engineering ethics, including the study of professional codes of ethics and normative theories of behavior. This paper argues that a virtue-based approach, as interpreted in the current literature, is neither practically or pedagogically effective for a significant subpopulation within engineering: engineers with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Because the main argument for adopting a character-based approach is that it could be more successfully applied to engineering than traditional rule-based or algorithmic ethical approaches, this oversight is problematic for the proponents of the virtue-based view. Furthermore, without addressing these concerns, the wide adoption of a virtue-based approach to engineering ethics has the potential to isolate individuals with ASD and to devalue their contributions to moral practice. In the end, this paper gestures towards a way of incorporating important insights from virtue ethics in engineering that would be more inclusive of those with ASD.

How engineers perceive the importance of ethics in Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taajamaa, Ville; Majanoja, Anne-Maarit; Bairaktarova, Diana; Airola, Antti; Pahikkala, Tapio; Sutinen, Erkki

2018-01-01

Success in complex and holistic engineering practices requires more than problem-solving abilities and technical competencies. Engineering education must offer proficient technical competences and also train engineers to think and act ethically. A technical 'engineering-like' focus and demand have made educators and students overlook the importance of ethical awareness and transversal competences. Using two Finnish surveys, conducted in 2014 and 2016, we examine how engineers perceive working life needs regarding ethics. The data consider different age groups. We research whether an engineer's age affects their perception of the importance of ethics in their work and if there are differences between young experts and young managers in their use of ethics within work. The results indicate that practising engineers do not consider ethical issues important in their work. This especially applies to younger engineers; the older an engineer, the more important they consider ethics. No statistically significant difference was found between young engineering experts and managers.

Automotive Technology. Career Education Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dependents Schools (DOD), Washington, DC. European Area.

The curriculum guide is designed to provide students with realistic training in automotive technology theory and practice within the secondary educational framework and to prepare them for entry into an occupation or continuing postsecondary education. The learning modules are grouped into three areas: small engines, automotive technology, and…

Prioritising Progression over Proficiency: Limitations of Teacher-Based Assessment within Technician-Level Vocational Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Alan; Bathmaker, Ann-Marie

2017-01-01

This article examines the evolution of assessment policy and practice in technician-level vocational education. Using the example of an advanced-level BTEC National programme in Engineering in one college in the UK, the article highlights how the origins of current assessment practice lie in genuine concerns since the late 1950s about the…

Large-scale visualization projects for teaching software engineering.

PubMed

Müller, Christoph; Reina, Guido; Burch, Michael; Weiskopf, Daniel

2012-01-01

The University of Stuttgart's software engineering major complements the traditional computer science major with more practice-oriented education. Two-semester software projects in various application areas offered by the university's different computer science institutes are a successful building block in the curriculum. With this realistic, complex project setting, students experience the practice of software engineering, including software development processes, technologies, and soft skills. In particular, visualization-based projects are popular with students. Such projects offer them the opportunity to gain profound knowledge that would hardly be possible with only regular lectures and homework assignments.

Practical Guidance on Science and Engineering Ethics Education for Instructors and Administrators: Papers and Summary from a Workshop, December 12, 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benya, Frazier F., Ed.; Fletcher, Cameron H.,Ed.; Hollander, Rachelle D.,Ed.

2013-01-01

Over the last two decades, colleges and universities in the United States have significantly increased the formal ethics instruction they provide in science and engineering. Today, science and engineering programs socialize students into the values of scientists and engineers as well as their obligations in the conduct of scientific research and…

Reassessing the English Course Offered to Computer Engineering Students at the National School of Applied Sciences of Al-Hoceima in Morocco: An Action Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahbi, M.

2015-01-01

In computer engineering education, specific English language practices are needed to enable computer engineering students to succeed in professional settings. This study was conducted for two purposes. First, it aimed at investigating to what extent the English courses offered to computer engineering students at the National School of Applied…

Engaging Students in the Scientific Practices of Explanation and Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reiser, Brian J.; Berland, Leema K.; Kenyon, Lisa

2012-01-01

"A Framework for K-12 Science Education" identifies eight science and engineering practices for K-12 classrooms. These practices, along with core ideas and crosscutting concepts, define the nation's learning goals for science. An important advance from earlier standards (AAAS 1993, NRC 1996), these practices are clearly identified "not" as…

Knowledge Engineering as a Component of the Curriculum for Medical Cybernetists.

PubMed

Karas, Sergey; Konev, Arthur

2017-01-01

According to a new state educational standard, students who have chosen medical cybernetics as their major must develop a knowledge engineering competency. Previously, in the course "Clinical cybernetics" while practicing project-based learning students were designing automated workstations for medical personnel using client-server technology. The purpose of the article is to give insight into the project of a new educational module "Knowledge engineering". Students will acquire expert knowledge by holding interviews and conducting surveys, and then they will formalize it. After that, students will form declarative expert knowledge in a network model and analyze the knowledge graph. Expert decision making methods will be applied in software on the basis of a production model of knowledge. Project implementation will result not only in the development of analytical competencies among students, but also creation of a practically useful expert system based on student models to support medical decisions. Nowadays, this module is being tested in the educational process.

Advanced interdisciplinary undergraduate program: light engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakholdin, Alexey; Bougrov, Vladislav; Voznesenskaya, Anna; Ezhova, Kseniia

2016-09-01

The undergraduate educational program "Light Engineering" of an advanced level of studies is focused on development of scientific learning outcomes and training of professionals, whose activities are in the interdisciplinary fields of Optical engineering and Technical physics. The program gives practical experience in transmission, reception, storage, processing and displaying information using opto-electronic devices, automation of optical systems design, computer image modeling, automated quality control and characterization of optical devices. The program is implemented in accordance with Educational standards of the ITMO University. The specific features of the Program is practice- and problem-based learning implemented by engaging students to perform research and projects, internships at the enterprises and in leading Russian and international research educational centers. The modular structure of the Program and a significant proportion of variable disciplines provide the concept of individual learning for each student. Learning outcomes of the program's graduates include theoretical knowledge and skills in natural science and core professional disciplines, deep knowledge of modern computer technologies, research expertise, design skills, optical and optoelectronic systems and devices.

Reconceptualizing St®E(A)M(S) Education for Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krug, Don; Shaw, Ashley

2016-01-01

This article examines science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education as represented in North American educational contexts. In this article we will argue that the dominant view of STEM education as currently circulated and practiced in the United States and Canada is not much more than an acronym of discrete disciplinary areas. We…

The Development of Education and Training Systems in the Field of Nanotechnology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poteralska, Beata; Zielinska, Joanna; Mazurkiewicz, Adam

2007-01-01

The paper presents the dynamic development of nanotechnologies in the world and--on this basis--the educational demand for scientists, engineers and didactic staff. Proposed and created forms of education and development related to nanotechnology in theoretical and practical aspect are shown as well. The potential and educational possibilities…

Developing Non-Formal Education Competences as a Complement of Formal Education for STEM Lecturers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrazas-Marín, Roy Alonso

2018-01-01

This paper focuses on a current practice piece on professional development for university lecturers, transformative learning, dialogism and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. Its main goals are to identify the key characteristics that allow STEM educators to experiment with the usage of non-formal education…

Multiple case studies of STEM teachers' orientations to science teaching through engineering design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rupp, Madeline

The following master's thesis is composed of two manuscripts describing STEM teachers' orientations to science teaching through engineering within the context of the Science Learning through Engineering Design (SLED) partnership. The framework guiding both studies was science teaching orientations, a component of pedagogical content knowledge. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, multi-day classroom observations, pre- and post-observation interviews, implementation plans, and written reflections. Data sources were analyzed to generate two orientations to science teaching through engineering design for each participant. The first manuscript illustrates a single case study conducted with a sixth grade STEM teacher. Results of this study revealed a detailed picture of the teacher's goals, practices, assessments, and general views when teaching science through engineering design. Common themes across the teacher's instruction were used to characterize her orientations to science teaching through engineering design. Overall, the teacher's orientations showed a shift in her practice from didactic to student-centered methods of teaching as a result of integrating engineering design-based curriculum. The second manuscript describes a comparative case study of two sixth grade SLED participants. Results of this study revealed more complex and diverse relationships between the teachers' orientations to teaching science through engineering design and their instruction. Participants' orientations served as filters for instruction, guided by their divergent purposes for science teaching. Furthermore, their orientations and resulting implementation were developed from knowledge gained in teacher education, implying that teacher educators and researchers can use this framework to learn more about how teachers' knowledge is used to integrate engineering and science practices in the K-12 classroom.

Aequilibrium prudentis: on the necessity for ethics and policy studies in the scientific and technological education of medical professionals.

PubMed

Anderson, Misti Ault; Giordano, James

2013-04-23

The importance of strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education continues to grow as society, medicine, and the economy become increasingly focused and dependent upon bioscientific and technological innovation. New advances in frontier sciences (e.g., genetics, neuroscience, bio-engineering, nanoscience, cyberscience) generate ethical issues and questions regarding the use of novel technologies in medicine and public life. In light of current emphasis upon science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education (at the pre-collegiate, undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels), the pace and extent of advancements in science and biotechnology, the increasingly technological orientation and capabilities of medicine, and the ways that medicine - as profession and practice - can engage such scientific and technological power upon the multi-cultural world-stage to affect the human predicament, human condition, and perhaps nature of the human being, we argue that it is critical that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education go beyond technical understanding and directly address ethical, legal, social, and public policy implications of new innovations. Toward this end, we propose a paradigm of integrative science, technology, ethics, and policy studies that meets these needs through early and continued educational exposure that expands extant curricula of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs from the high school through collegiate, graduate, medical, and post-graduate medical education. We posit a synthetic approach that elucidates the historical, current, and potential interaction of scientific and biotechnological development in addition to the ethico-legal and social issues that are important to educate and sustain the next generation of medical and biomedical professionals who can appreciate, articulate, and address the realities of scientific and biotechnological progress given the shifting architectonics of the global social milieu. We assert that current trends in science, technology, medicine, and global politics dictate that these skills will be necessary to responsibly guide ethically sound employment of science, technology, and engineering advancements in medicine so as to enable more competent and humanitarian practice within an increasingly pluralistic world culture.

Beyond Diversity as Usual: Expanding Critical Cultural Approaches to Marginalization in Engineering Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Secules, Stephen

In general, what we think of as "diversity work" in undergraduate engineering education focuses in the following ways: more on the overlooked assets of minority groups than on the acts of overlooking, more on the experiences of marginalized groups than on the mechanisms of marginalization by dominant groups, more on supporting and increasing minority student retention than on critiquing and remediating the systems which lead minority students to leave engineering. This dissertation presents a series of arguments which push beyond a status quo understanding of diversity in engineering education. The first approach the dissertation takes up is to problematize educational facts around failure by interrogating their roots in interactions and cultural norms in an engineering classroom. In another argument, the dissertation places the engineering classroom cultural norms of competition, whiteness, and masculinity in a critical historical context of the discipline at large. Finally, I demonstrate how engaging students in a critique of marginalizing educational culture can be an important source of agency. In addition to applying and demonstrating the value of specific novel approaches in engineering education, the dissertation contributes to the research community by discussing the respective affordances between these and other possible scholarly approaches to culture and marginalization in education. I also suggest how a consideration of the taken-for-granted culture of engineering education can be an important tool for instructors seeking to gain insight into persistent educational problems. In addition, this dissertation makes implications for diversity support practice, envisioning new forms of support programming rooted in intersectionality and critical praxis.

An Italian Education: IEEE Pulse talks with Riccardo Pietrabissa, president of Italy's National Bioengineering Group, about Italian progress and challenges in biomedical engineering education.

PubMed

Pietrabissa, Riccardo; Reynolds, Pamela

2015-01-01

From Leonardo da Vinci's designs for ball bearings to the incredible engineering wizardry behind the Ferrari, the inventive, inquisitive, and ingenious spirit of the engineer has always lived--and thrived--in Italy. From education to research to product development, Italy has always been regarded as an engineering leader. But does this apply to biomedical engineering (BME)? Despite many successes, questions loom, as they do at engineering schools worldwide. Concerns such as whether BME programs are providing students with enough focused, practical, hands-on training remain at the forefront, as does the question of whether graduates will be able to find jobs in industry after university studies are over. Here, IEEE Pulse explores these topics with Riccardo Pietrabissa, president of the Gruppo Nazionale di Bioingegneria (National Bioengineering Group) and a full professor in the Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano.

Is Informal Education the Answer to Increasing and Widening Participation in STEM Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banerjee, Pallavi Amitava

2017-01-01

This paper summarises research findings from a longitudinal national evaluation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) "enrichment and enhancement activities". The activities included science practical lessons, supported by ambassador visits, trips to laboratories, STEM centres and higher education institutions. The…

Cases on STEAM Education in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bazler, Judith, Ed.; Van Sickle, Meta, Ed.

2017-01-01

Curriculums for STEM education programs have been successfully implemented into numerous school systems for many years. Recently, the integration of arts education into such programs has proven to be significantly beneficial to students, resulting in a new method of teaching including science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.…

Gendered Practices of Constructing an Engineering Identity in a Problem-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Xiang-Yun

2006-01-01

This article examines the learning experiences of engineering students of both genders in a problem-based and project-organized learning environment (PBL) at a Danish university. This study relates an amalgam of theories on learning and gender to the context of engineering education. Based on data from a qualitative study of an electrical and…

Integrating Engineering Design Challenges into Secondary STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Ronald L.; Strobel, Johannes

2011-01-01

Engineering is being currently taught in the full spectrum of the P-12 system, with an emphasis on design-oriented teaching (Brophy, Klein, Portsmore, & Rogers, 2008). Due to only a small amount of research on the learning of engineering design in elementary and middle school settings, the community of practice lacks the necessary knowledge of the…

Product Design Engineering--A Global Education Trend in Multidisciplinary Training for Creative Product Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Vere, Ian; Melles, Gavin; Kapoor, Ajay

2010-01-01

Product design is the convergence point for engineering and design thinking and practices. Until recently, product design has been taught either as a component of mechanical engineering or as a subject within design schools but increasingly there is global recognition of the need for greater synergies between industrial design and engineering…

Negotiating Science and Engineering: An Exploratory Case Study of a Reform-Minded Science Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzey, S. Selcen; Ring-Whalen, Elizabeth A.

2018-01-01

Engineering has been slowly integrated into K-12 science classrooms in the United States as the result of recent science education reforms. Such changes in science teaching require that a science teacher is confident with and committed to content, practices, language, and cultures related to both science and engineering. However, from the…

Collaborative Writing in Engineering: Perspectives from Research and Implications for Undergraduate Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gimenez, J.; Thondhlana, J.

2012-01-01

In engineering, like in many other disciplines, collaborative writing (CW) has been identified as a central practice in both the academy and industry. A number of studies have shown that both students and professionals in this field write most discipline-specific genres collaboratively. Despite its centrality, CW in engineering is still an…

An overview of game-based learning in building services engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alanne, Kari

2016-03-01

To ensure proper competence development and short graduation times for engineering students, it is essential that the study motivation is encouraged by new learning methods. In game-based learning, the learner's engagement is increased and learning is made meaningful by applying game-like features such as competition and rewarding through virtual promotions or achievement badges. In this paper, the state of the art of game-based learning in building services engineering education at university level is reviewed and discussed. A systematic literature review indicates that educational games have been reported in the field of related disciplines, such as mechanical and civil engineering. The development of system-level educational games that realistically simulate work life in building services engineering is still in its infancy. Novel rewarding practices and more comprehensive approaches entailing the state-of-the-art information tools such as building information modelling, geographic information systems, building management systems and augmented reality are needed in the future.

Practical of Ethics Education in Junior High School Technical Arts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwata, Ryo; Hirano, Shigeo

Now, such as forgery, camouflage, concealment, and the alteration, the problems resulting from lack of the sense of ethics are occurring frequently. The department of junior high school technical arts to engineering ethics education is required for the solution. However, the example of introducing the ethics education is few in a current junior high school technical arts department. It is considered that it leads to a further improvement of the morality consideration by teaching from a past case to the engineering ethics at the stage of the compulsory education. In this thesis, it reports on the execution contents and an educational result.

Technologies of polytechnic education in global benchmark higher education institutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurushina, V. A.; Kurushina, E. V.; Zemenkova, M. Y.

2018-05-01

The Russian polytechnic education is going through the sequence of transformations started with introduction of bachelor and master degrees in the higher education instead of the previous “specialists”. The next stage of reformation in the Russian polytechnic education should imply the growth in quality of teaching and learning experience that is possible to achieve by accumulating the best education practices of the world-class universities using the benchmarking method. This paper gives an overview of some major distinctive features of the foreign benchmark higher education institution and the Russian university of polytechnic profile. The parameters that allowed the authors to select the foreign institution for comparison include the scope of educational profile, industrial specialization, connections with the leading regional corporations, size of the city and number of students. When considering the possibilities of using relevant higher education practices of the world level, the authors emphasize the importance of formation of a new mentality of an engineer, the role of computer technologies in engineering education, the provision of licensed software for the educational process which exceeds the level of a regional Russian university, and successful staff technologies (e.g., inviting “guest” lecturers or having 2-3 lecturers per course).

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 54: The technical communications practices of engineering technology students: Results of the NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project phase 3 student surveys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; England, Mark; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.

1995-01-01

Engineering technology programs are characterized by their focus on application and practice, and by their approximately 50/50 mix of theory and laboratory experience. Engineering technology graduates are employed across the technological spectrum and are often found in areas that deal with application, implementation, and production. Yet we know very little about the communications practices and information-use skills of engineering technology students. In this paper, we report selected results of an exploratory study of engineering technology students enrolled in three U.S. institutions of higher education. Data are presented for the following topics: career goals and aspirations; the importance of, receipt of, and helpfulness of communications and information-use skills instruction; collaborative writing; use of libraries; and the use of electronic (computer) networks.

Improving Consistency in Large Laboratory Courses: A Design for a Standardized Practical Exam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xinnian; Graesser, Donnasue; Sah, Megha

2015-01-01

Laboratory courses serve as important gateways to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. One of the challenges in assessing laboratory learning is to conduct meaningful and standardized practical exams, especially for large multisection laboratory courses. Laboratory practical exams in life sciences courses are frequently…

Engineering students' sustainability approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haase, S.

2014-05-01

Sustainability issues are increasingly important in engineering work all over the world. This article explores systematic differences in self-assessed competencies, interests, importance, engagement and practices of newly enrolled engineering students in Denmark in relation to environmental and non-environmental sustainability issues. The empirical base of the article is a nation-wide, web-based survey sent to all newly enrolled engineering students in Denmark commencing their education in the fall term 2010. The response rate was 46%. The survey focused on a variety of different aspects of what can be conceived as sustainability. By means of cluster analysis, three engineering student approaches to sustainability are identified and described. The article provides knowledge on the different prerequisites of engineering students in relation to the role of sustainability in engineering. This information is important input to educators trying to target new engineering students and contribute to the provision of engineers equipped to meet sustainability challenges.

Learning about friction: group dynamics in engineering students' work with free body diagrams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berge, Maria; Weilenmann, Alexandra

2014-11-01

In educational research, it is well-known that collaborative work on core conceptual issues in physics leads to significant improvements in students' conceptual understanding. In this paper, we explore collaborative learning in action, adding to previous research in engineering education with a specific focus on the students' use of free body diagrams in interaction. By looking at details in interaction among a group of three engineering students, we illustrate how they collectively construct a free body diagram together when learning introductory mechanics. In doing so, we have focused on both learning possibilities and the dynamic processes that take place in the learning activity. These findings have a number of implications for educational practice.

Failing Tests: Commentary on "Adapting Educational Measurement to the Demands of Test-Based Accountability"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thissen, David

2015-01-01

In "Adapting Educational Measurement to the Demands of Test-Based Accountability" Koretz takes the time-honored engineering approach to educational measurement, identifying specific problems with current practice and proposing minimal modifications of the system to alleviate those problems. In response to that article, David Thissen…

Cost Optimization in E-Learning-Based Education Systems: Implementation and Learning Sequence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fazlollahtabar, Hamed; Yousefpoor, Narges

2009-01-01

Increasing the effectiveness of e-learning has become one of the most practically and theoretically important issues within both educational engineering and information system fields. The development of information technologies has contributed to growth in online training as an important education method. The online training environment enables…

Higher Education and the New Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, George

2008-01-01

While he celebrated higher education as the engine of progress in every aspect of American life, George Keller also challenged academia's sacred cows and entrenched practices with provocative ideas designed to induce "creative discomfort." Completed shortly before his death in 2007, "Higher Education and the New Society" caps the career of one of…

A Metasynthesis of the Complementarity of Culturally Responsive and Inquiry-Based Science Education in K-12 Settings: Implications for Advancing Equitable Science Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Julie C.

2017-01-01

Employing metasynthesis as a method, this study examined 52 empirical articles on culturally relevant and responsive science education in K-12 settings to determine the nature and scope of complementarity between culturally responsive and inquiry-based science practices (i.e., science and engineering practices identified in the National Research…

NGSS and the Next Generation of Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bybee, Rodger W.

2014-03-01

This article centers on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and their implications for teacher development, particularly at the undergraduate level. After an introduction to NGSS and the influence of standards in the educational system, the article addresses specific educational shifts—interconnecting science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts; recognizing learning progressions; including engineering; addressing the nature of science, coordinating with Common Core State Standards. The article continues with a general discussion of reforming teacher education programs and a concluding discussion of basic competencies and personal qualities of effective science teachers.

Engineering Education for Agricultural and Rural Development in Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adewumi, B. A.

2008-01-01

Agricultural Engineering has transformed agricultural practices from subsistence level to medium and large-scale production via mechanisation in the developed nations. This has reduced the labour force requirements in agriculture; increased production levels and efficiency, product shelf life and product quality; and resulted into…

Activist engineering: changing engineering practice by deploying praxis.

PubMed

Karwat, Darshan M A; Eagle, Walter E; Wooldridge, Margaret S; Princen, Thomas E

2015-02-01

In this paper, we reflect on current notions of engineering practice by examining some of the motives for engineered solutions to the problem of climate change. We draw on fields such as science and technology studies, the philosophy of technology, and environmental ethics to highlight how dominant notions of apoliticism and ahistoricity are ingrained in contemporary engineering practice. We argue that a solely technological response to climate change does not question the social, political, and cultural tenet of infinite material growth, one of the root causes of climate change. In response to the contemporary engineering practice, we define an activist engineer as someone who not only can provide specific engineered solutions, but who also steps back from their work and tackles the question, What is the real problem and does this problem "require" an engineering intervention? Solving complex problems like climate change requires radical cultural change, and a significant obstacle is educating engineers about how to conceive of and create "authentic alternatives," that is, solutions that differ from the paradigm of "technologically improving" our way out of problems. As a means to realize radically new solutions, we investigate how engineers might (re)deploy the concept of praxis, which raises awareness in engineers of the inherent politics of technological design. Praxis empowers engineers with a more comprehensive understanding of problems, and thus transforms technologies, when appropriate, into more socially just and ecologically sensitive interventions. Most importantly, praxis also raises a radical alternative rarely considered-not "engineering a solution." Activist engineering offers a contrasting method to contemporary engineering practice and leads toward social justice and ecological protection through problem solving by asking not, How will we technologize our way out of the problems we face? but instead, What really needs to be done?

Development and Experimental Study of Education Through the Synergetic Training for the Engineering Enhanced Medicine “ESTEEM” in Tohoku University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamano, Masahiro; Matsuki, Noriaki; Numayama, Keiko; Takeda, Motohiro; Hayasaka, Tomoaki; Ishikawa, Takuji; Yamaguchi, Takami

We developed new bio-medical engineering curriculum for industrial engineers, and we confirmed that the engineer's needs and the educative effects by holding a trail program. This study in Tohoku University was supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) . We named the curriculum as “ESTEEM” which is acronym of project title “Education through the Synergetic Training for the Engineering Enhanced Medicine” . In Tohoku University, the “REDEEM” curriculum which is an entry level course of bio-medical engineering for engineers has been already held. The positioning of “ESTEEM” program is an advanced course to enhance knowledge and experience in clinical point of view. The program is consisted of the problem based learning (PBL) style lectures, practical training, and observation learning in hospital. It is a unique opportunity to have instruction by doctors, from diagnosis to surgical operation, from traditional technique to front-line medical equipment. In this paper, we report and discuss on the progress of the new bio-medical engineering curriculum.

Practical Example of Introductory Engineering Education Based on the Design Process and Teaching Methodology Using a Gyro Bicycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higa, Yoshikazu; Shimojima, Ken

2018-01-01

This report describes a workshop on the Dynamics of Machinery based on the fabrication of a gyro- bicycle in a summer school program for junior high school students. The workshop was conducted by engineering students who had completed "Creative Research", an engineering design course at the National Institute of Technology, Okinawa…

The Effect on Pupils' Science Performance and Problem-Solving Ability through Lego: An Engineering Design-Based Modeling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yanyan; Huang, Zhinan; Jiang, Menglu; Chang, Ting-Wen

2016-01-01

Incorporating scientific fundamentals via engineering through a design-based methodology has proven to be highly effective for STEM education. Engineering design can be instantiated for learning as they involve mental and physical stimulation and develop practical skills especially in solving problems. Lego bricks, as a set of toys based on design…

AGU:Comments Requested on Natural Hazards Position Statement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2004-11-01

Natural hazards (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, landslides, meteors, space weather, tornadoes, volcanoes, and other geophysical phenomena) are an integral component of our dynamic planet. These can have disastrous effects on vulnerable communities and ecosystems. By understanding how and where hazards occur, what causes them, and what circumstances increase their severity, we can develop effective strategies to reduce their impact. In practice, mitigating hazards requires addressing issues such as real-time monitoring and prediction, emergency preparedness, public education and awareness, post-disaster recovery, engineering, construction practices, land use, and building codes. Coordinated approaches involving scientists, engineers, policy makers, builders, lenders, insurers, news media, educators, relief organizations, and the public are therefore essential to reducing the adverse effects of natural hazards.

Ways of thinking about and teaching ethical problem solving: microethics and macroethics in engineering.

PubMed

Herkert, Joseph R

2005-07-01

Engineering ethics entails three frames of reference: individual, professional, and social. "Microethics" considers individuals and internal relations of the engineering profession; "macroethics" applies to the collective social responsibility of the profession and to societal decisions about technology. Most research and teaching in engineering ethics, including online resources, has had a "micro" focus. Mechanisms for incorporating macroethical perspectives include: integrating engineering ethics and science, technology and society (STS); closer integration of engineering ethics and computer ethics; and consideration of the influence of professional engineering societies and corporate social responsibility programs on ethical engineering practice. Integrating macroethical issues and concerns in engineering ethics involves broadening the context of ethical problem solving. This in turn implies: developing courses emphasizing both micro and macro perspectives, providing faculty development that includes training in both STS and practical ethics; and revision of curriculum materials, including online resources. Multidisciplinary collaboration is recommended 1) to create online case studies emphasizing ethical decision making in individual, professional, and societal contexts; 2) to leverage existing online computer ethics resources with relevance to engineering education and practice; and 3) to create transparent linkages between public policy positions advocated by professional societies and codes of ethics.

The European Project Semester at ISEP: the challenge of educating global engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malheiro, Benedita; Silva, Manuel; Ribeiro, Maria Cristina; Guedes, Pedro; Ferreira, Paulo

2015-05-01

Current engineering education challenges require approaches that promote scientific, technical, design and complementary skills while fostering autonomy, innovation and responsibility. The European Project Semester (EPS) at Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP) (EPS@ISEP) is a one semester project-based learning programme (30 European Credit Transfer Units (ECTU)) for engineering students from diverse scientific backgrounds and nationalities that intends to address these goals. The students, organised in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, are challenged to solve real multidisciplinary problems during one semester. The EPS package, although on project development (20 ECTU), includes a series of complementary seminars aimed at fostering soft, project-related and engineering transversal skills (10 ECTU). Hence, the students enrolled in this programme improve their transversal skills and learn, together and with the team of supervisors, subjects distinct from their core training. This paper presents the structure, implementation and results of the EPS@ISEP that was created in 2011 to apply the best engineering practices and promote internationalisation and engineering education innovation at ISEP.

The impact of distributed computing on education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Utku, S.; Lestingi, J.; Salama, M.

1982-01-01

In this paper, developments in digital computer technology since the early Fifties are reviewed briefly, and the parallelism which exists between these developments and developments in analysis and design procedures of structural engineering is identified. The recent trends in digital computer technology are examined in order to establish the fact that distributed processing is now an accepted philosophy for further developments. The impact of this on the analysis and design practices of structural engineering is assessed by first examining these practices from a data processing standpoint to identify the key operations and data bases, and then fitting them to the characteristics of distributed processing. The merits and drawbacks of the present philosophy in educating structural engineers are discussed and projections are made for the industry-academia relations in the distributed processing environment of structural analysis and design. An ongoing experiment of distributed computing in a university environment is described.

A New Era of Science Education: Science Teachers' Perceptions and Classroom Practices of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hui-Hui

Quality STEM education is the key in helping the United States maintain its lead in global competitiveness and in preparing for new economic and security challenges in the future. Policymakers and professional societies emphasize STEM education by legislating the addition of engineering standards to the existing science standards. On the other hand, the nature of the work of most STEM professionals requires people to actively apply STEM knowledge to make critical decisions. Therefore, using an integrated approach to teaching STEM in K-12 is expected. However, science teachers encounter numerous difficulties in adapting the new STEM integration reforms into their classrooms because of a lack of knowledge and experience. Therefore, high quality STEM integration professional development programs are an urgent necessity. In order to provide these high quality programs, it is important to understand teachers' perceptions and classroom practices regarding STEM integration. A multiple-case study was conducted with five secondary school science teachers in order to gain a better understanding of teachers' perceptions and classroom practices in using STEM integration. This study addresses the following research questions: 1) What are secondary school science teachers' practices of STEM integration? 2) What are secondary science teachers' overall perceptions of STEM integration? and 3) What is the connection between secondary science teachers' perceptions and understanding of STEM integration with their classroom practices? This research aims to explore teachers' perceptions and classroom practices in order to set up the baseline for STEM integration and also to determine STEM integration professional development best practices in science education. Findings from the study provide critical data for making informed decision about the direction for STEM integration in science education in K-12.

The Evaluation of Industry Practical of Mechanical Engineering in Vocational Education: A CIPP Model Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamaludin, M.; Munawar, W.; Mahdan, D.; Simanjuntak, M. V.; Wendi, H. F.

2018-02-01

The learning system is not only studied on campus but also practicing in the world of work. Industry Practical aims to enable students to develop their skills in accordance with the real world of work. To know the success of the implementation of industry practical program then held evaluation. The evaluation of the program in this study used the CIPP evaluation approach (Context, Input, Process, Product). The purpose of this research is to know the extent of achievement and success of industry practical program at vocational school in Bandung with descriptive research method using mix method approach. The sample in this research is students majoring in mechanical engineering in the city of Bandung who have done industry practical.

Convolving engineering and medical pedagogies for training of tomorrow's health care professionals.

PubMed

Lee, Raphael C

2013-03-01

Several fundamental benefits justify why biomedical engineering and medicine should form a more convergent alliance, especially for the training of tomorrow's physicians and biomedical engineers. Herein, we review the rationale underlying the benefits. Biological discovery has advanced beyond the era of molecular biology well into today's era of molecular systems biology, which focuses on understanding the rules that govern the behavior of complex living systems. This has important medical implications. To realize cost-effective personalized medicine, it is necessary to translate the advances in molecular systems biology to higher levels of biological organization (organ, system, and organismal levels) and then to develop new medical therapeutics based on simulation and medical informatics analysis. Higher education in biological and medical sciences must adapt to a new set of training objectives. This will involve a shifting away from reductionist problem solving toward more integrative, continuum, and predictive modeling approaches which traditionally have been more associated with engineering science. Future biomedical engineers and MDs must be able to predict clinical response to therapeutic intervention. Medical education will involve engineering pedagogies, wherein basic governing rules of complex system behavior and skill sets in manipulating these systems to achieve a practical desired outcome are taught. Similarly, graduate biomedical engineering programs will include more practical exposure to clinical problem solving.

Exploring Links between Pedagogical Knowledge Practices and Student Outcomes in STEM Education for Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Peter; English, Lyn; Dawes, Les; King, Donna; Baker, Steve

2015-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is an emerging initiative in Australia, particularly in primary schools. This qualitative research aimed to understand Year 4 students' involvement in an integrated STEM education unit that focused on science concepts (e.g., states of matter, testing properties of materials) and…

STEM Images Revealing STEM Conceptions of Pre-Service Chemistry and Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akaygun, Sevil; Aslan-Tutak, Fatma

2016-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has been an integral part of many countries' educational policies. In last decade, various practices have been implemented to make STEM areas valuable for 21st century generation. These actions require reconsideration of both pre- and in-service teacher education because those who…

Fueling the Engine: Smarter, Better Ways to Fund Education Innovators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Frederick M.

2010-01-01

In "Education Unbound: The Promise and Practice of Greenfield Schooling," this author argued for new education service-delivery organizations that, free from the constricting norms and rules of traditional providers, focused single-mindedly on executing their model. The challenge for reformers is to recognize that enabling such providers is not…

Assessing Engineering Competencies: The Conditions for Educational Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musekamp, Frank; Pearce, Jacob

2015-01-01

Low-stakes assessment is supposed to improve educational practice by providing feedback to different actors in educational systems. However, the process of assessment from design to the point of a final impact on student learning outcomes is complex and diverse. It is hard to identify reasons for substandard achievement on assessments, let alone…

"Real World" Experiences Bring T and E Alive

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rust, Terrie

2011-01-01

Informal education (IE) refers to activities that occur outside the school setting, and that were not primarily developed for school use or as part of a school curriculum. Informal education is an important component of the teaching of technology and engineering education, adding relevance to student experiences. The practice of informal education…

Fidelity of Implementation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Stephen; Hughes, Michael

2015-01-01

In 2014, the US Department of Education awarded the Maricopa County Education Service Agency an Investing in Innovation (i3) grant to fund the Engineering STEM Identity (ESI) project. The purpose of i3 is to expand the implementation of, and investment in, innovative educational practices. Accordingly, the goal of ESI is to address one of the most…

Scientific Allocation of Water Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buras, Nathan

Oriented for higher education students, researchers, practicing engineers and planners, this book surveys the state of the art of water resources engineering. A broad spectrum of issues is embraced in the treatment of water resources: quantity aspects as well as quality aspects within a systems approach. Using a rational mode for water resources…

Mathematics Diagnostic Testing in Engineering: An International Comparison between Ireland and Portugal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, M.; Fidalgo, C.; Bigotte de Almeida, M. E.; Branco, J. R.; Santos, V.; Murphy, E.; Ní Fhloinn, E.

2015-01-01

Concern has been expressed throughout Europe about the significant deficiencies in the basic mathematical skills of many engineering undergraduates. Mathematics diagnostic tests in the UK, Ireland and Portugal have shown these shortcomings, which provide a challenge to those striving to introduce more innovative educational practices into…

Developing and Designing Online Engineering Ethics Instruction for International Graduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Katherine A.; Gorsuch, Greta J.; Lawson, William D.; Newberry, Byron P.

2011-01-01

The present project embarked on an educational intervention, consisting of a series of online ethics learning modules, to aid international graduate students in overcoming the acculturation barriers to understanding and inculcating normative ethical obligations associated with engineering practice and research in the United States. A fundamental…

An Analysis of STEM/STEAM Teacher Education in Korea with a Case Study of Two Schools from a Community of Practice Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jho, Hunkoog; Hong, Oksu; Song, Jinwoong

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) teacher education and to examine the successful conditions for its implementation. This study observed two leading schools that have actively participated in STEAM education since the initial stage of STEAM education in Korea. Through…

A study of education and KSAOs on career entry for product engineers: What employers really want

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornburgh, James

The purpose of the study was to investigate the ways that employers of product engineers evaluate potential employees' job readiness, and which theories related to the education-work transaction are supported by practice. This study used a mixed methods approach and consisted of a state-wide survey (N=106) and local interviews (N=8). The results of the research indicate that attributes of both the Theory of Individual Differences and Credentialing Theory are present in the hiring practices of product engineers. Consistent with the Theory of Individual Differences, employers indicate they look for evidence of various job-related Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other attributes (KSAOs) and they indicate they are willing to hire applicants who have less than a bachelor's degree. Consistent with Credentialing Theory, employers advertise a formal education minimum which represents only one way that individuals may learn to be an engineer. This study also confirmed prior research that most employers use primarily non-evidence based predictors to evaluate applicants. The primary initial screening predictors were experience, GPA, and major, while the primary finalist selection predictors were unstructured interviews, and applications, followed by structured interviews, job knowledge tests, and work sample test. Contrary to previous findings, this study did not find any major differences between what HR professionals, engineering managers, or other manager look for in terms of qualifications or what predictors they use when evaluating applicants for product engineer positions.

Pioneering Integrated Education and Research Program in Graduate School of Engineering and its Inquiry by Questionnaire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minamino, Yoritoshi

Department of Adaptive Machine Systems, Department of Materials and Manufucturing Science and Department of Business engineering have constructed the educational programs of consecutive system from master to doctor courses in graduate school of engineering, “Pioneering Integrated Education and Research Program (PP) ”, to produce volitional and original mind researchers with high abilities of research, internationality, leader, practice, management and economics by cooperation between them for reinforcement of their ordinary curriculums. This program consists of the basic PP for master course students and the international exchange PP, leadership pp and tie-up PP of company and University for Doctor course students. In 2005th the basic PP was given to the master course students and then their effectiveness of the PP was investigated by questionnaire. The results of questionnaire proved that the graduate school students improved their various abilities by the practical lesson in cooperation between companies and our Departments in the basic PP, and that the old boys after basic PP working in companies appreciated the advantages to business planning, original conception, finding solution, patents, discussion, report skills required in companies.

Computational and Genomic Analysis of Mycobacteriophage: A Longitudinal Study of Technology Engineered Biology Courses That Implemented an Inquiry Based Laboratory Practice Designed to Enhance, Encourage, and Empower Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollowell, Gail P.; Osler, James E.; Hester, April L.

2015-01-01

This paper provides an applied research rational for a longitudinal investigation that involved teaching a "Technology Engineered Science Education Course" via an Interactive Laboratory Based Genomics Curriculum. The Technology st Engineering [TE] methodology was first introduced at the SAPES: South Atlantic Philosophy of Education…

Projects That Matter: Concepts and Models for Service-Learning in Engineering. AAHE's Series on Service-Learning in the Disciplines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsang, Edmund, Ed.

This volume, the 14th in a series of monographs on service learning and academic disciplinary areas, is designed as a practical guide for faculty seeking to integrate service learning into an engineering course. The volume also deals with larger issues in engineering education and provides case studies of service-learning courses. The articles…

On a Practical Exercise with OJE (On the Job Education)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zako, Masaru; Narumi, Kunihiro; Sato, Takehiko; Yamamoto, Takao; Hama, Keisuke; Yanabu, Kouji; Shinohara, Hiroshi; Murata, Masato; Uenishi, Keisuke; Kaga, Atsuko; Matsumura, Nobuhiko; Nakagawa, Takashi; Kurashiki, Tetsusei

The Department of Management of Industry and Technology, Graduate School of Engineering in Osaka University provides a new type of a leadership training program which took in an OJE (On the Job Education) method. The OJE is an autonomous education system from planning to problem solving through aggressive self-developments. This program composes of not only lectures and case studies, but also practical exercises for accumulating knowledge and experience in order to develop strong judgment and decisiveness of graduate students. The procedure of the activity, examples of the exercises and the educational effects are described in the paper.

A Systematic Literature Review of US Engineering Ethics Interventions.

PubMed

Hess, Justin L; Fore, Grant

2018-04-01

Promoting the ethical formation of engineering students through the cultivation of their discipline-specific knowledge, sensitivity, imagination, and reasoning skills has become a goal for many engineering education programs throughout the United States. However, there is neither a consensus throughout the engineering education community regarding which strategies are most effective towards which ends, nor which ends are most important. This study provides an overview of engineering ethics interventions within the U.S. through the systematic analysis of articles that featured ethical interventions in engineering, published in select peer-reviewed journals, and published between 2000 and 2015. As a core criterion, each journal article reviewed must have provided an overview of the course as well as how the authors evaluated course-learning goals. In sum, 26 articles were analyzed with a coding scheme that included 56 binary items. The results indicate that the most common methods for integrating ethics into engineering involved exposing students to codes/standards, utilizing case studies, and discussion activities. Nearly half of the articles had students engage with ethical heuristics or philosophical ethics. Following the presentation of the results, this study describes in detail four articles to highlight less common but intriguing pedagogical methods and evaluation techniques. The findings indicate that there is limited empirical work on ethics education within engineering across the United States. Furthermore, due to the large variation in goals, approaches, and evaluation methods described across interventions, this study does not detail "best" practices for integrating ethics into engineering. The science and engineering education community should continue exploring the relative merits of different approaches to ethics education in engineering.

Prototyping of Remote Experiment and Exercise Systems for an Engineering Education based on World Wide Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwatsuki, Masami; Kato, Yoriyuki; Yonekawa, Akira

State-of-the-art Internet technologies allow us to provide advanced and interactive distance education services. However, we could not help but gather students for experiments and exercises in an education for engineering because large-scale equipments and expensive software are required. On the other hand, teleoperation systems with robot manipulator or vehicle via Internet have been developed in the field of robotics. By fusing these two techniques, we can realize remote experiment and exercise systems for the engineering education based on World Wide Web. This paper presents how to construct the remote environment that allows students to take courses on experiment and exercise independently of their locations. By using the proposed system, users can exercise and practice remotely about control of a manipulator and a robot vehicle and programming of image processing.

Analysis of Propagation Plans in NSF-Funded Education Development Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanford, Courtney; Cole, Renee; Froyd, Jeff; Henderson, Charles; Friedrichsen, Debra; Khatri, Raina

2017-01-01

Increasing adoption and adaptation of promising instructional strategies and materials has been identified as a critical component needed to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This paper examines typical propagation practices and resulting outcomes of proposals written by developers of educational…

Future Directions in Distance Learning and Communication Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shih, Timothy; Hung, Jason

2007-01-01

Future Directions in Distance Learning and Communication Technologies presents theoretical studies and practical solutions for engineers, educational professionals, and graduate students in the research areas of e-learning, distance education, and instructional design. This book provides readers with cutting-edge solutions and research directions…

Applying Augmented Reality in practical classes for engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazarov, S. E.; Kholodilin, I. Yu; Nesterov, A. S.; Sokhina, A. V.

2017-10-01

In this article the Augmented Reality application for teaching engineering students of electrical and technological specialties is introduced. In order to increase the motivation for learning and the independence of students, new practical guidelines on Augmented Reality were developed in the application to practical classes. During the application development, the authors used software such as Unity 3D and Vuforia. The Augmented Reality content consists of 3D-models, images and animations, which are superimposed on real objects, helping students to study specific tasks. A user who has a smartphone, a tablet PC, or Augmented Reality glasses can visualize on-screen virtual objects added to a real environment. Having analyzed the current situation in higher education: the learner’s interest in studying, their satisfaction with the educational process, and the impact of the Augmented Reality application on students, a questionnaire was developed and offered to students; the study involved 24 learners.

Enhancing project-oriented learning by joining communities of practice and opening spaces for relatedness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascual, R.

2010-03-01

This article describes an extension to project-oriented learning to increase social construction of knowledge and learning. The focus is on: (a) maximising opportunities for students to share their knowledge with practitioners by joining communities of practice, and (b) increasing their intrinsic motivation by creating conditions for student's relatedness. The case study considers a last year capstone course in Mechanical Engineering. The work addresses innovative practices of active learning and beyond project-oriented learning through: (a) the development of a web-based decision support system, (b) meetings between the communities of students, maintenance engineers and academics, and (c) new off-campus group instances. The author hypothesises that this multi-modal approach increases deep learning and social impact of the educational process. Surveys to the actors support a successful achievement of the educational goals. The methodology can easily be extended to further improve the learning process.

Aequilibrium prudentis: on the necessity for ethics and policy studies in the scientific and technological education of medical professionals

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The importance of strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education continues to grow as society, medicine, and the economy become increasingly focused and dependent upon bioscientific and technological innovation. New advances in frontier sciences (e.g., genetics, neuroscience, bio-engineering, nanoscience, cyberscience) generate ethical issues and questions regarding the use of novel technologies in medicine and public life. Discussion In light of current emphasis upon science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education (at the pre-collegiate, undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels), the pace and extent of advancements in science and biotechnology, the increasingly technological orientation and capabilities of medicine, and the ways that medicine – as profession and practice – can engage such scientific and technological power upon the multi-cultural world-stage to affect the human predicament, human condition, and perhaps nature of the human being, we argue that it is critical that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education go beyond technical understanding and directly address ethical, legal, social, and public policy implications of new innovations. Toward this end, we propose a paradigm of integrative science, technology, ethics, and policy studies that meets these needs through early and continued educational exposure that expands extant curricula of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs from the high school through collegiate, graduate, medical, and post-graduate medical education. We posit a synthetic approach that elucidates the historical, current, and potential interaction of scientific and biotechnological development in addition to the ethico-legal and social issues that are important to educate and sustain the next generation of medical and biomedical professionals who can appreciate, articulate, and address the realities of scientific and biotechnological progress given the shifting architectonics of the global social milieu. Summary We assert that current trends in science, technology, medicine, and global politics dictate that these skills will be necessary to responsibly guide ethically sound employment of science, technology, and engineering advancements in medicine so as to enable more competent and humanitarian practice within an increasingly pluralistic world culture. PMID:23617840

Homeroom Activities in a College of Technology Based on the Master Plan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchida, Kunihiiko; Murata, Hideaki; Yuji, Junichiro

Homeroom (HR) activities have an important role in engineering education at technical colleges. Yatsushiro National College of Technology has made a master plan for them and has been putting the plan into practical use since 2002. This plan is comprehensive and has two main categories, social education and career guidance, both being composed of three sub-categories (e.g., self-understanding and making future plans) . Based on the master plan, each HR teacher makes his own plan for HR activities for his classroom at the beginning of the academic year. We have reached a consensus to share our practice and to improve HR activities for years to come. We also recognize that to carry out HR activities based on a master plan that reflects the school's educational goals is essential in order to train students who are well-prepared, both as engineers and as humans.

The development of Sustainability Graduate Community (SGC) as a learning pathway for sustainability education - a framework for engineering programmes in Malaysia Technical Universities Network (MTUN)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johan, Kartina; Mohd Turan, Faiz

2016-11-01

‘Environmental and sustainability’ is one of the Program Outcome (PO) designated by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) as one of the accreditation program requirement. However, to-date the implementation of sustainability elements in engineering programme in the technical universities in Malaysia is within individual faculty's curriculum plan and lack of university-level structured learning pathway, which enable all students to have access to an education in sustainability across all disciplines. Sustainability Graduate Community (SGC) is a framework designed to provide a learning pathway in the curriculum of engineering programs to inculcate sustainability education among engineering graduates. This paper aims to study the required attributes in Sustainability Graduate Community (SGC) framework to produce graduates who are not just engineers but also skilful in sustainability competencies using Global Project Management (GPM) P5 Standard for Sustainability. The development of the conceptual framework is to provide a constructive teaching and learning plan for educators and policy makers to work on together in developing the Sustainability Graduates (SG), the new kind of graduates from Malaysia Technical Universities Network (MTUN) in Malaysia who are literate in sustainability practices. The framework also support the call for developing holistic students based on Malaysian Education Blueprint (Higher Education) and address the gap between the statuses of engineering qualification to the expected competencies from industries in Malaysia in particular by achieving the SG attributes outlined in the framework

Second-career science teachers' classroom conceptions of science and engineering practices examined through the lens of their professional histories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antink-Meyer, Allison; Brown, Ryan A.

2017-07-01

Science standards in the U.S. have shifted to emphasise science and engineering process skills (i.e. specific practices within inquiry) to a greater extent than previous standards' emphases on broad representations of inquiry. This study examined the alignment between second-career science teachers' personal histories with the latter and examined the extent to which they viewed that history as a factor in their teaching. Four, second-career science teachers with professional backgrounds in engineering, environmental, industrial, and research and development careers participated. Through the examination of participants' methodological and contextual histories in science and engineering, little evidence of conflict with teaching was found. They generally exemplified the agency and motivation of a second-career teacher-scientist that has been found elsewhere [Gilbert, A. (2011). There and back again: Exploring teacher attrition and mobility with two transitioning science teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 22(5), 393-415; Grier, J. M., & Johnston, C. C. (2009). An inquiry into the development of teacher identities in STEM career changers. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 20(1), 57-75]. The methodological and pedagogical perspectives of participants are explored and a discussion of the implications of findings for science teacher education are presented.

Future Developments of Educational Research in the Asia-Pacific Region: Paradigm Shifts, Reforms, and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Yin Cheong

2007-01-01

In facing up to the challenges and impacts of globalization, high technology, economic transformation, international competitions and local developments in the new century, there have been numerous educational reforms and initiatives in many countries in the Asia-Pacific Region (Cheng, 2005a, A new paradigm for re-engineering education:…

Developing STEM Leaders Through Space Science Education and Public Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibbs, M. G.; Veenstra, D.

2012-08-01

Capitol College, located in Laurel, Maryland, established the Center for Space Science Education and Public Outreach with the mission to assist in educating future leaders in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This presentation shares emerging best practices through innovative methods to create awareness regarding STEM outreach programs and activities related workforce development and career pathways.

The Stirling engine as a low cost tool to educate mechanical engineers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gros, J.; Munoz, M.; Moreno, F.

1995-12-31

The University of Zaragoza through CIRCE, the New Enterprise foundation, an Opel foundation and the local Government of Aragon have been developed a program to introduce the Stirling Engine as a low cost tool to educate students in mechanical engineering. The promotion of a prize like GNAT Power organized by the magazine Model Engineer in London, has improved the practical education of students in the field of mechanical devices and thermal engines. Two editions of the contest, 1993 and 1994, awarded the greatest power Stirling engine made by only using a little candle of paraffin as a heat source. Fourmore » engines were presented in the first edition, with an average power of about 100 mW, and seven engines in the second one, achieving a power of about 230 mW. Presentations in Technical Schools and the University have been carried out. Also low cost tools have been made for measuring an electronic device to draw the real internal pressure volume diagram using a PC. A very didactic software to design classic kinematic alpha, beta and gamma engines plus Ringbom beta and gamma engines has been created. A book is going to be published (in Spanish) explaining the design of small Stirling engines as a way to start with low cost research in thermal engines, a very difficult target with IC engines.« less

Survey Result of the Engineering Undergraduate Student's “Human Performance”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakayama, Minoru; Takahashi, Hideaki; Kusakabe, Osamu; Ohtaguchi, Kazuhisa; Mizutani, Nobuyasu

Development of engineer's “Human Performance” is being required to respond to various changes. “Human Performace” is defined as an ability of putting own knowledge and skill to a practical issue. Current engineering undergraduate education promotes to learn this ability. To examine effectiveness of the educational program, a questionnaire consisting of 66 items was developed and the survey was conducted across eight universities. As results, most students recognize importance of the ability, but their achievement is lower for English communication skill and adaptation of cultural difference. They learned the ability on laboratory experience for their thesis, experiment class, club activities, part-time jobs and other activities.

Fostering Practical Young Engineers through Mutual Exchange Internship Program between Japan and China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suda, Yoshiaki; Kawasaki, Hiroharu; Shigematsu, Toshinobu; Ono, Bunji; Watanabe, Tetsuya; Morishita, Koji; Inoue, Masahiro

Sasebo National College of Technology started a mutual exchange internship program in 2005 in partnership with Xiamen University of Technology. The aim of this program is to educate and train young Japanese engineers who can apply their knowledge and skills fully to their work in the factories in China. This program also aims to educate and train young Chinese engineers who will acquire not only technological knowledge and skills but also an understanding of the organizational structure and cultural background of Japanese companies. By deepening mutual understanding between Japan and China through this program, young Japanese and Chinese engineers can work toward their common goal of economic prosperity in their respective countries, while building partnerships based on mutual trust and respect.

Exploring the Science Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Philip; Bricker, Leah; Tzou, Carrie; Lee, Tiffany; Van Horne, Katie

2012-01-01

The National Research Council's recent publication "A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas" (NRC 2011), which is the foundation for the Next Generation Science Standards now being developed, places unprecedented focus on the practices involved in doing scientific and engineering work. In an effort…

Open Source Projects in Software Engineering Education: A Mapping Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nascimento, Debora M. C.; Almeida Bittencourt, Roberto; Chavez, Christina

2015-01-01

Context: It is common practice in academia to have students work with "toy" projects in software engineering (SE) courses. One way to make such courses more realistic and reduce the gap between academic courses and industry needs is getting students involved in open source projects (OSP) with faculty supervision. Objective: This study…

Embracing Scientific and Engineering Practices in 4-H

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worker, Steven M.

2013-01-01

The 4-H Science Initiative has renewed efforts to strengthen 4-H programmatic and evaluation efforts in science and engineering education. A fundamental component of this initiative is to provide opportunities to youth to aid in their development of science process skills; however, emerging research stresses the importance of engaging youth in…

Seeing through the lens of social justice: A threshold for engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kabo, Jens David

In recent times the need for educational research dedicated to engineering education has been recognised. This PhD project is a contribution to the development of engineering education scholarship and the growing body of engineering education research. In this project it was recognised that problem solving is a central activity to engineering. However, it was also recognised that the conditions for doing engineering are changing, especially in light of pressing issues of poverty and environmental sustainability that humanity currently faces, and as a consequence, engineering education needs to emphasise problem definition to a greater extent. One mechanism for achieving this, which has been adopted by some engineering educators in recent years, is through courses that explicitly relate engineering to social justice. However, creating this relationship requires critical interdisciplinary thinking that is alien to most engineering students. In this dissertation it is suggested that for engineering students, and more generally, engineers, looking at their practice and profession through a social justice lens might be seen as a threshold that needs to be crossed. By studying the variation present among students in three different courses at three different North American universities, the intention was to understand how students approach and internalise social justice as a perspective on engineering and/or develop their abilities to think critically. A conceptual model to frame the study was developed by combining elements of threshold concept theory and the educational research methodology, phenomenographic variation theory. All three of the courses studied operated on a similar basic pedagogical model, however, the courses were framed differently, with social justice in the foreground or in the background with the focus on, in one case, ethics and in the other, sustainability. All courses studied appeared to be successful in encouraging engineering students to engage in critical thinking and a similar general trend in the development of students' conceptions of social justice was observed in each of the three courses. However, it does appear that if one is interested in developing an articulated understanding of social justice, with respect to engineering, that an explicit focus on social justice is preferable.

Engineering education in 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alam, Firoz; Sarkar, Rashid; La Brooy, Roger; Chowdhury, Harun

2016-07-01

The internationalization of engineering curricula and engineering practices has begun in Europe, Anglosphere (English speaking) nations and Asian emerging economies through the Bologna Process and International Engineering Alliance (Washington Accord). Both the Bologna Process and the Washington Accord have introduced standardized outcome based engineering competencies and frameworks for the attainment of these competencies by restructuring existing and undertaking some new measures for an intelligent adaptation of the engineering curriculum and pedagogy. Thus graduates with such standardized outcome based curriculum can move freely as professional engineers with mutual recognition within member nations. Despite having similar or near similar curriculum, Bangladeshi engineering graduates currently cannot get mutual recognition in nations of Washington Accord and the Bologna Process due to the non-compliance of outcome based curriculum and pedagogy. This paper emphasizes the steps that are required to undertake by the engineering educational institutions and the professional body in Bangladesh to make the engineering competencies, curriculum and pedagogy compliant to the global engineering alliance. Achieving such compliance will usher in a new era for the global mobility and global engagement by Bangladesh trained engineering graduates.

Culture and Cognition in Information Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holvikivi, Jaana

2007-01-01

This paper aims at explaining the outcomes of information technology education for international students using anthropological theories of cultural schemas. Even though computer science and engineering are usually assumed to be culture-independent, the practice in classrooms seems to indicate that learning patterns depend on culture. The…

Improving K-12 STEM Education Outcomes through Technological Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urban, Michael J., Ed.; Falvo, David A., Ed.

2016-01-01

The application of technology in classroom settings has equipped educators with innovative tools and techniques for effective teaching practice. Integrating digital technologies at the elementary and secondary levels helps to enrich the students' learning experience and maximize competency in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and…

Transformative Learning: Innovating Sustainability Education in Built Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iyer-Raniga, Usha; Andamon, Mary Myla

2016-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate how transformative learning is key to innovating sustainability education in the built environment in the region's universities, in addition to reporting on the research project undertaken to integrate sustainability thinking and practice into engineering/built environment curricula in Asia-Pacific…

On the Developing Role of Physical Models in Engineering Design Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Graham; Smrcek, Ladislav

2006-01-01

Recent research, undertaken using participative observation methods within the Leonardo Da Vinci project "Open-Dynamic-Design", provides evidence that EU industrial practice continues to value the flexibility of physical models across a range of disciplines. This research is placed within the philosophical educational framework…

The Engagement of Engineers in Education and Public Outreach: Beginning the Conversation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grier, J.; Buxner, S.; Vezino, B.; Shipp, S. S.

2014-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are a new set of K-12 science standards that have been developed through a collaborative, state-led process. Based on the National Research Council (NRC) 'Framework for K-12 Education,' the NGSS are designed to provide all students with a coherent education possessing both robust content and rigorous practice. Within these standards is an enhanced emphasis on the intersection between science and engineering. The focus is not only on asking questions and finding answers (science) but also in identifying and designing solution to problems (engineering.) The NASA SMD (Science Mission Directorate) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums have been working with space scientists for many years to assist with their engagement in E/PO efforts, thus supporting the needs of previous science standards. In order to properly address the needs of NGSS, this conversation is being expanded to include engineers. Our initial efforts include a series of semi-structured interviews with a dozen engineers involved in different aspects of space science and mission development. We will present the responses from the survey and compare this information to our knowledge base about space scientists, their needs, attitudes, and understandings of E/PO. In addition to a new emphasis on engineering in the NGSS, we also consider engineering habits of mind such as systems thinking, creativity, optimism, collaboration, communication, and attention to ethical considerations as described by an NRC policy document for engineering education. Using the overall results, we will consider strategies, further ideas for investigation, and possible steps for going forward with this important aspect of including engineering in education and outreach programming.

Teaching Design in Middle-School: Instructors' Concerns and Scaffolding Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bamberger, Yael M.; Cahill, Clara S.

2013-04-01

This study deals with engineering education in the middle-school level. Its focus is instructors' concerns in teaching design, as well as scaffolding strategies that can help teachers deal with these concerns. Through participatory action research, nine instructors engaged in a process of development and instruction of a curriculum about energy along with engineering design. A 50-h curriculum was piloted during a summer camp for 38 middle-school students. Data was collected through instructors' materials: observation field notes, daily reflections and post-camp discussions. In addition, students' artifacts and planning graphical models were collected in order to explore how instructors' concerns were aligned with students' learning. Findings indicate three main tensions that reflect instructors' main concerns: how to provide sufficient scaffolding yet encourage creativity, how to scaffold hands-on experiences that promote mindful planning, and how to scaffold students' modeling practices. Pedagogical strategies for teaching design that developed through this work are described, as well as the ways they address the National Research Council (A framework for K-12 science education: practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2011) core ideas of engineering education and the International Technological Literacy standards (ITEA in Standards for technological literacy, 3rd edn. International Technology education Association, Reston, VA, 2007).

Knowledge management through the e-learning approach - a case study of online engineering courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aichouni, Mohamed; Benchicou, Soraya; Nehari, Dris

2013-06-01

Though it is universally accepted that the face-to-face approach is the best way for education and training, however, with the advent of the information and communication technologies (mainly the World Wide Web) it became possible to enhance further the methods we are using to teach our students and to share the teaching material within a broaden engineering, technical and business communities. This paper is dedicated to making a review of the basic concepts of knowledge management and e-learning and to show how these two modern concepts can be integrated into engineering education to produce knowledge, disseminate it and share it within virtual interest groups and networks of engineering students, academic teachers and industrial engineers and technicians and business managers. A practical case study will be presented and discussed.

An Innovative Postsecondary Education Program for Students with Disabilities in STEM (Practice Brief)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Caroline; Shannon, David; McCullough, Brittany; Jenda, Overtoun; Qazi, Mohammed

2018-01-01

Careers in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields have many benefits, including decent salaries, a strong employment outlook, and high job satisfaction. Unfortunately, workers with disabilities are underrepresented in the STEM fields. This practice brief describes a program designed to support college students with…

45 CFR 680.11 - Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... SCIENCE FOUNDATION NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RULES OF PRACTICE Rules of Practice for the National Science Foundation § 680.11 Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards. (a)(1) Many scientists... field of science, engineering, or education, notwithstanding that the focus of the work may change in...

45 CFR 680.11 - Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... SCIENCE FOUNDATION NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RULES OF PRACTICE Rules of Practice for the National Science Foundation § 680.11 Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards. (a)(1) Many scientists... field of science, engineering, or education, notwithstanding that the focus of the work may change in...

45 CFR 680.11 - Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... SCIENCE FOUNDATION NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RULES OF PRACTICE Rules of Practice for the National Science Foundation § 680.11 Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards. (a)(1) Many scientists... field of science, engineering, or education, notwithstanding that the focus of the work may change in...

45 CFR 680.11 - Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... SCIENCE FOUNDATION NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RULES OF PRACTICE Rules of Practice for the National Science Foundation § 680.11 Staff involvement with NSF proposals and awards. (a)(1) Many scientists... field of science, engineering, or education, notwithstanding that the focus of the work may change in...

Strategies for Broadening Participation in Advanced Technological Education Programs: Practice and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Corey; Wingate, Lori

2016-01-01

Expanding and diversifying the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) workforce is a national priority. The National Science Foundation is investing efforts at post secondary education institutions to engage individuals who have been historically underrepresented in STEM. This paper investigated the use of strategies to broaden…

The Key Technologies. Some Implications for Education and Training. An Occasional Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansell, Jack; And Others

National competitiveness depends in large part on the practical application of technologies. Educational planners must, therefore, identify key (newly emerging) topics in science and engineering that are likely to have a major evolutionary effect on industry and incorporate these areas into existing vocational and technical curricula. Because…

A Preliminary Study Exploring the Use of Fictional Narrative in Robotics Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Douglas; Ma, Yuxin; Prejean, Louise

2010-01-01

Educational robotics activities are gaining in popularity. Though some research data suggest that educational robotics can be an effective approach in teaching mathematics, science, and engineering, research is needed to generate the best practices and strategies for designing these learning environments. Existing robotics activities typically do…

Supporting Three-Dimensional Science Learning: The Role of Curiosity-Driven Classroom Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Wendy Renae

2017-01-01

The National Research Council's "Framework for K-12 Science Education" (2011) presents a new vision for science education that calls for the integration of the three dimensions of science learning: science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. Unlike previous conceptions of science learning that…

Innovations and Challenges in Project-Based STEM Education: Lessons from ITEST

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connors-Kellgren, Alice; Parker, Caroline E.; Blustein, David L.; Barnett, Mike

2016-01-01

For over a decade, the National Science Foundation's Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program has funded researchers and educators to build an understanding of best practices, contexts, and processes contributing to K-12 students' motivation and participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics…

The Promise and the Promises of Making in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bevan, Bronwyn

2017-01-01

"Making" is a rapidly emerging form of educational practice that involves the design, construction, testing, and revision of a wide variety of objects, using high and low technologies, and integrating a range of disciplines including art, science, engineering, and mathematics. It has garnered widespread interest and support in both…

Improving Conceptual Understanding and Representation Skills through Excel-Based Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Kathy L.; Schunn, Christian D.; Schuchardt, Anita M.

2018-01-01

The National Research Council framework for science education and the Next Generation Science Standards have developed a need for additional research and development of curricula that is both technologically model-based and includes engineering practices. This is especially the case for biology education. This paper describes a quasi-experimental…

Insights into STEM Education Praxis: An Assessment Scheme for Course Syllabi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corlu, M. Sencer

2013-01-01

Post-secondary institutions within the European Higher Education Area have been adapting quality assurance mechanisms for course design, delivery, and evaluation following a learner-centered approach. The purpose of this exploratory study was to delineate the teaching practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at the…

Scientific and educational center "space systems and technology"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalev, I. V.; Loginov, Y. Y.; Zelenkov, P. V.

2015-10-01

The issues of engineers training in the aerospace university on the base of Scientific and Educational Center "Space Systems and Technology" are discussed. In order to improve the quality of education in the Siberian State Aerospace University the research work of students, as well as the practice- oriented training of engineers are introduced in the educational process. It was made possible as a result of joint efforts of university with research institutes of the Russian Academy of Science and industrial enterprises. The university experience in this area promotes the development of a new methods and forms of educational activities, including the project-oriented learning technologies, identifying promising areas of specialization and training of highly skilled engineers for aerospace industry and other institutions. It also allows you to coordinate the work of departments and other units of the university to provide the educational process in workshops and departments of the industrial enterprises in accordance with the needs of the target training. Within the framework of scientific and education center the students perform researches, diploma works and master's theses; the postgraduates are trained in advanced scientific and technical areas of enterprise development.

Preparing the NDE engineers of the future: Education, training, and diversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holland, Stephen D.

2017-02-01

As quantitative NDE has matured and entered the mainstream, it has created an industry need for engineers who can select, evaluate, and qualify NDE techniques to satisfy quantitative engineering requirements. NDE as a field is cross-disciplinary with major NDE techniques relying on a broad spectrum of physics disciplines including fluid mechanics, electromagnetics, mechanical waves, and high energy physics. An NDE engineer needs broad and deep understanding of the measurement physics across modalities, a general engineering background, and familiarity with shop-floor practices and tools. While there are a wide range of certification and training programs worldwide for NDE technicians, there are few programs aimed at engineers. At the same time, substantial demographic shifts are underway with many experienced NDE engineers and technicians nearing retirement, and with new generations coming from much more diverse backgrounds. There is a need for more and better education opportunities for NDE engineers. Both teaching and learning NDE engineering are inherently challenging because of the breadth and depth of knowledge required. At the same time, sustaining the field in a more diverse era will require broadening participation of previously underrepresented groups. The QNDE 2016 conference in Atlanta, GA included a session on NDE education, training, and diversity. This paper summarizes the outcomes and discussion from this session.

An Internship Model for Culturally Relevant Success for Native American High School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nall, J.; Graham, E. M.

2004-12-01

Culturally relevant educational practices can be challenging to implement in the workplace. In an effort to support equity in access to undergraduate internship opportunities for Native American students, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Education Office, Minority Education Initiatives offers a unique approach to supporting students from Native American reservation high schools in Washington State to participate in eight-week technical (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics related) summer internships. This talk will address the Alliance for Learning and Vision for Americans (ALVA) program's twelve years of success based on four programmatic principals, annual review and the critical support of scientists and engineers.

Learning Engines - A Functional Object Model for Developing Learning Resources for the WWW.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fritze, Paul; Ip, Albert

The Learning Engines (LE) model, developed at the University of Melbourne (Australia), supports the integration of rich learning activities into the World Wide Web. The model is concerned with the practical design, educational value, and reusability of software components. The model is focused on the academic teacher who is in the best position to…

Voices of Women in a Software Engineering Course: Reflections on Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berenson, Sarah B.; Slaten, Kelli M.; Williams, Laurie; Ho, Chih-Wei

2004-01-01

Those science, mathematics, and engineering faculty who are serious about making the education they offer as available to their daughters as to their sons are, we posit, facing the prospect of dismantling a large part of its traditional pedagogical structure, along with the assumptions and practice which support it. [Seymour and Hewett 1997].Prior…

Applying Peer Reviews in Software Engineering Education: An Experiment and Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garousi, V.

2010-01-01

Based on the demonstrated value of peer reviews in the engineering industry, numerous industry experts have listed it at the top of the list of desirable development practices. Experience has shown that problems (defects) are eliminated earlier if a development process incorporates peer reviews and that these reviews are as effective as or even…

Project support of practical training in biophysics.

PubMed

Mornstein, V; Vlk, D; Forytkova, L

2006-01-01

The Department of Biophysics ensures practical training in biophysics and related subjects for students of medical and health study programmes. Demonstrations of medical technology are an important part of this training. Teaching for Faculty of Sciences in biophysical study programmes becomes also very important. Some lectures and demonstrations of technology are involved, but the practical trainig is missing. About 1 mil. CZK for additional laboratory equipment was obtained from the HEIDF project No. 1866/ 2005 "The demonstration and measuring technology for education in medical biophysics and radiological physics" for measuring system DEWETRON for high frequency signal analysis, Fluke Ti30 IR camera, PM 9000B patient monitor, ARSENAL AF 1 fluorescence microscope, and Nikon Coolpix 4500 digital camera with accessories for microphotography. At the present time, further financial resources are being provided by a development project of Ministry of Education "Inter-university co-operation in biomedical technology and engineering using top technologies" in total amount of almost 5 mil CZK, whereas over 2 mil CZK from this project are reserved for student laboratory equipment. The main goal of this project is to ensure the participation of Medical Faculty in educational co-operation in the biomedical technology and engineering, namely with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication (FEEC), Brno University of Technology. There will be taught those areas of biophysics which are not covered by FEEC, thus forming a separate subject "General Biophysics". The following instruments will be installed: UV-VIS spectrophotometers, rotation viscometers, tensiometers, microscopes with digital image processing, cooled centrifuge, optical benches, and some smaller instruments for practical measurements.

Translating theory into practice: integrating the affective and cognitive learning dimensions for effective instruction in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alias, Maizam; Lashari, Tahira Anwar; Abidin Akasah, Zainal; Jahaya Kesot, Mohd.

2014-03-01

Learning in the cognitive domain is highly emphasised and has been widely investigated in engineering education. Lesser emphasis is placed on the affective dimension although the role of affects has been supported by research. The lack of understanding on learning theories and how they may be translated into classroom application of teaching and learning is one factor that contributes to this situation. This paper proposes a working framework for integrating the affective dimension of learning into engineering education that is expected to promote better learning within the cognitive domain. Four major learning theories namely behaviourism, cognitivism, socio-culturalism, and constructivism were analysed and how affects are postulated to influence cognition are identified. The affective domain constructs identified to be important are self-efficacy, attitude and locus of control. Based on the results of the analysis, a framework that integrates methodologies for achieving learning in the cognitive domain with the support of the affective dimension of learning is proposed. It is expected that integrated approach can be used as a guideline to engineering educators in designing effective and sustainable instructional material that would result in the effective engineers for future development.

Biomimicry, Biofabrication, and Biohybrid Systems: The Emergence and Evolution of Biological Design.

PubMed

Raman, Ritu; Bashir, Rashid

2017-10-01

The discipline of biological design has a relatively short history, but has undergone very rapid expansion and development over that time. This Progress Report outlines the evolution of this field from biomimicry to biofabrication to biohybrid systems' design, showcasing how each subfield incorporates bioinspired dynamic adaptation into engineered systems. Ethical implications of biological design are discussed, with an emphasis on establishing responsible practices for engineering non-natural or hypernatural functional behaviors in biohybrid systems. This report concludes with recommendations for implementing biological design into educational curricula, ensuring effective and responsible practices for the next generation of engineers and scientists. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Training and Utilization of Scientific and Engineering Manpower in the People's Republic of China. Science and Technology in the People's Republic of China Background Study No. 5. Transmitted to the Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, Ninety-Eighth Congress, First Session, Serial P.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Science and Technology.

The education of scientists and engineers in China was severely interrupted and for all practical purposes discontinued during the years of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1972). This study covers the evolution of the educational system in China since that time. The study updates the Committee on Science and Technology's 1980 study of science and…

The use of hydro-dynamic models in the practice-oriented education of engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sziebert, J.; Zellei, L.; Tamás, E. A.

2009-04-01

Management tasks related to open channel flows became rather comprehensive and multi-disciplinary, particularly with the predominancy of nature management aspects. The water regime of our rivers has proven to reach extremities more and more frequently in the past decades. In order to develop and analyse alternative solutions and to handle and resolve conflicts of interests, we apply 1D hydro-dynamic models in education for the explanation of processes and to improve practical skills of our students.

Building a Program of University Physics and Mathematics Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Tadayoshi; Nakamura, Akira; Kagiyama, Shigenori; Namiki, Masatoshi; Ejiri, Arisato; Ohshima, Kazunari; Mishima, Akiomi; Aoki, Katsuhiko

Authors built physics learning modules which consist of lectures, experiments and practices, introducing physics experiments of elementary and secondary education. In addition, we are operating "KIT Mathematics Navigation" in order to complement mathematical basics to engineering education. Based on these results, we are building studies and development of an education program in order to support the learning paradigm shift and to help students learn physics and mathematics complimentarily for liberal arts education course in universities.

Computational Thinking in High School Science Classrooms: Exploring the Science "Framework" and "NGSS"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sneider, Cary; Stephenson, Chris; Schafer, Bruce; Flick, Larry

2014-01-01

A "Framework for K-12 Science Education" identified eight practices as "essential elements of the K-12 science and engineering curriculum" (NRC 2012, p. 49). Most of the practices, such as Developing and Using Models, Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, and Analyzing and Interpreting Data, are well known among science…

Drivers, Start Your Glue Guns: Using Model Stock Cars to Explore Motion and Force Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angle, Julie

2011-01-01

The recently released document "A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas" emphasizes the importance of engaging students in practices of science and engineering to help them understand how scientific knowledge about the natural world develops. The document identifies eight essential…

A Pilot Study of the Effectiveness of Augmented Reality to Enhance the Use of Remote Labs in Electrical Engineering Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mejías Borrero, A.; Andújar Márquez, J. M.

2012-10-01

Lab practices are an essential part of teaching in Engineering. However, traditional laboratory lessons developed in classroom labs (CL) must be adapted to teaching and learning strategies that go far beyond the common concept of e-learning, in the sense that completely virtualized distance education disconnects teachers and students from the real world, which can generate specific problems in laboratory classes. Current proposals of virtual labs (VL) and remote labs (RL) do not either cover new needs properly or contribute remarkable improvement to traditional labs—except that they favor distance training. Therefore, online teaching and learning in lab practices demand a further step beyond current VL and RL. This paper poses a new reality and new teaching/learning concepts in the field of lab practices in engineering. The developed augmented reality-based lab system (augmented remote lab, ARL) enables teachers and students to work remotely (Internet/intranet) in current CL, including virtual elements which interact with real ones. An educational experience was conducted to assess the developed ARL with the participation of a group of 10 teachers and another group of 20 students. Both groups have completed lab practices of the contents in the subjects Digital Systems and Robotics and Industrial Automation, which belong to the second year of the new degree in Electronic Engineering (adapted to the European Space for Higher Education). The labs were carried out by means of three different possibilities: CL, VL and ARL. After completion, both groups were asked to fill in some questionnaires aimed at measuring the improvement contributed by ARL relative to CL and VL. Except in some specific questions, the opinion of teachers and students was rather similar and positive regarding the use and possibilities of ARL. Although the results are still preliminary and need further study, seems to conclude that ARL remarkably improves the possibilities of current VL and RL. Furthermore, ARL can be concluded to allow further possibilities when used online than traditional laboratory lessons completed in CL.

A comparison of educational factors promoting or discouraging the intent to remain in engineering by gender

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amelink, Catherine T.; Meszaros, Peggy S.

2011-03-01

This study seeks to examine key extrinsic and intrinsic factors that encourage or discourage persistence in attaining an engineering degree and pursuing an engineering-related career among both male and female undergraduates. Quantitative and qualitative findings from nine participating undergraduate degree programmes reveal that career expectations formulated through educational experiences as undergraduates play a key role in motivating students. Among females, faculty interaction in the classroom, such as feedback received and the degree to which the faculty treat them with respect, is an important encouraging factor. For both males and females, discouraging elements of the undergraduate experience include the amount of time for coursework, competition in engineering classes and grades. The findings have several practical implications that faculty and administrators can employ in shaping the undergraduate experience to encourage short- and long-term interest in engineering among both male and female students.

Designs that Fly: What the History of Aeronautics Tells Us about the Future of Design-Based Research in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, D. Kevin

2012-01-01

For almost two decades, there has been growing interest in what design-based research (DBR) can contribute to both educational practice and theory. Since its introduction into the literature, this orientation to educational research has repeatedly been likened to aeronautical engineering as a way to clarify its nature and argue its potential. This…

Characterizing Instructional Practices in the Laboratory: The Laboratory Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velasco, Jonathan B.; Knedeisen, Adam; Xue, Dihua; Vickrey, Trisha L.; Abebe, Marytza; Stains, Marilyne

2016-01-01

Chemistry laboratories play an essential role in the education of undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM students. The extent of student learning in any educational environment depends largely on the effectiveness of the instructors. In chemistry laboratories at large universities, the instructors of…

Problematising the "Career Academic" in UK Construction and Engineering Education: Does the System Want What the System Gets?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pilcher, Nick; Forster, Alan; Tennant, Stuart; Murray, Mike; Craig, Nigel

2017-01-01

"Career Academics" are principally research-led, entering academia with limited or no industrial or practical experience. UK Higher Education Institutions welcome them for their potential to attain research grant funding and publish world-leading journal papers, ultimately enhancing institutional reputation. This polemical paper…

STEM in England: Meanings and Motivations in the Policy Arena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Vicky; Dillon, Justin; King, Heather

2016-01-01

STEM, an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, is widely used in science education. There is confusion, however, as to its provenance and meaning which is potentially problematic. This study examines the purpose of STEM practice in education in England and asks if there are differences in perceptions of STEM between science…

Students' Assessment of Interactive Distance Experimentation in Nuclear Reactor Physics Laboratory Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malkawi, Salaheddin; Al-Araidah, Omar

2013-01-01

Laboratory experiments develop students' skills in dealing with laboratory instruments and physical processes with the objective of reinforcing the understanding of the investigated subject. In nuclear engineering, where research reactors play a vital role in the practical education of students, the high cost and long construction time of research…

STEM Faculty as Learners in Pedagogical Reform and the Role of Research Articles as Professional Development Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulnix, Amy B.

2016-01-01

Discipline-based education research (DBER) publications are opportunities for professional development around science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education reform. Learning theory tells us these publications could be more impactful if authors, reviewers, and editors pay greater attention to linking principles and practice.…

A Study of Student Engagement in Project-Based Learning across Multiple Approaches to STEM Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Alfred; Miro, Danielle

2016-01-01

Objective: In this study, we investigated the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) activities in four secondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education settings to examine the impact of inquiry based instructional practices on student learning. Method: Direct classroom observations were conducted during the…

Teaching the "Geo" in Geography with the Next Generation Science Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wysession, Michael E.

2016-01-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS; Achieve 2014, 532; Figure 1A) represent a new approach to K-12 science education that involves the interweaving of three educational dimensions: Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs). Unlike most preexisting state science standards for…

A culture of technical knowledge: Professionalizing science and engineering education in late-nineteenth century America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nienkamp, Paul

This manuscript examines the intellectual, cultural, and practical approaches to science and engineering education as a part of the land-grant college movement in the Midwest between the 1850s and early 1900s. These land-grant institutions began and grew within unique frontier societies that both cherished self-reliance and diligently worked to make themselves part of the larger national experience. College administrators and professors encountered rapidly changing public expectations, regional needs, and employment requirements. They recognized a dire need for technically skilled men and women who could quickly adapt to changes in equipment and processes, and implement advances in scientific knowledge in American homes, fields, and factories. Charged with educating the "industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life," land-grant college supporters and professors sought out the most modern and innovative instructional methods. Combining the humanities, sciences, and practical skills that they believed uniquely suited student needs, these pioneering educators formulated new curricula and training programs that advanced both the knowledge and the social standing of America's agricultural and mechanical working classes.

Applying an innovative educational program for the education of today's engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kans, M.

2012-05-01

Engineers require a broad spectrum of knowledge and skills: basic skills in mathematics and physics, skills and competencies within the major subject area as well as more general knowledge about business and enterprise contexts, society regulations and understanding of the future professions' characteristics. In addition, social, intercultural, analytical and managing competencies are desired. The CDIO educational program was initiated as a means to come closer to practice and to assure the training of engineering skills that are required of today's engineers. CDIO is short for Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate and describes the full life cycle understanding of a system or asset that engineering students should reach during education. The CDIO initiative is formulated in a program consisting of two important documents: the CDIO standards and the CDIO syllabus. The standards describe a holistic approach on education, from knowledge and skills to be trained, how to train and assess them, to how to develop the teaching staff and the work places for enabling the goals. The specific knowledge and skills to be achieved are accounted for in the syllabus. In this paper we share our more than 15 years of experiences in problem and project based learning from the perspective of the CDIO standards. For each standard, examples of how to set up the education and overcome challenges connected to the standard are given. The paper concludes with recommendations to others wishing to work toward problem and real-life based education without compromising the requirements of a scientific approach.

Experience in the Education of Engineers from Vietnam in the Faculty of Mining and Geoengineering AGH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cała, Marek; Borowski, Marek

2018-03-01

The AGH University of Science and Technology collaborates closely with other universities, economic units, governmental and local administrative bodies. International cooperation plays a very important role in the academic research. The AGH University of Science and Technology has signed many collaboration agreements. They aim at multidimensional cooperation in the fields of education and academic research. AGH UST has always focused on collaboration with business and industry. In recent years, the global economy is undergoing massive transformations, what creates new challenges to companies and educational institutions that cater to the needs of industry. The expansion of business enterprises is largely dependent on their employees' expertise, skills and levels of competence. Certified engineers are provided by universities. Therefore, the qualifications of the graduates are determined by the curriculum and teaching methods, as well as the available educational and research facilities. Of equal importance is the qualified academic staff. Human activities in the field of engineering require finding solutions to problems of various nature and magnitude. An engineer's work consists in the design, construction, modification and maintenance of useful devices, processes and systems, using scientific and technical knowledge. In order to design complex engineering solutions, an engineer uses his imagination, experience, analytical skills, logical reasoning and makes conscious use of his knowledge. At the Faculty of Mining and Geoengineering of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, 15 engineers from Vietnam are studying Mining and Geology at the second-cycle studies (specialization: mine ventilation). The solutions proposed in the field of the engineers' education guarantee that foreign students gain both engineering knowledge and problem-solving skills. Therefore, the study programme was complemented by a series of practical aspects.

Change is necessary in a biological engineering curriculum.

PubMed

Johnson, Arthur T; Montas, Hubert; Shirmohammadi, Adel; Wheaton, Fredrick W

2006-01-01

Success of a Biological Engineering undergraduate educational program can be measured in a number of ways, but however it is measured, a presently successful program can translate into an unsuccessful program if it cannot adjust to different conditions posed by technical advances, student characteristics, and academic pressures. Described in this paper is a Biological Engineering curriculum that has changed significantly since its transformation from Agricultural Engineering in 1993. As a result, student numbers have continued to climb, specific objectives have emerged, and unique courses have been developed. The Biological Resources Engineering program has evolved into a program that emphasizes breadth, fundamentals, communications skills, diversity, and practical engineering judgment.

Design and Development of a Course in Professionalism and Ethics for CDIO Curriculum in China.

PubMed

Fan, Yinghui; Zhang, Xingwei; Xie, Xinlu

2015-10-01

At Shantou University (STU) in 2008, a stand-alone engineering ethics course was first included within a Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate (CDIO) curriculum to address the scarcity of engineering ethics education in China. The philosophy of the course design is to help students to develop an in-depth understanding of social sustainability and to fulfill the obligations of engineers in the twenty-first century within the context of CDIO engineering practices. To guarantee the necessary cooperation of the relevant parties, we have taken advantage of the top-down support from the STU administration. Three themes corresponding to contemporary issues in China were chosen as the course content: engineers' social obligations, intellectual property and engineering safety criteria. Some popular pedagogies are used for ethics instruction such as case studies and group discussions through role-playing. To impart the diverse expertise of the practical professional practice, team teaching is adopted by interdisciplinary instructors with strong qualifications and industrial backgrounds. Although the assessment of the effectiveness of the course in enhancing students' sense of ethics is limited to assignment reports and class discussions, our endeavor is seen as positive and will continue to sustain the CDIO reform initiatives of STU.

Becoming a Woman Engineer in the Community of Practice: Validity and Value in Engineering-Education Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Shaunda L.

The analogy of the leaky pipeline, the notion of women leaving or failing to choose science in droves, is represented frequently by researchers and scientists. "If the structural and cultural causes for the leakages are ignored, attempts at increasing the representation of women at various pipeline segments may fall short" (G. Sonnert,…

Using the Internet in Career Education. Practice Application Brief No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Judith O.

The World Wide Web has a wealth of information on career planning, individual jobs, and job search methods that counselors and teachers can use. Search engines such as Yahoo! and Magellan, organized like library tools, and engines such as AltaVista and HotBot search words or phrases. Web indexes offer a variety of features. The criteria for…

[Characterization of the training and practice of human talent working in environmental health in Colombia].

PubMed

Agudelo-Calderón, Carlos A; García-Ubaque, Juan C; Robledo-Martínez, Rocío; García-Ubaque, Cesar A; Vaca, Martha L

2015-07-01

Objectives To characterize the peculiarities in the training, exercise, and performance of human talent working in environmental health in Colombia. Method Documentary and database reviews. Surveys and semi-structured interviews. Results Approximately 70 % of professionals in the area of environmental health work in health management, food engineering, environmental engineering, sanitary engineering, veterinary medicine, and pharmaceutical chemistry. 63 % of technologists belong to the field of sanitation technology. Only 20 % of surveyed educational institutions apply the competence approach to training to their students and the identification of occupational characteristics in the labor market is only used at the undergraduate level as a criterion of academic analysis and design. Only 20 % of educational institutions identify educational trends in Colombian and or international environmental health as a contribution to their programs. In prospective practices, the following topics to be strengthened were identified: risk factor identfication, measurement, and control; design and implementation of mechanisms for controlling environmental risks; forms of interdisciplinary work between the natural, social and health sciences; preventative and environmental protection measures and the concept of environment (natural, social, and cultural). Conclusion The human talent currently working in environmental health in the country is concentrated in primary care activities (inspection, monitoring and control) and a large spread exists in mission processes and competences, both professionally and technologically. A lack of coordination between the environmental sector and the education sector can be observed. A great diversity exists among the profiles offered by the different educational programs related to environmental health.

Engineering education for youth: Diverse elementary school students' experiences with engineering design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hegedus, Theresa

Lingering concerns over the persistent achievement gap amidst the trend of an increasingly diverse society have been compounded by calls from the Oval Office, the National Science Board, and nationwide media to also address our current creativity crisis. Now, more than ever, we have a responsibility to produce a STEM-capable (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) workforce to meet the demands of our rapidly changing local and global economic landscape. Barriers exist in our traditional educational system, which has historically limited underrepresented groups' affiliation and membership in the disciplines of science and engineering. The recent incorporation of engineering into the latest science education reform efforts presents an opportunity to expose students as early as elementary school to engineering practices and habits of mind, which have the potential to stimulate creative thinking skills through engineering design. This qualitative study was designed to examine the ways in which engineering education has the potential to promote creativity and academic competence in elementary science classrooms. As a part of my study, a diverse group of students from two fifth-grade classrooms took part in a 10-12 hour, engineering-based curriculum unit (Engineering is Elementary) during their regular science instructional time. Using a sociocultural lens, to include cultural production and identities in practice as part of my framework, I analyzed group and individual performances through classroom observations, student interviews, and teacher reflections to better understand the meaning students made of their experiences with engineering. Findings from the study included the ways in which creativity was culturally produced in the classroom to include: 1) idea generation; 2) design and innovation; 3) gumption/resourcefulness; and 4) social value. Opportunities for collaboration increased through each stage of the unit culminating with the design challenge. Engineering teams required cultivation by the teacher as students negotiated spaces for collaboration through challenges of competition versus compromise; assumed versus assigned roles; management of verbal versus non-verbal communication; and shifts from teacher-as-authority-figure to peers as sources of knowledge and inspiration. The engineering design challenge provided an ideal context for broaching socio-scientific issues and attention to ethical considerations. Students made reference to their growing environmental awareness and developing moral reasoning in their definitions and reflections on green engineering. Throughout the course of the unit, successful students, struggling students, and students with uncertain trajectories established themselves as competent and efficacious engineers. Implications of the study include ways to assist teachers in recognizing and cultivating creativity and collaboration in addition to effectively incorporating socio-scientific issues as part of the engineering (and science) curriculum. I also present recommendations for promoting equity in classroom engineering, pre-service teacher initiatives, and strategies for capitalizing on the complementarity between science and engineering.

Assessing the impact of a medical librarian on identification of valid and actionable practice gaps for a continuing medical education committee.

PubMed

Bartkowiak, Barbara A; Safford, Lindsey A; Stratman, Erik J

2014-01-01

Identifying educational needs related to professional practice gaps can be a complex process for continuing medical education (CME) committees and for physicians who submit activity applications. Medical librarians possess unique skills that may be useful for identifying practice gaps relevant to CME committees. We assessed this assumption by assessing a medical librarian's contributions to practice gap identification for the Marshfield Clinic's CME Committee. We reviewed all locally relevant, locally actionable practice gaps identified annually by various stakeholders and presented to our CME Committee from 2010 to 2013. Total numbers of practice gaps identified, total categorized as actionable, and numbers of subsequent activities resulting from these gaps were calculated for each year. Medical librarian totals were compared to those of other CME committee stakeholders to determine the relative contribution. The medical librarian identified unique, actionable published practice gaps that directly contributed to CME activity planning. For each study year, contributions by the medical librarian grew, from 0 of 27 actionable gaps validated by CME Committee in 2010 to 49 of 108 (45.4%) in 2013. With the librarian's assistance, the number of valid practice gaps submitted between 2010 and 2013 by stakeholders climbed from 23 for 155 activities (14.8%) to 133 for 157 activities (84.7%). Medical librarians can provide a valuable service to CME committees by identifying valid professional practice gaps that inform decisions about educational activities aimed at improving clinical practice. Medical librarians bring into deliberations unique information, including national health policy priorities, practice gaps found in the literature, and point-of-care search engine statistics. © 2014 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on Continuing Medical Education, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

Formula student as part of a mechanical engineering curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Huw Charles

2013-10-01

Formula Student (FS) is a multi-university student design competition managed by the UK Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Students are required to demonstrate and prove their creativity and engineering skills through the design, manufacture and financing of a small formula style race car. This paper seeks to explore the educational value that derives from the FS activity through a series of semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Through the analysis of the interview data, it was found that the FS activity supported development of student skills and competencies in the following areas: use of engineering knowledge to support the application of existing and emerging technology; application of theoretical and practical knowledge to the solution of engineering problems; development of technical and commercial management skills; development of effective interpersonal skills, including communication skills; and demonstration of personal commitment to professional development. In addition, a number of areas for implementing 'good practise' have been identified. The information herein supports educators in their responsibility to help meet the needs of the engineering industry for high quality graduates.

Asian and Pacific Islander women scientists and engineers: A narrative exploration of model minority, gender, and racial stereotypes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinn, Pauline W. U.

2002-04-01

This qualitative study uses narrative methodology to understand what becoming a scientist or engineer entails for women stereotyped as model minorities. Interviews with four Chinese and Japanese women focused on the social contexts in which science is encountered in classrooms, families, and community. Interpretation was guided by theories that individuals construct personal narratives mediated by cultural symbolic systems to make meaning of experiences. Narratives revealed that Confucian cultural scripts shaped gender expectations even in families several generations in America. Regardless of parents' level of education, country of birth, and number of children, educational expectations, and resources were lower for daughters. Parents expected daughters to be compliant, feminine, and educated enough to be marriageable. Findings suggest K-12 gender equity science practices encouraged development of the women's interests and abilities but did not affect parental beliefs. The author's 1999 study of Hawaiians/Pacific Islander and Filipina female engineers is included in implications for teacher education programs sensitive to gender, culture, ethnicity, and language.

Teaching ethics in engineering education through historical analysis.

PubMed

Billington, David P

2006-04-01

The goal of this paper is to stress the significance of ethics for engineering education and to illustrate how it can be brought into the mainstream of higher education in a natural way that is integrated with the teaching objectives of enriching the core meaning of engineering. Everyone will agree that the practicing engineer should be virtuous, should be a good colleague, and should use professional understanding for the common good. But these injunctions to virtue do not reach closely enough the ethic of the engineer as engineer, as someone acting in a uniquely engineering situation, and it is to such conditions that I wish to speak through a set of specific examples from recent history. I shall briefly refer to four controversies between engineers. Then, in some detail I shall narrate three historical cases that directly involve the actions of one engineer, and finally I would like to address some common contemporary issues. The first section, Engineering Ethics and the History of Innovation, includes four cases involving professional controversy. Each controversy sets two people against each other in disputes over who invented the telegraph, the radio, the automobile, and the airplane. In each dispute, it is possible to identify ethical and unethical behavior or ambiguous ethical behavior that serves as a basis for educational discussion. The first two historical cases described in "Crises and the Engineer" involve the primary closure dam systems in The Netherlands, each one the result of the actions of one engineer. The third tells of an American engineer who took his political boss, a big city mayor, to court over the illegal use of a watershed. The challenges these engineers faced required, in the deepest sense, a commitment to ethical behavior that is unique to engineering and instructive to our students. Finally, the cases in "Professors and Comparative Critical Analysis" illuminate the behavior of engineers in the design of structures and also how professors can make public criticisms of designs that seem wasteful.

Analysis of Instructional Support Elements for an Online, Educational Simulation on Active Listening for Women Graduate Students in Science and Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Bianca L.; Bekki, Jennifer M.; Wilkins, Kerrie G.; Harrison, Caroline J.

2016-01-01

Strong interpersonal communication skills (ICS) are critical for educational and career success, but effective and widely accessible training systems are not available. This paper describes a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental study of an online, educational simulation for practice with the ICS of active listening. The simulation was customized for women…

Aeronautical education and research at the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karner, L; Ackeret, J

1931-01-01

Progress in the scientific and practical fields of aviation has caused the Swiss Institute of Technology to organize lectures and practical training courses in all three branches of aeronautics and to found centers of scientific research, laboratories, etc., in order to supply the government and industries with scientifically and technically trained engineers.

Strategies for Developing Sustainable Design Practice for Students and SME Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Eyto, A.; Mc Mahon, M.; Hadfield, M.; Hutchings, M.

2008-01-01

Designers and engineers seem finally to be awakening to the challenge that sustainable development has given. Educators and students alike are keenly aware of the need to become more effective in the training and practice of their specific disciplines with respect to sustainability. In the past four years since this research has developed, there…

Design and Application of Interactive Simulations in Problem-Solving in University-Level Physics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ceberio, Mikel; Almudí, José Manuel; Franco, Ángel

2016-01-01

In recent years, interactive computer simulations have been progressively integrated in the teaching of the sciences and have contributed significant improvements in the teaching-learning process. Practicing problem-solving is a key factor in science and engineering education. The aim of this study was to design simulation-based problem-solving…

Computing the Average Square: An Agent-Based Introduction to Aspects of Current Psychometric Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stroup, Walter M.; Hills, Thomas; Carmona, Guadalupe

2011-01-01

This paper summarizes an approach to helping future educators to engage with key issues related to the application of measurement-related statistics to learning and teaching, especially in the contexts of science, mathematics, technology and engineering (STEM) education. The approach we outline has two major elements. First, students are asked to…

Changing academic culture to improve undergraduate STEM education.

PubMed

Suchman, Erica L

2014-12-01

Improving undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education requires faculty with the skills, resources, and time to create active learning environments that foster student engagement. Current faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure practices at many universities do not measure, reward, nor encourage faculty pursuit of these skills. A cultural change is needed to foster improvement. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Linking the "Know-That" and "Know-How" Knowledge through Games: A Quest to Evolve the Future for Science and Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vahed, A.; McKenna, S.; Singh, S.

2016-01-01

This paper responds to Muller's notions of "knowing-that" and "knowing how". The paper addresses how educational interventions that are designed in line with targeted discipline-specific subjects can enhance the balance between professional practice and disciplinary knowledge in professionally accredited programmes at…

Investigating the Views of Pre-Service Science Teachers on STEM Education Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Ibrahim; Ciftci, Ayse

2017-01-01

It has given importance to the development of 21st century skills in every aspect of life. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education has played an important role to improve these skills and teachers are expected to be able to organize learning environments accordingly. The purpose of this research is to examine the…

Distance Art Education: The Federal School and Social Engineering in the United States, 1900 to 1925

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Funk, Clayton

2009-01-01

The Federal School was a correspondence art school in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the early 20th century. At that time, scientific methods changed the organization and practice of commercial art training and industrial education, which included correspondence courses from the Federal School. Standards of intelligence were determined with…

Learning Experiences That Make a Difference: Findings from a National Study of Doctoral Education in the Professions. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haworth, Jennifer Grant; Bair, Carolyn Richert

The purpose of this study was to explore and develop baseline understandings of the purposes, character (i.e., cultural, teaching/learning, curricular practices), quality, and outcomes associated with doctoral education in four professional fields of study: clinical psychology, electrical engineering, nursing, and school administration. The…

DOE Chair Excellence Professorship Environmental Disciplines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Riley, Reginald

2014-10-08

The DECM Team worked closely with other academic institutions, industrial companies and government laboratories to do research and educate engineers in “cutting edge” environmentally conscious manufacturing practices and instrumentation. The participating universities also worked individually with local companies on research projects in their specialty areas. Together, they were charged with research application, integration and education in environmentally conscious manufacturing.

Structural Engineering. Technology Learning Activity. Teacher Edition. Technology Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This curriculum guide provides technology learning activities designed to prepare students in grades 6-10 to work in the world of the future. The 8-day course provides exploratory, hands-on learning activities and information that can enhance the education of students of all types in an integrated curriculum that provides practical applications of…

Towards Deeper Comprehension in Higher Engineering Education: Rethinking "In Theory Yes, but Not in Practice"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korpela, Aki; Tarhasaari, Timo; Kettunen, Lauri; Mikkonen, Risto; Kinnari-Korpela, Hanna

2015-01-01

In the economic pressure of recent decades, many universities have invested in increasing the number of accessed and graduated students. However, this has led to another problem: there is not enough higher learning in higher education. According to generally accepted view, the problem lies in the eagerness of overplaying immediate skills in…

Introducing Computational Thinking to Young Learners: Practicing Computational Perspectives through Embodiment in Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sung, Woonhee; Ahn, Junghyun; Black, John B.

2017-01-01

A science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-influenced classroom requires learning activities that provide hands-on experiences with technological tools to encourage problem-solving skills (Brophy et al. in "J Eng Educ" 97(3):369-387, 2008; Mataric et al. in "AAAI spring symposium on robots and robot venues: resources for AI…

MOOC construction and application in professional degree postgraduate education: taking Introduction to Engineering Optics as an example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Feng; Zhou, Jin-peng; Wang, Xing-shu

2017-08-01

Aiming at the deficiency of the traditional postgraduate education mode for professional degree, such as the conflict between work and study, restricted supply and demand and poor efficiency of course teaching, the emergence of Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) which has large scale, online and open features can make up for the shortage of traditional professional degree postgraduate education mode by introducing MOOC teaching mode. However, it is still a fangle to integrate MOOC into the traditional postgraduate education for professional degree and there are no standard methods for reference in the construction of MOOC courses as well as the corresponding evaluations. In this paper, the construction method and practical experience of MOOC courses for professional degree postgraduate education are discussed in details, based on the MOOC course of Introduction to Engineering Optics. Firstly, the principle of MOOC course contents for professional degree postgraduate education is introduced from the aspects of students' demand, MOOC features and practical applications. Secondly, the optimization of MOOC teaching mode is discussed in order to improve the teaching quality and learning efficiency. Thirdly, in order to overcome the deficiency of current MOOC examination schemes, a novel MOOC evaluation scheme is proposed which is capable of assessing students' learning attitude as well as their ability and performance differences. Finally, a practical summary is given about how to integrate the MOOC teaching mode into the postgraduate education for professional degree, including the constructions of teaching team, course system as well as other factors. From the paper, we can conclude that the integration of MOOC teaching mode into the postgraduate education for professional degree will improve the teaching quality and efficiency.

Problem-Based Learning in Biomechanics: Advantages, Challenges, and Implementation Strategies.

PubMed

Clyne, Alisa Morss; Billiar, Kristen L

2016-07-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) has been shown to be effective in biomedical engineering education, particularly in motivating student learning, increasing knowledge retention, and developing problem solving, communication, and teamwork skills. However, PBL adoption remains limited by real challenges in effective implementation. In this paper, we review the literature on advantages and challenges of PBL and present our own experiences. We also provide practical guidelines for implementing PBL, including two examples of PBL modules from biomechanics courses at two different institutions. Overall, we conclude that the benefits for both professors and students support the use of PBL in biomedical engineering education.

Project management practices in engineering university

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirazitdinova, Y.; Dulzon, A.; Mueller, B.

2015-10-01

The article presents the analysis of usage of project management methodology in Tomsk Polytechnic University, in particular the experience with the course Project management which started 15 years ago. The article presents the discussion around advantages of project management methodology for engineering education and administration of the university in general and the problems impeding extensive implementation of this methodology in teaching, research and management in the university.

Out before the Game Begins: Hispanic Leaders Talk about What's Needed to Bring More Hispanic Youngsters into Science, Technology and Math Professions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gasbarra, Paul; Johnson, Jean

2008-01-01

Hispanics are one of the largest and fastest-growing minority groups in the United States. Projections indicate a need for an increase of 20% of practicing engineers by 2010. Despite the growing number of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers in the American economy, education statistics suggest that too few Hispanic students…

Software Engineering Education Directory

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

Dana Hausman and Suzanne Woolf were crucial to the successful completion of this edition of the directory. Their teamwork, energy, and dedication...for this directory began in the summer of 1986 with a questionnaire mailed to schools selected from Peterson’s Graduate Programs in Engineering and...Christoper, and Siegel, Stan Software Cost Estimation and Life-Cycle Control by Putnam, Lawrence H. Software Quality Assurance: A Practical Approach by

Improving Health with Science: Exploring Community-Driven Science Education in Kenya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leak, Anne Emerson

This study examines the role of place-based science education in fostering student-driven health interventions. While literature shows the need to connect science with students' place and community, there is limited understanding of strategies for doing so. Making such connections is important for underrepresented students who tend to perceive learning science in school as disconnected to their experiences out of school (Aikenhead, Calabrese-Barton, & Chinn, 2006). To better understand how students can learn to connect place and community with science and engineering practices in a village in Kenya, I worked with community leaders, teachers, and students to develop and study an education program (a school-based health club) with the goal of improving knowledge of health and sanitation in a Kenyan village. While students selected the health topics and problems they hoped to address through participating in the club, the topics were taught with a focus on providing opportunities for students to learn the practices of science and health applications of these practices. Students learned chemistry, physics, environmental science, and engineering to help them address the health problems they had identified in their community. Surveys, student artifacts, ethnographic field notes, and interview data from six months of field research were used to examine the following questions: (1) In what ways were learning opportunities planned for using science and engineering practices to improve community health? (2) In what ways did students apply science and engineering practices and knowledge learned from the health club in their school, homes, and community? and (3) What factors seemed to influence whether students applied or intended to apply what they learned in the health club? Drawing on place-based science education theory and community-engagement models of health, process and structural coding (Saldana, 2013) were used to determine patterns in students' applications of their learning. Students applied learning across health topics they identified as interesting and relevant to their community: hand-washing, disease-prevention, first aid, balanced diet, and water. Students' application of their learning was influenced by internal, external, and relational factors with the community, science education factors, and cultural factors. Some factors, which may have been barriers for students to apply their learning, were turned into supports via bridging strategies used by the students and teacher. Bridging strategies allowed students to connect between their place and science in meaningful ways in the classroom. These strategies were critical in bringing students' place into the classroom and enabling students to apply their learning toward place. The model resulting from the identified factors informed existing models for sociocultural considerations in community-based health interventions. The community-engagement applied practices of science (CAPS) model serves to conceptualize findings in this study and informs an integrated method for using community-engagement education as a stimuli for students to become cultural brokers and improve community health. In addition to focusing on teaching practices of science and encouraging students to apply their learning, this research suggests that bridging strategies can be used to connect science with a students' place in meaningful ways that serve both students and their local communities.

Data Driven Professional Development Design for Out-of-School Time Educators Using Planetary Science and Engineering Educational Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, J.; Bloom, N.

2017-12-01

Data driven design practices should be the basis for any effective educational product, particularly those used to support STEM learning and literacy. Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science (PLANETS) is a five-year NASA-funded (NNX16AC53A) interdisciplinary and cross-institutional partnership to develop and disseminate STEM out-of-school time (OST) curricular and professional development units that integrate planetary science, technology, and engineering. The Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Northern Arizona University, the U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center, and the Museum of Science Boston are partners in developing, piloting, and researching the impact of three out of school time units. Two units are for middle grades youth and one is for upper elementary aged youth. The presentation will highlight the data driven development process of the educational products used to provide support for educators teaching these curriculum units. This includes how data from the project needs assessment, curriculum pilot testing, and professional support product field tests are used in the design of products for out of school time educators. Based on data analysis, the project is developing and testing four tiers of professional support for OST educators. Tier 1 meets the immediate needs of OST educators to teach curriculum and include how-to videos and other direct support materials. Tier 2 provides additional content and pedagogical knowledge and includes short content videos designed to specifically address the content of the curriculum. Tier 3 elaborates on best practices in education and gives guidance on methods, for example, to develop cultural relevancy for underrepresented students. Tier 4 helps make connections to other NASA or educational products that support STEM learning in out of school settings. Examples of the tiers of support will be provided.

Innovative Mobile Smart Photonic Dimensional, Color and Spectral Measurement Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmann, Dr Dietrich, Prof; Dittrich (B. Eng. , Paul-Gerald; Höfner (B. Eng. , Dieter; Kraus, Daniel

2015-02-01

Aim of the paper is the demonstration of a paradigm shift in dimensional, color and spectral measurements in industry, biology/medicine, farming/environmental protection and security, as well as in education and training: Measurement engineering and quality assurance become mobile, modular and smart. Smartpads, smartphones and smartwatches (smartcomps) in combination with innovative hardware apps (hwapps) and conventional software apps (swapps) are fundamental enablers for the transformation from conventional stationary working places towards innovative mobile working places with in-field measurements and point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. Furthermore mobile open online courses (MOOCs) are transforming the study habits. Practical examples for the application of innovative photonic micro dimensiometers, colorimeters and spectrometers will be given. The innovative approach opens so far untapped enormous markets for measurement science, engineering, applications, education and training. These innovative working conditions will be fast accepted due to their convenience, reliability and affordability. A highly visible advantage of smartcomps is the huge number of their real distribution, their worldwide connectivity via Internet and cloud services, the standardized interfaces like USB and HDMI and the experienced capabilities of their users for practical operations, obtained with their private smartcomps.

Teaching professional development of science and engineering professors at a research-extensive university: Motivations, meaningfulness, obstacles, and effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouwma-Gearhart, Jana

There is a national movement to improve undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Given the percentage of academics teaching and training at research institutions, there is a parallel movement to improve the quality of teaching-focused professional development for practicing and future STEM educators at these institutions. While research into the effectiveness of teaching professional development at the postsecondary level has increased over the last 40 years, little attention has been paid to understanding faculty perceptions regarding what constitutes effective teaching professional development. Less is known about how to best meet the needs of STEM faculty at research universities and why, given that they are seldom required to engage in teaching professional development, they bother to participate at all. The higher education research community must develop theory grounded in the knowledge and practical experiences of the faculty engaged in teaching professional development. I have studied what motivates twelve research university science and engineering faculty to engage in teaching professional development in light of local supports and barriers and the resulting value of their participation. I have interpreted the experiences of my research participants to indicate that they were motivated to engage in teaching professional development to fulfill a need to bring their teaching competencies in better concordance with their professional strengths as researchers. Once engaged, my research participants increased their teaching competence and achieved more autonomy with respect to their professional practice. As they continued to engage, they internalized the values and practices associated with effective teaching professional development and adopted the commitment to continually problematize their teaching practice as more of their own. My research participants attempted to transfer their revised stance regarding teaching and teaching professional development to their student mentees and colleagues. They found certain teaching professional development types and topics to be more meaningful and of interest than others. My research findings may inform those committed to the improvement of postsecondary STEM education at research universities, including teaching professional development advocates and implementers and participating faculty members themselves.

Educational Method of Engineering Ethics Aiming for Comprehensive Understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasui, Mitsukuni; Fujiki, Hiroyuki; Aoyagi, Manabu; Sugata, Noriyuki; Hayasaka, Narihito

We have proposed the omnibus style to teach an engineering ethics program. This paper showed the essentials to practice the class. The engineering ethics program is constituted with the factors; grade, subject, objective even if it is operated by some themes and teachers in the style of omnibus. Also, teachers have to select the cases which have dilemma of the engineer and the good effect. And they should teach how to analyze the case. Evaluation of student activity must be made up by versatile style according to objective. And student is recommended to understand the relation of activity and object.

The Nazi engineers: reflections on technological ethics in hell.

PubMed

Katz, Eric

2011-09-01

Engineers, architects, and other technological professionals designed the genocidal death machines of the Third Reich. The death camp operations were highly efficient, so these technological professionals knew what they were doing: they were, so to speak, good engineers. As an educator at a technological university, I need to explain to my students-future engineers and architects-the motivations and ethical reasoning of the technological professionals of the Third Reich. I need to educate my students in the ethical practices of this hellish regime so that they can avoid the kind of ethical justifications used by the Nazi engineers. In their own professional lives, my former students should not only be good engineers in a technical sense, but good engineers in a moral sense. In this essay, I examine several arguments about the ethical judgments of professionals in Nazi Germany, and attempt a synthesis that can provide a lesson for contemporary engineers and other technological professionals. How does an engineer avoid the error of the Nazi engineers in their embrace of an evil ideology underlying their technological creations? How does an engineer know that the values he embodies through his technological products are good values that will lead to a better world? This last question, I believe, is the fundamental issue for the understanding of engineering ethics.

Transforming practice organizations to foster lifelong learning and commitment to medical professionalism.

PubMed

Frankford, D M; Patterson, M A; Konrad, T R

2000-07-01

Practice organizations will increasingly engage in activities that are the functional equivalents of continuing medical education. The authors maintain that if these activities are properly structured within practice organizations, they can become powerful engines of socialization to enhance physicians' lifelong learning and commitment to medical professionalism. They propose that this promise can be realized if new or reformed practice organizations combine education and service delivery and institutionalize processes of individual and collective reflection. The resulting "institutions of reflective practice" would be ones of collegial, experiential, reflective lifelong learning concerning the technical and normative aspects of medical work. They would extend recent methods of medical education such as problem-based learning into the practice setting and draw on extant methods used in complex organizations to maximize the advantages and minimize the disadvantages that practice organizations typically present for adult learning. As such, these institutions would balance the potentially conflicting organizational needs for, on the one hand, (1) self-direction, risk taking, and creativity; (2) specialization; and (3) collegiality; and, on the other hand, (4) organizational structure, (5) coordination of division of labor, and (6) hierarchy. Overall, this institutionalization of reflective practice would enrich practice with education and education with practice, and accomplish the ideals of what the authors call "responsive medical professionalism." The medical profession would both contribute and be responsive to social values, and medical work would be valued intrinsically and as central to practitioners' self-identity and as a contribution to the public good.

Negotiating science and engineering: an exploratory case study of a reform-minded science teacher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzey, S. Selcen; Ring-Whalen, Elizabeth A.

2018-05-01

Engineering has been slowly integrated into K-12 science classrooms in the United States as the result of recent science education reforms. Such changes in science teaching require that a science teacher is confident with and committed to content, practices, language, and cultures related to both science and engineering. However, from the perspective of the science teacher, this would require not only the development of knowledge and pedagogies associated with engineering, but also the construction of new identities operating within the reforms and within the context of their school. In this study, a middle school science teacher was observed and interviewed over a period of nine months to explore his experiences as he adopted new values, discourses, and practices and constructed his identity as a reform-minded science teacher. Our findings revealed that, as the teacher attempted to become a reform-minded science teacher, he constantly negotiated his professional identities - a dynamic process that created conflicts in his classroom practices. Several differences were observed between the teacher's science and engineering instruction: hands-on activities, depth and detail of content, language use, and the way the teacher positioned himself and his students with respect to science and engineering. Implications for science teacher professional development are discussed.

Case Study of Manor New Tech High School: Promising Practices in STEM Education for Comprehensive High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gourgey, Hannah; Asiabanpour, Bahram; Fenimore, Carol

2010-01-01

The following paper culminates a year of research conducted by researchers at E[superscript 3] Alliance and Texas State University and sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The following reports on promising practices observed and reported at Manor New Tech High School (MNTH), a Texas Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (T-STEM)…

STEM Integration in Middle School Life Science: Student Learning and Attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzey, S. Selcen; Moore, Tamara J.; Harwell, Michael; Moreno, Mario

2016-08-01

In many countries around the world, there has been an increasing emphasis on improving science education. Recent reform efforts in the USA call for teachers to integrate scientific and engineering practices into science teaching; for example, science teachers are asked to provide learning experiences for students that apply crosscutting concepts (e.g., patterns, scale) and increase understanding of disciplinary core ideas (e.g., physical science, earth science). Engineering practices and engineering design are essential elements of this new vision of science teaching and learning. This paper presents a research study that evaluates the effects of an engineering design-based science curriculum on student learning and attitudes. Three middle school life science teachers and 275 seventh grade students participated in the study. Content assessments and attitude surveys were administered before and after the implementation of the curriculum unit. Statewide mathematics test proficiency scores were included in the data analysis as well. Results provide evidence of the positive effects of implementing the engineering design-based science unit on student attitudes and learning.

"Finding the Joy in the Unknown": Implementation of STEAM Teaching Practices in Middle School Science and Math Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quigley, Cassie F.; Herro, Dani

2016-01-01

In response to a desire to strengthen the economy, educational settings are emphasizing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum and programs. Yet, because of the narrow approach to STEM, educational leaders continue to call for a more balanced approach to teaching and learning, which includes the arts, design, and…

Searching for the Peach Blossom Shangri-La: Student Engagement of Men and Women SMET Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Chun-Mei; Carini, Robert M.; Kuh, George D.

2005-01-01

This study examined the extent to which women and men majoring in science, math, engineering, and technology (SMET) fields engaged in a broad array of effective educational practices. Women in SMET fields were generally as, or more, engaged in educationally fruitful activities as their male counterparts. The results of this study, when combined…

Re-Engineering Values into the Youth Education System: A Needs Analysis Study in Brunei Darussalam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zakaria, Gamal Abdul Nasir; Tajudeen, Ahmad Labeeb; Nawi, Aliff; Mahalle, Salwa

2014-01-01

This study aimed to present a practical framework for designing a values teaching program in the youth education system. The choice of content, the nature of the students with respect to learning and their perception about the selected content for teaching values were studied. The study follows a Needs analysis design which drew upon document…

A preliminary study on the integral relationship between critical thinking and mathematical thinking among practicing civil engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osman, Sharifah; Mohammad, Shahrin; Abu, Mohd Salleh

2015-05-01

Mathematics and engineering are inexorably and significantly linked and essentially required in analyzing and accessing thought to make good judgment when dealing in complex and varied engineering problems. A study in the current engineering education curriculum to explore how the critical thinking and mathematical thinking relates to one another, is therefore timely crucial. Unfortunately, there is not much information available explicating about the link. This paper aims to report findings of a critical review as well as to provide brief description of an on-going research aimed to investigate the dispositions of critical thinking and the relationship and integration between critical thinking and mathematical thinking during the execution of civil engineering tasks. The first part of the paper reports an in-depth review on these matters based on rather limited resources. The review showed a considerable form of congruency between these two perspectives of thinking, with some prevalent trends of engineering workplace tasks, problems and challenges. The second part describes an on-going research to be conducted by the researcher to investigate rigorously the relationship and integration between these two types of thinking within the perspective of civil engineering tasks. A reasonably close non-participant observations and semi-structured interviews will be executed for the pilot and main stages of the study. The data will be analyzed using constant comparative analysis in which the grounded theory methodology will be adopted. The findings will serve as a useful grounding for constructing a substantive theory revealing the integral relationship between critical thinking and mathematical thinking in the real civil engineering practice context. The substantive theory, from an angle of view, is expected to contribute some additional useful information to the engineering program outcomes and engineering education instructions, aligns with the expectations of engineering program outcomes set by the Engineering Accreditation Council.

Modular projects and 'mean questions': best practices for advising an International Genetically Engineered Machines team.

PubMed

Tsui, Jennifer; Meyer, Anne S

2016-07-01

In the yearly Internationally Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition, teams of Bachelor's and Master's students design and build an engineered biological system using DNA technologies. Advising an iGEM team poses unique challenges due to the inherent difficulties of mounting and completing a new biological project from scratch over the course of a single academic year; the challenges in obtaining financial and structural resources for a project that will likely not be fully realized; and conflicts between educational and competition-based goals. This article shares tips and best practices for iGEM team advisors, from two team advisors with very different experiences with the iGEM competition. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Overseas Internship Education in Engineering Graduate Courses and Evaluation of the Educational Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noguchi, Toru; Yoshikawa, Kozo; Nakamura, Masato

Center for Engineering Education Development, CEED, Hokkaido University was established to provide new graduate course programs more practical and concordant with the needs of industry and global society. The major program is the overseas internship, where students join some project as experiment, design, analysis, production, software making, etc, in the companies or research organizations in the foreign countries. For these three years, CEED sent over 65 students to 24 countries in the world. In this report, the CEED implementation of the internship program is described and examples of students‧ activities in the overseas internship are introduced. The educational effect is also stated based on the questionnaire survey. From the data, students‧ abilities such as, international understanding, challenging spirit, attitude to learn new things, as well as language proficiency are markedly improved.

Merging science, engineering, and data with FUN: Recreational Drones in STEaM Education Activities and Science Fair Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olds, S. E.; Mooney, M. E.; Dahlman, L. E.

2016-12-01

Recreational drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), provide an ideal platform for engaging students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) investigations for science fair projects, after-school clubs, and in-class activities. UAVs are very popular (estimate of >1 million received as gifts this past year), relatively inexpensive (<$100), weigh less than 250g (don't require FAA registration), are modifiable, and can carry small instrument packages. Seeing the world from above can stimulate curiosity and give students a reason to engage in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) process of science and engineering practices by designing and carrying out their own investigations. Using drones to facilitate experiments, students also participate in engineering design: they may choose off-the-shelf sensors or build DIY sensors to carry on their UAVs. Leveraging the learning potential of UAVs, the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Education Committee has been developing an e-book of learning activities and investigation suggestions for secondary education students. The freely available download incorporates UAV civility and safety through a pre-flight checklist and flying guidelines, suggests science and flight team roles, and advocates robust data and metadata-collection practices. The ESIP team also worked with an engineer to build a 33-gram prototype environmental logger called SABEL (Shelley (Olds) and Bob's Environmental Logger). SABEL collects temperature, humidity, and GPS position assembled on an Arduino board. This presentation will elaborate upon the year-long process of working with educators via webinars and a 1-day workshop at the 2016 ESIP summer meeting and beyond. It will also provide examples of student-led investigations, instructions for building the SABEL sensor package, insights gleaned from workshop feedback - and - the status of the new e-book compilation of student-focused activities using recreational drones to pursue STEM investigations!

Cognitive Enhancement and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, Allen

2011-01-01

Cognitive enhancement--augmenting normal cognitive capacities--is not new. Literacy, numeracy, computers, and the practices of science are all cognitive enhancements. Science is now making new cognitive enhancements possible. Biomedical cognitive enhancements (BCEs) include the administration of drugs, implants of genetically engineered or…

Volunteer Educators' Influence on Youth Participation and Learning in 4-H STEM Learning by Design Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worker, Steven Michael

The purpose of this study was to describe the co-construction of three 4-H STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning by design programs by volunteer educators and youth participants in the 4-H Youth Development Program. The programs advanced STEM learning through design, a pedagogical approach to support youth in planning, designing, and making shareable artifacts. This pedagogical approach is a special case of project-based learning, related to the practices found in the science learning through design literature as well as the making and tinkering movements. Specifically, I explored adult volunteer educators' roles and pedagogical strategies implementing the 4-H Junk Drawer Robotics curriculum (Mahacek, Worker, and Mahacek, 2011) and how that, in turn, afforded and constrained opportunities for youth to display or report engagement in design practices; learning of STEM content; strengthening tool competencies; dispositions of resilience, reciprocity, and playfulness; and psychological ownership. The curriculum targeted middle school youth with a sequence of science inquiry activities and engineering design challenges. This study employed naturalist and multiple-case study methodology relying on participant observations and video, interviews with educators, and focus groups with youth within three 4-H educational robotics programs organized by adult 4-H volunteer educators. Data collection took place in 2014 and 2015 at Santa Clara with an educator and seven youth; Solano with three educators and eight youth; and Alameda with an educator and seven youth. Data analysis revealed six discrete categories of pedagogy and interactions that I labeled as participation structures that included lecture, demonstration, learning activity, group sharing, scripted build, and design & build. These participation structures were related to the observed pedagogical practices employed by the educators. There was evidence of youth engagement in design practices, STEM content learning, strengthening of tool competencies, learning dispositions, and psychological ownership - however, their expression, manifestation, and opportunities were afforded and/or constrained by the various participation structures. Furthermore, conflicts were evidenced in the use of participation structures; emphasis of educators on formal reasoning and planning versus youth preference for hands-on tinkering; and tensions amongst youth peers while engaging in design teams. Two themes emerged regarding the educators' pedagogy: adaptations in response to structural and curricular constraints and pedagogical approach influenced by self-identification with a professional field of engineering. This study contributes to our understanding of STEM learning through design in out-of-school time. This research helps clarify the tensions among major co-actors, youth, educator, and curriculum, as the learning environment was co-constructed and how that, in turn, afforded opportunities for youth to learn and develop. This study illuminated the complex negotiations between these co-actors and explored questions about who can and does decide the nature of the activity structures. These co-actors were not without conflict, thus suggesting that these spaces and pedagogies do not exemplify STEM teaching on their own, but neither do they preclude practices that deepen young people's interest and motivation for STEM learning.

Acclimating international graduate students to professional engineering ethics.

PubMed

Newberry, Byron; Austin, Katherine; Lawson, William; Gorsuch, Greta; Darwin, Thomas

2011-03-01

This article describes the education portion of an ongoing grant-sponsored education and research project designed to help graduate students in all engineering disciplines learn about the basic ethical principles, rules, and obligations associated with engineering practice in the United States. While the curriculum developed for this project is used for both domestic and international students, the educational materials were designed to be sensitive to the specific needs of international graduate students. In recent years, engineering programs in the United States have sought to develop a larger role for professional ethics education in the curriculum. Accreditation requirements, as well as pressures from the private sector, have helped facilitate this shift in focus. Almost half of all engineering graduate students in the U.S. are international students. Further, research indicates that the majority of these students will remain in the U.S. to work post-graduation. It is therefore in the interest of the profession that these students, coming from diverse backgrounds, receive some formal exposure to the professional and ethical expectations and norms of the engineering profession in the United States to help ensure that they have the knowledge and skills--non-technical as well as technical--required in today's engineering profession. In becoming acculturated to professional norms in a host country, international students face challenges that domestic students do not encounter; such as cultural competency, language proficiency, and acculturation stress. Mitigating these challenges must be a consideration in the development of any effective education materials. The present article discusses the project rationale and describes the development of on-line instructional materials aimed at helping international engineering graduate students acclimate to professional engineering ethics standards in the United States. Finally, a brief data summary of students' perceptions of the usefulness of the content and instructional interface is provided to demonstrate the initial effectiveness of the materials and to present a case for project sustainability.

Proposal and Evaluation of Management Method for College Mechatronics Education Applying the Project Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, Yoshinobu; Eguchi, Yuya; Mizukawa, Makoto

In this research, we proposed and evaluated a management method of college mechatronics education. We applied the project management to college mechatronics education. We practiced our management method to the seminar “Microcomputer Seminar” for 3rd grade students who belong to Department of Electrical Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology. We succeeded in management of Microcomputer Seminar in 2006. We obtained the good evaluation for our management method by means of questionnaire.

Failure is an option: Reactions to failure in elementary engineering design projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Matthew M.

Recent reform documents in science education have called for teachers to use epistemic practices of science and engineering researchers to teach disciplinary content (NRC, 2007; NRC, 2012; NGSS Lead States, 2013). Although this creates challenges for classroom teachers unfamiliar with engineering, it has created a need for high quality research about how students and teachers engage in engineering activities to improve curriculum development and teaching pedagogy. While framers of the Next Generation Science Standards (NRC, 2012; NGSS Lead States 2013) focused on the similarities of the practices of science researchers and engineering designers, some have proposed that engineering has a unique set of epistemic practices, including improving from failure (Cunningham & Carlsen, 2014; Cunningham & Kelly, in review). While no one will deny failures occur in science, failure in engineering is thought of in fundamentally different ways. In the study presented here, video data from eight classes of elementary students engaged in one of two civil engineering units were analyzed using methods borrowed from psychology, anthropology, and sociolinguistics to investigate: 1) the nature of failure in elementary engineering design; 2) the ways in which teachers react to failure; and 3) how the collective actions of students and teachers support or constrain improvement in engineering design. I propose new ways of considering the types and causes of failure, and note three teacher reactions to failure: the manager, the cheerleader, and the strategic partner. Because the goal of iteration in engineering is improvement, I also studied improvement. Students only systematically improve when they have the opportunity, productive strategies, and fair comparisons between prototypes. I then investigate the use of student engineering journals to assess learning from the process of improvement after failure. After discussion, I consider implications from this work as well as future research to advance our understanding in this area.

Scientific and technical training in the Soviet Union

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spearman, M. L.

1983-01-01

Specific features and observations on the Soviet educational system and areas of apparent effectiveness are presented, noting that the literacy rate is over 98 percent in 1982. Educational goals are reoriented every five years to match with other projections of five-year plans. The Soviet constitution established strong educational goals, including schools, correspondence courses, lectures in native tongues, free tuition, and vocational training. The educational pattern from pre-school through graduate school lasts over 28 yr and contains two 2-yr periods of work, confined to specialties after graduate school. Mathematics is emphasized, as are physics, Marxism, and a foreign language. Approximately 300,000 engineers were graduated in the Soviet Union in 1982, compared with the 20-yr U.S. average of 50,000/yr. About 2/3 of Soviet engineers participate in defense work, a number which is four times the total number of U.S. engineers. It is asserted that the continual indoctrination, organization, and practical work experience will guarantee that the Soviet state will remain a dominant force in the world as long as centralized state control can be carried out.

Virtual reality as a new trend in mechanical and electrical engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamińska, Dorota; Sapiński, Tomasz; Aitken, Nicola; Rocca, Andreas Della; Barańska, Maja; Wietsma, Remco

2017-12-01

In their daily practice, academics frequently face lack of access to modern equipment and devices, which are currently in use on the market. Moreover, many students have problems with understanding issues connected to mechanical and electrical engineering due to the complexity, necessity of abstract thinking and the fact that those concepts are not fully tangible. Many studies indicate that virtual reality can be successfully used as a training tool in various domains, such as development, health-care, the military or school education. In this paper, an interactive training strategy for mechanical and electrical engineering education shall be proposed. The prototype of the software consists of a simple interface, meaning it is easy for comprehension and use. Additionally, the main part of the prototype allows the user to virtually manipulate a 3D object that should be analyzed and studied. Initial studies indicate that the use of virtual reality can contribute to improving the quality and efficiency of higher education, as well as qualifications, competencies and the skills of graduates, and increase their competitiveness in the labour market.

Practical Education of Aerospace Field in Muroran Institute of Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanatsugu, Nobuhiro

Engineering study in the field of aerospace is an effective way to enhance the student motivation. The young students can be attracted by the research and development aiming at returning its results to the public society. The Muroran Institute of Technology is carrying out the practical education in the field of real research and development by the Aerospace Research Center. The projects of the center is being performed well in cooperation with the national research organization and the private companies and thereby the students have the good opportunity to find the actual situation of the real world.

Neurogenetics in Child Neurology: Redefining a Discipline in the Twenty-first Century.

PubMed

Kaufmann, Walter E

2016-12-01

Increasing knowledge on genetic etiology of pediatric neurologic disorders is affecting the practice of the specialty. I reviewed here the history of pediatric neurologic disorder classification and the role of genetics in the process. I also discussed the concept of clinical neurogenetics, with its role in clinical practice, education, and research. Finally, I propose a flexible model for clinical neurogenetics in child neurology in the twenty-first century. In combination with disorder-specific clinical programs, clinical neurogenetics can become a home for complex clinical issues, repository of genetic diagnostic advances, educational resource, and research engine in child neurology.

Mission EarthFusing GLOBE with NASA Assets to Build SystemicInnovation in STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czajkowski, K. P.; Garik, P.; Padgett, D.; Darche, S.; Struble, J.; Adaktilou, N.

2016-12-01

Mission Earth is a project funded through the NASA CAN that is developing a systematic embedding of NASA assets that is being implemented by a partnership of organizations across the US. Mission Earth brings together scientists and science educators to develop a K-12 "Earth as a system" curriculum progression following research-based best practices. GLOBE and NASA assets will be infused into the curricula of schools along the K-12 continuum, leveraging existing partnerships and networks and supported through state departments of education and targeting underrepresented groups, as a systemic, effective, and sustainable approach to meeting NASA's science education objectives. This presentation will discuss plans for the Mission Earth project and successes and lessons learned in the first year. Mission Earth is developing curricular materials to support vertically integrated learning progressions. It develops models of professional development utilizing sustainable infrastructures. It will support STEM careers focusing on career technical education (CTE). And, it will engage undergraduate education majors through pre-service courses and engineering students through engineering challenges.

A Study on the Use of a Metadata Schema for Characterizing School Education STEM Lessons Plans by STEM Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zervas, Panagiotis; Tsourlidaki, Eleftheria; Cao, Yiwei; Sotiriou, Sofoklis; Sampson, Demetrios G.; Faltin, Nils

2016-01-01

Online labs (OLs) constitute digital educational tools which can have a significant role in supporting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teachers in their daily teaching practice. Designing STEM lessons supported by specific OLs is a challenging task and thus, it is useful for STEM teachers to be able to share their lesson…

Facilitating the learning process in design-based learning practices: an investigation of teachers' actions in supervising students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez Puente, S. M.; van Eijck, M.; Jochems, W.

2013-11-01

Background: In research on design-based learning (DBL), inadequate attention is paid to the role the teacher plays in supervising students in gathering and applying knowledge to design artifacts, systems, and innovative solutions in higher education. Purpose: In this study, we examine whether teacher actions we previously identified in the DBL literature as important in facilitating learning processes and student supervision are present in current DBL engineering practices. Sample: The sample (N=16) consisted of teachers and supervisors in two engineering study programs at a university of technology: mechanical and electrical engineering. We selected randomly teachers from freshman and second-year bachelor DBL projects responsible for student supervision and assessment. Design and method: Interviews with teachers, and interviews and observations of supervisors were used to examine how supervision and facilitation actions are applied according to the DBL framework. Results: Major findings indicate that formulating questions is the most common practice seen in facilitating learning in open-ended engineering design environments. Furthermore, other DBL actions we expected to see based upon the literature were seldom observed in the coaching practices within these two programs. Conclusions: Professionalization of teachers in supervising students need to include methods to scaffold learning by supporting students in reflecting and in providing formative feedback.

Envisioning engineering education and practice in the coming intelligence convergence era — a complex adaptive systems approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noor, Ahmed K.

2013-12-01

Some of the recent attempts for improving and transforming engineering education are reviewed. The attempts aim at providing the entry level engineers with the skills needed to address the challenges of future large-scale complex systems and projects. Some of the frontier sectors and future challenges for engineers are outlined. The major characteristics of the coming intelligence convergence era (the post-information age) are identified. These include the prevalence of smart devices and environments, the widespread applications of anticipatory computing and predictive / prescriptive analytics, as well as a symbiotic relationship between humans and machines. Devices and machines will be able to learn from, and with, humans in a natural collaborative way. The recent game changers in learnscapes (learning paradigms, technologies, platforms, spaces, and environments) that can significantly impact engineering education in the coming era are identified. Among these are open educational resources, knowledge-rich classrooms, immersive interactive 3D learning, augmented reality, reverse instruction / flipped classroom, gamification, robots in the classroom, and adaptive personalized learning. Significant transformative changes in, and mass customization of, learning are envisioned to emerge from the synergistic combination of the game changers and other technologies. The realization of the aforementioned vision requires the development of a new multidisciplinary framework of emergent engineering for relating innovation, complexity and cybernetics, within the future learning environments. The framework can be used to treat engineering education as a complex adaptive system, with dynamically interacting and communicating components (instructors, individual, small, and large groups of learners). The emergent behavior resulting from the interactions can produce progressively better, and continuously improving, learning environment. As a first step towards the realization of the vision, intelligent adaptive cyber-physical ecosystems need to be developed to facilitate collaboration between the various stakeholders of engineering education, and to accelerate the development of a skilled engineering workforce. The major components of the ecosystems include integrated knowledge discovery and exploitation facilities, blended learning and research spaces, novel ultra-intelligent software agents, multimodal and autonomous interfaces, and networked cognitive and tele-presence robots.

Ethical education in software engineering: responsibility in the production of complex systems.

PubMed

Génova, Gonzalo; González, M Rosario; Fraga, Anabel

2007-12-01

Among the various contemporary schools of moral thinking, consequence-based ethics, as opposed to rule-based, seems to have a good acceptance among professionals such as software engineers. But naïve consequentialism is intellectually too weak to serve as a practical guide in the profession. Besides, the complexity of software systems makes it very hard to know in advance the consequences that will derive from professional activities in the production of software. Therefore, following the spirit of well-known codes of ethics such as the ACM/IEEE's, we advocate for a more solid position in the ethical education of software engineers, which we call 'moderate deontologism', that takes into account both rules and consequences to assess the goodness of actions, and at the same time pays an adequate consideration to the absolute values of human dignity. In order to educate responsible professionals, however, this position should be complemented with a pedagogical approach to virtue ethics.

Linking mathematics with engineering applications at an early stage - implementation, experimental set-up and evaluation of a pilot project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rooch, Aeneas; Junker, Philipp; Härterich, Jörg; Hackl, Klaus

2016-03-01

Too difficult, too abstract, too theoretical - many first-year engineering students complain about their mathematics courses. The project MathePraxis aims to resolve this disaffection. It links mathematical methods as they are taught in the first semesters with practical problems from engineering applications - and thereby shall give first-year engineering students a vivid and convincing impression of where they will need mathematics in their later working life. But since real applications usually require more than basic mathematics and first-year engineering students typically are not experienced with construction, mensuration and the use of engineering software, such an approach is hard to realise. In this article, we show that it is possible. We report on the implementation of MathePraxis at Ruhr-Universität Bochum. We describe the set-up and the implementation of a course on designing a mass damper which combines basic mathematical techniques with an impressive experiment. In an accompanying evaluation, we have examined the students' motivation relating to mathematics. This opens up new perspectives how to address the need for a more practically oriented mathematical education in engineering sciences.

An engineering dilemma: sustainability in the eyes of future technology professionals.

PubMed

Haase, S

2013-09-01

The ability to design technological solutions that address sustainability is considered pivotal to the future of the planet and its people. As technology professionals engineers are expected to play an important role in sustaining society. The present article aims at exploring sustainability concepts of newly enrolled engineering students in Denmark. Their understandings of sustainability and the role they ascribe to sustainability in their future professional practice is investigated by means of a critical discourse analysis including metaphor analysis and semiotic analysis. The sustainability construal is considered to delimit possible ways of dealing with the concept in practice along the engineering education pathway and in professional problem solving. Five different metaphors used by the engineering students to illustrate sustainability are identified, and their different connotative and interpretive implications are discussed. It is found that sustainability represents a dilemma to the engineering students that situates them in a tension between their technology fascination and the blame they find that technological progress bears. Their sustainability descriptions are collected as part of a survey containing among other questions one open-ended, qualitative question on sustainability. The survey covers an entire year group of Danish engineering students in the first month of their degree study.

An Attempt to Improve Students' Presentation Skills via Course of Graduation Research and its Educational Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Kenji; Ohtuka, Sigeru; Morita, Shinichi; Matsumoto, Itaru; Yakabe, Masaki; Hayamizu, Yasutaka; Ohtuka, Kouichi

The importance of presentation skills rapidly increases in engineering education in Japan. The authors have applied various teaching-method of presentation skills to the course of graduation research for the fifth-grade students of the mechanical engineering program in Yonago National College of Technology. The lectures including teachers' demonstration and basic skills in presentation have resulted in improvement of students' skills. The meeting for announcing the results of graduation research has been opened to the public in cooperation with the Yonago Chamber of Commerce and Industry to give the students incentives to graduation research as well as presentation. The students have mutually evaluated their presentation to get good opportunities for even self-evaluation. This paper discusses the effects and problems of our educational practice.

The effectiveness of ethics education: a quasi-experimental field study.

PubMed

May, Douglas R; Luth, Matthew T

2013-06-01

Ethical conduct is the hallmark of excellence in engineering and scientific research, design, and practice. While undergraduate and graduate programs in these areas routinely emphasize ethical conduct, few receive formal ethics training as part of their curricula. The first purpose of this research study was to assess the relative effectiveness of ethics education in enhancing individuals' general knowledge of the responsible conduct of research practices and their level of moral reasoning. Secondly, we examined the effects of ethics education on the positive psychological outcomes of perspective-taking, moral efficacy, moral courage, and moral meaningfulness. To examine our research hypotheses, we utilized a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design consisting of three ethics education groups (control, embedded modules, and stand-alone courses). Findings revealed that both embedded and stand alone courses were effective in enhancing participants' perspective-taking, moral efficacy, and moral courage. Moral meaningfulness was marginally enhanced for the embedded module condition. Moral judgment and knowledge of responsible conduct of research practices were not influenced by either ethics education condition. Contrary to expectations, stand alone courses were not superior to embedded modules in influencing the positive psychological outcomes investigated. Implications of these findings for future research and practice are discussed.

Spreadsheet as a motivational tool in learning and professional development in Agricultural Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medina, Silvia; Moratiel, Ruben; Tarquis, Ana Maria; María Durán, Jose

2013-04-01

For the past few decades, Spanish universities have been introduced gradually, the use of so-called New Technologies in the classroom. This is because its use contributes to improve outcomes in education at all levels. In this sense, it helps not only to expand knowledge as in traditional education, but teaches students to learn and encouraged them to be more independent, to develop and apply their knowledge in practice, their future employment use. The aim of this paper is to analyse the educational content and the degree of satisfaction students get through the use of a spreadsheet program to perform various practices of Agricultural Engineers courses of the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Weekly, the professor poses a practice with a detailed explanation of what is required and students have the opportunity to submit as many times as they want, over two weeks, the work developed. Students are encouraged to undertake individual work and to submit in the same day the exercise done because earlier is the presentation of results more opportunities to correct the mistakes. Regardless of students' knowledge on Excel, the professor explains each one of the Excel resources to be employed in the presented practice. Then, they have the opportunity to ask about them avoiding the scenario of not performing the practice due to ignore some Excel resources. The number of practices that are performed per year depend on the hours / credits that are assigned to each subject. On the other hand, to check the degree of student satisfaction with these practices, a anonymous questionnaire was performed consisting of 15 questions that can be grouped into four categories: consolidation of knowledge (4 questions), practice organization (7 questions), following indications (2 questions) and knowledge of Excel (2 questions). Results show high degree of students' satisfaction in their learning process and their applicability in the future. Acknowledgments Funded provided by educational innovation projects "Training of mentors' students in different subjects in the first degree and postgraduate ETSI Agrónomos" and "Students mentoring system in undergraduate and graduate courses at ETS Ingenieros Agrónomos" given by UPM are gratefully appreciated.

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 45; The Technical Communications Practices of US Aerospace Engineers and Scientists: Results of the Phase 3 US Aerospace Engineering Educators Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.

1996-01-01

The U.S. government technical report is a primary means by which the results of federally funded research and development (R&D) are transferred to the U.S. aerospace industry. However, little is known about this information product in terms of its actual use, importance, and value in the transfer of federally funded R&D. Little is also known about the intermediary-based system that is used to transfer the results of federally funded R&D to the U.S. aerospace industry. To help establish a body of knowledge, the U.S. government technical report is being investigated as part of the NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. In this report, we summarize the literature on technical reports, present a model that depicts the transfer of federally funded aerospace R&D via the U.S. government technical report, and present the results of research that investigated aerospace knowledge diffusion vis-a-vis the technical communication practices of U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists who were members of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and identified themselves as educators.

Using CAD Programs in CAL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boardman, D.

1979-01-01

Practical experience has shown that computer aided design programs can provide an invaluable aid in the learning process when integrated into the syllabus in lecture and laboratory periods. This should be a major area of future development of computer assisted learning in engineering education. (Author/CMV)

Male Saudi Arabian freshman science majors at Jazan University: Their perceptions of parental educational practices on their science achievements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alrehaly, Essa D.

Examination of Saudi Arabian educational practices is scarce, but increasingly important, especially in light of the country's pace in worldwide mathematics and science rankings. The purpose of the study is to understand and evaluate parental influence on male children's science education achievements in Saudi Arabia. Parental level of education and participant's choice of science major were used to identify groups for the purpose of data analysis. Data were gathered using five independent variables concerning parental educational practices (attitude, involvement, autonomy support, structure and control) and the dependent variable of science scores in high school. The sample consisted of 338 participants and was arbitrarily drawn from the science-based colleges (medical, engineering, and natural science) at Jazan University in Saudi Arabia. The data were tested using Pearson's analysis, backward multiple regression, one way ANOVA and independent t-test. The findings of the study reveal significant correlations for all five of the variables. Multiple regressions revealed that all five of the parents' educational practices indicators combined together could explain 19% of the variance in science scores and parental attitude toward science and educational involvement combined accounted for more than 18% of the variance. Analysis indicates that no significant difference is attributable to parental involvement and educational level. This finding is important because it indicates that, in Saudi Arabia, results are not consistent with research in Western or other Asian contexts.

How Static is the Statics Classroom? An investigation into how innovations, specifically Research-Based Instructional Strategies, are adopted into the Statics Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cutler, Stephanie Leigh

The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate how educational research, specifically Research-Based Instructional Strategies (RBIS), is adopted by education practice, specifically within the engineering Statics classroom. Using a systematic approach, changes in classroom teaching practices were investigated from the instructors' perspective. Both researchers and practitioners are included in the process, combining efforts to improve student learning, which is a critical goal for engineering education. The study is divided into 3 stages and each is discussed in an individual manuscript. Manuscript 1 provides an assessment of current teaching practices; Manuscript 2 explores RBIS use by Statics instructors and perceived barriers of adoption; and Manuscript 3 evaluates adoption using Fidelity of Implementation. A common set of concurrent mixed methods was used for each stage of this study. A quantitative national survey of Statics instructors (n =166) and 18 qualitative interviews were conducted to examine activities used in the Statics classroom and familiarity with nine RBIS. The results of this study show that lecturing is the most common activity throughout Statics classrooms, but is not the only activity. Other common activities included working examples and students working on problems individually and in groups. As discussed by the interview participants, each of Rogers' characteristics influenced adoption for different reasons. For example, Complexity (level of difficulty with implementation of an RBIS) was most commonly identified as a barrier. His study also evaluated the Fidelity of Implementation for each RBIS and found it to be higher for RBIS that were less complex (in terms of the number of critical components). Many of the critical components (i.e. activities required for implementation, as described in the literature) were found to statistically distinguish RBIS users and non-users. This dissertation offers four contributions: (1) an understanding of current practices in Statics; (2) the instructor perspective of the barriers to using RBIS in the classroom; (3) the use of Fidelity of Implementation as a unique evaluation of RBIS adoption, which can be used by future engineering education researchers; and (4) a systematic approach of exploring change in the classroom, which offers new perspectives and approaches to accelerate the adoption process.

Engineers' Responsibilities for Global Electronic Waste: Exploring Engineering Student Writing Through a Care Ethics Lens.

PubMed

Campbell, Ryan C; Wilson, Denise

2017-04-01

This paper provides an empirically informed perspective on the notion of responsibility using an ethical framework that has received little attention in the engineering-related literature to date: ethics of care. In this work, we ground conceptual explorations of engineering responsibility in empirical findings from engineering student's writing on the human health and environmental impacts of "backyard" electronic waste recycling/disposal. Our findings, from a purposefully diverse sample of engineering students in an introductory electrical engineering course, indicate that most of these engineers of tomorrow associated engineers with responsibility for the electronic waste (e-waste) problem in some way. However, a number of responses suggested attempts to deflect responsibility away from engineers towards, for example, the government or the companies for whom engineers work. Still other students associated both engineers and non-engineers with responsibility, demonstrating the distributed/collective nature of responsibility that will be required to achieve a solution to the global problem of excessive e-waste. Building upon one element of a framework for care ethics adopted from the wider literature, these empirical findings are used to facilitate a preliminary, conceptual exploration of care-ethical responsibility within the context of engineering and e-waste recycling/disposal. The objective of this exploration is to provide a first step toward understanding how care-ethical responsibility applies to engineering. We also hope to seed dialogue within the engineering community about its ethical responsibilities on the issue. We conclude the paper with a discussion of its implications for engineering education and engineering ethics that suggests changes for educational policy and the practice of engineering.

The "T" in STEM: How Elementary Science Teachers' Beliefs of Technology Integration Translate to Practice during a Co-Developed STEM Unit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Constantine, Angelina; Rózowa, Paula; Szostkowski, Alaina; Ellis, Joshua; Roehrig, Gillian

2017-01-01

In the age of STEM education, teachers consistently struggle to understand the nature of technology and how to integrate it. This multiple-case study uses the TPACK framework to explore the beliefs and practices of three elementary science and engineering teachers from an urban school district with a recently implemented 1:1 iPad policy. All three…

Making science education meaningful for American Indian students: The effect of science fair participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welsh, Cynthia Ann

Creating opportunities for all learners has not been common practice in the United States, especially when the history of Native American educational practice is examined (Bull, 2006; Chenoweth, 1999; Starnes, 2006a). The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) is an organization working to increase educational opportunity for American Indian students in science, engineering, and technology related fields (AISES, 2005). AISES provides pre-college support in science by promoting student science fair participation. The purpose of this qualitative research is to describe how American Indian student participation in science fairs and the relationship formed with their teacher affects academic achievement and the likelihood of continued education beyond high school. Two former American Indian students mentored by the principal investigator participated in this study. Four ethnographic research methods were incorporated: participant observation, ethnographic interviewing, search for artifacts, and auto-ethnographic researcher introspection (Eisenhart, 1988). After the interview transcripts, photos documenting past science fair participation, and researcher field notes were analyzed, patterns and themes emerged from the interviews that were supported in literature. American Indian academic success and life long learning are impacted by: (a) the effects of racism and oppression result in creating incredible obstacles to successful learning, (b) positive identity formation and the importance of family and community are essential in student learning, (c) the use of best practice in science education, including the use of curricular cultural integration for American Indian learners, supports student success, (d) the motivational need for student-directed educational opportunities (science fair/inquiry based research) is evident, (e) supportive teacher-student relationships in high school positively influences successful transitions into higher education. An overarching theme presented itself embedded within all themes: the importance of understanding the continued resiliency of the American Indian culture as it relates to success. Ultimately, for long-lasting change to occur, teachers and the community must focus on eliminating educational barriers, while supporting academic success, in order to initiate renewal and school wide change.

Training in software used by practising engineers should be included in university curricula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silveira, A.; Perdigones, A.; García, J. L.

2009-04-01

Deally, an engineering education should prepare students, i.e., emerging engineers, to use problem-solving processes that synergistically combine creativity and imagination with rigour and discipline. Recently, pressures on curricula have resulted in the development of software-specific courses, often to the detriment of the understanding of theory [1]. However, it is also true that there is a demand for information technology courses by students other than computer science majors [2]. The emphasis on training engineers may be best placed on answering the needs of industry; indeed, many proposals are now being made to try to reduce the gap between the educational and industrial communities [3]. Training in the use of certain computer programs may be one way of better preparing engineering undergraduates for eventual employment in industry. However, industry's needs in this respect must first be known. The aim of this work was to determine which computer programs are used by practising agricultural engineers with the aim of incorporating training in their use into our department's teaching curriculum. The results showed that 72% of their working hours involved the use computer programs. The software packages most commonly used were Microsoft Office (used by 79% of respondents) and CAD (56%), as well as budgeting (27%), statistical (21%), engineering (15%) and GIS (13%) programs. As a result of this survey our university department opened an additional computer suite in order to provide students practical experience in the use of Microsoft Excel, budgeting and engineering software. The results of this survey underline the importance of computer software training in this and perhaps other fields of engineering. [1] D. J. Moore, and D. R. Voltmer, "Curriculum for an engineering renaissance," IEEE Trans. Educ., vol. 46, pp. 452-455, Nov. 2003. [2] N. Kock, R. Aiken, and C. Sandas, "Using complex IT in specific domains: developing and assessing a course for nonmajors," IEEE Trans. Educ., vol. 45, pp. 50- 56, Feb. 2002. [3] I. Vélez, and J. F. Sevillano, "A course to train digital hardware designers for industry," IEEE Trans. Educ., vol. 50, pp. 236-243, Aug. 2007. Acknowledgement: This work was supported in part by the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain.

To promote the engineering innovative abilities of undergraduates by taking projects as the guidance and competitions as the promotion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yishen; Wu, Di; Chen, Daqing; Gu, Jihua; Gao, Lei

2017-08-01

According to the inherent requirements of education for talents' knowledge, quality and comprehensive ability and the major training goals of optoelectronics information science and engineering, in order to enhance the undergraduates' comprehensive practical ability and consciousness of innovation, we carried out the reforms of teaching method and teaching mode, which took the training programs of innovation and entrepreneurship for undergraduates, extracurricular academic research fund, "Chun-Tsung Scholar" program or research projects of their tutors as the guidance, and took the all levels of relevant discipline competitions as the promotion. And the training mainline of engineering innovation talents as "undergraduate's tutorial system ->innovative training program or tutor's research project ->academic competition ->graduation projects (thesis)" was constructed stage by stage by combining the undergraduates' graduation projects and their participated academic competition into one for improving the quality of the graduation projects (thesis). The practical results of the last several years illuminate that the proposed training model can effectively stimulate the students' awareness of autonomous learning, enhance their comprehensive ability of analyzing and solving problems and improve their ability of engineering practice and innovation as well as their teamwork spirit.

Cause and control: education and training of professional industrial hygienists for 2020.

PubMed

Sherwood, R J

1992-06-01

By the year 2020, the environmental movement will have established a recognized profession, expert at studying deleterious effects in the working and public domains. Environmental science practitioners will be better able to identify and relate ill effects to the presence of adverse agents in the environment; they will not, however, necessarily be skilled at developing systems for control. Industrial hygienists should provide the unique and special skills required to establish economically optimum control systems. Industrial hygiene should by then have been redefined to emphasize this critical role of its professional members. A new orientation for education is therefore proposed to provide a sound basis for the professional needs of industrial hygienists who should be at the peak of their careers in 2020. Members of the profession should then be the leaders in research on, and practice of, the science and engineering of design, installation, and monitoring of control systems for occupational and environmental hazards. The preferred educational background for entry to the profession should be some branch of engineering, which by then must have recovered its lost status and be divided into fewer specialized compartments than it is today. Engineering should provide a broader base for students entering professional education in this field, who will be more concerned with prevention and engineering control of both occupational and environmental hazards, rather than with measurement and epidemiology of the biological and toxicologic sciences. Preparation for professional work in industrial hygiene will call for the specialized education of engineers required to design and maintain processes that minimize the use, production, or generation of hazardous substances.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Scientists, Engineers and the Society of Free Choice: Enrollment as Policy and Practice in Swedish Science and Technology Education 1960-1990

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lövheim, Daniel

2014-01-01

This article portrays the formation of a new problem area within Swedish educational policy in the 1960s, namely the need of scientific manpower and the demands to entice more individuals into studies in science and technology. As a consequence school science was given the mission to be interesting, fun and to change young people's attitudes…

An Educational Model for Hands-On Hydrology Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AghaKouchak, A.; Nakhjiri, N.; Habib, E. H.

2014-12-01

This presentation provides an overview of a hands-on modeling tool developed for students in civil engineering and earth science disciplines to help them learn the fundamentals of hydrologic processes, model calibration, sensitivity analysis, uncertainty assessment, and practice conceptual thinking in solving engineering problems. The toolbox includes two simplified hydrologic models, namely HBV-EDU and HBV-Ensemble, designed as a complement to theoretical hydrology lectures. The models provide an interdisciplinary application-oriented learning environment that introduces the hydrologic phenomena through the use of a simplified conceptual hydrologic model. The toolbox can be used for in-class lab practices and homework assignments, and assessment of students' understanding of hydrological processes. Using this modeling toolbox, students can gain more insights into how hydrological processes (e.g., precipitation, snowmelt and snow accumulation, soil moisture, evapotranspiration and runoff generation) are interconnected. The educational toolbox includes a MATLAB Graphical User Interface (GUI) and an ensemble simulation scheme that can be used for teaching more advanced topics including uncertainty analysis, and ensemble simulation. Both models have been administered in a class for both in-class instruction and a final project, and students submitted their feedback about the toolbox. The results indicate that this educational software had a positive impact on students understanding and knowledge of hydrology.

Software engineering project management - A state-of-the-art report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thayer, R. H.; Lehman, J. H.

1977-01-01

The management of software engineering projects in the aerospace industry was investigated. The survey assessed such features as contract type, specification preparation techniques, software documentation required by customers, planning and cost-estimating, quality control, the use of advanced program practices, software tools and test procedures, the education levels of project managers, programmers and analysts, work assignment, automatic software monitoring capabilities, design and coding reviews, production times, success rates, and organizational structure of the projects.

Experiencing production ramp-up education for engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassetto, S.; Fiegenwald, V.; Cholez, C.; Mangione, F.

2011-08-01

This paper presents a game of industrialisation, based on a paper airplane, that mimics real world production ramp-up and blends classical engineering courses together. It is based on a low cost product so that it can be mass produced. The game targets graduate students and practitioners in engineering fields. For students, it offers an experiment in which methods learned in separate courses can be applied. For practitioners, it affords an opportunity to engage in reflexive practices related to industrialisation. Both students and practitioners are able to experience integrated management, required by industrialisation, in a controlled environment: the laboratory.

Interactive Media and Simulation Tools for Technical Training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gramoll, Kurt

1997-01-01

Over the last several years, integration of multiple media sources into a single information system has been rapidly developing. It has been found that when sound, graphics, text, animations, and simulations are skillfully integrated, the sum of the parts exceeds the individual parts for effective learning. In addition, simulations can be used to design and understand complex engineering processes. With the recent introduction of many high-level authoring, animation, modeling, and rendering programs for personal computers, significant multimedia programs can be developed by practicing engineers, scientists and even managers for both training and education. However, even with these new tools, a considerable amount of time is required to produce an interactive multimedia program. The development of both CD-ROM and Web-based programs are discussed in addition to the use of technically oriented animations. Also examined are various multimedia development tools and how they are used to develop effective engineering education courseware. Demonstrations of actual programs in engineering mechanics are shown.

Communication and Shared Practices are Bringing NASA STEM Resources to Camp Youth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaConte, K.; Shaner, A.; Shipp, S.; Garst, B.; Bialeschki, M. D.; Netting, R.; Erickson, K.

2015-11-01

In 2012, NASA and the American Camp Association (ACA) entered into an alliance to further both organizations' goals and objectives with regard to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This alliance is providing camp staff—and their young audiences—access to NASA's resources. NASA disseminates resources (e.g., pathways for requesting guest presenters, informal learning lesson plans), conducts ACA professional development (online and at ACA conferences), and coordinates efforts around key events (e.g., spacecraft launches). ACA promotes awareness of NASA resources through their communications and services. Together, the organizations are working to inspire a new generation of scientists, engineers, explorers, educators, and innovators to pursue STEM careers.

Professional development of Russian HEIs' management and faculty in CDIO standards application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuchalin, Alexander; Malmqvist, Johan; Tayurskaya, Marina

2016-07-01

The paper presents the approach to complex training of managers and faculty staff for system modernisation of Russian engineering education. As a methodological basis of design and implementation of the faculty development programme, the CDIO (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate) Approach was chosen due to compliance of its concept to the purposes and tasks of engineering education development in Russia. The authors describe the structure, the content and implementation technology of the programme designed by Tomsk Polytechnic University and Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology with the assistance of Chalmers University of Technology and KTH Royal Institute of Technology and other members of the CDIO Initiative. The programme evaluation based on the questionnaire results showed that the programme content is relevant, has high practical value and high level of novelty for all categories of participants. Therefore, the CDIO approach was recommended for implementation to improve various elements of the engineering programme such as learning outcomes, content and structure, teaching, learning and assessment methods. Besides, the feedback results obtained through programme participants' survey contribute to identification of problems preventing development of engineering education in Russia and thus serve as milestones for further development of the programme.

Tested Tools and Techniques for Promoting STEM Programming in Libraries: Fifteen Years of the Lunar and Planetary Institute's Explore Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaConte, K.; Shipp, S.; Shupla, C.; Shaner, A.; Buxner, S.; Canipe, M.; Jaksha, A.

2015-11-01

Libraries are evolving to serve the changing needs of their communities—and many now encompass science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programming. For 15 years, the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) has partnered with library staff to create over 100 hands-on Earth and space science and engineering activities. In-person and online librarian training has prepared a vibrant network of over 1000 informal educators. Program evaluation has shown that Explore! training increases participants' knowledge, and that participants actively use Explore! materials and feel more prepared to offer science and engineering experiences and more comfortable using related resources. Through training, participants become more committed to providing and advocating for science and engineering programming. Explore! serves as a model for effective product development and training practices for serving library staff, increasingly our partners in the advancement of STEM education. Specific approaches and tools that contributed to the success of Explore! are outlined here for adoption by community STEM experts—including professionals and hobbyists in STEM fields and STEM educators who are seeking to share their passion and experience with others through partnerships with libraries.

Why Do Spatial Abilities Predict Mathematical Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tosto, Maria Grazia; Hanscombe, Ken B.; Haworth, Claire M. A.; Davis, Oliver S. P.; Petrill, Stephen A.; Dale, Philip S.; Malykh, Sergey; Plomin, Robert; Kovas, Yulia

2014-01-01

Spatial ability predicts performance in mathematics and eventual expertise in science, technology and engineering. Spatial skills have also been shown to rely on neuronal networks partially shared with mathematics. Understanding the nature of this association can inform educational practices and intervention for mathematical underperformance.…

Can You Picture That?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damico, Julie

2014-01-01

This article describes the Exploring Experimental Design lesson, which uses a Pictionary-style approach to introduce the elements of the third science and engineering practice: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, found in "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (NRC 2012) and the "Next Generation Science Standards"…

Advancing the practice of systems engineering at JPL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jansma, Patti A.; Jones, Ross M.

2006-01-01

In FY 2004, JPL launched an initiative to improve the way it practices systems engineering. The Lab's senior management formed the Systems Engineering Advancement (SEA) Project in order to "significantly advance the practice and organizational capabilities of systems engineering at JPL on flight projects and ground support tasks." The scope of the SEA Project includes the systems engineering work performed in all three dimensions of a program, project, or task: 1. the full life-cycle, i.e., concept through end of operations 2. the full depth, i.e., Program, Project, System, Subsystem, Element (SE Levels 1 to 5) 3. the full technical scope, e.g., the flight, ground and launch systems, avionics, power, propulsion, telecommunications, thermal, etc. The initial focus of their efforts defined the following basic systems engineering functions at JPL: systems architecture, requirements management, interface definition, technical resource management, system design and analysis, system verification and validation, risk management, technical peer reviews, design process management and systems engineering task management, They also developed a list of highly valued personal behaviors of systems engineers, and are working to inculcate those behaviors into members of their systems engineering community. The SEA Project is developing products, services, and training to support managers and practitioners throughout the entire system lifecycle. As these are developed, each one needs to be systematically deployed. Hence, the SEA Project developed a deployment process that includes four aspects: infrastructure and operations, communication and outreach, education and training, and consulting support. In addition, the SEA Project has taken a proactive approach to organizational change management and customer relationship management - both concepts and approaches not usually invoked in an engineering environment. This paper'3 describes JPL's approach to advancing the practice of systems engineering at the Lab. It describes the general approach used and how they addressed the three key aspects of change: people, process and technology. It highlights a list of highly valued personal behaviors of systems engineers, discusses the various products, services and training that were developed, describes the deployment approach used, and concludes with several lessons learned.

Optical engineering: understanding optical system by experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharf, Toralf

2017-08-01

Students have to be educated in theoretical and practical matters. Only one of them does not allow attacking complex problems in research, development, and management. After their study, students should be able to design, construct and analyze technical problems at highest levels of complexity. Who never experienced the difficulty of setting up measurements will not be able to understand, plan and manage such complex tasks in her/his future career. At EPFL a course was developed for bachelor education and is based on three pillars: concrete actions (enactive) to be done by the students, a synthesis of their work by writing a report (considered as the iconic part) and inputs from the teacher to generalize the findings and link it to a possible complete abstract description (symbolic). Intensive tutoring allowed an intermodal transfer between these categories. This EIS method originally introduced by Jerome Bruner for small children is particular well adapted for engineer education for which theoretical understanding often is not enough. The symbiosis of ex-cathedra lecture and practical work in a classroom-like situation presents an innovative step towards integrated learning that complements perfectly more abstract course principles like online courses.

Virtual experiments in electronics: beyond logistics, budgets, and the art of the possible

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, Brian

1999-09-01

It is common and correct to suppose that computers support flexible delivery of educational resources by offering virtual experiments that replicate and substitute for experiments traditionally offered in conventional teaching laboratories. However, traditional methods are limited by logistics, costs, and what is physically possible to accomplish on a laboratory bench. Virtual experiments allow experimental approaches to teaching and learning to transcend these limits. This paper analyses recent and current developments in educational software for 1st- year physics, 2nd-year electronics engineering and 3rd-year communication engineering, based on three criteria: (1)Is the virtual experiment possible in a real laboratory? (2)How direct is the link between the experimental manipulation and the reinforcement of theoretical learning? (3) What impact might the virtual experiment have on the learner's acquisition of practical measurement skills? Virtual experiments allow more flexibility in the directness of the link between experimental manipulation and the theoretical message. However, increasing the directness of this link may reduce or even abolish the measurement processes associated with traditional experiments. Virtual experiments thus pose educational challenges: (a) expanding the design of experimentally based curricula beyond traditional boundaries and (b) ensuring that the learner acquires sufficient experience in making practical measurements.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Engineers and Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tambara, Kevin

2013-04-01

Students are usually not excited about abstract concepts, and teachers struggle to inject "pizzazz" into many of their lessons. K-12 teachers need opportunities and the associated pedagogical training to bring meaningful and authentic learning to their students. The professional educator community needs to develop a learning environment which connects desired content knowledge with science and engineering practices that students need to be successful future technology leaders. Furthermore, this environment must foster student exploration and discovery by encouraging them to use their natural creativity with newly acquired technical skills to complete assigned projects. These practices are explicitly listed in the US "Next Generation Science Standards" document that is due for final publication in the very near future. Education in America must unleash students' desires to create and make with their hands, using their intellect, and growing academic knowledge. In this submission I will share various student projects that I have created and implemented for middle and high school. For each project, students were required to learn and implement engineering best practices while designing, building, and testing prototype models, according to pre-assigned teacher specifications. As in all real-world engineering projects, students were required to analyze test data, re-design their models accordingly, and iterate the design process several times to meet specifications. Another key component to successful projects is collaboration between student team members. All my students come to realize that nothing of major significance is ever accomplished alone, that is, without the support of a team. I will highlight several projects that illustrate key engineering practices as well as lessons learned, for both student and teacher. Projects presented will include: magnetically levitated vehicles (maglev) races, solar-powered and mousetrap-powered cars and boats, Popsicle stick catapults and bridges, egg drop "lunar landers", egg-passenger car crashes, cardboard boat races (with human passengers), and working roller coasters made with only paper and tape. Each project requires minimal, low-cost materials commonly found at home or in local stores. I will share the most common student misperceptions about inquiry and problem-solving I have observed while working alongside my students during these projects.

Developing a short range vehicle to infrastructure communication system to enhance the safety at STOP sign intersections : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-05-01

Stop sign controlled unsignalized intersections raise a public safe concern. Even though various strategies, such as engineering, education, and policy, have been applied in practice, there are a number of fatal crashes occurred at unsignalized inter...

Introductory Course on Satellite Navigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giger, Kaspar; Knogl, J. Sebastian

2012-01-01

Satellite navigation is widely used for personal navigation and more and more in precise and safety-critical applications. Thus, the subject is suited for attracting the interest of young people in science and engineering. The practical applications allow catching the students' attention for the theoretical background. Educational material on the…

INNOVATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CONTRIBUTES TO IMPROVED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE MID-ATLANTIC

EPA Science Inventory

EPA and other federal agencies have conducted considerable research in the Mid-Atlantic region. EPA's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program funds academic scientists and engineers to conduct complementary research. Some of the research results are being used, but there is a...

A State Policymaker's STEM Playbook. Promising Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zinth, Jennifer; Goetz, Tami

2016-01-01

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has captured the attention of state policymakers who are concerned about equitable access to high-quality educational experiences and preparing and inspiring students to pursue STEM careers. Yet in many states, STEM policymaking efforts have not achieved their intended return on investment…

Planning a Successful Tech Show

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikirk, Martin

2011-01-01

Tech shows are a great way to introduce prospective students, parents, and local business and industry to a technology and engineering or career and technical education program. In addition to showcasing instructional programs, a tech show allows students to demonstrate their professionalism and skills, practice public presentations, and interact…

Education of Intellectual Properties for the Training of Creative Engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Yoshifumi; Kajiwara, Katuhiko; Oodan, Kyouji

Kurume National College of Technology has obtained results concerning intellectual property education combined with inventive education. In the education program, students learn about industrial property and practical expertise such as searching the open patents, making up patent-maps, and making patent application papers to the Patent Office under the guidance of a teacher, a patent adviser and attorney. As a result, some of the creative students have already applied for patents. In the future, we are going to prepare a managing system for the intellectual property at our college for the intensification of cooperative application with the local company.

Northwest Tribal Interaction with Washington State University: Research and Education Opportunities Afforded Through the Center for Multiphase Environmental Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumburg, B.; Yonge, D.; Jacob, J.

2003-12-01

The under-representation of Native Americans in engineering and science at the student and practicing engineer or scientist level is a national problem. To begin addressing this problem Washington State University (WSU) has initiated discussio with local Native American tribes to strengthen the relationship between WSU and the tribes and to improve the educational opportunities available to tribal members. The Center for Multiphase Environmental Research (CMER) received a 1999 National Science Foundation (NSF) Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) grant to train Ph.D. students. The main goal of the program is to foster multidisciplinary research and education for future scientists and engineers in the broad field of study that incorporates the fate and transport of environmentally significant species between interfaces. We are also focused on recruiting and educating Native American students. CMER is committed to cultivating its relationship with Native American tribes by identifying the environmental concerns of the tribes and developing collaborative research efforts utilizing CMER's infrastructure. Through these collaborative projects the CMER hopes to better understand the social and cultural aspects important to the tribes and develop the familiarity needed to effectively enhance student recruitment. This poster highlights the CMER's interdisciplinary research and teaching efforts and focuses on Native American recruitment.

Soft Skills in Pedagogical Practices with Different Curriculum for Engineering Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamad, M. M.; Yee, M. H.; Tee, T. K.; Mukhtar, M. Ibrahim; Ahmad, A.

2017-08-01

The rapid growth of the economy in Malaysia is a benchmark for the country’s progress. The demand for skilled worker has started to increase from year to year resulted in the implementation of reforms and necessary skills will be applied to each of the graduates who will step into the nature of work. Therefore, a study was conducted to identify the level of soft skills among students in higher education institutions. The study was conducted at the Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and involved 302 samples of final year students from Faculty of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. There are several types of soft skills have been viewed on the students such as creative thinking skills, teamwork skills, communication skills, decision-making skills, interpersonal skills and leadership skills. The analysis results show that all of the soft skills are on the high level. Furthermore, the results of ANOVA showed a significant difference in soft skills mastery among Civil Engineering students and Mechanical Engineering students. As a conclusion, the overall level of soft skills mastery among Faculty of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering students is on the high level. The soft skills elements are very important in order to produce skills workers that suitable with the industry.

Country report: Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaasik, Helle

2015-12-01

The situation of women in education, work, and research in Estonia is relatively good. Nevertheless, science (especially engineering) remains a male-dominated field. The total number of female scientists and engineers in the workforce is about two-thirds that of males. Moreover, the gender imbalance in the researcher population increases with age. Significant pay-gap and power imbalances between the genders remain both in Estonian society in general and in the fields of science and technology. In many practical situations, behavior of both men and women is still guided by gender stereotypes.

Cognitive diversity in undergraduate engineering: Dyslexia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzpatrick, Velvet R.

In the United States, institutions have established multiple programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the diversity of both faculty and students in engineering as means to produce a workforce that will better serve society. However, there are two major problems in addressing engineering student diversity. First, the engineering education research community has paid little attention to date as to how engineering education research characterizes diversity in its broadest sense. Second, research on persons with disabilities in undergraduates engineering, a population of interests within diversity, is minimal. Available disability studies tend to be skewed toward physical disabilities, leading to a neglect of cognitive differences such as learning disabilities (LD). In addition, disability research questions and study designs are inherently steeped in ability bias. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the meaning of ability for students with dyslexia while in undergraduate engineering and establish the significance of cognitive diversity, focusing on LD and more specifically dyslexia, in undergraduate engineering education and answer the following research question: How do undergraduate engineering students with dyslexia experience ability while pursuing and persisting in engineering? The motivation was to lay the groundwork for future engineering education studies on undergraduate students with LD in general but dyslexia in specific. The first goal was to conduct a critical literature review pertaining to the academic strengths of undergraduate students with LD, specifically, dyslexia and the second goal was to describe how undergraduate engineering students with dyslexia experience ability. The intent was not to redefine dyslexia or disability. The intent is to provide an inclusive account of dyslexia, weakness and strengths, within the field of engineering education. This study was conducted from a qualitative inquiry approach, within the social constructivism paradigm, and utilized purposive sampling to identify appropriate participants. The thematic analysis methodological framework was used to portray a rich, complex description of experiences in which undergraduate engineering students with dyslexia constructed meaning around ability while pursuing and persisting in engineering. Eight students participated and semi-structured interviews were the data source. The findings are presented in three parts. First, significant findings that were also salient amongst the general undergraduate engineering student populations are presented. This is done to make a clear demarcation from those significant findings found to be unique to undergraduate engineering students with dyslexia presented in the themes: relationships, early exposure to engineering, and securing an internship or co-op position. Second, the four themes that developed from the analysis will were discussed: alignment, dissociation, ideal education environments, and time. Third, additional findings for further investigation were proposed: the role of remediation practices, the representation of dyslexia in media, gender differences in extracurricular activities that constructed different meanings of ability, the prevalence of co-occurring LD amongst the participants, and the visualization of science, engineering, mathematics concepts. The study is closed with a discussion; findings are discussed with respect to relevant research in the conclusion.

Research and Discovery Science and the Future of Dental Education and Practice.

PubMed

Polverini, Peter J; Krebsbach, Paul H

2017-09-01

Dental graduates of 2040 will face new and complex challenges. If they are to meet these challenges, dental schools must develop a research and discovery mission that will equip graduates with the new knowledge required to function in a modern health care environment. The dental practitioner of 2040 will place greater emphasis on risk assessment, disease prevention, and health maintenance; and the emerging discipline of precision medicine and systems biology will revolutionize disease diagnosis and reveal new targeted therapies. The dental graduate of 2040 will be expected to function effectively in a collaborative, learning health care system and to understand the impact of health care policy on local, national, and global communities. Emerging scientific fields such as big data analytics, stem cell biology, tissue engineering, and advanced biomimetics will impact dental practice. Despite all the warning signs indicating how the changing scientific and heath care landscape will dramatically alter dental education and dental practice, dental schools have yet to reconsider their research and educational priorities and clinical practice objectives. Until dental schools and the practicing community come to grips with these challenges, this persistent attitude of complacency will likely be at the dental profession's peril. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21 st Century."

Utilizing the National Research Council's (NRC) Conceptual Framework for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): A Self-Study in My Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corvo, Arthur Francis

Given the reality that active and competitive participation in the 21 st century requires American students to deepen their scientific and mathematical knowledge base, the National Research Council (NRC) proposed a new conceptual framework for K--12 science education. The framework consists of an integration of what the NRC report refers to as the three dimensions: scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas in four disciplinary areas (physical, life and earth/spaces sciences, and engineering/technology). The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS ), which are derived from this new framework, were released in April 2013 and have implications on teacher learning and development in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Given the NGSS's recent introduction, there is little research on how teachers can prepare for its release. To meet this research need, I implemented a self-study aimed at examining my teaching practices and classroom outcomes through the lens of the NRC's conceptual framework and the NGSS. The self-study employed design-based research (DBR) methods to investigate what happened in my secondary classroom when I designed, enacted, and reflected on units of study for my science, engineering, and mathematics classes. I utilized various best practices including Learning for Use (LfU) and Understanding by Design (UbD) models for instructional design, talk moves as a tool for promoting discourse, and modeling instruction for these designed units of study. The DBR strategy was chosen to promote reflective cycles, which are consistent with and in support of the self-study framework. A multiple case, mixed-methods approach was used for data collection and analysis. The findings in the study are reported by study phase in terms of unit planning, unit enactment, and unit reflection. The findings have implications for science teaching, teacher professional development, and teacher education.

Practical Techniques for Modeling Gas Turbine Engine Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, Jeffryes W.; Lavelle, Thomas M.; Litt, Jonathan S.

2016-01-01

The cost and risk associated with the design and operation of gas turbine engine systems has led to an increasing dependence on mathematical models. In this paper, the fundamentals of engine simulation will be reviewed, an example performance analysis will be performed, and relationships useful for engine control system development will be highlighted. The focus will be on thermodynamic modeling utilizing techniques common in industry, such as: the Brayton cycle, component performance maps, map scaling, and design point criteria generation. In general, these topics will be viewed from the standpoint of an example turbojet engine model; however, demonstrated concepts may be adapted to other gas turbine systems, such as gas generators, marine engines, or high bypass aircraft engines. The purpose of this paper is to provide an example of gas turbine model generation and system performance analysis for educational uses, such as curriculum creation or student reference.

Highlights From the Third Annual Mayo Clinic Conference on Systems Engineering and Operations Research in Health Care

PubMed Central

Kamath, Janine R. A.; Osborn, John B.; Roger, Véronique L.; Rohleder, Thomas R.

2011-01-01

In August 2010, the Third Annual Mayo Clinic Conference on Systems Engineering and Operations Research in Health Care was held. The continuing mission of the conference is to gather a multidisciplinary group of systems engineers, clinicians, administrators, and academic professors to discuss the translation of systems engineering methods to more effective health care delivery. Education, research, and practice were enhanced via a mix of formal presentations, tutorials, and informal gatherings of participants with diverse backgrounds. Although the conference promotes a diversity of perspectives and methods, participants are united in their desire to find ways in which systems engineering can transform health care, especially in the context of health care reform and other significant changes affecting the delivery of health care. PMID:21803959

A Study of the Use of Ontologies for Building Computer-Aided Control Engineering Self-Learning Educational Software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García, Isaías; Benavides, Carmen; Alaiz, Héctor; Alonso, Angel

2013-08-01

This paper describes research on the use of knowledge models (ontologies) for building computer-aided educational software in the field of control engineering. Ontologies are able to represent in the computer a very rich conceptual model of a given domain. This model can be used later for a number of purposes in different software applications. In this study, domain ontology about the field of lead-lag compensator design has been built and used for automatic exercise generation, graphical user interface population and interaction with the user at any level of detail, including explanations about why things occur. An application called Onto-CELE (ontology-based control engineering learning environment) uses the ontology for implementing a learning environment that can be used for self and lifelong learning purposes. The experience has shown that the use of knowledge models as the basis for educational software applications is capable of showing students the whole complexity of the analysis and design processes at any level of detail. A practical experience with postgraduate students has shown the mentioned benefits and possibilities of the approach.

Engineers’ Responsibilities for Global Electronic Waste: Exploring Engineering Student Writing Through a Care Ethics Lens

PubMed Central

Campbell, Ryan C.; Wilson, Denise

2016-01-01

This paper provides an empirically informed perspective on the notion of responsibility using an ethical framework that has received little attention in the engineering-related literature to date: ethics of care. In this work, we ground conceptual explorations of engineering responsibility in empirical findings from engineering student’s writing on the human health and environmental impacts of “backyard” electronic waste recycling/disposal. Our findings, from a purposefully diverse sample of engineering students in an introductory electrical engineering course, indicate that most of these engineers of tomorrow associated engineers with responsibility for the electronic waste (e-waste) problem in some way. However, a number of responses suggested attempts to deflect responsibility away from engineers towards, for example, the government or the companies for whom engineers work. Still other students associated both engineers and non-engineers with responsibility, demonstrating the distributed/collective nature of responsibility that will be required to achieve a solution to the global problem of excessive e-waste. Building upon one element of a framework for care ethics adopted from the wider literature, these empirical findings are used to facilitate a preliminary, conceptual exploration of care-ethical responsibility within the context of engineering and e-waste recycling/disposal. The objective of this exploration is to provide a first step toward understanding how care-ethical responsibility applies to engineering. We also hope to seed dialogue within the engineering community about its ethical responsibilities on the issue. We conclude the paper with a discussion of its implications for engineering education and engineering ethics that suggests changes for educational policy and the practice of engineering. PMID:27368195

Making Connections through Conversation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGough, Julie; Nyberg, Lisa

2013-01-01

Children do not always see a connection between themselves and other living things. Sometimes they do not even realize that they, too, are animals and represent a link in the food chain. By obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information (Scientific and Engineering Practice #8 in "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" [NRC 2012,…

Better Practices for Recruiting T&E Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Tyler S.; Love, Zachary J.; Love, Kevin S.

2016-01-01

The declining number of Technology and Engineering (T&E) educators and teacher preparation programs across the country has been identified as a critical issue plaguing the field for many years (Daugherty, 1998; Volk, 1993). Unfortunately, this issue continues to progress and has raised concerns. Why should middle and high school T&E…

Discovering "Space" in the Elementary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weckbacher, Lisa Marie; Okamoto, Yukari

2015-01-01

Recent studies have shown that strengths in spatial skills are a key to success in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers. However, these skills are undervalued in our educational system and thus seldom incorporated in classroom teaching. As a first step towards changing the current practices, we worked with a group of…

Improving College-to-Work Transitions through Enhanced Training for Employment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papier, Joy

2017-01-01

Historically in South Africa, apprentice training towards artisanship in the engineering trades has been characterised by a sharp separation between theoretical studies undertaken in a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college and subsequent practical training undertaken in a workshop or through industry placement. TVET…

Development Research of a Teachers' Educational Performance Support System: The Practices of Design, Development, and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hung, Wei-Chen; Smith, Thomas J.; Harris, Marian S.; Lockard, James

2010-01-01

This study adopted design and development research methodology (Richey & Klein, "Design and development research: Methods, strategies, and issues," 2007) to systematically investigate the process of applying instructional design principles, human-computer interaction, and software engineering to a performance support system (PSS) for behavior…

Exploring Teachers' Perceptions of STEAM Teaching through Professional Development: Implications for Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herro, Danielle; Quigley, Cassie

2017-01-01

This research involves a multi-year study examining the perspectives and classroom practices of 21 middle school mathematics and science teachers, in the southeastern United States, participating in professional development (PD) exploring science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) literacies. This study sought to understand…

Storm Warning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Tammy; Kier, Meredith; Phillips, Kelsey

2016-01-01

To show students how engineering design practices reduce the impacts of a natural hazard, the authors--two science educators and an elementary teacher--taught a three-day 5E lesson that focused on hurricanes. They specifically focused on hurricanes because their students are located near a coastal area and are familiar with the effects of this…

Fostering Improved Anatomy and Physiology Instructor Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattheis, Allison; Jensen, Murray

2014-01-01

Despite widespread calls for reform in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, effecting lasting change in instructor practice is challenging to achieve. This article describes the results of a 2-yr research study that involved efforts to develop the pedagogical expertise of a group of anatomy and physiology…

Virtual Mechatronic/Robotic Laboratory--A Step Further in Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potkonjak, Veljko; Vukobratovi, Miomir; Jovanovi, Kosta; Medenica, Miroslav

2010-01-01

The implementation of the distance learning and e-learning in technical disciplines (like Mechanical and Electrical Engineering) is still far behind the grown practice in narrative disciplines (like Economy, management, etc.). This comes out from the fact that education in technical disciplines inevitably involves laboratory exercises and this…

BUILDING DEFINED MIXED CULTURES TO BIODEGRADE DIVERSE MIXTURES OF CHLORINATED SOLVENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The major accomplishment that I can think of is the education of a Master’s student who is now out in practice working for a consulting engineering firm.  This project allowed him to develop expertise with biological treatment systems, which are widely used...

Students' Development and Use of Models to Explain Electrostatic Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Kristin Elizabeth

2017-01-01

The National Research Council (2012) recently published A Framework for K-12 Science Education that describes a vision for science classrooms where students engage in three dimensions--scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas--to explain phenomena or observations they can make about the universe…

47 CFR 76.62 - Manner of carriage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... provided in § 76.64. (b) Each digital television broadcast signal carried shall be carried without material... engineering practice, be provided no less than the same quality of signal processing and carriage provided for... handicapped persons or for educational or language purposes. (g) With respect to carriage of digital signals...

Students' Understanding of Connections between Human Engineered and Natural Environmental Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsurusaki, Blakely K.; Anderson, Charles W.

2010-01-01

This research draws on developments in educational research where "learning progressions" are emerging as a strategy for synthesizing research on science learning and applying that research to policy and practice, and advances in the natural sciences, where "interdisciplinary research on coupled human and natural systems" has become increasingly…

Using Simulation Module, PCLAB, for Steady State Disturbance Sensitivity Analysis in Process Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Emad; Idriss, Arimiyawo

2009-01-01

Recently, chemical engineering education moves towards utilizing simulation soft wares to enhance the learning process especially in the field of process control. These training simulators provide interactive learning through visualization and practicing which will bridge the gap between the theoretical abstraction of textbooks and the…

Practical Materials for Teaching. Resource File: Edition I. Energy Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

This directory lists energy education programs directed at increasing the energy conservation awareness of scientists, engineers, managers, and technicians working in fields where they are responsible for managing energy consumption. The resource is prepared to help with the process of identifying, selecting, and obtaining materials for promoting…

Learning, Teaching and Scholarship: Fundamental Tensions of Undergraduate Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laursen, Sandra; Seymour, Elaine; Hunter, Anne-Barrie

2012-01-01

Each year, thousands of undergraduates in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields conduct research in US university and college laboratories. Such undergraduate research (UR) experiences are common practice in US higher education, with nearly a century of history at research universities and liberal arts colleges.…

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STATE LICENSING BOARDS FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER SELECTED PROFESSIONS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MOLINARI, RALPH G.; AND OTHERS

COMPARISON OF THE COMPOSITION, CHARACTERISTICS, AND CURRENT LICENSING PRACTICES OF STATE LICENSING BOARDS FOR EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION WITH LICENSING PROGRAMS FOR SEVEN OTHER PROFESSIONS, (ACCOUNTANCY, ARCHITECTURE, DENTISTRY, ENGINEERING, LAW, MEDICINE, AND NURSING) WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS NATIONWIDE STUDY. THE RESEARCH PROCEDURES WERE DIVIDED…

Rockets: Educator's Guide with Activities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shearer, Deborah A.; Vogt, Gregory L.

2008-01-01

This guide provides teachers and students many opportunities. Chapters within the guide present the history of rocketry, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) 21st Century Space Exploration Policy, rocketry principles, and practical rocketry. These topics lay the foundation for what follows--a wealth of dynamic rocket science…

Do We Need to Design Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences for Authenticity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowland, Susan; Pedwell, Rhianna; Lawrie, Gwen; Lovie-Toon, Joseph; Hung, Yu

2016-01-01

The recent push for more authentic teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics indicates a shared agreement that undergraduates require greater exposure to professional practices. There is considerable variation, however, in how "authentic" science education is defined. In this paper we present our…

Clinical Design Sciences: A View from Sister Design Efforts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaritsky, Raul; Kelly, Anthony E.; Flowers, Woodie; Rogers, Everett; O'Neill, Patrick

2003-01-01

Asserts that the social sciences are clinical-like endeavors, and the way that "sister" fields discover and validate their results may inform research practice in education. Describes three fields of design that confront similar societal demands for improvement (engineering product design, research on the diffusion of innovations, and…

Promoting Literacy-Embedded, Authentic STEM Instruction for Students with Disabilities and Other Struggling Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Israel, Maya; Maynard, Kathie; Williamson, Pamela

2013-01-01

Students with diverse learning needs, including students with disabilities, have historically struggled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning. This article highlights barriers that students with disabilities and other struggling learners often face in STEM education. Several applied, evidence-based practices are…

Improving Student Writing: Methods You Can Use in Science and Engineering Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hitt, S. J.; Bright, K.

2013-12-01

Many educators in the fields of science and engineering assure their students that writing is an important and necessary part of their work. According to David Lindsay, in Scientific Writing=Thinking in Words, 99% of scientists agree that writing is an integral part of their jobs. However, only 5% of those same scientists have ever had formal instruction in scientific writing, and those who are also educators may then feel unconfident in teaching this skill to their students (2). Additionally, making time for writing instruction in courses that are already full of technical content can cause it to be hastily and/or peremptorily included. These situations may be some of the contributing factors to the prevailing attitude of frustration that pervades the conversation about writing in science and engineering classrooms. This presentation provides a summary of past, present, and ongoing Writing Center research on effective writing tutoring in order to give science and engineering educators integrated approaches for working with student writers in their disciplines. From creating assignments, providing instruction, guiding revisions, facilitating peer review, and using assessments, we offer a comprehensive approach to getting your students motivated to improve their writing. Our new research study focuses on developing student writing resources and support in science and engineering institutions, with the goal of utilizing cross-disciplinary knowledge that can be used by the various constituencies responsible for improving the effectiveness of writing among student engineers and scientists. We will will draw upon recent findings in the study of the rhetoric and compositional pedagogy and apply them to the specific needs of the science and engineering classroom. The fields of communication, journalism, social sciences, rhetoric, technical writing, and philosophy of science have begun to integrate these findings into classroom practice, and we will show how these can also benefit educators in science and engineering, with the goal of producing more effective student writing.

[Integration of fundamental and applied medical and technical research made at the department of the biomedical systems, Moscow State Institute of Electronic Engineering].

PubMed

Selishchev, S V

2004-01-01

The integration results of fundamental and applied medical-and-technical research made at the chair of biomedical systems, Moscow state institute of electronic engineering (technical university--MSIEE), are described in the paper. The chair is guided in its research activity by the traditions of higher education in Russia in the field of biomedical electronics and biomedical engineering. Its activities are based on the extrapolation of methods of electronic tools, computer technologies, physics, biology and medicine with due respect being paid to the requirements of practical medicine and to topical issues of research and design.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Best Practices Manual was written as a part of the promotional effort for EnergySmart Schools, provided by the US Department of Energy, to educate school districts around the country about energy efficiency and renewable energy. Written specifically for architects and engineers, The Best Practices Manual is designed to help those who are responsible for designing or retrofitting schools, as well as their project managers. This manual will help design staff make informed decisions about energy and environmental issues important to the school systems and communities.

A systematic literature review of engineering identity: definitions, factors, and interventions affecting development, and means of measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morelock, John R.

2017-11-01

Studies exploring what it means to be an engineer professionally have been conducted for decades, but have boomed in recent years. This systematic literature review aims to organise extant studies on engineering identity by coding around four key variables: (a) definitions of engineering identity, (b) factors affecting engineering identity development, (c) interventions affecting engineering identity development, and (d) means of measuring identity. In doing so, this review provides strategies for future research and educational interventions to advance work related to engineering identity. Publications were selected for inclusion by screening and appraising results obtained from databases and keywords refined through a scoping study. Derived from key findings, suggestions for future research include bridging disparate strands of engineering identity literature and incorporating more varied methodological approaches. Also from key findings, suggestions for future practice involve better connecting existing definitions of engineering identity and factors known to affect identity development with identity-related interventions.

Mechatronics education at Virginia Tech

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bay, John S.; Saunders, William R.; Reinholtz, Charles F.; Pickett, Peter; Johnston, Lee

1998-12-01

The advent of more complex mechatronic systems in industry has introduced new opportunities for entry-level and practicing engineers. Today, a select group of engineers are reaching out to be more knowledgeable in a wide variety of technical areas, both mechanical and electrical. A new curriculum in mechatronics developed at Virginia Tech is starting to bring students from both the mechanical and electrical engineering departments together, providing them wit an integrated perspective on electromechanical technologies and design. The course is cross-listed and team-taught by faculty from both departments. Students from different majors are grouped together throughout the course, each group containing at least one mechanical and one electrical engineering student. This gives group members the ability to learn from one another while working on labs and projects.

Enhancing Systems Engineering Education Through Case Study Writing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, Jennifer Stenger

2016-01-01

Developing and refining methods for teaching systems engineering is part of Systems Engineering grand challenges and agenda for research in the SE research community. Retention of systems engineering knowledge is a growing concern in the United States as the baby boom generation continues to retire and the faster pace of technology development does not allow for younger generations to gain experiential knowledge through years of practice. Government agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), develop their own curricula and SE leadership development programs to "grow their own" systems engineers. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) conducts its own Center-focused Marshall Systems Engineering Leadership Development Program (MSELDP), a competitive program consisting of coursework, a guest lecture series, and a rotational assignment into an unfamiliar organization engaged in systems engineering. Independently, MSFC developed two courses to address knowledge retention and sharing concerns: Real World Marshall Mission Success course and its Case Study Writers Workshop and Writers Experience. Teaching case study writing and leading students through a hands-on experience at writing a case study on an SE topic can enhance SE training and has the potential to accelerate the transfer of experiential knowledge. This paper is an overview of the pilot experiences with teaching case study writing, its application in case study-based learning, and identifies potential areas of research and application for case study writing in systems engineering education.

The experiences of women engineers who have completed one to five years of professional engineering employment: A phenomenological study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Susan M.

Women engineers remain underrepresented in employment in engineering fields in the United States. Feminist theory views this gender disparity beyond equity in numbers for women engineers and looks at structural issues of women's access, opportunities, and quality of experience in the workplace. Research on women's success and persistence in engineering education is diverse; however, there are few studies that focus on the early years of women's careers in engineering and less using a phenomenological research design. Experiences of women engineers who have completed one to five years of professional engineering employment are presented using a phenomenological research design. Research questions explored the individual and composite experiences for the co-researchers of the study as well as challenges and advantages of the phenomenon of having completed one to five years of professional engineering employment. Themes that emanated from the data were a feeling that engineering is a positive profession, liking math and science from an early age, having experiences of attending math and science camps or learning and practicing engineering interests with their fathers for some co-researchers. Other themes included a feeling of being different as a woman in the engineering workplace, taking advantage of opportunities for training, education, and advancement to further their careers, and the role of informal and formal mentoring in developing workplace networks and engineering expertise. Co-researchers negotiated issues of management quality and support, experiences of gender discrimination in the workplace, and having to make decisions balancing their careers and family responsibilities. Finally, the women engineers for this research study expressed intentions to persist in their careers while pursuing expertise and experience in their individual engineering fields.

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 27: The technical communication practices of engineering and science students: Results of the phase 3 academic surveys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Hecht, Laura M.; Kennedy, John M.

1994-01-01

This report describes similarities and differences between undergraduate and graduate engineering science students in the context of two general aspects of the educational experience. First, we explore the extent to which students differ regarding the factors that lead to the choice of becoming an engineer or a scientist, current satisfaction with that choice, and career-related goals and objectives. Second, we look at the technical communication practices, habits, and training of engineers and science (Physics) students. The reported data were obtained from a survey of students enrolled in the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bowling Green State University, and Texas A&M University. The survey was undertaken as part of the NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Data are reported for the following categories: student demographics; skill importance, skill training, and skill helpfulness; collaborative writing; computer and information technology use and importance, use of electronic networks; use and importance of libraries and library services; use and importance of information sources and products; use of foreign technical reports; and foreign language (reading and speaking) skills.

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 28: The technical communication practices of aerospace engineering and science students: Results of the phase 4 cross-national surveys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Hecht, Laura M.; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.

1994-01-01

This report describes similarities and differences between undergraduate and graduate aerospace engineering and science students in the context of two general aspects of the educational experience. First, we explore the extent to which students differ regarding the factors that lead to the choice of becoming an aerospace engineer or a scientist, current satisfaction with that choice, and career-related goals and objectives. Second, we look at the technical communication skills, practices, habits, and training of aerospace engineering and science students. The reported data were obtained from a survey of students enrolled in aerospace engineering and science programs at universities in India, Japan, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The surveys were undertaken as part of the NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Data are reported for the following categories: student demographics; skill importance, skill training, and skill helpfulness; collaborative writing; computer and information technology use and importance, use of electronic networks; use and importance of libraries and library services; use and importance of information sources and products; use of foreign language technical reports; and foreign language (reading and speaking) skills.

M.Y.S.P.A.C.E. : Multinational Youth Studying Practical Applications of Climatic Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mckay, M.; Arvedson, J. P.; Arvedson, P.

2014-12-01

M.Y. S.P.A.C.E. (Multinational Youth Studying Practical Applications of Climatic Events) is an international collaboration of high school students engaged in self-selected research projects on the local impact of global environmental issues. Students work with their own, trained, Teacher Leaders at their school sites using both locally generated and satellite-based remote-sensing data with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Teams from each school meet at the annual Satellites & Education Conference to discover global trends in their collective data and present their findings. Students learn and practice techniques of scientific investigation; methods of data processing, analysis and interpretation; leadership; and effective communication. They work with NOAA and NASA scientists and engineers, experience university campus life, and can apply for special internships at selected university research centers such as the Center for Energy and Sustainability (CE&S), the Center for Spatial Analysis and Remote Sensing (CSARS), and graduate research opportunities in Geosciences and Environment. The M.Y. S.P.A.C.E. Program is an initiative of the Satellites & Education Conference, which is produced by the non-profit Satellite Educators Association. It is administered from the campus of California State University, Los Angeles. NOAA, NASA, and the NOAA-CREST West grant support the program. It is aligned with NOAA goals of building excitement about careers in science, math, engineering and technology.

The Use of Journal Clubs in Science Teacher Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tallman, Karen A.; Feldman, Allan

2016-04-01

This qualitative study explored how in a 7-month-long journal club pre- and inservice science teachers engaged with education research literature relevant to their practice to reduce the theory-practice gap. In the journal club they had the opportunity to critique and analyze peer-reviewed science education articles in the context of their classroom practice. Data sources included audio recordings of the meetings; semi-structured pre- and post-interviews of the teachers; focus groups; and artifacts (e.g., journal articles, reflective paper, email exchanges, and researcher's field notes). Data were analyzed using the techniques of grounded theory (Corbin & Strauss in Basics of qualitative research, 3rd ed. Sage, Thousand Oaks, 2008). In addition we used some preconceived categories that we created from existing literature on journal clubs and communities of practice (Newswander & Borrego in European Journal of Engineering Education 34(6): 561-571, 2009; Wenger in Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998) and from our previous research (Tallman & Feldman, 2012). We found that the journal club incorporated the three characteristics of a community of practice (Wenger in Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998) into its functioning (mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire). The teachers mutually engaged around the joint enterprise of reading, critiquing, and understanding the research studies with the goal of improving practice. The teachers also asked each other analytical questions, which became a shared repertoire of the journal club. They reflected on their practice by presenting, reading, and discussing the articles, which helped them to determine whether and how the findings from the articles could be incorporated into their teaching practice. In doing so, they learned the skills needed to critique the research literature in relation to their practice as classroom teachers.

An exploration of students' perceptions and attitudes towards creativity in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waller, David R.

This study used a mixed methods approach to develop a broad and deep understanding of students’ perceptions towards creativity in engineering education. Studies have shown that students’ attitudes can have an impact on their motivation to engage in creative behavior. Using an ex-post facto independent factorial design, attitudes of value towards creativity, time for creativity, and creativity stereotypes were measured and compared across gender, year of study, engineering discipline, preference for open-ended problem solving, and confidence in creative abilities. Participants were undergraduate engineering students at Queen’s University from all years of study. A qualitative phenomenological methodology was adopted to study students’ understandings and experiences with engineering creativity. Eleven students participated in oneon- one interviews that provided depth and insight into how students experience and define engineering creativity, and the survey included open-ended items developed using the 10 Maxims of Creativity in Education as a guiding framework. The findings from the survey suggested that students had high value for creativity, however students in fourth year or higher had less value than those in other years. Those with preference for open-ended problem solving and high confidence valued creative more than their counterparts. Students who preferred open-ended problem solving and students with high confidence reported that time was less of a hindrance to their creativity. Males identified more with creativity stereotypes than females, however overall they were both low. Open-ended survey and interview results indicated that students felt they experienced creativity in engineering design activities. Engineering creativity definitions had two elements: creative action and creative characteristic. Creative actions were associated with designing, and creative characteristics were predominantly associated with novelty. Other barriers that emerged from the qualitative analysis were lack of opportunity, lack of assessment, and discomfort with creativity. It was concluded that a universal definition is required to establish clear and aligned understandings of engineering creativity. Instructors may want to consider demonstrating value by assessing creativity and establishing clear criteria in design projects. It is recommended that students be given more opportunities for practice through design activities and that they be introduced to design and creative thinking concepts early in their engineering education.

Implementing large projects in software engineering courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coppit, David

2006-03-01

In software engineering education, large projects are widely recognized as a useful way of exposing students to the real-world difficulties of team software development. But large projects are difficult to put into practice. First, educators rarely have additional time to manage software projects. Second, classrooms have inherent limitations that threaten the realism of large projects. Third, quantitative evaluation of individuals who work in groups is notoriously difficult. As a result, many software engineering courses compromise the project experience by reducing the team sizes, project scope, and risk. In this paper, we present an approach to teaching a one-semester software engineering course in which 20 to 30 students work together to construct a moderately sized (15KLOC) software system. The approach combines carefully coordinated lectures and homeworks, a hierarchical project management structure, modern communication technologies, and a web-based project tracking and individual assessment system. Our approach provides a more realistic project experience for the students, without incurring significant additional overhead for the instructor. We present our experiences using the approach the last 2 years for the software engineering course at The College of William and Mary. Although the approach has some weaknesses, we believe that they are strongly outweighed by the pedagogical benefits.

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 26: The technical communication practices of aerospace engineering students: Results of the phase 3 AIAA National Student Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Hecht, Laura M.; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.

1994-01-01

This report describes similarities and differences between undergraduate and graduate engineering students in the context of two general aspects of the educational experience. First, we explore the extent to which students differ regarding the factors that lead to the choice of becoming an engineer, current satisfaction with that choice, and career-related goals and objectives. Second, we look at the technical communication practices, habits, and training of aerospace engineering students. The reported data were obtained from a survey of student members of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). The survey was undertaken as a phase 3 activity of the NASA/DoD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Data are reported for the following categories: student demographics; skill importance, skill training, and skill helpfulness; collaborative writing; computer and information technology use and importance; use of electronic networks; use and importance of libraries and library services; use and importance of information sources and products; use of foreign language technical reports; and foreign language (reading and speaking) skills.

Pen-based Interfaces for Engineering and Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stahovich, Thomas F.

Sketches are an important problem-solving tool in many fields. This is particularly true of engineering design, where sketches facilitate creativity by providing an efficient medium for expressing ideas. However, despite the importance of sketches in engineering practice, current engineering software still relies on traditional mouse and keyboard interfaces, with little or no capabilities to handle free-form sketch input. With recent advances in machine-interpretation techniques, it is now becoming possible to create practical interpretation-based interfaces for such software. In this chapter, we report on our efforts to create interpretation techniques to enable pen-based engineering applications. We describe work on two fundamental sketch understanding problems. The first is sketch parsing, the task of clustering pen strokes or geometric primitives into individual symbols. The second is symbol recognition, the task of classifying symbols once they have been located by a parser. We have used the techniques that we have developed to construct several pen-based engineering analysis tools. These are used here as examples to illustrate our methods. We have also begun to use our techniques to create pen-based tutoring systems that scaffold students in solving problems in the same way they would ordinarily solve them with paper and pencil. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of these systems.

Examining Teacher Talk in an Engineering Design-Based Science Curricular Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aranda, Maurina L.; Lie, Richard; Selcen Guzey, S.; Makarsu, Murat; Johnston, Amanda; Moore, Tamara J.

2018-03-01

Recent science education reforms highlight the importance for teachers to implement effective instructional practices that promote student learning of science and engineering content and their practices. Effective classroom discussion has been shown to support the learning of science, but work is needed to examine teachers' enactment of engineering design-based science curricula by focusing on the content, complexity, structure, and orchestration of classroom discussions. In the present study, we explored teacher-student talk with respect to science in a middle school curriculum focused on genetics and genetic engineering. Our study was guided by the following major research question: What are the similarities and differences in teacher talk moves that occurred within an engineering design-based science unit enacted by two teachers? Through qualitative and quantitative approaches, we found that there were clear differences in two teachers' use of questioning strategies and presentation of new knowledge that affected the level of student involvement in classroom discourse and the richness and details of student contributions to the conversations. We also found that the verbal explanations of science content differed between two teachers. Collectively, the findings in this study demonstrate that although the teachers worked together to design an engineering designed-based science curriculum unit, their use of different discussion strategies and patterns, and interactions with students differed to affect classroom discourse.

Enhancement of Global Communication Skill at the School of Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morimura, Kumiko

Globalization is one of the most important challenges for universities. Especially for the School of Engineering, it is crucial to foster researchers or engineers with broader perspective. International communication competency is essential for them in order to deal with other professionals from overseas. Center for Innovation in Engineering Education established in the School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo in 2005 started two programs for graduate and undergraduate students to enhance their international communication competency and to increase international competitiveness. ‘English for Scientists and Engineers A, B’ are for the graduate students to learn how to write papers in English and how to make good presentations. Special English Lessons are for the undergraduate students to have a chance to practice English conversation or prepare for TOEFL test. In this paper, the authors discuss the details of the programs, their purpose and the future tasks.

Capacity-oriented curriculum system of optoelectronics in the context of large category cultivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Yuan; Hu, Zhangfang; Zhang, Yi

2017-08-01

In order to cultivate the innovative talents with the comprehensive development to meet the talents demand for development of economic society, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications implements cultivation based on broadening basic education and enrolment in large category of general education. Optoelectronic information science and engineering major belongs to the electronic engineering category. The "2 +2" mode is utilized for personnel training, where students are without major in the first and second year and assigned to a major within the major categories in the end of the second year. In the context of the comprehensive cultivation, for the changes in the demand for professionals in the global competitive environment with the currently rapid development, especially the demand for the professional engineering technology personnel suitable to industry and development of local economic society, the concept of CDIO engineering ability cultivation is used for reference. Thus the curriculum system for the three-node structure optoelectronic information science and engineering major is proposed, which attaches great importance to engineering practice and innovation cultivation under the background of the comprehensive cultivation. The conformity between the curriculum system and the personnel training objectives is guaranteed effectively, and the consistency between the teaching philosophy and the teaching behavior is enhanced. Therefore, the idea of major construction is clear with specific characteristics.

Strategies for Limiting Engineers' Potential Liability for Indoor Air Quality Problems.

PubMed

von Oppenfeld, Rolf R; Freeze, Mark E; Sabo, Sean M

1998-10-01

Engineers face indoor air quality (IAQ) issues at the design phase of building construction as well as during the investigation and mitigation of potential indoor air pollution problems during building operation. IAQ issues that can be identified are "building-related illnesses" that may include problems of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). IAQ issues that cannot be identified are termed "sick building syndrome." Frequently, microorganism-caused illnesses are difficult to confirm. Engineers who provide professional services that directly or indirectly impact IAQ face significant potential liability to clients and third parties when performing these duties. Potential theories supporting liability claims for IAQ problems against engineers include breach of contract and various common law tort theories such as negligence and negligent misrepresentation. Furthermore, an increasing number of federal, state, and local regulations affect IAQ issues and can directly increase the potential liability of engineers. A duty to disclose potential or actual air quality concerns to third parties may apply for engineers in given circumstances. Such a duty may arise from judicial precedent, the Model Guide for Professional Conduct for Engineers, or the Code of Ethics for Engineers. Practical strategies engineers can use to protect themselves from liability include regular training and continuing education in relevant regulatory, scientific, and case law developments; detailed documentation and recordkeeping practices; adequate insurance coverage; contractual indemnity clauses; contractual provisions limiting liability to the scope of work performed; and contractual provisions limiting the extent of liability for engineers' negligence. Furthermore, through the proper use of building materials and construction techniques, an engineer or other design professional can effectively limit the potential for IAQ liability.

Using Recreational Drones to Promote STEM Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olds, S. E.; Dahlman, L. E.; Mooney, M. E.; Russell, R. M.

2017-12-01

The popularity of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) as a fun, inexpensive (<$100), and easy to fly "toy" continues to grow yearly. Flying drones can also serve as a great entry point to stimulate curiosity and encourage students to engage in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) investigations. Leveraging the popularity of recreational drones, the Education Committee at the Earth System Information Partners (ESIP) has worked with educators, researchers, and data scientists to develop a Drones for STEM initiative to inspire learners to use drones as a platform to collect and analyze local-scale data using lightweight cameras and/or sensors. In 2016, the initiative developed learning activity outlines and piloted the materials at an ESIP-sponsored teacher workshop and National Science Teacher Association sessions. After incorporating feedback from those sessions, ESIP collaborated with the UCAR Center for Science Education to publish finalized activities. Available on the UCAR SciEd website (SciEd.ucar.edu/engineering-activities), the activities encompass skills to measure drone payload, flight height, and velocity. Investigations also encourage the use of repeat photography, comparing images from drones and satellites, and creating 3D structure from motion (SfM) models from overlapping photographs. The site also offers general guidance to develop science projects or science fair investigations using Next Generation Science Standards science and engineering practices. To encourage the use of drones in STEM, UNAVCO and NOAA staff, sponsored by ESIP, led two hands-on workshops this summer; a three half-day workshop at the Earth Educator Rendezvous (EER) and a half-day session during the ESIP Educator Workshop. Participants practiced UAV flying skills, experimented with lightweight sensors, and learned about current drone-enhanced research projects. In small groups, they tested existing activities and designed student-focused investigations. Examples of projects include measuring aeromagnetics, developing 3D topographic models, creating vertical profiles over various land-surfaces at different temporal intervals, and developing a multi-semester drone-focused curriculum. This presentation will elaborate upon the workshops, learning materials, and insights.

Integrating medical informatics into the medical undergraduate curriculum.

PubMed

Khonsari, L S; Fabri, P J

1997-01-01

The advent of healthcare reform and the rapid application of new technologies have resulted in a paradigm shift in medical practice. Integrating medical Informatics into the full spectrum of medical education is a viral step toward implementing this new instructional model, a step required for the understanding and practice of modern medicine. We have developed an informatics curriculum, a new educational paradigm, and an intranet-based teaching module which are designed to enhance adult-learning principles, life-long self education, and evidence-based critical thinking. Thirty two, fourth year medical students have participated in a one month, full time, independent study focused on but not limited to four topics: mastering the windows-based environment, understanding hospital based information management systems, developing competence in using the internet/intranet and world wide web/HTML, and experiencing distance communication and TeleVideo networks. Each student has completed a clinically relevant independent study project utilizing technology mastered during the course. This initial curriculum offering was developed in conjunction with faculty from the College of Medicine, College of Engineering, College of Education, College of Business, College of Public Health. Florida Center of Instructional Technology, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa General Hospital, GTE, Westshore Walk-in Clinic (paperless office), and the Florida Engineering Education Delivery System. Our second step toward the distributive integration process was the introduction of Medical Informatics to first, second and third year medical students. To date, these efforts have focused on undergraduate medical education. Our next step is to offer workshops in Informatics to college of medicine faculty, to residents in post graduate training programs (GME), and ultimately as a method of distance learning in continuing medical education (CME).

The Impact of the Next Generation Science Standards on Future Professional Development and Astronomy Education Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxner, Sanlyn

2013-06-01

The Next Generation Science Standards will have a profound impact on the future science education of students and professional development for teachers. The science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas laid out in the Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2011) will change the focus and methods of how we prepare teachers to meet these new standards. Extending beyond just the use of inquiry in the classroom, teachers will need support designing and implementing integrated experiences for students that require them to apply knowledge of content and practices. Integrating the three dimensions central to the new standards will pose curricular challenges and create opportunities for innovative space science projects and instruction. The science research and technology community will have an important role in supporting authentic classroom practices as well as training and support of teachers in these new ways of presenting science and technology. These changes will require a new focus for teacher professional development and new ways to research impacts of teacher training and changes in classroom practice. In addition, new and innovative tools will be needed to assess mastery of students’ knowledge of practices and the ways teachers effectively help students achieve these new goals. The astronomy education community has much to offer as K-12 and undergraduate level science educators rethink and redefine what it means to be scientifically literate and figure out how to truly measure the success of these new ways of teaching science.

Technology, Theory, and Practice in Interdisciplinary STEM Programs: Connecting STEM and Non­-STEM Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lansiquot, Reneta D., Ed.

2016-01-01

This book highlights models for promoting interdisciplinary thinking and an appreciation for interdisciplinary understanding among students in STEM-related fields. Students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics often perceive that courses in their major are not related to the general education liberal arts courses required…