Characterizing Design Cognition of High School Students: Initial Analyses Comparing Those with and without Pre-Engineering Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, John; Lammi, Matthew; Gero, John; Grubbs, Michael E.; Paretti, Marie; Williams, Christopher

2016-01-01

Reported in this article are initial results from of a longitudinal study to characterize the design cognition and cognitive design styles of high school students with and without pre-engineering course experience over a 2-year period, and to compare them with undergraduate engineering students. The research followed a verbal protocol analysis…

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'.

Sustaining liminality: Experiences and negotiations of international females in U.S. engineering graduate programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Debalina

This project examines the intersectionalities of international females in engineering graduate programs of the United States, using frameworks of sustainability and liminality theory. According to Dutta and Kisselburgh (2011) international females in graduate engineering constitute the minorities of minorities, not only in terms of their status as international students but also by their underrepresentation as women in engineering (Faulkner, 2009). Research regarding international female graduate students tends to be categorized as the experiences of international students in the U.S. (Lee & Rice, 2007), or as the struggles of female engineers in engineering disciplines (Tonso, 2007). Therefore, this project aims to distinguish the unique population of female engineers of international origin from holistic studies of international students, and attempts to draw out and understand the experiences of international female students in U.S. engineering graduate programs. Dutta and Kisselburgh (2011) found that female engineers who are international in origin exist in liminal states indefinitely. This liminal nature has been described under the theory of liminality (Turner, 1967) which posits that when transitioning from one life-changing event to another (such as birth, death, marriage), individuals go through a transformatory phase where they are subjected to invisibility, vulnerability, and a feeling of loss. Although Turner posited this phase as transcendental and temporary, Dutta and Kisselburgh (2011) suggest the liminal period can be more permanent in contemporary global societies. In other words, liminal experiences of vulnerability and structural invisibility may be sustained experiences of international female engineering students. Furthermore, the project attends to the overlaps, tensions and challenging experiences faced by international females in surviving engineering graduate program. To achieve this goal, liminality theory is limited in accounting for how vulnerable individuals reframe their agentic outcomes to make meaning of their marginalized existence. Therefore, I integrate constructs of sustainability with liminality theory in order to provide a framework to understand the ability of vulnerable individuals (in this case, international female engineers) to persist within marginalizing social structures. Sustainability has been a useful framework to understand how organizations practice self-efficacy (Butler, 2001) and has the potential to understand the negotiations and discursive practices enacted by international women engineers by examining their everyday meaning-making practices. For international female engineers who are in between spaces of belonging, it becomes important to understand how they navigate these contested spaces and how they transform the spaces to their advantage by persisting in their struggles with the spaces. Through interviews and focus groups, I explored the ways in which international female engineering graduate students negotiate the tensions they experience through interviews and focus groups, attending to the underlying processes of sustenance through which international female engineering students negotiate their liminal status. In doing so, I introduce and discuss five themes of the practice of sustainability in negotiating liminality: (a) crystallizing engineering identities, (b) (re)constructing inclusion, (c) enduring hardships, (d) rearchitecting (in)visibility, and (e) (re)engineering efficacy. The contributions of this research lie in the amalgamation of liminality and sustainability theories to understand the discourses through which international women engineering graduate students negotiate the transitions they experience in U.S. engineering programs.

Disciplinary Differences in Out-of-School High School Science Experiences and Influence on Students' Engineering Choices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godwin, Allison; Sonnert, Gerhard; Sadler, Philip M.

2016-01-01

Participation from a variety of students is important to the long-term growth of the engineering field. Much of the research on engineering recruitment or career choice has focused on engineering as a whole, even though engineering disciplines are varied in student participation and focus. This work examines how students' out-of-school interests…

Global engineering education programs: More than just international experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeill, Nathan J.

Engineers in both industry and academia recognize the global nature of the profession. This has lead to calls for engineering students to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for success within a global profession. Many institutions are developing globally oriented programs specifically for their engineering students and are eager to know if these programs are helping their students to develop attributes that meet their program objectives, accreditation requirements, and the needs and desires of prospective employers. Administrators of such programs currently lack research data to support the learning objectives they are setting for their programs. This study documented the individual experiences and learning outcomes of students involved in three global education programs for engineering students. The first program provided a portfolio of experiences including foreign language instruction, one semester of study abroad, internships in the U.S. and abroad, and a two-semester global team design project. The second program was a one semester study abroad program in China, and the third was a global service project whose purpose was to design an irrigation system for two small farms in Rwanda. The research questions guiding this study were: 1. What specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes are students gaining from participation in their respective global engineering programs? 2. What kinds of experiences are resulting in these learning outcomes? Interviews were used to elicit the experiences and learning outcomes of participants in this study. Program administrators were also interviewed for their perspectives on the experiences and learning outcomes of participants for the purpose of triangulation. The study identified more than 50 outcomes that resulted from students' experiences in these three programs. The most prevalent outcomes across all three programs included knowledge of culture, openness to new experiences and other cultures, and communication skills.

Characterizing learning-through-service students in engineering by gender and academic year

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carberry, Adam Robert

Service is increasingly being viewed as an integral part of education nationwide. Service-based courses and programs are growing in popularity as opportunities for students to learn and experience their discipline. Widespread adoption of learning-through-service (LTS) in engineering is stymied by a lack of a body of rigorous research supporting the effectiveness of these experiences. In this study, I examine learning-through-service through a nationwide survey of engineering undergraduate and graduate students participating in a variety of LTS experiences. Students (N = 322) participating in some form of service -- service-learning courses or extra-curricular service programs -- from eighty-seven different institutions across the United States completed a survey measuring demographic information (institution, gender, academic year, age, major, and grade point average), self-perceived sources of learning (service and traditional coursework), engineering epistemological beliefs, personality traits, and self-concepts (self-efficacy, motivation, expectancy, and anxiety) toward engineering design. Responses to the survey were used to characterize engineering LTS students and identify differences in these variables in terms of gender and academic year. The overall findings were that LTS students perceived their service experience to be a beneficial source for learning professional skills and, to a lesser degree, technical skills, held moderately sophisticated engineering epistemological beliefs, and were generally outgoing, compassionate, and adventurous. Self-perceived sources of learning, epistemological beliefs, and personality traits were shown to be poor predictors of student engineering achievement. Self-efficacy, motivation, and outcome expectancy toward engineering design were generally high for all LTS students; most possessed rather low anxiety levels toward engineering design. These trends were generally consistent between genders and across the five academic years (first-year, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students) surveyed. Females had significantly more sophisticated epistemological beliefs, greater perceptions of service as a source of learning professional and technical skills, and higher anxiety toward engineering design. They also were significantly more extroverted and agreeable. Males had higher confidence, motivation, and expectancy for success toward engineering design. Across academic year it was seen that students varied in their engineering design self-concepts, except for motivation.

A community-based, interdisciplinary rehabilitation engineering course.

PubMed

Lundy, Mary; Aceros, Juan

2016-08-01

A novel, community-based course was created through collaboration between the School of Engineering and the Physical Therapy program at the University of North Florida. This course offers a hands-on, interdisciplinary training experience for undergraduate engineering students through team-based design projects where engineering students are partnered with physical therapy students. Students learn the process of design, fabrication and testing of low-tech and high-tech rehabilitation technology for children with disabilities, and are exposed to a clinical experience under the guidance of licensed therapists. This course was taught in two consecutive years and pre-test/post-test data evaluating the impact of this interprofessional education experience on the students is presented using the Public Service Motivation Scale, Civic Actions Scale, Civic Attitudes Scale, and the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale.

Evolution of Students' Varied Conceptualizations About Socially Responsible Engineering: A Four Year Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Rulifson, Greg; Bielefeldt, Angela R

2018-03-20

Engineers should learn how to act on their responsibility to society during their education. At present, however, it is unknown what students think about the meaning of socially responsible engineering. This paper synthesizes 4 years of longitudinal interviews with engineering students as they progressed through college. The interviews revolved broadly around how students saw the connections between engineering and social responsibility, and what influenced these ideas. Using the Weidman Input-Environment-Output model as a framework, this research found that influences included required classes such as engineering ethics, capstone design, and some technical courses, pre-college volunteering and familial values, co-curricular groups such as Engineers Without Borders and the Society of Women Engineers, as well as professional experiences through internships. Further, some experiences such as technical courses and engineering internships contributed to confine students' understanding of an engineer's social responsibility. Overall, students who stayed in engineering tended to converge on basic responsibilities such as safety and bettering society as a whole, but tended to become less concerned with improving the lives of the marginalized and disadvantaged. Company loyalty also became important for some students. These results have valuable, transferable contributions, providing guidance to foster students' ideas on socially responsible engineering.

International Co-Operation in Control Engineering Education Using Online Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Jim; Schaedel, Herbert M.

2005-01-01

This paper describes the international co-operation experience in teaching control engineering with laboratories being conducted remotely by students via the Internet. This paper describes how the students ran the experiments and their personal experiences with the laboratory. A tool for process identification and controller tuning based on…

Educating the engineers of 2020: An outcomes-based typology of engineering undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knight, David B.

Members of government and industry have called for greater emphasis within U.S. colleges and universities on producing engineers who can enter and advance a more competitive, globally connected workforce. Looking toward this future, engineers will need to exhibit strong analytical skills as in the past, but they also will need to be proficient in a cadre of new abilities to compete. This study examines, in combination, an array of knowledge and skills aligned with the National Academy of Engineering's "engineer of 2020." The study has two major goals. The first is to develop a typology of engineering students based on the learning outcomes associated with the engineer of E2020. The second is to understand the educational experiences that distinguish these groups of students who resemble, more or less, the engineer of 2020. This approach acknowledges that engineering graduates need a complex skill set to succeed in the new global economy; it is the combination of skills associated with the engineer of 2020, not the individual skills in isolation, which will ensure graduates can respond to workforce needs of the future. To date, research on student outcomes has studied learning outcomes independent of one another rather than investigating student learning holistically. The study uses student data from the Prototype to production: Processes and conditions for preparing the Engineer of 2020 study, sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF EEC-0550608). Engineering students from a nationally representative sample of engineering programs in the United States answered a survey that collected information on their pre-college academic preparation and sociodemographic characteristics, their curricular and co-curricular experiences in their engineering programs, and their self-ratings of their engineering-related competencies. Only data on engineering students in their senior year (n=2,422) were utilized in analyses. Analyses were conducted in multiple phases for each of five engineering disciplines in the data set (biomedical/bioengineering, chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering). First, cluster analyses produced typologies (or groupings) of engineering seniors (one for each of five engineering disciplines studied and an "all engineering" analysis) based on nine self-reported learning outcomes, including fundamental skills, design skills, contextual awareness, interdisciplinary competence, and professional skills. Second, profiles of pre-college characteristics as well as student experiences in college were developed for each discipline and the five disciplines combined. Using analyses of variance, Chi-square analyses, and multinomial logistic regression, this phase also identified differences in student characteristics and college experiences between clusters of students reporting high proficiencies on the array of outcomes and students in other clusters. This second phase informed the third phase, which produced parsimonious models that used pre-college characteristics and student experience variables to predict cluster membership. As a whole, the findings demonstrate that analyses that include the full array of E2020 learning outcomes produce meaningful typologies that distinguish between groupings of students in different engineering fields. Findings demonstrate that a subset of students - the engineers of 2020 - report high skills and abilities on the full array of learning outcomes. These are the graduates sought by both the federal government and industry who most closely resemble the engineers of 2020. In addition, distinctive curricular and co-curricular experiences distinguish this E2020 group of students in each engineering discipline from other groupings of students in that same discipline. These findings have valuable implications for practice because they identify an array of discipline-specific, in- and out-of-class learning experiences that appear to promote the development of this multi-dimensional set of outcomes. Overall, however, greater curricular emphases on broad and systems perspectives in the engineering curriculum most consistently set apart the students who report high proficiencies on the E2020 outcomes. The findings also indicate that strategies for improving undergraduate engineering outcomes should be tailored by engineering discipline. The study contributes to both practice and research by developing a technique that can be used to create an outcomes-based typology that can be applied to any set of learning outcomes. Graphical representations of results consolidate large quantities of information into an easily accessible format so that findings can guide both practitioners and policymakers who seek to improve this multi-dimensional set of undergraduate engineering learning outcomes. Future directions for research, including operationalizing organizational contexts influencing E2020 learning outcomes as well as anticipated career trajectories of students across the typology, are also discussed.

Women Engineering Transfer Students: The Community College Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Susan J.

2011-01-01

An interpretative philosophical framework was applied to a case study to document the particular experiences and perspectives of ten women engineering transfer students who once attended a community college and are currently enrolled in one of two university professional engineering programs. This study is important because women still do not earn…

Learning from fellow engineering students who have current professional experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, John W.; Rutherford, Ursula

2012-08-01

This paper presents an investigation of how experience-led content in an engineering degree can be strengthened by creating opportunities for engineering students to benefit from the knowledge, skills and resources of students with current professional experience. Students who study civil engineering part-time at Coventry University (while also working in the industry) are being used as mentors for full-time students, and careful attention is being paid to the input they can make to group project work. This paper reviews the results of evaluations of these two initiatives. The clearest enhancement to learning provided by the part-time students in these settings is the access they provide for the full-time students to real examples and the provision of actual physical artefacts such as drawings, photos, example documents and templates. Full-time students also gain an awareness of the value of the professional skills. The study confirms the value of these initiatives and points to future improvements.

Authentic scientific research in an international setting as a path toward higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mladenov, N.; Palomo, M.; Casad, B.; Pietruschka, B.; Buckley, C.

2016-12-01

Studies have shown that undergraduate research opportunities foster student interest in research, encourage minority students to seek advanced degrees, and put students on a path toward higher education. It has been further suggested that engineering projects in international settings address issues of sustainability and promote a connection between engineering and social welfare that may compel students to seek future research opportunities. In this study, we explored the role that authentic research experiences in an international setting play in promoting higher education for students from groups typically under-represented in engineering and sciences. We hypothesized that the international context of the research experiences will provide undergraduate and graduate students with a global perspective of water reuse challenges and promote increased interest in pursuing a higher degree in engineering. Through the Sustainable Sanitation International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) Program, US students conducting research in Durban, South Africa in 2015 and 2016, were tasked with leading 6-week long research projects, collaborating with partners at the University of KwaZulu Natal, and producing papers and presentations for regional and international scientific conferences. All undergraduate participants were from groups under-represented in the sciences. Pre- and post-program survey results revealed that, after completing the program, participants of Cohort 1 had 1) greater research skills, 2) greater identification as an engineer, and 3) stronger intentions to pursue a PhD in engineering. Survey data were also used to evaluate comfort with cultural diversity before and after the international program and the effect of pairing US with South African student researchers. Our results indicate that students' awareness of societal needs and engineering challenges faced in Durban resulted in a positive impact on each student. The benefits gained from the international research experience have important implications for environmental engineering and other scientific fields in terms of inducing greater self-efficacy and fostering an interest in higher education for students from groups traditionally under-represented in the sciences.

Engineering Research Teams: The Role of Social Networks in the Formation of Research Skills for Postgraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampson, Kaylene; Comer, Keith

2011-01-01

This study explores learner experiences regarding skills acquisition of a cohort of engineering doctoral students enrolled in a New Zealand university. Employing a qualitative methodology, we interviewed 28 PhD students about the range of experiences and exchanges that comprised their pathways to skill acquisition. Students reported that research…

Student Computer Attitudes, Experience and Perceptions about the Use of Two Software Applications in Building Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiner, Esther; Garcia-Vera, Victoria E.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine students' computer attitudes and experience, as well as students' perceptions about the use of two specific software applications (Google Drive Spreadsheets and Arquimedes) in the Building Engineering context. The relationships among these variables were also examined. Ninety-two students took part in this…

Attitudes and Perceptions of Students in a Systems Engineering E-Learnig Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Vega, Carolina Armijo; McAnally-Salas, Lewis; Lavigne, Gilles

2009-01-01

In this paper is reported the attitudes and perception of students in a systems Engineering e-learning course and a teacher with more than six years of experience teaching online courses. The paper reports the teacher and students' perceptions about the e-learning courses experience. Personalized interviews with some of the students were carried…

Learning English: Experiences and Needs of Saudi Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unruh, Susan; Obeidat, Fayiz

2015-01-01

In this qualitative study, Saudi engineering students talk openly of their experiences learning English in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and as university students in the United States (US). These students reported that they learned only the basics of vocabulary and grammar in KSA. Consequently, they came to the US with few English skills. In…

Examination of engineering design teacher self-efficacy and knowledge base in secondary technology education and engineering-related courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vessel, Kanika Nicole

2011-12-01

There is an increasing demand for individuals with engineering education and skills of varying fields in everyday life. With the proper education students of high-needs schools can help meet the demand for a highly skilled and educated workforce. Researchers have assumed the supply and demand has not been met within the engineering workforce as a result of students' collegiate educational experiences, which are impacted by experiences in K-12 education. Although factors outside of the classroom contribute to the inability of universities to meet the increasing demand for the engineering workforce, most noted by researchers is the academic unpreparedness of freshman engineering students. The unpreparedness of entering freshman engineering students is a result of K-12 classroom experiences. This draws attention not only to the quality and competence of teachers present in the K-12 classroom, but the type of engineering instruction these students are receiving. This paper was an effort to systematically address one of the more direct and immediate factors impacting freshman engineering candidates, the quality of secondary engineering educators. Engineers develop new ideas using the engineering design process, which is taught at the collegiate level, and has been argued to be the best approach to teach technological literacy to all K-12 students. However, it is of importance to investigate whether technology educators have the knowledge and understanding of engineering design, how to transfer that knowledge in the classroom to students through instructional strategies, and their perception of their ability to do that. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to show the need for examining the degree to which technology and non-technology educators are implementing elements of engineering design in the curriculum.

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.

Retention, Success, and Satisfaction of Engineering Students Based on the First-Year Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prendergast, Lydia Q.

2013-01-01

A project-based course for first-year engineering students, called Engineering Exploration, was created an implemented with the goals of increasing retention, providing professional skills, increasing interest about engineering, and to aide in choosing an engineering major. Over 100 students have taken the course since its inception in Fall 2009.…

Preparing university students to lead K-12 engineering outreach programmes: a design experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anthony, Anika B.; Greene, Howard; Post, Paul E.; Parkhurst, Andrew; Zhan, Xi

2016-11-01

This paper describes an engineering outreach programme designed to increase the interest of under-represented youth in engineering and to disseminate pre-engineering design challenge materials to K-12 educators and volunteers. Given university students' critical role as facilitators of the outreach programme, researchers conducted a two-year design experiment to examine the programme's effectiveness at preparing university students to lead pre-engineering activities. Pre- and post-surveys incorporated items from the Student Engagement sub-scale of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale. Surveys were analysed using paired-samples t-test. Interview and open-ended survey data were analysed using discourse analysis and the constant comparative method. As a result of participation in the programme, university students reported a gain in efficacy to lead pre-engineering activities. The paper discusses programme features that supported efficacy gains and concludes with a set of design principles for developing learning environments that effectively prepare university students to facilitate pre-engineering outreach programmes.

UAF Space Systems Engineering Program: Engaging Students through an Apprenticeship Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorsen, D.

2017-12-01

Learning by doing has been the mantra of engineering education for decades, however, the constraints of semester length courses limits the types and size of experiences that can be offered to students. The Space Systems Engineering Program (SSEP) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks provides interdisciplinary engineering and science students with hands-on experience in all aspects of space systems engineering through a design, build, launch paradigm applied to balloon and rocket payloads and small satellites. The program is structured using an apprenticeship model such that students, freshmen through graduate, can participate in multi-year projects thereby gaining experiences appropriate to their level in college. Students enter the lab in a trainee position and receive training on lab processes and design software. Depending on the student's interests they learn how to use specific lab equipment and software design tools. Trainees provide support engineering under guidance of an upper classman. As the students' progress in their degree program and gain more expertise, they typically become part of a specific subsystem team, where they receive additional training in developing design documents and in writing requirements and test documents, and direct their efforts to meeting specific objectives. By the time the student reaches their senior year, they have acquired the leadership role for a specific subsystem and/or a general leadership role in the lab. If students stay to pursue graduate degrees, they assume the responsibility of training and mentoring other undergraduates in their areas of expertise. Throughout the program upper class students mentor the newer students. The Space Systems Engineering Program strives to reinforce a student's degree program through these large scale projects that place engineering in context.

A Phenomenographic Investigation of the Ways Engineering Students Experience Innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fila, Nicholas David

Innovation has become an important phenomenon in engineering and engineering education. By developing novel, feasible, viable, and valued solutions to complex technical and human problems, engineers support the economic competitiveness of organizations, make a difference in the lives of users and other stakeholders, drive societal and scientific progress, and obtain key personal benefits. Innovation is also a complex phenomenon. It occurs across a variety of contexts and domains, encompasses numerous phases and activities, and requires unique competency profiles. Despite this complexity, many studies in engineering education focus on specific aspects (e.g., engineering students' abilities to generate original concepts during idea generation), and we still know little about the variety of ways engineering students approach and understand innovation. This study addresses that gap by asking: 1. What are the qualitatively different ways engineering students experience innovation during their engineering projects? 2. What are the structural relationships between the ways engineering students experience innovation? This study utilized phenomenography, a qualitative research method, to explore the above research questions. Thirty-three engineering students were recruited to ensure thorough coverage along four factors suggested by the literature to support differences related to innovation: engineering project experience, academic major, year in school, and gender. Each participant completed a 1-2 hour, semi-structured interview that focused on experiences with and conceptions of innovation. Whole transcripts were analyzed using an eight-stage, iterative, and comparative approach meant to identify a limited number of categories of description (composite ways of experiencing innovation comprised of the experiences of several participants), and the structural relationships between these categories. Phenomenographic analysis revealed eight categories of description that were structured in a semi-hierarchical, two-dimensional outcome space. The first four categories demonstrated a progression toward greater comprehensiveness in both process and focus dimensions. In the process dimension, subsequent categories added increasingly preliminary innovation phases: idea realization, idea generation, problem scoping, and problem finding. In the focus dimension, subsequent categories added key areas engineers considered during innovation: technical, human, and enterprise. The final four categories each incorporated all previous process phases and focus areas, but prioritized different focus areas in sophisticated ways and acknowledged a macro-iterative cycle, i.e., an understanding of how the processes within a single innovation project built upon and contributed to past and future innovation projects. These results demonstrate important differences between engineering students and suggest how they may come to experience innovation in increasingly comprehensive ways. A framework based on the results can be used by educators and researchers to support more robust educational offerings and nuanced research designs that reflect these differences.

Intending to Stay: Images of Scientists, Attitudes Toward Women, and Gender as Influences on Persistence among Science and Engineering Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyer, Mary

Contemporary research on gender and persistence in undergraduate education in science and engineering has routinely focused on why students leave their majors rather than asking why students stay. This study compared three common ways of measuring persistence-commitment to major, degree aspirations, and commitment to a science or engineering career-and emphasized factors that would encourage students to persist, including positive images of scientists and engineers, positive attitudes toward gender equity in science and engineering, and positive classroom experiences. A survey was administered in classrooms to a total of 285 female and male students enrolled in two required courses for majors. The results indicate that the different measures of persistence were sensitive to different influences but that students' gender did not interact with their images, attitudes, and experiences in predicted ways. The study concludes that an individual student's gender may be a more important factor in explaining why some female students leave their science and engineering majors than in explaining why others stay.

Building international experiences into an engineering curriculum - a design project-based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maldonado, Victor; Castillo, Luciano; Carbajal, Gerardo; Hajela, Prabhat

2014-07-01

This paper is a descriptive account of how short-term international and multicultural experiences can be integrated into early design experiences in an aerospace engineering curriculum. Such approaches are considered as important not only in fostering a student's interest in the engineering curriculum, but also exposing them to a multicultural setting that they are likely to encounter in their professional careers. In the broader sense, this programme is described as a model that can be duplicated in other engineering disciplines as a first-year experience. In this study, undergraduate students from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Universidad del Turabo (UT) in Puerto Rico collaborated on a substantial design project consisting of designing, fabricating, and flight-testing radio-controlled model aircraft as a capstone experience in a semester-long course on Fundamentals of Flight. The two-week long experience in Puerto Rico was organised into academic and cultural components designed with the following objectives: (i) to integrate students in a multicultural team-based academic and social environment, (ii) to practise team-building skills and develop students' critical thinking and analytical skills, and finally (iii) to excite students about their engineering major through practical applications of aeronautics and help them decide if it is a right fit for them.

The impact of program experiences on the retention of women engineering students in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villa, Maria Del Carmen Garcia

This qualitative study sought to describe and understand the experiences of female students attending engineering colleges in Mexico and the sources of support and strategies that helped them persist in their programs. The participants were 20 women engineering students enrolled in at least their third year in selected colleges of engineering in Mexico, in both public and private universities, and pursuing a variety of engineering majors. Findings focus on the experiences of female students that helped them stay in their programs. Participants described their experiences in college as very challenging and perceived the environment as hostile and uncertain. In addition, patriarchal Mexican cultural values and stereotypes were identified by students as influencing and helping shape the engineering environment. However, in this context, participants were able to find sources of support and use strategies that helped them remain in their majors, such as a strong desire to succeed, a perceived academic self-ability; and support from their families, peers, institutions, and---most importantly---their professors. Furthermore, the fact that participants were able to persist in their programs gave them a sense of pride and satisfaction that was shared by their families, peers, and faculty. In addition, participants experienced contradictory forces and were constantly negotiating between rejecting traditional gender norms and upholding the norms that are so deeply engrained in Mexican society. Finally, as the students advanced in their programs and became "accepted to the club," they tended to reproduce the male-dominated value system present in engineering colleges accepting their professors' expectations of being "top students," accepting the elitist culture of engineering superiority, and embracing the protection given by their male peers. Retention of Mexican female engineering students is important for all engineering colleges, but cultural factors must be taken into consideration. The dominance of machismo attitudes and values in Mexican culture present specific challenges to achieve an environment more supportive of women in Mexican engineering colleges. Institutions need to be proactive and creative in order to help faculty and administrators provide an environment in which female engineering students can be successful.

The Chemical Engineering behind How Carbonated Beverages Go Flat: A Hands-On Experiment for Freshmen Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohn, Keith L.

2007-01-01

A hands-on project was developed to educate new chemical engineering students about the types of problems chemical engineers solve and to improve student enthusiasm for studying chemical engineering. In this project, students studied the phenomenon of carbonated beverages going flat. The project was implemented in 2003 and 2004 at Kansas State…

Stereotype Threat: A Qualitative Study of the Challenges Facing Female Undergraduate Engineering Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Entsminger, J. R., II

From a sociocultural point of view, this qualitative case study explored how upper-level, female undergraduate engineering students perceived the possibility of or experience with stereotype threat as shaping their experiences. The study also investigated how these students explained their reasons for choosing their engineering major, the challenges they encountered in the major, and their reasons for persevering in spite of those challenges. Using Steele and Aronson's (1995) stereotype threat theory as a framework, and considering the documented underrepresentation of females in engineering, the study sought to examine how stereotype threat shaped the experiences of these students and if stereotype threat could be considered a valid reason for the underrepresentation. The study was conducted at a large, four-year public university. First, students in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology completed the Participant Screening Survey. Based on responses from the survey, six female engineering students from the college were identified and invited to participate in the study. The participants came from the following majors: Electrical Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. After receiving the study consent letter and agreeing to participate, the students were involved in a 90-minute focus group meeting, a 45-minute one-on-one interview, and a 30-minute follow-up interview. After conducting the data collection methods, the data were then transcribed, analyzed, and coded for theme development. The themes that emerged coincided with each research question. The themes highlighted the complex interactions and experiences shared by the female engineering majors. The female students were enveloped in an environment where there existed an increased risk for activating stereotype threat. In addition, the female students described feeling pushed to prove to themselves and to others that the negative stereotype that 'females are bad at engineering' was untrue. The findings illustrated the need for systematic changes at the university level. Intervention recommendations were provided. In regards to female underrepresentation in science fields, including engineering, stereotype threat certainly had the potential to cause the female students to question themselves, their abilities, their choice of an academic major, and subsequently remove themselves from a hostile learning or working environment. Thus, educational institutions and workplace organizations are responsible for not only educating themselves regarding stereotype threat, but also for taking steps to alleviate the pernicious effects of stereotype threat.

Final Technical Report: Hydrogen Energy in Engineering Education (H2E3)

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

Lehman, Peter A.; Cashman, Eileen; Lipman, Timothy

2011-09-15

Schatz Energy Research Center's Hydrogen Energy in Engineering Education curriculum development project delivered hydrogen energy and fuel cell learning experiences to over 1,000 undergraduate engineering students at five California universities, provided follow-on internships for students at a fuel cell company; and developed commercializable hydrogen teaching tools including a fuel cell test station and a fuel cell/electrolyzer experiment kit. Monitoring and evaluation tracked student learning and faculty and student opinions of the curriculum, showing that use of the curriculum did advance student comprehension of hydrogen fundamentals. The project web site (hydrogencurriculum.org) provides more information.

Gauging Workplace Readiness: Assessing the Information Needs of Engineering Co-op Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffryes, Jon; Lafferty, Meghan

2012-01-01

Librarians at the Science and Engineering Library at the University of Minnesota surveyed engineering students participating in a work placement as part of the cooperative education program. The survey asked about students' on-the-job information usage, comfort level accessing different types of engineering literature, and experience learning to…

Engineering Students' Experiences of Interactive Teaching in Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weurlander, Maria; Cronhjort, Mikael; Filipsson, Lars

2017-01-01

This study reports on an educational development initiative where peer instruction was used instead of traditional lectures in a calculus course for first-year engineering students. The aim of the study was to explore students' experiences of this method. Data were collected by means of an open-ended questionnaire on two occasions: early and late…

Race, Identity, and Resilience: Black College Students Negotiating Success in Mathematics and Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Ebony O.

2009-01-01

This study analyzes the experiences of 23 African Americans, who are all academically high achieving college mathematics and engineering junior, senior and graduate students. Counter-narrative methodology and in-depth case studies accounted for the students' racial and mathematical identities as they were revealed through their experiences in the…

Where Is the Engineering I Applied For? A Longitudinal Study of Students' Transition into Higher Education Engineering, and Their Considerations of Staying or Leaving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmegaard, Henriette Tolstrup; Madsen, Lene Møller; Ulriksen, Lars

2016-01-01

This paper presents results from a qualitative longitudinal study of students' transition into higher education engineering. The study aims at comparing upper-secondary school students' expectations of engineering with their actual experiences when encountering the engineering programme. It explores how this encounter provides a platform for…

Exploring the Academic and Social Experiences of Latino Engineering Community College Transfer Students at a 4-Year Institution: A Qualitative Research Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagler, LaTesha R.

As the number of historically underrepresented populations transfer from community college to university to pursue baccalaureate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), little research exists about the challenges and successes Latino students experience as they transition from 2-year colleges to 4-year universities. Thus, institutions of higher education have limited insight to inform their policies, practices, and strategic planning in developing effective sources of support, services, and programs for underrepresented students in STEM disciplines. This qualitative research study explored the academic and social experiences of 14 Latino engineering community college transfer students at one university. Specifically, this study examined the lived experiences of minority community college transfer students' transition into and persistence at a 4-year institution. The conceptual framework applied to this study was Schlossberg's Transition Theory, which analyzed the participant's social and academic experiences that led to their successful transition from community college to university. Three themes emerged from the narrative data analysis: (a) Academic Experiences, (b) Social Experiences, and (c) Sources of Support. The findings indicate that engineering community college transfer students experience many challenges in their transition into and persistence at 4-year institutions. Some of the challenges include lack of academic preparedness, environmental challenges, lack of time management skills and faculty serving the role as institutional agents.

Learning to become graduate students: Japanese women's experience in the research unit in engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosaka, Masako

2010-12-01

Based on the analysis of 16 interviews with women first-year master's students at two national engineering schools in Japan, this article examines the socialisation role of compulsory undergraduate research experience in Japanese women's decisions to pursue graduate education and choices of the programme. The findings suggest that research experiences in a small independent research unit within the major department convinced Japanese women engineering students of their academic and social success as graduate students in the current environment. Although participants generally adapted themselves to the research unit through their research, there is a variation in the degree to which they were smoothly integrated into the research unit, reflecting organisational and individual differences.

Renewable Microgrid STEM Education & Colonias Outreach Program

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

None, None

To provide Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) outreach and education to secondary students to encourage them to select science and engineering as a career by providing an engineering-based problem-solving experience involving renewable energy systems such as photovoltaic (PV) panels or wind turbines. All public and private schools, community colleges, and vocational training programs would be eligible for participation. The Power Microgrids High School Engineering Experience used renewable energy systems (PV and wind) to provide a design capstone experience to secondary students. The objective for each student team was to design a microgrid for the student’s school using renewable energymore » sources under cost, schedule, performance, and risk constraints. The students then implemented their designs in a laboratory environment to evaluate the completeness of the proposed design, which is a unique experience even for undergraduate college students. This application-based program was marketed to secondary schools in the 28th Congressional District through the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) Regional Service Centers. Upon application, TEES identified regionally available engineers to act as mentors and supervisors for the projects. Existing curriculum was modified to include microgrid and additional renewable technologies and was made available to the schools.« less

A New Group-Formation Method for Student Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borges, Jose; Dias, Teresa Galvao; Cunha, Joao Falcao E.

2009-01-01

In BSc/MSc engineering programmes at Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), the need to provide students with teamwork experiences close to a real world environment was identified as an important issue. A new group-formation method that aims to provide an enriching teamwork experience is proposed. Students are asked to answer a…

Comparative analysis of student self-reflections on course projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pomales-García, Cristina; Cortés Barreto, Kenneth

2014-11-01

This study presents the skills, experiences, and values identified in project self-reflections of 161 undergraduate engineering students. Self-reflections from two different engineering design courses, which provide experiences in project-based learning (PBL), are analysed through the content analysis methodology. Results show that 'application', 'true life', 'satisfaction', and 'communication' are the common keywords shared in the reflections. Multiple hypothesis tests to identify differences between courses, project types, years, and gender suggest that there are no significant differences between experiences, skills, and values self-reported by students who completed either a case study or an industry project. Based on research findings, recommendations will be provided to enhance the engineering curriculum based on PBL experiences to support the development of relevant professional skills and experiences.

Enrichment Experiences in Engineering (E[superscript 3]) for Teachers Summer Research Program: An Examination of Mixed-Method Evaluation Findings on High School Teacher Implementation of Engineering Content in High School STEM Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Cheryl A.; Lewis, Chance W.; Autenrieth, Robin L.; Butler-Purry, Karen L.

2013-01-01

Ongoing efforts across the U.S. to encourage K-12 students to consider science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers have been motivated by concerns that the STEM pipeline is shrinking because of declining student enrollment and increasing rates of retirement in industry. The Enrichment Experiences in Engineering (E[superscript…

Socialization Experiences Resulting from Doctoral Engineering Teaching Assistantships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mena, Irene B.; Diefes-Dux, Heidi A.; Capobianco, Brenda M.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore and characterize the types of socialization experiences that result from engineering teaching assistantships. Using situated learning and communities of practice as the theoretical framework, this study highlights the experiences of 28 engineering doctoral students who worked as engineering teaching…

A phenomenographic study of students' experiences with transition from pre-college engineering programs to first-year engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salzman, Noah

Recent national dialogues on the importance of preparing more students for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics has driven the development of formal and informal learning opportunities for children and adolescents to explore engineering. Despite the growth of these programs, relatively little research exists on how participation in these programs affects students who choose to pursue further study in engineering. The present study addressed this gap through an exploration of the different ways that First-Year Engineering students experience the transition from pre-college engineering to undergraduate engineering studies. Given the focus of this research on students' experiences, phenomenography was chosen to explore the phenomenon of transition from pre-college to first-year engineering at a large, public Midwestern university. This facilitated understanding the range of variation in the ways that students experienced this transition. Twenty-two students with different amounts of participation in a variety of different engineering programs were selected to be interviewed using a purposeful maximum variation sampling strategy. The interviews were guided by a semi-structured interview protocol that encouraged the participants to reflect on their pre-college engineering experiences, their experiences in First-Year Engineering, and the transition between the two domains. The interviews were analyzed using phenomenographic methods to develop an outcome space consisting of five qualitatively different but related ways of experiencing the transition from pre-college to First-Year Engineering. These categories of description included Foreclosure, Frustration, Tedium, Connection, and Engaging Others. With the exception of the first category which was characterized by a lack of passion and commitment to engineering, the remaining four categories formed a hierarchical relationship representing increasing integration in First-Year Engineering. The outcome space that emerged from this study captured a variety of positive and negative ways that the participants experienced their transitions to First-Year Engineering. Positive outcomes included increased familiarity and confidence with the material being taught in First-Year Engineering, a stronger commitment and drive to be successful in engineering, and the ability to encourage and incorporate input from others in the design process. Negative outcomes included less interest in First-Year Engineering projects, disappointment at the lack of alignment with pre-college engineering, and a struggle to connect with their peers. While not initially guided by Self-Determination Theory, the results of this study align with aspects of Self-Determination Theory, and the relationships between the results of this study and the motivational factors of competence, autonomy, and relatedness are explored. Finally, implications for First-Year and pre-college engineering instructional practices are presented, along with a plan for future work.

Anxiety among Engineering Students in a Graduate EFL Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samoilova, Valeriia; Thanh, Vo Duy; Wilang, Jeffrey Dawala

2017-01-01

This article reports the descriptive results of foreign language anxiety experiences of engineering students in a top-ranked research university in Thailand. Although numerous studies have been conducted in the past years about English language anxiety, few studies have reported anxiety situations specific to Thai engineering graduate students in…

Educational Analysis of a First Year Engineering Physics Experiment on Standing Waves: Based on the ACELL Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhathal, Ragbir; Sharma, Manjula D.; Mendez, Alberto

2010-01-01

This paper describes an educational analysis of a first year physics experiment on standing waves for engineering students. The educational analysis is based on the ACELL (Advancing Chemistry by Enhancing Learning in the Laboratory) approach which includes a statement of educational objectives and an analysis of student learning experiences. The…

Using Mung Beans as a Simple, Informative Means to Evaluate the Phytotoxicity of Engineered Nanomaterials and Introduce the Concept of Nanophytotoxicity to Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Shailise S.; Owen, Matthew J.; Pedersen, Brian P.; Liu, Gang-yu; Miller, William J. W.

2016-01-01

This work presents a lecture and lab series that focuses on teaching the concept of nanophytotoxicity to undergraduate students in a relatively simple experiment. In this experiment, students evaluated the phytotoxicity of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) using mung beans (i.e., "Vigna radiata") and industrially relevant, commercially…

Exploring the experiences of female students in introductory project-based engineering courses at two- and four-year institutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swan, Amy K.

2011-12-01

This qualitative study explored the experiential and contextual factors that shaped female students' pathways into introductory project-based engineering classes at two community colleges and one four-year institution, as well as female students' experiences within and outside of these classes. The study was framed by Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) (Lent, Brown & Hackett, 1996) and Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory. Findings were based on analyses of data gathered through multiple methods: observations; individual interviews with female students; focus group interviews with project teams; and document collection. The findings of this study revealed that while positive experiences with math or science were a likely pre-cursor to engineering interest, experiential learning appeared to be a more powerful force in fostering students' engineering interest. Specifically, participants developed an interest in engineering through academic, professional, and extracurricular engineering- and design-related activities that familiarized them with the tasks and skills involved in engineering work and helped them develop a sense of selfefficacy with regard to this work. Interest and self-efficacy, in turn, played a role in students' postsecondary educational decision-making processes, as did contextual factors including families and finances. This study's findings also showed that participants' project teams were a critically important microsystem within participants' ecological environments. Within this sometimes "chilly" microsystem, female students negotiated intrateam processes, which were in some cases affected by gender norms. Intrateam processes that influenced female students' project-based learning experiences included: interpersonal dynamics; leadership; and division of labor. This study also identified several ways in which the lived experiences of participants at the community colleges were different from, or similar to, those of participants at the four-year institution. In the classroom, similarities and differences were related to projects, learning outcomes, language and time, while outside of the classroom they were primarily linked to time and peer support. This study's findings suggest a need for expanded access to experiential learning opportunities and ongoing attention to the role of community colleges in engineering education. Study findings also point toward ways that engineering educators might attend to the intrateam processes identified, and better accommodate the needs of all students in project-based introductory courses.

The Impact of a Living Learning Community on First-Year Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flynn, Margaret A.; Everett, Jess W.; Whittinghill, Dex

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of an engineering living and learning community (ELC) on first-year engineering students. A control group of non-ELC students was used to compare the experiences of the ELC participants. Analysis of survey data showed that there was significant differences between the ELC students and the…

The Transformative Experience in Engineering Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodman, Katherine Ann

This research evaluates the usefulness of transformative experience (TE) in engineering education. With TE, students 1) apply ideas from coursework to everyday experiences without prompting (motivated use); 2) see everyday situations through the lens of course content (expanded perception); and 3) value course content in new ways because it enriches everyday affective experience (affective value). In a three-part study, we examine how engineering educators can promote student progress toward TE and reliably measure that progress. For the first study, we select a mechanical engineering technical elective, Flow Visualization, that had evidence of promoting expanded perception of fluid physics. Through student surveys and interviews, we compare this elective to the required Fluid Mechanics course. We found student interest in fluids fell into four categories: complexity, application, ubiquity, and aesthetics. Fluid Mechanics promotes interest from application, while Flow Visualization promotes interest based in ubiquity and aesthetics. Coding for expanded perception, we found it associated with students' engineering identity, rather than a specific course. In our second study, we replicate atypical teaching methods from Flow Visualization in a new design course: Aesthetics of Design. Coding of surveys and interviews reveals that open-ended assignments and supportive teams lead to increased ownership of projects, which fuels risk-taking, and produces increased confidence as an engineer. The third study seeks to establish parallels between expanded perception and measurable perceptual expertise. Our visual expertise experiment uses fluid flow images with both novices and experts (students who had passed fluid mechanics). After training, subjects sort images into laminar and turbulent categories. The results demonstrate that novices learned to sort the flow stimuli in ways similar to subjects in prior perceptual expertise studies. In contrast, the experts' significantly better results suggest they are accessing conceptual fluids knowledge to perform this new, visual task. The ability to map concepts onto visual information is likely a necessary step toward expanded perception. Our findings suggest that open-ended aesthetic experiences with engineering content unexpectedly support engineering identity development, and that visual tasks could be developed to measure conceptual understanding, promoting expanded perception. Overall, we find TE a productive theoretical framework for engineering education research.

Adaptation of abbreviated mathematics anxiety rating scale for engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordin, Sayed Kushairi Sayed; Samat, Khairul Fadzli; Sultan, Al Amin Mohamed; Halim, Bushra Abdul; Ismail, Siti Fatimah; Mafazi, Nurul Wirdah

2015-05-01

Mathematics is an essential and fundamental tool used by engineers to analyse and solve problems in their field. Due to this, most engineering education programs involve a concentration of study in mathematics courses whereby engineering students have to take mathematics courses such as numerical methods, differential equations and calculus in the first two years and continue to do so until the completion of the sequence. However, the students struggled and had difficulties in learning courses that require mathematical abilities. Hence, this study presents the factors that caused mathematics anxiety among engineering students using Abbreviated Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (AMARS) through 95 students of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM). From 25 items in AMARS, principal component analysis (PCA) suggested that there are four mathematics anxiety factors, namely experiences of learning mathematics, cognitive skills, mathematics evaluation anxiety and students' perception on mathematics. Minitab 16 software was used to analyse the nonparametric statistics. Kruskal-Wallis Test indicated that there is a significant difference in the experience of learning mathematics and mathematics evaluation anxiety among races. The Chi-Square Test of Independence revealed that the experience of learning mathematics, cognitive skills and mathematics evaluation anxiety depend on the results of their SPM additional mathematics. Based on this study, it is recommended to address the anxiety problems among engineering students at the early stage of studying in the university. Thus, lecturers should play their part by ensuring a positive classroom environment which encourages students to study mathematics without fear.

Chinese Engineering Students' Cross-Cultural Adaptation in Graduate School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Xinquan

2010-01-01

This study explores cross-cultural adaptation experience of Chinese engineering students in the U.S. I interact with 10 Chinese doctoral students in engineering from a public research university through in-depth interviews to describe (1) their perceptions of and responses to key challenges they encountered in graduate school, (2) their…

Undergraduate engineering students' experiences of interdisciplinary learning: a phenomenographic perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Ming-Chien

Engineers are expected to work with people with different disciplinary knowledge to solve real-world problems that are inherently complex, which is one of the reasons that interdisciplinary learning has become a common pedagogical practice in engineering education. However, empirical evidence on the impact of interdisciplinary learning on undergraduates is lacking. Regardless of the differences in the scope of methods used to assess interdisciplinary learning, frameworks of interdisciplinary learning are imperative for developing attainable outcomes as well as interpreting assessment data. Existing models of interdisciplinary learning have been either conceptual or based on research faculty members' experiences rather than empirical data. The study addressed the gap by exploring the different ways that undergraduate engineering students experience interdisciplinary learning. A phenomenographic methodological framework was used to guide the design, data collection, and data analysis of the study. Twenty-two undergraduate engineering students with various interdisciplinary learning experiences were interviewed using semi-structured protocols. They concretely described their experiences and reflected meaning associated with those experiences. Analysis of the data revealed eight qualitatively different ways that students experience interdisciplinary learning, which include: interdisciplinary learning as (A) no awareness of differences, (B) control and assertion, (C) coping with differences, (D) navigating creative differences, (E) learning from differences, (F) bridging differences, (G) expanding intellectual boundaries, and (H) commitment to holistic perspectives. Categories D through H represent a hierarchical structure of increasingly comprehensive way of experiencing interdisciplinary learning. Further analysis uncovered two themes that varied throughout the categories: (i) engagement with differences and (ii) purpose and integration. Students whose experiences lie outside of the hierarchical structure need to engage difference in a positive manner and also have a purpose in engaging differences in order to experience interdisciplinary learning in a more comprehensive way. The results offer insights into the design of curriculum and classroom interdisciplinary experiences in engineering education.

Campus Climate and the Underrepresented Minority Engineering Student Experience: A Critical Race Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayes, Terrance

In the current technological era, the number of minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a crucial factor in predetermining the economic growth of the United States. Since the minority population is growing at much faster rates than the non-minority population, the lack of proportionate production of minority engineers poses a threat to the United States' ability to remain a global competitor in technological innovation. Sixty-three per cent (63%) of undergraduate students who enter engineering majors continue on to graduate in that major. The graduation rate, however, for African-American, Hispanic, and Native-American students in engineering is significantly lower at 39%. As this group represents only a small fraction of the annual student enrollment, engineering programs are graduating these minority groups at rates that are greatly disproportionate to United States demographics. Therefore, researchers are thoroughly investigating certain initiatives that promote academic success among underrepresented minority students in engineering. Colleges and universities have attempted to address the growing achievement gap between underrepresented minority and non-minority engineering students, predominately through various deficit-based interventions, focusing on the student's flaws and problems. As the pipeline for minorities in engineering continues to narrow, it begs the question of whether institutions are focusing on the right solutions to the problem. Critical Race Theory scholars argue that colleges and universities must address institutional climate issues around students, such as racism, microaggressions, and marginalization, before members of oppressed groups can truly succeed. This dissertation explored the unique experiences of underrepresented minority engineering students in a predominately White and Asian campus.

Science and engineering students' classroom experiences: An analysis by gender and discipline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, Martha Cohen

Based on a concern about the persistence of women in science-related disciplines, this study sought to determine whether science and engineering students' classroom experiences and the importance students attributed to their experiences differed by gender and discipline. Using Chickering & Gamson's (1987) "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education" as a framework, students' classroom experiences were separated into eight broad categories: Student Preparation, Feedback to Students, Instructor's Expectations of Students, Active Learning, Student Interaction, Instructor's Response to Differences Among Students, Student-Faculty Contact, and Learning Experiences. A survey instrument that included questions related to the eight broad classroom experience dimensions was used to collect data on students' classroom experiences and values in 22 undergraduate biology, chemistry, and mechanical engineering classrooms in a total of three institutions. Most of the classes were sophomore/junior level, and the number of students in each of the classes varied. 896 surveys met the study criteria and were included in the analyses. A total of 23 indices were created using the data collected in the study. Although there were no significant differences in how men and women perceived instructors' classroom behaviors, there were differences in the extent to which men and women reported that they valued particular classroom experiences. For each of these differences (importance of preparation, importance of requirements, importance of cooperative environment, importance of diversity flexibility, and importance of familiarity and respect), women valued the experience more highly than did men. There were also differences in classroom experiences and in the extent to which students valued their experiences across the three disciplines, with more disciplinary differences in students' classroom experiences than in the value they attached to their experiences. While some of the variables included in the study, such as size of class, encouragement from teachers, and expected grade, accounted for a portion of the reported differences in students' experiences and the importance they attached to their experiences, gender and discipline did not add much to the overall understanding of differences in experiences and values.

Pedagogical Evaluation of Remote Laboratories in eMerge Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Daniela; Mengelkamp, Christoph; Jaeger, Reinhold S.; Geoffroy, Didier; Billaud, Michel; Zimmer, Thomas

2007-01-01

This study investigates opportunities for conducting electrical engineering experiments via the Internet rather than in an actual laboratory. Eighty-four French students of electrical engineering (semester 1, 2004) at Bordeaux University 1 participated in practical courses. Half of the students performed experiments in a laboratory while the other…

Women's Experiences in the Engineering Laboratory in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hosaka, Masako

2014-01-01

This qualitative study aims to examine Japanese women undergraduate engineering students' experiences of interacting with departmental peers of the same year in the laboratory setting by using interview data of 32 final-year students at two modestly selective national universities in Japan. Expectation state theory that explains unequal…

Industrial Work Placement in Higher Education: A Study of Civil Engineering Student Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennant, Stuart; Murray, Mike; Gilmour, Bob; Brown, Linda

2018-01-01

For civil engineering undergraduates, short-term industrial work placement provides an invaluable learning experience. Notwithstanding the near-universal endorsement of short-term placement programmes, the resulting experience is rarely articulated through the student voice. This article provides an analysis of 174 questionnaires returned by…

The Fessenden Honors in Engineering Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giazzoni, Michael

2018-01-01

Developing honors opportunities for students in engineering programs can be difficult, and the experience at the University of Pittsburgh is no exception. Often these students' degree requirements are so demanding that their opportunities for participating in honors experiences are severely limited. In each of the two semesters of their freshman…

Float Your Boat: Making Instant Design Challenges Meaningful and Relevant

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oehrli, Robbie

2016-01-01

Engineering design is a core component of technology and engineering education, and although not every student will become an engineer following high school, all students can profit from having engineering design experiences in high school (Apedoe, Reynolds, Ellefson, & Schunn, 2008; Denson & Lammi, 2014; Grubbs & Strimel, 2015;…

Developing Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills of Engineering Students: A Comparison of Web- and Pen-and-Paper-Based Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valentine, Andrew; Belski, Iouri; Hamilton, Margaret

2017-01-01

Problem-solving is a key engineering skill, yet is an area in which engineering graduates underperform. This paper investigates the potential of using web-based tools to teach students problem-solving techniques without the need to make use of class time. An idea generation experiment involving 90 students was designed. Students were surveyed…

Student-inspired activities for the teaching and learning of engineering ethics.

PubMed

Alpay, E

2013-12-01

Ethics teaching in engineering can be problematic because of student perceptions of its subjective, ambiguous and philosophical content. The use of discipline-specific case studies has helped to address such perceptions, as has practical decision making and problem solving approaches based on some ethical frameworks. However, a need exists for a wider range of creative methods in ethics education to help complement the variety of activities and learning experiences within the engineering curriculum. In this work, a novel approach is presented in which first-year undergraduate students are responsible for proposing ethics education activities of relevance to their peers and discipline area. The students are prepared for the task through a short introduction on engineering ethics, whereby generic frameworks for moral and professional conduct are discussed, and discipline and student-relevance contexts provided. The approach has been used in four departments of engineering at Imperial College London, and has led to the generation of many creative ideas for wider student engagement in ethics awareness, reflection and understanding. The paper presents information on the premise of the introductory sessions for supporting the design task, and an evaluation of the student experience of the course and task work. Examples of proposals are given to demonstrate the value of such an approach to teachers, and ultimately to the learning experiences of the students themselves.

The University of Connecticut Biomedical Engineering Mentoring Program for high school students.

PubMed

Enderle, John D; Liebler, Christopher M; Haapala, Stephenic A; Hart, James L; Thonakkaraparayil, Naomi T; Romonosky, Laura L; Rodriguez, Francisco; Trumbower, Randy D

2004-01-01

For the past four years, the Biomedical Engineering Program at the University of Connecticut has offered a summer mentoring program for high school students interested in biomedical engineering. To offer this program, we have partnered with the UConn Mentor Connection Program, the School of Engineering 2000 Program and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Summer Laboratory Apprentice Program. We typically have approximately 20-25 high school students learning about biomedical engineering each summer. The mentoring aspect of the program exists at many different levels, with the graduate students mentoring the undergraduate students, and these students mentoring the high school students. The program starts with a three-hour lecture on biomedical engineering to properly orient the students. An in-depth paper on an area in biomedical engineering is a required component, as well as a PowerPoint presentation on their research. All of the students build a device to record an EKG on a computer using LabView, including signal processing to remove noise. The students learn some rudimentary concepts on electrocardiography and the physiology and anatomy of the heart. The students also learn basic electronics and breadboarding circuits, PSpice, the building of a printed circuit board, PIC microcontroller, the operation of Multimeters (including the oscilloscope), soldering, assembly of the EKG device and writing LabView code to run their device on a PC. The students keep their EKG device, LabView program and a fully illustrated booklet on EKG to bring home with them, and hopefully bring back to their high school to share their experiences with other students and teachers. The students also work on several other projects during this summer experience as well as visit Hartford Hospital to learn about Clinical Engineering.

Multiple case study analysis of young women's experiences in high school engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollock, Meagan C.

At a time when engineers are in critical demand, women continue to be significantly underrepresented in engineering fields (11.7%) and degree programs (21.3%) in the United States. As a result, there is a national demand for improved K-12 STEM education and targeted efforts to improve equity and access to engineering and science careers for every underrepresented group. High school engineering has become a nascent and growing market for developers and an emergent opportunity for students across the United States to learn introductory engineering skills through strategic career pathways; however there is a disparity in participation at this level as well. Much useful research has been used to examine the problematization of underrepresentation (K Beddoes, 2011), but there is a dearth of literature that helps us to understand the experiences of young women in high school engineering. By examining the experiences of young women in high school engineering, we can learn ways to improve the curriculum, pedagogy, and environment for underrepresented groups such as females to ensure they have equitable access to these programs and are subsequently motivated to persist in engineering. Understanding the needs of marginalized groups is complex, and intersectional feminism seeks to understand gender in relation to other identities such as race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, and nationality. This theory asserts that gender alone is neither a total identity nor a universal experience, and it is thus advantageous to consider each of the intersecting layers of identity so as to not privilege a dominate group as representative of all women. Thus, to understand how female students engage with and experience engineering in grade school, it is useful to examine through the lens of gender, class, race, and sexuality, because this intersection frames much of the human experience. The purpose of this study is to examine high school females' experiences in engineering, with a goal to richly describe the diversity of experiences. A multiple case study analysis, this study answers the question: How do gender, class, race, and other components of intersectionality, influence high school females' experiences in engineering? Nine young women taking a high school engineering course in a suburban high school in Central Texas during the school year 2011-2012 volunteered to participate. The students were observed in their engineering classes for half of the spring 2012 semester, with bi-weekly interviews with the students, monthly interviews with the teacher, and a single interview with a parent of each volunteer. The nine rich case studies provide us with new stories that help prevent us from narrowing the experiences of women to a single incomplete stereotype, because these young women vary across race, socioeconomic backgrounds, and sexual orientation. Although each story is unique, there are commonalities among their experiences, including family, influence, classroom environment, biases, and beliefs. By drawing from their collective experiences in high school engineering, the findings direct us toward recommendations for educators, parents, engineering curriculum developers, designers of teacher professional development, and future research to improve equity and access for every student in engineering.

Freshman year computer engineering students' experiences for flipped physics lab class: An action research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akı, Fatma Nur; Gürel, Zeynep

2017-02-01

The purpose of this research is to determine the university students' learning experiences about flipped-physics laboratory class. The research has been completed during the fall semester of 2015 at Computer Engineering Department of Istanbul Commerce University. In this research, also known as a teacher qualitative research design, action research method is preferred to use. The participants are ten people, including seven freshman and three junior year students of Computer Engineering Department. The research data was collected at the end of the semester with the focus group interview which includes structured and open-ended questions. And data was evaluated with categorical content analysis. According to the results, students have some similar and different learning experiences to flipped education method for physics laboratory class.

Research Experience for Undergraduate Students and Its Impact on STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhan, Wei

2014-01-01

Research experience has been proven to be effective in enhancing the overall educational experience for undergraduate students. In this article, two engineering research projects with undergraduate students involvement are discussed. The projects provided the undergraduate student researchers with motivation for independent research work and…

Women Students in Engineering in Mexico: Exploring Responses to Gender Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García Villa, Carmen; González y González, Elsa M.

2014-01-01

The percentage of women students in engineering in Mexico is still low compared to the percentage of women enrolled in higher education institutions in the country, which has achieved parity with male enrollment. It is thus important to understand how gender can shape the experiences of female college students in engineering programs, which was…

The Robert E. Hopkins Center for Optical Design and Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavislan, James M.; Brown, Thomas G.

2008-08-01

In 1929, a grant from Eastman Kodak and Bausch and Lomb established The Institute of Optics as the nation's first academic institution devoted to training optical scientists and engineers. The mission was 'to study light in all its phases', and the curriculum was designed to educate students in the fundamentals of optical science and build essential skills in applied optics and optical engineering. Indeed, our historic strength has been a balance between optical science and engineering--we have alumni who are carrying out prize-winning research in optical physics, alumni who are innovative optical engineers, and still other alumni who are leaders in the business community. Faculty who are top-notch optical engineers are an important resource to optical physics research groups -- likewise, teaching and modeling excellent optical science provides a strong underpinning for students on the applied/engineering end of the spectrum. This model -an undergraduate and graduate program that balances fundamental optics, applied optics, and optical engineering- has served us well. The impressive and diverse range of opportunities for our BS graduates has withstood economic cycles, and the students graduate with a healthy dose of practical experience. Undergraduate advisors, with considerable initiative from the program coordinator, are very aggressive in pointing students toward summer research and engineering opportunities. The vast majority of our undergraduate students graduate with at least one summer of experience in a company or a research laboratory. For example, 95% of the class of 2008 spent the summer of 2007 at companies and/or research laboratories: These include Zygo, NRL, Bausch and Lomb, The University of Rochester(The Institute of Optics, Medical Center, and Laboratory for Laser Energetics), QED, ARL Night Vision laboratories, JPL, Kollsman, OptiMax, Northrup Grumman, and at least two other companies. It is an impressive list, and bodes well for the career preparation for these students. While this extracurricular experience is truly world-class, an integrated design experience defined within our academic program is increasingly necessary for those going on to professional careers in engineering. This paper describes the philosophy behind a revision to our undergraduate curriculum that integrates a design experience and describes the engineering laboratory that has been established to make it a reality. The laboratory and design center has been named in honor of Robert E. Hopkins, former director and professor, co-founder of Tropel corporation, and a lifelong devotee to engineering innovation.

The Characteristics and Experiences of Successful Undergraduate Latina Students Who Persist in Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, Carrie

Females and underrepresented ethnic minorities earn a small percentage of engineering and computer science bachelor's degrees awarded in the United States, earn an even smaller proportion of master's and doctoral degrees, and are underrepresented in the engineering workforce (Engineering Workforce Commission, [2006], as cited in National Science Foundation, 2012; United States Department of Education, [2006], as cited in National Science Foundation, 2009a; United States Department of Education, [2006], as cited in National Science Foundation, 2009b). Considerable research has examined the perceptions, culture, curriculum, and pedagogy in engineering that inhibits the achievement of women and underrepresented ethnic minorities. This action research study used a qualitative approach to examine the characteristics and experiences of Latina students who pursued a bachelor's degree in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU) as part of the 2008 first-time full-time freshman cohort. The researcher conducted two semi-structured individual interviews with seven undergraduate Latina students who successfully persisted to their fourth (senior) year in engineering. The researcher aimed to understand what characteristics made these students successful and how their experiences affected their persistence in an engineering major. The data collected showed that the Latina participants were motivated to persist in their engineering degree program due to their parents' expectations for success and high academic achievement; their desire to overcome the discrimination, stereotyping, and naysayers that they encountered; and their aspiration to become a role model for their family and other students interested in pursuing engineering. From the data collected, the researcher provided suggestions to implement and adapt educational activities and support systems within the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering to improve the retention and graduation rates of Latinas in engineering at ASU.

Enhancing Student International Awareness and Global Competency through Compact International Experience Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobitz, Frank; Schubert, Thomas

2013-11-01

Short-term, study-abroad, elective engineering courses were developed in order to raise the international awareness and global competency of engineering students. These Compact International Experience (CIE) courses were taught in response to a strong student desire for engineering study abroad courses and an effort by the home institution to internationalize its curriculum. An assessment of repeat offerings of two three-semester-unit courses on Topics in Fluid Mechanics and Advanced Electronic Circuit Design in a three-week time frame in France and Australia was performed. The goals of the two CIE courses are an effective teaching of their respective technical content as well as a student understanding of the cultural environment and the impact of engineering solutions from a global and societal viewpoint. In the repeat offerings, increased interaction with local industry was an additional goal. The CIE courses were assessed through surveys completed at the beginning and end of the courses, weekly student reflection papers, course evaluations, and formalized instructor observations. Based on the assessment performed, the two CIE courses have been found to be a valuable approach in the delivery of engineering technical electives combined with an international experience.

A Case Study of Engineering Ethics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Kazuo

In Engineering Ethics Class at Shizuoka University, the Code of Ethics and Cases for Electrical Engineers by IEEJ Ethics committee is used to promote for high education effect to correspond large number of students (140students). In this paper, a case study in the class, and survey results for ethics value of students are presented. In addition, some comments for role playing act on the case of virtual experiences by students are described.

Considering Student Voices: Examining the Experiences of Underrepresented Students in Intervention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibau, Gina Sanchez

2015-01-01

Qualitative studies that examine the experiences of underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields are comparatively few. This study explores the self-reported experiences of underrepresented graduate students in the biomedical sciences of a large, midwestern, urban university. Document analysis of…

Engineering Education at a New Public University in Brazil: First Students' Contact with Engineering Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romero, Jesus Franklin A.; Leite, Patricia; Mantovani, Gerson L.; Lanfredi, Alexandre J. C.; Martins-Filho, Luiz S.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the experience of an introductory discipline to the engineering curricula at the Brazilian Federal University of ABC (UFABC). The university offers a common basic curriculum that must be accomplished by every student and can be followed by professionalising courses. The discipline "Introduction to Engineering"…

Preparing University Students to Lead K-12 Engineering Outreach Programmes: A Design Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anthony, Anika B.; Greene, Howard; Post, Paul E.; Parkhurst, Andrew; Zhan, Xi

2016-01-01

This paper describes an engineering outreach programme designed to increase the interest of under-represented youth in engineering and to disseminate pre-engineering design challenge materials to K-12 educators and volunteers. Given university students' critical role as facilitators of the outreach programme, researchers conducted a two-year…

Teaching Bioprocess Engineering to Undergraduates: Multidisciplinary Hands-On Training in a One-Week Practical Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henkel, Marius; Zwick, Michaela; Beuker, Janina; Willenbacher, Judit; Baumann, Sandra; Oswald, Florian; Neumann, Anke; Siemann-Herzberg, Martin; Syldatk, Christoph; Hausmann, Rudolf

2015-01-01

Bioprocess engineering is a highly interdisciplinary field of study which is strongly benefited by practical courses where students can actively experience the interconnection between biology, engineering, and physical sciences. This work describes a lab course developed for 2nd year undergraduate students of bioprocess engineering and related…

Synthesis of Hollow Gold-Silver Alloyed Nanoparticles: A "Galvanic Replacement" Experiment for Chemistry and Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Samir V.; Gohman, Taylor D.; Miller, Emily K.; Chen, Jingyi

2015-01-01

The rapid academic and industrial development of nanotechnology has led to its implementation in laboratory teaching for undergraduate-level chemistry and engineering students. This laboratory experiment introduces the galvanic replacement reaction for synthesis of hollow metal nanoparticles and investigates the optical properties of these…

Using Learning Analytics to Characterize Student Experimentation Strategies in Engineering Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vieira, Camilo; Goldstein, Molly Hathaway; Purzer, Senay; Magana, Alejandra J.

2016-01-01

Engineering design is a complex process both for students to participate in and for instructors to assess. Informed designers use the key strategy of conducting experiments as they test ideas to inform next steps. Conversely, beginning designers experiment less, often with confounding variables. These behaviours are not easy to assess in…

Learning to Become Graduate Students: Japanese Women's Experience in the Research Unit in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hosaka, Masako

2010-01-01

Based on the analysis of 16 interviews with women first-year master's students at two national engineering schools in Japan, this article examines the socialisation role of compulsory undergraduate research experience in Japanese women's decisions to pursue graduate education and choices of the programme. The findings suggest that research…

Improving Aerospace Engineering Students' Achievements by an Open Aero Control Experiment Apparatus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeng, QingHua; Zhang, WeiHua; Huang, ZheZhi; Dong, RongHua

2014-01-01

This paper describes the development of an aero control experiment apparatus (ACEA) for use in aerospace control practical courses. The ACEA incorporates a systematic multihierarchy learning and teaching method, and was designed to improve aerospace engineering students' understanding of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control systems. It offers a…

Initiatives to Foster Engineering Student Motivation: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyes, Encarnación; Enfedaque, Alejandro; Gálvez, Jaime C.

2017-01-01

There is little doubt that student motivation is essential in providing a beneficial learning experience. One way to produce such motivation is to stimulate it through suitable assessment methods. This paper shares the experience acquired by the authors, who are university lecturers in Civil Engineering at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid,…

Teach CAD and Measuring Skills through Reverse Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Board, Keith

2012-01-01

This article describes a reverse engineering activity that gives students hands-on, minds-on experience with measuring tools, machine parts, and CAD. The author developed this activity to give students an abundance of practical experience with measuring tools. Equally important, it provides a good interface between the virtual world of CAD 3D…

Improving motivation and engagement in core engineering courses with student teams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trenshaw, Kathryn Faye

Team-based projects are common in capstone engineering design courses and increasingly common in first-year engineering programs. Despite high enrollments and budget cutbacks affecting many programs, second- and third-year students can also benefit from team-based project experiences, which motivate them to succeed in engineering and prepare them for a globally competitive workforce. My dissertation research demonstrates that team design projects can be incorporated into the curricula of engineering departments, and these projects result in positive affective outcomes for students. Using ABET outcomes and Self Determination Theory (SDT) as the background for my studies, I investigated students' confidence, motivation, and sense of community after experiencing team design projects in two different engineering departments at a large public institution. In the first study, I used a sequential mixed methods approach with a primary quantitative phase followed by an explanatory qualitative phase to evaluate a chemical engineering program that integrated team design projects throughout the curriculum. The evaluation methods included a survey based on desired ABET outcomes for students and focus groups to expand on the quantitative results. Students reported increased confidence in their design, teamwork, and communication skills after completing the projects. In my second and third studies, I used qualitative interviews based on SDT to explore student motivation in an electrical and computer engineering course redesigned to support students' intrinsic motivation to learn. SDT states that intrinsic motivation to learn is supported by increasing students' sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in regard to their learning. Using both narrative inquiry and phenomenological methodologies, I analyzed data from interviews of students for mentions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness as well as course events that were critical in changing students' motivation. Analysis revealed that individual choice, constructive failures, and a strong sense of community in the classroom were critical to moving students toward intrinsic motivation. Further, community building through team experiences characterized the essence of the student experience in the course. My research highlights a need for better quantitative measures of students' affective outcomes, specifically motivation, in the context of a single course. Based on the results of my studies, SDT should be reevaluated in terms of possible interdependencies between autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and how the social context of large engineering courses may create a deeper need for supporting relatedness.

Using Self-Determination Theory to build communities of support to aid in the retention of women in engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dell, Elizabeth M.; Verhoeven, Yen; Christman, Jeanne W.; Garrick, Robert D.

2018-05-01

Diverse perspectives are required to address the technological problems facing our world. Although women perform as well as their male counterparts in math and science prior to entering college, the numbers of women students entering and completing engineering programmes are far below their representation in the workforce. This paper reports on a qualitative, multiyear study of the experiences of women students in an Engineering Technology programme. The project addressed some of the unique, fundamental challenges that female students face within their programmes, and the authors describe a programmatic framework based on Self-Determination Theory as an intervention for the recruitment and retention of female engineering students. Data from focus groups and interviews show how students were supported in their undergraduate experiences and how inclusive learning environments are needed to further improve outcomes. Conceptual issues and methodological considerations of our outcomes are presented.

Socialization Experiences Resulting from Engineering Teaching Assistantships at Purdue University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mena, Irene B.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the types of socialization experiences that result from engineering teaching assistantships. Using situated learning as the theoretical framework and phenomenology as the methodological framework, this study highlights the experiences of 28 engineering doctoral students who worked as…

The Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment: A successful student-run scientific spacecraft mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiller, Q.; Li, X.; Palo, S. E.; Blum, L. W.; Gerhardt, D.

2015-12-01

The Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment is a spacecraft mission developed and operated by students at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The 3U CubeSat was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in September 2012. The massively successful mission far outlived its 4 month estimated lifetime and stopped transmitting data after over two years in orbit in December 2014. CSSWE has contributed to 15 scientific or engineering peer-reviewed journal publications. During the course of the project, over 65 undergraduate and graduate students from CU's Computer Science, Aerospace, and Mechanical Engineering Departments, as well as the Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences Department participated. The students were responsible for the design, development, build, integration, testing, and operations from component- to system-level. The variety of backgrounds on this unique project gave the students valuable experience in their own focus area, but also cross-discipline and system-level involvement. However, though the perseverance of the students brought the mission to fruition, it was only possible through the mentoring and support of professionals in the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department and CU's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics.

The Influence of Toy Design Activities on Middle School Students' Understanding of the Engineering Design Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ninger; Pereira, Nielsen L.; George, Tarun Thomas; Alperovich, Jeffrey; Booth, Joran; Chandrasegaran, Senthil; Tew, Jeffrey David; Kulkarni, Devadatta M.; Ramani, Karthik

2017-10-01

The societal demand for inspiring and engaging science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students and preparing our workforce for the emerging creative economy has necessitated developing students' self-efficacy and understanding of engineering design processes from as early as elementary school levels. Hands-on engineering design activities have shown the potential to promote middle school students' self-efficacy and understanding of engineering design processes. However, traditional classrooms often lack hands-on engineering design experiences, leaving students unprepared to solve real-world design problems. In this study, we introduce the framework of a toy design workshop and investigate the influence of the workshop activities on students' understanding of and self-efficacy beliefs in engineering design. Using a mixed method approach, we conducted quantitative analyses to show changes in students' engineering design self-efficacy and qualitative analyses to identify students' understanding of the engineering design processes. Findings show that among the 24 participants, there is a significant increase in students' self-efficacy beliefs after attending the workshop. We also identified major themes such as design goals and prototyping in students' understanding of engineering design processes. This research provides insights into the key elements of middle school students' engineering design learning and the benefits of engaging middle school students in hands-on toy design workshops.

GT-SUPREEM: the Georgia Tech summer undergraduate packaging research and engineering experience for minorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

May, Gary S.

1996-07-01

The Georgia Tech SUmmer Undergraduate Packaging Research and Engineering Experience for Minorities (GT-SUPREEM) is an eight-week summer program designed to attract qualified minority students to pursue graduate degrees in packaging- related disciplines. The program is conducted under the auspices of the Georgia Tech Engineering Research Center in Low-Cost Electronic Packaging, which is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. In this program, nine junior and senior level undergraduate students are selected on a nationwide basis and paired with a faculty advisor to undertake research projects in the Packaging Research CEnter. The students are housed on campus and provided with a $DLR3,000 stipend and a travel allowance. At the conclusion of the program, the students present both oral and written project summaries. It is anticipated that this experience will motivate these students to become applicants for graduate study in ensuring years. This paper will provide an overview of the GT-SUPREEM program, including student research activities, success stories, lessons learned, and overall program outlook.

Virtual parameter-estimation experiments in Bioprocess-Engineering education.

PubMed

Sessink, Olivier D T; Beeftink, Hendrik H; Hartog, Rob J M; Tramper, Johannes

2006-05-01

Cell growth kinetics and reactor concepts constitute essential knowledge for Bioprocess-Engineering students. Traditional learning of these concepts is supported by lectures, tutorials, and practicals: ICT offers opportunities for improvement. A virtual-experiment environment was developed that supports both model-related and experimenting-related learning objectives. Students have to design experiments to estimate model parameters: they choose initial conditions and 'measure' output variables. The results contain experimental error, which is an important constraint for experimental design. Students learn from these results and use the new knowledge to re-design their experiment. Within a couple of hours, students design and run many experiments that would take weeks in reality. Usage was evaluated in two courses with questionnaires and in the final exam. The faculties involved in the two courses are convinced that the experiment environment supports essential learning objectives well.

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.

Integrating Research and Extension for the Nsf-Reu Program in Water Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Judge, J.; Migliaccio, K.; Gao, B.; Shukla, S.; Ehsani, R.; McLamore, E.

2011-12-01

Providing positive and meaningful research experiences to students in their undergraduate years is critical for motivating them to pursue advanced degrees or research careers in science and engineering. Such experiences not only offer training for the students in problem solving and critical thinking via hands-on projects, but also offer excellent mentoring and recruiting opportunities for the faculty advisors. The goal of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program in the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department (ABE) at the University of Florida (UF) is to provide eight undergraduate students a unique opportunity to conduct research in water resources using interdisciplinary approaches, integrating research and extension. The students are selected from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. The eight-week REU Program utilizes the extensive infrastructure of UF - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) through the Research and Education Centers (RECs). Two students are paired to participate in their own project under the direct supervision of one of the four research mentors. Four of the eight students are located at the main campus, in Gainesville, Fl, and four remaining students are located off-campus, at the RECs, where some of the ABE faculty are located. The students achieve an enriching cohort experience through social networking, daily blogs, and weekly video conferences to share their research and other REU experiences. The students are co-located during the Orientation week and also during the 5-day Florida Waters Tour. Weekly group meetings and guest lectures are conducted via synchronously through video conferencing. The integration of research and extension is naturally achieved through the projects at the RECs, the guest lectures, Extension workshops, and visits to the Water Management Districts in Florida. In the last two years of the Program, we have received over 80 applicants, from four-year and advanced degree offering institutions and a variety of majors such as Geology, Meteorology, Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Civil Engineering, Water Resources, Agricultural Engineering, Physics, Geography, Chemical Engineering, to name a few. This model of providing integrated research and extension opportunities in hydrology where not all the REU participants are physically co-located, is unique and can be extended to other disciplines.

The impact of a living learning community on first-year engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flynn, Margaret A.; Everett, Jess W.; Whittinghill, Dex

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of an engineering living and learning community (ELC) on first-year engineering students. A control group of non-ELC students was used to compare the experiences of the ELC participants. Analysis of survey data showed that there was significant differences between the ELC students and the non-ELC students in how they responded to questions regarding social support, academic support, connectedness to campus, and satisfaction with the College of Engineering and the institution as a whole. Particularly, there were significant differences between ELC and non-ELC students for questions related to feeling like part of an engineering community, having strong relationships with peers, belonging to a supportive peer network, studying with engineering peers, and spending time with classmates outside of class.

Teaching biomedical applications to secondary students.

PubMed

Openshaw, S; Fleisher, A; Ljunggren, C

1999-01-01

Certain aspects of biomedical engineering applications lend themselves well to experimentation that can be done by high school students. This paper describes two experiments done during a six-week summer internship program in which two high school students used electrodes, circuit boards, and computers to mimic a sophisticated heart monitor and also to control a robotic car. Our experience suggests that simple illustrations of complex instrumentation can be effective in introducing adolescents to the biomedical engineering field.

A Multidimensional Approach to Examine Student Interdisciplinary Learning in Science and Engineering in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spelt, Elisabeth Jacoba Hendrika; Luning, Pieternelleke Arianne; van Boekel, Martinus A. J. S.; Mulder, Martin

2017-01-01

Preparing science and engineering students to work in interdisciplinary teams necessitates research on teaching and learning of interdisciplinary thinking. A multidimensional approach was taken to examine student interdisciplinary learning in a master course on food quality management. The collected 615 student experiences were analysed for the…

Resources in Technology and Engineering: A Journey to Increase Student Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akers, Ruth

2017-01-01

Increasing student achievement is a fundamental concern for many school districts and teachers. Providing students with engaging, blended STEM educational experiences may help them understand how scientists and engineers solve problems. The purpose of this article is to share teaching strategies and student activities that will not only increase…

A Rasch Analysis on Total Learning Experience of UKM Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aziz, Azrilah Abdul; Khatimin, Nuraini; Mastor, Khairul Anwar; Zaharim, Azami; Yasin, Siti Hanani Mat

2013-01-01

Learning experience has always been influenced by not only the academic materials presented to students, but also others factors within the surroundings of the students. Assessment is conducted to monitor the students' total learning experience (TLE) throughout their academic tenure-ship at the higher learning institution. UKM has taken the…

Beyond Blackboards: Engaging Underserved Middle School Students in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanchard, Sarah; Judy, Justina; Muller, Chandra; Crawford, Richard H.; Petrosino, Anthony J.; Christina K. White,; Lin, Fu-An; Wood, Kristin L.

2015-01-01

"Beyond Blackboards" is an inquiry-centered, after-school program designed to enhance middle school students' engagement with engineering through design-based experiences focused on the 21st Century Engineering Challenges. Set within a predominantly lowincome, majority-minority community, our study aims to investigate the impact of…

The Relationship between Barrier Courses and Persistence in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suresh, Radhika

2007-01-01

Attrition in engineering programs continues to be an important issue for universities across the country. This study examined the connection between student performance in barrier courses and persistence in engineering. Quantitative results showed that high school academic experience, student behaviors (including study habits, work habits, coping…

Factors that Influence First-Career Choice of Undergraduate Engineers in Software Services Companies: A South Indian Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gokuladas, V. K.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify how undergraduate engineering students differ in their perception about software services companies in India based on variables like gender, locations of the college and branches of engineering. Design/methodology/approach: Data obtained from 560 undergraduate engineering students who had the…

Closing the Competency Gap in Manufacturing Processes as It Applies to New Engineering Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ssemakula, Mukasa; Liao, Gene; Ellis, Darin

2010-01-01

Industry has consistently identified lack of experience in manufacturing processes as one of the key competency gaps among new engineering graduates. This paper discusses a laboratory-based course that provides realistic hands-on manufacturing experiences to students. The course uses team-based projects that help students gain hands-on experience…

Relating Engineering Technology Students' Experiences in Electromagnetics with Performance in Communications Coursework: A Mixed-Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Grant P.

2009-01-01

This study presents the results of a multi-year mixed-methods study of students' performance (n = 94) and experiences (n = 28) with electromagnetics in an elective Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology RF communications course. Data sources used in this study include academic transcripts, course exams, interviews, a learning styles…

Interdisciplinary Team-Teaching Experience for a Computer and Nuclear Energy Course for Electrical and Computer Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Charles; Jackson, Deborah; Keiller, Peter

2016-01-01

A new, interdisciplinary, team-taught course has been designed to educate students in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) so that they can respond to global and urgent issues concerning computer control systems in nuclear power plants. This paper discusses our experience and assessment of the interdisciplinary computer and nuclear energy…

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.

Impact of distributed virtual reality on engineering knowledge retention and student engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulbaran, Tulio Alberto

Engineering Education is facing many problems, one of which is poor knowledge retention among engineering students. This problem affects the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (A/E/C) industry, because students are unprepared for many necessary job skills. This problem of poor knowledge retention is caused by many factors, one of which is the mismatch between student learning preferences and the media used to teach engineering. The purpose of this research is to assess the impact of Distributed Virtual Reality (DVR) as an engineering teaching tool. The implementation of DVR addresses the issue of poor knowledge retention by impacting the mismatch between learning and teaching style in the visual versus verbal spectrum. Using as a point of departure three knowledge domain areas (Learning and Instruction, Distributed Virtual Reality and Crane Selection as Part of Crane Lift Planning), a DVR engineering teaching tool is developed, deployed and assessed in engineering classrooms. The statistical analysis of the data indicates that: (1) most engineering students are visual learners; (2) most students would like more classes using DVR; (3) engineering students find DVR more engaging than traditional learning methods; (4) most students find the responsiveness of the DVR environments to be either good or very good; (5) all students are able to interact with DVR and most of the students found it easy or very easy to navigate (without previous formal training in how to use DVR); (6) students' knowledge regarding the subject (crane selection) is higher after the experiment; and, (7) students' using different instructional media do not demonstrate statistical difference in knowledge retained after the experiment. This inter-disciplinary research offers opportunities for direct and immediate application in education, research, and industry, due to the fact that the instructional module developed (on crane selection as part of construction crane lift planning) can be used to convey knowledge to engineers beyond the classrooms. This instructional module can also be used as a workbench to assess parameters on engineering education such as time on task, assessment media, and long-term retention among others.

Engineering education at a new public university in Brazil: first students' contact with engineering methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero, Jesus Franklin A.; Leite, Patrícia; Mantovani, Gerson L.; Lanfredi, Alexandre J. C.; Martins-Filho, Luiz S.

2011-06-01

This paper describes the experience of an introductory discipline to the engineering curricula at the Brazilian Federal University of ABC (UFABC). The university offers a common basic curriculum that must be accomplished by every student and can be followed by professionalising courses. The discipline 'Introduction to Engineering' presents the basis of the engineering career, methods and thinking together with professional commitments and regulations. The objective is to help students to consciously choose their careers, minimising the precocity problem in deciding a professional future. The discipline methodology includes activities proposed by the TryEngineering website and from Brazilian engineering councils. Lectures with invited professors introduce UFABC engineering specialities: Aerospace, Bioengineering, Energy, Environmental & Urban, Information, Instrumentation & Automation & Robotics, Management, Materials. This paper reports the proposed activities, results obtained by the students, a methodology critical analysis and the impacts on the following steps of students embracing an engineering career.

University of Colorado CubeSat Student Projects as Successful Model for Teaching Students about Engineering Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palo, S. E.; Li, X.; Woods, T. N.; Kohnert, R.

2014-12-01

There is a long history of cooperation between students at the University of Colorado, Boulder and professional engineers and scientists at LASP, which has led to many successful space missions with direct student involvement. The recent student-led missions include the Student Nitric Oxide Explorer (SNOE, 1998 - 2002), the Student Dust Counter (SDC) on New Horizons (2006 - present), the Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment (CSSWE), being a very successful NSF CubeSat that launched in September 2012, and the NASA Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSat (launch will be in early 2015). Students are involved in all aspects of the design, and they experience the full scope of the mission process from concept, to fabrication and test, and mission operations. A significant part of the student involvement in the CubeSat projects is gained by using the CubeSat development as a focal point for an existing two-semester course sequence in CU's Aerospace Engineering Sciences (AES) Department: the Space Hardware Design section of Graduate Projects I & II (ASEN 5018 & ASEN 6028). The goal of these courses is to teach graduate students how to design and build systems using a requirement-based approach and fundamental systems engineering practices. The two-semester sequence takes teams of about 15 students from requirements definition and preliminary design through manufacturing, integration, and testing. In addition to the design process, students learn key professional skills such as working effectively in groups, finding solutions to open-ended problems, and actually building a system to their own set of specifications. The partnership between AES and LASP allows us to include engineering professionals in the mix, thus more effectively training science and engineering students for future roles in the civilian or commercial space industry. The mentoring process with LASP engineers helps to mitigate risk of the inexperience of the students and ensures consistent system engineer oversight for the multi-year CubeSat programs.

Building International Experiences into an Engineering Curriculum--A Design Project-Based Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maldonado, Victor; Castillo, Luciano; Carbajal, Gerardo; Hajela, Prabhat

2014-01-01

This paper is a descriptive account of how short-term international and multicultural experiences can be integrated into early design experiences in an aerospace engineering curriculum. Such approaches are considered as important not only in fostering a student's interest in the engineering curriculum, but also exposing them to a multicultural…

Attitudes and Aspirations Regarding Engineering among Chinese Secondary School Students: Comparisons between Industrialising and Post-Industrial Geo-Engineering Regions of Mainland China and Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutnick, Peter; Zhu, Zhiyong; Chan, Cecilia; Chan, Rosanna Yuen-Yan; Lee, Betty Pok-Yee; Lai, Veronica Ka Wai

2018-01-01

School-based pipelines/routes for university and technical engineering education are recognised as important for economic development and the high-school years are critical for shaping students' career aspirations and attitudes. This study examined a range of attitudes/experiences on the aspirations of secondary students to pursue engineering…

Robotics Laboratory to Enhance the STEM Research Experience

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-30

the Chemistry Program has a student working on the design and development of a Stirling Engine , which the student is planning to construct using...scale): Number of graduating undergraduates funded by a DoD funded Center of Excellence grant for Education, Research and Engineering : The number of... engineering or technology fields: Student Metrics This section only applies to graduating undergraduates supported by this agreement in this reporting

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…

The Effect of STEM Learning through the Project of Designing Boat Model toward Student STEM Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tati, T.; Firman, H.; Riandi, R.

2017-09-01

STEM Learning focusses on development of STEM-literate society, the research about implementation of STEM learning to develope students’ STEM literacy is still limited. This study is aimed to examine the effect of implementation STEM learning through the project of designing boat model on students STEM literacy in energy topic. The method of this study was a quasi-experiment with non-randomized pretest-posttest control group design. There were two classes involved, the experiment class used Project Based Learning with STEM approach and control class used Project-Based Learning without STEM approach. A STEM Literacy test instrument was developed to measure students STEM literacy which consists of science literacy, mathematics literacy, and technology-engineering literacy. The analysis showed that there were significant differences on improvement science literacy, mathematics technology-engineering between experiment class and control class with effect size more than 0.8 (large effect). The difference of improvement of STEM literacy between experiment class and control class is caused by the existence of design engineering activity which required students to apply the knowledge from every field of STEM. The challenge that was faced in STEM learning through design engineering activity was how to give the students practice to integrate STEM field in solving the problems. In additional, most of the students gave positive response toward implementation of STEM learning through design boat model project.

Undergraduate Research in Physics as a course for Engineering and Computer Science Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, James; Rueckert, Franz; Sirokman, Greg

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research has become more and more integral to the functioning of higher educational institutions. At many institutions undergraduate research is conducted as capstone projects in the pure sciences, however, science faculty at some schools (including that of the authors) face the challenge of not having science majors. Even at these institutions, a select population of high achieving engineering students will often express a keen interest in conducting pure science research. Since a foray into science research provides the student the full exposure to the scientific method and scientific collaboration, the experience can be quite rewarding and beneficial to the development of the student as a professional. To this end, the authors have been working to find new contexts in which to offer research experiences to non- science majors, including a new undergraduate research class conducted by physics and chemistry faculty. An added benefit is that these courses are inherently interdisciplinary. Students in the engineering and computer science fields step into physics and chemistry labs to solve science problems, often invoking their own relevant expertise. In this paper we start by discussing the common themes and outcomes of the course. We then discuss three particular projects that were conducted with engineering students and focus on how the undergraduate research experience enhanced their already rigorous engineering curriculum.

A multidimensional approach to examine student interdisciplinary learning in science and engineering in higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spelt, Elisabeth Jacoba Hendrika; Luning, Pieternelleke Arianne; van Boekel, Martinus A. J. S.; Mulder, Martin

2017-11-01

Preparing science and engineering students to work in interdisciplinary teams necessitates research on teaching and learning of interdisciplinary thinking. A multidimensional approach was taken to examine student interdisciplinary learning in a master course on food quality management. The collected 615 student experiences were analysed for the cognitive, emotional, and social learning dimensions using the learning theory of Illeris. Of these 615 experiences, the analysis showed that students reported 214, 194, and 207 times on, respectively, the emotional, the cognitive, and the social dimension. Per learning dimension, key learning experiences featuring interdisciplinary learning were identified such as 'frustrations in selecting and matching disciplinary knowledge to complex problems' (emotional), 'understanding how to apply theoretical models or concepts to real-world situations' (cognitive), and 'socially engaging with peers to recognise similarities in perceptions and experiences' (social). Furthermore, the results showed that students appreciated the cognitive dimension relatively more than the emotional and social dimensions.

The Challenge of Induction! Introducing Engineering Students to Higher Education: A Task-Oriented Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edward, Norrie; Middleton, June

2002-01-01

First-year engineering students at Robert Gordon University (Scotland) were presented with a task-oriented induction program. Students were divided into groups and assigned a facilitator, later personal tutor, to whom they could refer. Student reaction to the experience was very favorable. Effect on progression rates is yet to be determined. (AEF)

Implementing Vertical and Horizontal Engineering Students' Integration and Assessment of Consequence Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Zubaidy, Sarim; Abdulaziz, Nidhal; Dashtpour, Reza

2012-01-01

Recent scholarship references indicate that integration of the student body can result in an enhanced learning experience for students and also greater satisfaction. This paper reports the results of a case study whereby mechanical engineering students studying at a newly established branch campus in Dubai of a British university were exposed to…

The Paper Beam: Hands-On Design for Team Work Experience of Freshman in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalkani, Efrossini C.; Boussiakou, Iris K.; Boussiakou, Leda G.

2005-01-01

The present research refers to the assigning of a hands-on group project to freshman engineering students, evaluating their performance, and deriving conclusions on student benefits and educational advances. The research procedure included action plans for the instructor and the students, instructions to the students on performing the work,…

Kuwaiti Engineers' Perspectives of the Engineering Senior Design (Capstone) Course as Related to Their Professional Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AlSagheer, Abdullah

2010-01-01

This study looks into transfer of learning and its application in the actual employment of engineering students after graduation. At Kuwait University, a capstone course is being offered that aims to ensure that students amalgamate all kinds of engineering skills to apply to their work. Within a basic interpretive, qualitative study-design…

Factors Influencing the Self-Efficacy of Black High School Students Enrolled in PLTW Pre-Engineering Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Brandon R.

2011-01-01

With the increasing demand for trained engineers (especially Black engineers) it is imperative that the US invests more money and resources into programs that provide quality engineering experiences and exposures, this study evaluates the effect of various K-12 outreach initiatives and their ability to inspire students enrolled in Project Lead the…

Shape Memory Polymers: A Joint Chemical and Materials Engineering Hands-On Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seif, Mujan; Beck, Matthew

2018-01-01

Hands-on experiences are excellent tools for increasing retention of first year engineering students. They also encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, a critical skill for modern engineers. In this paper, we describe and evaluate a joint Chemical and Materials Engineering hands-on lab that explores cross-linking and glass transition in…

The Burden of Being "Model": Racialized Experiences of Asian STEM College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Ebony O.; Thakore, Bhoomi K.; LaBlance, Sandra S.

2017-01-01

This qualitative study used narrative methodology to investigate what becoming a scientist or engineer entails for Asian and Asian American college students stereotyped as "model minorities." We present the narratives of 23 high-achieving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) college students who self-identified as…

Transporting Radioactive Waste: An Engineering Activity. Grades 5-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HAZWRAP, The Hazardous Waste Remedial Actions Program.

This brochure contains an engineering activity for upper elementary, middle school, and high school students that examines the transportation of radioactive waste. The activity is designed to inform students about the existence of radioactive waste and its transportation to disposal sites. Students experiment with methods to contain the waste and…

Reflections on Graduate Student PBL Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Betty

2008-01-01

The study designed to contribute to existing research on Problem-Based Learning (PBL) chose a focus group comprising 16 MSc. Petroleum Engineering students (six females). Using PBL as the method of instruction, students examined a real-life petroleum engineering problem that highlighted numerous areas of their existing curriculum. They worked in…

Summer Program Introduces High School Students to Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worthy, Ward

1989-01-01

Discusses how, in two three-week sessions, the Terre Haute (Indiana) college offers selected students a hands-on approach to all aspects of engineering from design and lab work to technical writing. Describes a group project requiring students to study and experiment with simple research problems. Lists 20 project ideas. (MVL)

Peer Mentoring among Doctoral Students of Science and Engineering in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Yii-nii; Hsu, Angela Yi-ping

2012-01-01

This study describes the peer mentoring experience from doctoral student mentors' point of view. Twelve science and engineering doctoral students participated in this phenomenology study. The findings suggest doctoral peer mentors served instrumental, psychosocial, buffering, and liaison roles; they passed on their social, professional, and…

Measuring the Silver Composition of Nanocolloids by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy: A Laboratory Experiment for Chemistry and Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brittle, Seth W.; Baker, Joshua D.; Dorney, Kevin M.; Dagher, Jessica M.; Ebrahimian, Tala; Higgins, Steven R.; Pavel Sizemore, Ioana E.

2015-01-01

The increased worldwide exploitation of nanomaterials has reinforced the importance of introducing nanoscale aspects into the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. To meet this need, a novel nano-laboratory module was developed and successfully performed by science and engineering students. The main goal of the experiment was to accurately…

Undergraduate Research Experience for STEM Students: Efforts and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Chuanlei; Swaid, Samar

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research for STEM students involves students who are attending college or universities pursuing a bachelor's degree, majoring in fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Research experience for STEM undergraduates has been viewed as a positive experience that has several benefits such as developing…

Approaching Undergraduate Research with Students Who Are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gehret, Austin U.; Trussell, Jessica W.; Michel, Lea V.

2017-01-01

An undergraduate research experience can provide a unique opportunity for students to learn and grow as scientists; when positive, this experience is often transformative and motivates students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduate degrees or careers. Conversely, negative research experiences can sour a…

Electrophysiology for biomedical engineering students: a practical and theoretical course in animal electrocorticography.

PubMed

Albarracín, Ana L; Farfán, Fernando D; Coletti, Marcos A; Teruya, Pablo Y; Felice, Carmelo J

2016-09-01

The major challenge in laboratory teaching is the application of abstract concepts in simple and direct practical lessons. However, students rarely have the opportunity to participate in a laboratory that combines practical learning with a realistic research experience. In the Biomedical Engineering career, we offer short and optional courses to complement studies for students as they initiate their Graduation Project. The objective of these theoretical and practical courses is to introduce students to the topics of their projects. The present work describes an experience in electrophysiology to teach undergraduate students how to extract cortical information using electrocorticographic techniques. Students actively participate in some parts of the experience and then process and analyze the data obtained with different signal processing tools. In postlaboratory evaluations, students described the course as an exceptional opportunity for students interested in following a postgraduate science program and fully appreciated their contents. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

Student computer attitudes, experience and perceptions about the use of two software applications in Building Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiner, Esther; Garcia-Vera, Victoria E.

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study was to examine students' computer attitudes and experience, as well as students' perceptions about the use of two specific software applications (Google Drive Spreadsheets and Arquimedes) in the Building Engineering context. The relationships among these variables were also examined. Ninety-two students took part in this study. Results suggest that students hold favourable computer attitudes. Moreover, it was found a significant positive relationship among students' attitudes and their computer experience. Findings also show that students find Arquimedes software more useful and with higher output quality than Google Drive Spreadsheets, while the latter is perceived to be easier to use. Regarding the relationship among students' attitudes towards the use of computers and their perceptions about the use of both software applications, only a significant positive relationship in the case of Arquimedes was found. Findings are discussed in terms of its implications for practice and further research.

Teaching the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers the NASA Design Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caruso, Pamela W.; Benfield, Michael P. J.; Justice, Stefanie H.

2011-01-01

The Integrated Product Team (IPT) program, led by The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), is a multidisciplinary, multi-university, multi-level program whose goal is to provide opportunities for high school and undergraduate scientists and engineers to translate stakeholder needs and requirements into viable engineering design solutions via a distributed multidisciplinary team environment. The current program supports three projects. The core of the program is the two-semester senior design experience where science, engineering, and liberal arts undergraduate students from UAH, the College of Charleston, Southern University at Baton Rouge, and Ecole Suprieure des Techniques Aronautiques et de Construction Automobile (ESTACA) in Paris, France form multidisciplinary competitive teams to develop system concepts of interest to the local aerospace community. External review boards form to provide guidance and feedback throughout the semester and to ultimately choose a winner from the competing teams. The other two projects, the Innovative Student Project for the Increased Recruitment of Engineering and Science Students (InSPIRESS) Level I and Level II focus exclusively on high school students. InSPIRESS Level I allows high schools to develop a payload to be accommodated on the system being developed by senior design experience teams. InSPIRESS Level II provides local high school students first-hand experience in the senior design experience by allowing them to develop a subsystem or component of the UAH-led system over the two semesters. This program provides a model for NASA centers to engage the local community to become more involved in design projects.

Teaching Chemical Engineers about Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heath, Daniel E.; Hoy, Mary; Rathman, James F.; Rohdieck, Stephanie

2013-01-01

The Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department at The Ohio State University in collaboration with the University Center for the Advancement of Teaching developed the Chemical Engineering Mentored Teaching Experience. The Mentored Teaching Experience is an elective for Ph.D. students interested in pursuing faculty careers. Participants are…

Educating Next Generation Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineers at the Idaho National Laboratory

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

J. D. Bess; J. B. Briggs; A. S. Garcia

2011-09-01

One of the challenges in educating our next generation of nuclear safety engineers is the limitation of opportunities to receive significant experience or hands-on training prior to graduation. Such training is generally restricted to on-the-job-training before this new engineering workforce can adequately provide assessment of nuclear systems and establish safety guidelines. Participation in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) can provide students and young professionals the opportunity to gain experience and enhance critical engineering skills. The ICSBEP and IRPhEP publish annual handbooks that contain evaluations of experiments along withmore » summarized experimental data and peer-reviewed benchmark specifications to support the validation of neutronics codes, nuclear cross-section data, and the validation of reactor designs. Participation in the benchmark process not only benefits those who use these Handbooks within the international community, but provides the individual with opportunities for professional development, networking with an international community of experts, and valuable experience to be used in future employment. Traditionally students have participated in benchmarking activities via internships at national laboratories, universities, or companies involved with the ICSBEP and IRPhEP programs. Additional programs have been developed to facilitate the nuclear education of students while participating in the benchmark projects. These programs include coordination with the Center for Space Nuclear Research (CSNR) Next Degree Program, the Collaboration with the Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office to train nuclear and criticality safety engineers, and student evaluations as the basis for their Master's thesis in nuclear engineering.« less

Experience of cooperative learning in engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maceiras, Rocio; Cancela, Angeles; Urréjola, Santiago; Sánchez, Angel

2011-03-01

The objective of this work is to share the authors' experience towards a different mode of teaching/learning method. Cooperative learning (Jigsaw) was employed on the University of Vigo's fourth-year engineering students. The results of the experience show that cooperative learning is quite a viable alternative to the classical way of lecturing at the university when the number of students is not too high. The authors' observation indicates that students did not show a lot of interest towards the new learning style but their resistance changed once they began the activity. The Jigsaw method has proved to be a useful tool for improving the learning process so that students have the opportunity to participate actively in the learning activities.

New Laboratory Course for Senior-Level Chemical Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aronson, Mark T.; Deitcher, Robert W.; Xi, Yuanzhou; Davis, Robert J.

2009-01-01

A new laboratory course has been developed at the University of Virginia for senior- level chemical engineering students. The new course is based on three 4-week long experiments in bioprocess engineering, energy conversion and catalysis, and polymer synthesis and characterization. The emphasis is on the integration of process steps and the…

Complete Cycle Experiments Using the Adiabatic Gas Law Apparatus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutzner, Mickey D.; Plantak, Mateja

2014-01-01

The ability of our society to make informed energy-usage decisions in the future depends partly on current science and engineering students retaining a deep understanding of the thermodynamics of heat engines. Teacher imaginations and equipment budgets can both be taxed in the effort to engage students in hands-on heat engine activities. The…

Energizing Engineering Students with Hydrogen Fuel Cell Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannell, Nori; Zavaleta, Dan

2010-01-01

At Desert Vista High School, near Phoenix, Arizona, Perkins Innovation Grant funding is being used to fund a program that is helping to prepare students for careers in engineering by giving them hands-on experience in areas like hydrogen generation and fuel cell utilization. As one enters Dan Zavaleta's automotive and engineering classroom and lab…

"Managing by Not Managing": How Gay Engineering Students Manage Sexual Orientation Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Bryce E.

2017-01-01

From a social constructivist paradigm I explored the experiences of 7 openly gay engineering students to understand how, if at all, they made sense of the intersections between their engineering and sexual orientation identities. By eliciting stories through individual and focus group interviews, a narrative approach allowed me to capture the…

Peer-Assisted Tutoring in a Chemical Engineering Curriculum: Tutee and Tutor Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kieran, Patricia; O'Neill, Geraldine

2009-01-01

Peer-Assisted Tutorials (PATs), a form of Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL), were introduced to a conventional 4-year honours degree programme in Chemical Engineering. PATs were designed to support students in becoming more self-directed in their learning, to develop student confidence in tackling Chemical Engineering problems and to promote effective…

Intervention to Improve Engineering Self-Efficacy and Sense of Belonging of First-Year Engineering Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, Kari L.

The percentage of bachelor's degrees in STEM awarded to women and underrepresented minority students needs to increase dramatically to reach parity with their majority counterparts. While three key underrepresented minority (URM) groups, African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, and Native Americans constitute some 30 percent of the overall undergraduate student population in the United States, the share of engineering degrees earned by members of these groups declines as degree level increases. Underrepresented minority students accounted for about 12% of engineering bachelor's degrees awarded in 2009, 7% of master's degrees and 3% of doctorates (NSF Science Resource Statistics, 2009). The percent in engineering has been steadily decreasing, while overall participation in higher education among these groups has increased considerably. Keeping those thoughts in mind it is important to examine the historical theories and frameworks that will help us not only understand why underrepresented minority students pursue and persist in STEM majors in low numbers, but to also develop interventions to improve the alarming statistics that hamper engineering diversity. As indicated by our past two U.S. Presidents, there has been an increased discussion on the national and state level regarding the number of students entering engineering disciplines in general and underrepresented minority students in particular. Something happens between a student's freshman year and the point they decide to either switch their major or drop out of school altogether. Some researchers attribute the high dropout rate of underrepresented minority students in engineering programs to low engineering self-efficacy (e.g. Jordan et al., 2011). A student's engineering self-efficacy is his/her belief that he/she can successfully navigate the engineering curriculum and eventually become a practicing engineer. A student's engineering self-efficacy is formed by mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, his/her physiological state, and social persuasions, such as student-professor interaction. Increasing the awareness of a student's engineering self-efficacy could potentially improve sense of belonging and persistence for underrepresented minority students in engineering. The hypothesis of this study is that an intervention during the first semester of an incoming freshman's tenure can help improve their engineering self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and overall retention in the engineering program. This study explored the following research questions: 1. What are the differences in engineering self-efficacy, and sense of belonging for first-year underrepresented minority engineering students compared to majority students? 2. What factors or variables should be considered and/or addressed in designing an intervention to increase engineering self-efficacy and sense of belonging amongst first-year underrepresented minority engineering students? 3. Can a small intervention during the beginning of the first semester improve a student's sense of belonging, engineering self-efficacy, and student-professor interaction? Using the race, social fit, and achievement study by Walton and Cohen as a model, the author developed an intervention consisting of short compelling videos of upperclass engineering students from diverse backgrounds. In these videos, students discussed their pursuit of the engineering degree, what obstacles they faced in terms of sense of belonging and coping efficacy, and how they overcame those obstacles. Treatment groups of students watched the videos during the first few weeks of the semester, and pre and post tests were administered to measure mean gains in the student's engineering self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and other variables. The results showed that underrepresented minority students had a lower sense of belonging than whites. The intervention used in the study contributed to mean gain increases in participants' engineering self-efficacy, which could ultimately improve persistence. A single intervention did not show a significant increase in students' sense of belonging; more work needs to be done to develop an effective intervention. The intervention is easily adaptable with insignificant cost, making it attractive for Minority Engineering Program (MEP) and other success program whose aim is to increase students' engineering self-efficacy.

Lifelong Learning at the Technion: Graduate Students' Perceptions of and Experiences in Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussein-Farraj, Rania; Barak, Miri; Dori, Yehudit Judy

2012-01-01

This study examined the development of two Distance Learning (DL) courses and their effect on students' perceptions and learning experiences. Our study included about 260 science and engineering graduate students. Among them, 105 students were divided into two research groups: on-campus students (N=70) and DL students (N=35). These two groups…

Minority Engineering Program Pipeline: A Proposal to Increase Minority Student Enrollment and Retention in Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charity, Pamela C.; Klein, Paul B.; Wadhwa, Bhushan

1995-01-01

The Cleveland State University Minority Engineering Program Pipeline consist of programs which foster engineering career awareness, academic enrichment, and professional development for historically underrepresented minority studies. The programs involved are the Access to Careers in Engineering (ACE) Program for high school pre-engineering students: the LINK Program for undergraduate students pursuing degree which include engineering; and the PEP (Pre-calculus Enrichment Program) and EPIC (Enrichment Program in Calculus) mathematics programs for undergraduate academic enrichment. The pipeline is such that high school graduates from the ACE Program who enroll at Cleveland State University in pursuit of engineering degrees are admitted to the LINK Program for undergraduate level support. LINK Program students are among the minority participants who receive mathematics enrichment through the PEP and EPIC Programs for successful completion of their engineering required math courses. THese programs are interdependent and share the goal of preparing minority students for engineering careers by enabling them to achieve academically and obtain college degree and career related experience.

Emotional intelligence among nursing students: Findings from a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Štiglic, Gregor; Cilar, Leona; Novak, Žiga; Vrbnjak, Dominika; Stenhouse, Rosie; Snowden, Austyn; Pajnkihar, Majda

2018-07-01

Emotional intelligence in nursing is of global interest. International studies identify that emotional intelligence influences nurses' work and relationships with patients. It is associated with compassion and care. Nursing students scored higher on measures of emotional intelligence compared to students of other study programmes. The level of emotional intelligence increases with age and tends to be higher in women. This study aims to measure the differences in emotional intelligence between nursing students with previous caring experience and those without; to examine the effects of gender on emotional intelligence scores; and to test whether nursing students score higher than engineering colleagues on emotional intelligence measures. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used. The study included 113 nursing and 104 engineering students at the beginning of their first year of study at a university in Slovenia. Emotional intelligence was measured using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue) and Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT). Shapiro-Wilk's test of normality was used to test the sample distribution, while the differences in mean values were tested using Student t-test of independent samples. Emotional intelligence was higher in nursing students (n = 113) than engineering students (n = 104) in both measures [TEIQue t = 3.972; p < 0.001; SSEIT t = 8.288; p < 0.001]. Although nursing female students achieved higher emotional intelligence scores than male students on both measures, the difference was not statistically significant [TEIQue t = -0.839; p = 0.403; SSEIT t = -1.159; p = 0.249]. EI scores in nursing students with previous caring experience were not higher compared to students without such experience for any measure [TEIQue t = -1.633; p = 0.105; SSEIT t = -0.595; p = 0.553]. Emotional intelligence was higher in nursing than engineering students, and slightly higher in women than men. It was not associated with previous caring experience. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The First Year of College: Understanding Student Persistence in Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayden, Marina Calvet

This research study aimed to expand our understanding of the factors that influence student persistence in engineering. The unique experiences of engineering students were examined as they transitioned into and navigated their first year of college at a public research university in California. Most students provided similar responses with respect to the way they experienced the transition to college and social life. There was, however, wide student response variation regarding their experience of academic life and academic policies, as well as in their level of pre-college academic preparation and financial circumstances. One key finding was that students' experiences during the first year of college varied widely based on the extent to which they had acquired organizational and learning skills prior to college. The study used a mixed methods approach. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through an online survey and one-on-one interviews conducted with freshman students near the end of their first year of college. The theoretical foundations of this study included Astin's Theory of Student Involvement and Tinto's Theory of Student Departure. The design of the study was guided by these theories which emphasize the critical importance of student involvement with the academic and social aspects of college during the first year of college.

Optical engineering capstone design projects with industry sponsors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunch, Robert M.; Leisher, Paul O.; Granieri, Sergio C.

2014-09-01

Capstone senior design is the culmination of a student's undergraduate engineering education that prepares them for engineering practice. In fact, any engineering degree program that pursues accreditation by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET must contain "a major design experience based on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier course work and incorporating appropriate engineering standards and multiple realistic constraints." At Rose-Hulman, we offer an interdisciplinary Optical Engineering / Engineering Physics senior design curriculum that meets this requirement. Part of this curriculum is a two-course sequence where students work in teams on a design project leading to a functional prototype. The students begin work on their capstone project during the first week of their senior year. The courses are deliverable-driven and the students are held accountable for regular technical progress through weekly updates with their faculty advisor and mid-term design reviews. We have found that client-sponsored projects offer students an enriched engineering design experience as it ensures consideration of constraints and standards requirements similar to those that they will encounter as working engineers. Further, client-sponsored projects provide teams with an opportunity for regular customer interactions which help shape the product design. The process that we follow in both soliciting and helping to scope appropriate industry-related design projects will be described. In addition, an outline of the capstone course structure as well as methods used to hold teams accountable for technical milestones will be discussed. Illustrative examples of past projects will be provided.

Transfer students in STEM majors at a Midwestern University: Academic and social involvement factors that influence student success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez, Carlos

There is soon-to-be a shortage of qualified U.S. workers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). As a result, many science-related jobs are being filled by technically-skilled foreign workers. If the U.S wants to maintain its global economic leadership, then it must ensure a continuous growth of highly-trained individuals in STEM disciplines. Therefore, American institutions of higher education, including community colleges, must identify potential factors that contribute to the lack of interest in STEM majors, as well as the low rate of success of students who enter STEM majors but struggle to finish their degrees. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the perceptions of community college transfer students who are pursuing bachelor degrees in STEM majors at Iowa State University (ISU). What were their transfer experiences and what influenced their academic success in STEM. Participants were encouraged to share their transfer experiences while at the community college as well as their experiences on the ISU campus. They were also asked about their level of academic involvement, their relationships with faculty, and their participation in peer group activities prior to and after transferring. The research design included both quantitative and qualitative components, which provided an in-depth look at the experiences of STEM non-engineering and engineering students. Quantitative data include students' background characteristics, demographic information, and college activities at the community college and ISU. Qualitative data were used to illuminate students' overall transfer experience and their successful journey in STEM fields. The combination of quantitative and qualitative methods allowed a better understanding of the strategies students put into practice once they transfer from a community college to a four-year institution in pursuit of a STEM bachelor's degree. The results of this study suggest that there is an association among the background characteristics, community college experiences, university experiences, and the overall adjustment and cumulative GPA of transfer students from STEM non-engineering and engineering majors. In addition, students reported how their early experiences in science and mathematics inspired them to pursue a career in STEM. Even though students chose to go into STEM areas at the community college and university level due to prior interest, the role of academic advisors and faculty were crucial to the adjustment process. Thus, it is vital for academic advisors and faculty to assist students in researching the transfer process to four-year institutions because students need to understand why this is essential to their academic and social adjustment process. The results indicate that it is important to encourage students to interact inside and outside the classroom with other students and instructors. Also, students should become more involved in academic and social groups since these are important factors in enhancing their academic and social adjustment.

Enhancing Student Learning in Food Engineering Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Shin Y.; Connelly, Robin K.; Hartel, Richard W.

2010-01-01

The current generation of students coming into food science and engineering programs is very visually oriented from their early experiences. To increase their interest in learning, new and visually appealing teaching materials need to be developed. Two diverse groups of students may be identified based on their math skills. Food science students…

Exploring Students' Engineering Designs through Open-Ended Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puente, S. M. Gómez; Jansen, J. W.

2017-01-01

This paper aims at presenting the experience of the Power Conversion project in teaching students to design a proof-of-principle contactless energy transfer system for the charging of electrical vehicles. The Power Conversion is a second-year electrical engineering (EE) project in which students are to gather and apply EE knowledge to design and…

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…

Women Ph.D. Students in Engineering and a Nuanced Terrain: Avoiding and Revealing Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Shelley K.

2012-01-01

Tensions regarding gender emerged from interviews conducted with 20 women Ph.D. students. This article does not focus explicitly on the reasons for women's continued underrepresentation in engineering. Rather the students' explanations for underrepresentation serve as a case study with which to analyze their gendered experiences. They avoid freely…

Evolving social responsibility understandings, motivations, and career goals of undergraduate students initially pursuing engineering degrees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rulifson, Gregory A.

Engineers impact the lives of every person every day, and need to have a strong sense of social responsibility. Understanding what students think about social responsibility in engineering and their futures is very important. Further, by identifying influences that change these ideas and shape their conceptualizations, we can intervene to help prepare students for their responsibilities as part of the profession in the future. This thesis presents the experiences, in their own words, of 34 students who started in engineering. The study is composed of three parts: (i) engineering students' ideas about socially responsible engineering and what influenced these ideas, (ii) how students see themselves as future socially responsible engineers and how this idea changes over their first three years of college, and (iii) what social responsibility-related reasons students who leave engineering have for choosing a new major. Results show that students are complicated and have varied paths through and out of engineering studies. Students came up with their own ideas about socially responsible engineering that converged over the years on legal and safety related aspects of the profession. Relatedly, students identified with the engineering profession through internships and engineering courses, and rarely described socially responsible aspirations that could be accomplished with engineering. More often, those students who desired to help the disadvantaged through their engineering work left engineering. Their choice to leave was a combination of an unsupportive climate, disinterest in their classes, and a desire to combine their personal and professional social responsibility ambitions. If we want engineering students to push the engineering profession forward to be more socially responsible, we can identify the effective influences and develop a curriculum that encourages critical thinking about the social context and impacts of engineering. Additionally, a social responsibility-related curriculum could provide more opportunities for engagement that keeps those socially-motivated students in engineering. The engineering profession must also reflect these values to keep the new engineers working towards social responsibility and pushing the profession forward.

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.

Engineering success: Undergraduate Latina women's persistence in an undergradute engineering program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosbottom, Steven R.

The purpose and focus of this narrative inquiry case study were to explore the personal stories of four undergraduate Latina students who persist in their engineering programs. This study was guided by two overarching research questions: a) What are the lived experiences of undergraduate Latina engineering students? b) What are the contributing factors that influence undergraduate Latina students to persist in an undergraduate engineering program? Yosso's (2005) community cultural wealth was used to the analyze data. Findings suggest through Yosso's (2005) aspirational capital, familial capital, social capital, navigational capital, and resistant capital the Latina student persisted in their engineering programs. These contributing factors brought to light five themes that emerged, the discovery of academic passions, guidance and support of family and teachers, preparation for and commitment to persistence, the power of community and collective engagement, and commitment to helping others. The themes supported their persistence in their engineering programs. Thus, this study informs policies, practices, and programs that support undergraduate Latina engineering student's persistence in engineering programs.

Bringing Art, Music, Theater and Dance Students into Earth and Space Science Research Labs: A New Art Prize Science and Engineering Artists-in-Residence Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moldwin, M.; Mexicotte, D.

2017-12-01

A new Arts/Lab Student Residence program was developed at the University of Michigan that brings artists into a research lab. Science and Engineering undergraduate and graduate students working in the lab describe their research and allow the artists to shadow them to learn more about the work. The Arts/Lab Student Residencies are designed to be unique and fun, while encouraging interdisciplinary learning and creative production by exposing students to life and work in an alternate discipline's maker space - i.e. the artist in the engineering lab, the engineer in the artist's studio or performance space. Each residency comes with a cash prize and the expectation that a work of some kind will be produced as a response to experience. The Moldwin Prize is designed for an undergraduate student currently enrolled in the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, the Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning or the School of Music, Theatre and Dance who is interested in exchange and collaboration with students engaged in research practice in an engineering lab. No previous science or engineering experience is required, although curiosity and a willingness to explore are essential! Students receiving the residency spend 20 hours over 8 weeks (February-April) participating with the undergraduate research team in the lab of Professor Mark Moldwin, which is currently doing work in the areas of space weather (how the Sun influences the space environment of Earth and society) and magnetic sensor development. The resident student artist will gain a greater understanding of research methodologies in the space and climate fields, data visualization and communication techniques, and how the collision of disciplinary knowledge in the arts, engineering and sciences deepens the creative practice and production of each discipline. The student is expected to produce a final work of some kind within their discipline that reflects, builds on, explores, integrates or traces their experience in the residency. This talk will describe the program, the inaugural year's outcomes, and plans to expand the program to other research labs.

SPARTNIK: Engineering catalyst for government and industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prass, James D.; Romano, Thomas C.; Hunter, Jeanine M.

1995-01-01

Industrial demands for highly motivated and competent technical personnel to carry forward with the technological goals of the US has posed a significant challenge to graduating engineers. While curricula has improved and diversified over time to meet these industry demands, relevant industry experience is not always available to undergraduates. The microsatellite development program at San Jose State University (SJSU) has allowed an entire undergraduate senior class to utilize a broad range of training and education to refine their engineering skills, bringing them closer to becoming engineering professionals. Close interaction with industry mentors and manufacturers on a real world project provides a significant advantage to educators and students alike. With support from companies and government agencies, the students have designed and manufactured a microsatellite, designed to be launched into a low Earth orbit. This satellite will gather telemetry for characterizing the state of the spacecraft. This will enable the students to have a physical check on their predicted value of spacecraft subsystem performance. Additional experiments will also be undertaken during the two year lifetime, including micro-meteorite impact sensing and capturing digital color images of the Earth. This paper will detail the process whereby students designed, prototype and manufactured a small satellite in a large team environment, along with the experiments that will be performed on board. With the project's limited funds, it needed the support of many industry companies to help with technical issues and hardware acquisition. Among the many supporting companies, NASA's space shuttle small payloads program could be used for an affordable launch vehicle for the student project. The paper address these collaborations between the student project and industry support, as well as explaining the benefits to both. The paper draws conclusion on how these types of student projects can be used by industry as a feasible resource for developing small platforms for space based experiments, as well as increasing the practical experience and engineering knowledge of graduating students. These benefits to industry and universities, can lead to a close working relationship between the two. These types of projects can facilitate the development of low-cost space rated parts to be used by the industry and university projects. It can also help with the understanding and use of acceptable risk non-space rated parts reducing the cost of the spacecraft. This will lead to the development of low cost platforms for space based experiments, providing research companies an inexpensive, long duration platform to conduct their in-space experiments, while better preparing engineering undergraduates for their transition into the work force.

SPARTNIK: Engineering catalyst for government and industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prass, James D.; Romano, Thomas C.; Hunter, Jeanine M.

1995-09-01

Industrial demands for highly motivated and competent technical personnel to carry forward with the technological goals of the US has posed a significant challenge to graduating engineers. While curricula has improved and diversified over time to meet these industry demands, relevant industry experience is not always available to undergraduates. The microsatellite development program at San Jose State University (SJSU) has allowed an entire undergraduate senior class to utilize a broad range of training and education to refine their engineering skills, bringing them closer to becoming engineering professionals. Close interaction with industry mentors and manufacturers on a real world project provides a significant advantage to educators and students alike. With support from companies and government agencies, the students have designed and manufactured a microsatellite, designed to be launched into a low Earth orbit. This satellite will gather telemetry for characterizing the state of the spacecraft. This will enable the students to have a physical check on their predicted value of spacecraft subsystem performance. Additional experiments will also be undertaken during the two year lifetime, including micro-meteorite impact sensing and capturing digital color images of the Earth. This paper will detail the process whereby students designed, prototype and manufactured a small satellite in a large team environment, along with the experiments that will be performed on board. With the project's limited funds, it needed the support of many industry companies to help with technical issues and hardware acquisition. Among the many supporting companies, NASA's space shuttle small payloads program could be used for an affordable launch vehicle for the student project. The paper address these collaborations between the student project and industry support, as well as explaining the benefits to both. The paper draws conclusion on how these types of student projects can be used by industry as a feasible resource for developing small platforms for space based experiments, as well as increasing the practical experience and engineering knowledge of graduating students. These benefits to industry and universities, can lead to a close working relationship between the two. These types of projects can facilitate the development of low-cost space rated parts to be used by the industry and university projects. It can also help with the understanding and use of acceptable risk non-space rated parts reducing the cost of the spacecraft. This will lead to the development of low cost platforms for space based experiments, providing research companies an inexpensive, long duration platform to conduct their in-space experiments, while better preparing engineering undergraduates for their transition into the work force.

The Application of Problem-Based Learning in Mechanical Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putra, Z. A.; Dewi, M.

2018-02-01

The course of Technology and Material Testing prepare students with the ability to do a variety of material testing in the study of mechanical engineering. Students find it difficult to understand the materials to make them unable to carry out the material testing in accordance with the purpose of study. This happens because they knowledge is not adequately supported by the competence to find and construct learning experience. In this study, quasy experiment research method with pre-post-test with control group design was used. The subjects of the study were students divided in two groups; control and experiment with twenty-two students in each group. Study result: their grades showed no difference in between the pre-test or post-test in control group, but the difference in grade existed between the pre-test and post-test in experiment group. Yet, there is no significant difference in the study result on both groups. The researcher recommend that it is necessary to develop Problem-Based Learning that suits need analysis on D3 Program for Mechanical Engineering Department at the State University of Padang, to ensure the compatibility between Model of Study and problems and need. This study aims to analyze how Problem-Based Learning effects on the course of Technology and Material Testing for the students of D3 Program of Mechanical Engineering of the State University of Padang.

Teaching bioprocess engineering to undergraduates: Multidisciplinary hands-on training in a one-week practical course.

PubMed

Henkel, Marius; Zwick, Michaela; Beuker, Janina; Willenbacher, Judit; Baumann, Sandra; Oswald, Florian; Neumann, Anke; Siemann-Herzberg, Martin; Syldatk, Christoph; Hausmann, Rudolf

2015-01-01

Bioprocess engineering is a highly interdisciplinary field of study which is strongly benefited by practical courses where students can actively experience the interconnection between biology, engineering, and physical sciences. This work describes a lab course developed for 2nd year undergraduate students of bioprocess engineering and related disciplines, where students are challenged with a real-life bioprocess-engineering application, the production of recombinant protein in a fed-batch process. The lab course was designed to introduce students to the subject of operating and supervising an experiment in a bioreactor, along with the analysis of collected data and a final critical evaluation of the experiment. To provide visual feedback of the experimental outcome, the organism used during class was Escherichia coli which carried a plasmid to recombinantly produce enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) upon induction. This can easily be visualized in both the bioreactor and samples by using ultraviolet light. The lab course is performed with bioreactors of the simplest design, and is therefore highly flexible, robust and easy to reproduce. As part of this work the implementation and framework, the results, the evaluation and assessment of student learning combined with opinion surveys are presented, which provides a basis for instructors intending to implement a similar lab course at their respective institution. © 2015 by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

How Middle Schoolers Draw Engineers and Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fralick, Bethany; Kearn, Jennifer; Thompson, Stephen; Lyons, Jed

2009-02-01

The perceptions young students have of engineers and scientists are often populated with misconceptions and stereotypes. Although the perceptions that young people have of engineers and of scientists have been investigated separately, they have not been systematically compared. The research reported in this paper explores the question "How are student perceptions of engineers and scientists similar and how are they different?" Approximately 1,600 middle school students from urban and suburban schools in the southeastern United States were asked to draw either an engineer or a scientist at work. Drawings included space for the students to explain what their person was doing in the picture. A checklist to code the drawings was developed and used by two raters. This paper discusses similarities and differences in middle school perceptions of scientists and engineers. Results reveal that the students involved in this study frequently perceive scientists as working indoors conducting experiments. A large fraction of the students have no perception of engineering. Others frequently perceive engineers as working outdoors in manual labor. The findings have implications for the development and implementation of engineering outreach efforts.

Physiology and the Biomedical Engineering Curriculum: Utilizing Emerging Instructional Technologies to Promote Development of Adaptive Expertise in Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Regina K.

2013-01-01

A mixed-methods research study was designed to test whether undergraduate engineering students were better prepared to learn advanced topics in biomedical engineering if they learned physiology via a quantitative, concept-based approach rather than a qualitative, system-based approach. Experiments were conducted with undergraduate engineering…

Students' Perceptions of the Relevance of Mathematics in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flegg, Jennifer; Mallet, Dann; Lupton, Mandy

2012-01-01

In this article, we report on the findings of an exploratory study into the experience of students as they learn first year engineering mathematics. Here we define engineering as the application of mathematics and sciences to the building and design of projects for the use of society [M. Kirschenman and B. Brenner, "Education for Civil…

Co-Curricular Connections: The Role of Undergraduate Research Experiences in Promoting Engineering Students' Communication, Teamwork, and Leadership Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Deborah Faye; Ro, Hyun Kyoung; Alcott, Benjamin; Lattuca, Lisa R.

2016-01-01

This study examined the impact of undergraduate research (UR) in engineering, focusing on three particular learning outcomes: communication, teamwork, and leadership. The study included 5126 students across 31 colleges of engineering. The authors employed propensity score matching method to address the selection bias for selection into (and…

Energy Experiments for STEM Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanchi, John

2011-03-01

Texas Christian University (TCU) is developing an undergraduate program that prepares students to become engineers with an emphasis in energy systems. One of the courses in the program is a technical overview of traditional energy (coal, oil and gas), nuclear energy, and renewable energy that requires as a pre-requisite two semesters of calculus-based physics. Energy experiments are being developed that will facilitate student involvement and provide hands-on learning opportunities. Students participating in the course will improve their understanding of energy systems; be introduced to outstanding scientific and engineering problems; learn about the role of energy in a global and societal context; and evaluate contemporary issues associated with energy. This talk will present the status of experiments being developed for the technical energy survey course.

Integration of Research Into Grade Nine-Graduate Level Curricula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonner, J.; Callicott, K.; Page, C.

2004-05-01

Research on the Kolb Learning Cycle, engineering education, and recent cognitive learning research indicates that learning occurs through knowledge application. Moreover, experts in a given discipline will differ from novices with regard to their ability to transfer their knowledge by application to new contexts. We have developed a suite of educational opportunities to bridge the gap between research and the classroom, with activities spanning the educational spectrum from high school through graduate school. One mechanism for transferring of research into undergraduate/graduate curricula is through our National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Combined Research-Curriculum Development (CRCD) project ("Environmental Informatics in Coastal Margins"). This project modifies engineering curricula to provide the nation with the next generation of engineers who can utilize the latest environmental modeling tools. The project revises/creates three undergraduate courses forming the environmental informatics (EI) track of the civil engineering curriculum and two graduate courses integrating GIS and environmental measurements. Curriculum development efforts are guided by an expert team drawn from nearby campuses and both regional and national industry, and includes an expert in assessing the pedagogical value of the curriculum and developing suitable metrics to evaluate student learning experiences. Another NSF-funded project integrating research into an undergraduate educational setting is our Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project ("Undergraduate Research in Biodiversity and Ecological Processes in Fluctuating Environments"). Research includes overlapping topics in environmental engineering and life sciences. The summer research experience provides students an opportunity to integrate engineering and life science technologies and to the study of ecological processes associated with biodiversity and environmental quality. Students orally present their project and submit in-depth papers. Over twenty publications/proceedings papers have been generated thus far. A third project involves our collaborations with the ITS Center ("Information Technology in Science Center for Teaching and Learning") on the A&M campus. As an investment in "project team growing", the Center is collaborating with us to collect data on implementation of an engineering science and math enhancement module in Hearne Independent School District. The specific activity involves a CRCD engineering class and an educational psychology undergraduate class. The engineering students give group presentations, where each presentation addresses a scenario that focuses on an environmental topic presented in the class. The students present the technical material to the education students who serve as a non-technical lay audience, emulating a city council, for example. The education students adapt the material for presentation to high school students, working with mentor teachers to enhance content, relevance and hands on experience while learning to apply teaching pedagogy.

Engineering students at typically invisible transition points: A focus on admissions and the sophomore year

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holloway, Elizabeth M.

As of 2012, women are approximately 19% of all engineering undergraduate students nationally (American Society for Engineering Education, 2012). Women's representation in engineering has not changed significantly over the last 20 years, despite increased attention, increased funding, and increased programmatic activities intended to encourage more women to become engineers. Research around the world continues to seek identification of the reasons for the underrepresentation of women in engineering. This prior work has focused primarily on two broad areas: recruiting, that is, preparation, socialization, exposure, and experiences prior to college; and retention, that is, experiences in higher education. Retention studies and programmatic responses to those studies mostly have been confined to the collegiate first year, a time of historically high attrition. Little attention has been paid to the university admissions process, one of the gateways to engineering studies. Little attention also has been paid to the experiences of college sophomores, whose attrition rates approach those of first-year college students. The first section of this dissertation presents a statistical analysis that indicated a bias in favor of men in the admission process. Success factor modeling suggested a different set of admission criteria could mitigate this bias. After recommendations to change admission criteria were implemented, the percent of female enrollment in engineering increased and statistical analysis confirmed that bias was substantially neutralized. The second section of this dissertation presents three frameworks for understanding how sophomores may be defined. The processes of conceptualizing and operationalizing what it means to be a sophomore impact the types of issues that can be investigated about student attrition, the findings that result from those investigations, and the ability to make cross institutional or programmatic comparisons using a clearly stated definition. Three definitions for classifying a sophomore--cohort, credits, and curriculum--are presented. The implications of each are discussed relative to the overall population but also specifically to women. All three retention methodologies were based on continued enrollment, with results disaggregated by gender. When analyzing retention data, the definition of a sophomore is an important choice as different definitions may or seem to provide different results. The cohort framework, for example, showed a higher percentage of students retained to their second year than to their third year. In contrast, a credit framework showed a higher percentage of students moving to a junior classification than to a sophomore classification. Because the literature review indicates that very little work has been done specifically on the sophomore engineer and most discussions about the sophomore year do not clearly state which sophomore framework is being applied to the research, this portion of the dissertation is a much needed step in clarifying the underlying bases whereby claims about retention are made. The third section of this dissertation is a study of sophomores' experiences in the engineering disciplines using the cohort definition of a sophomore. The cohort definition is used in this section to focus on the socio-cultural aspects of the second year in college. With a historical emphasis on and increasing positive results of increasing first-year retention, attention is now turning to the sophomore year. Understanding sophomore students' experiences in engineering may assist in developing strategies to reduce attrition and may assist in managing the culture in such a way that makes it more attractive to women and others who are underrepresented. The Sophomore Experiences Survey (Schreiner, 2010) was administered at one institution to the sophomore engineering cohort. Statistical comparisons of results between engineers and sophomores nationally showed more areas of similarity than differences, although the differences indicated that engineering sophomores were less engaged in their learning and less engaged with faculty and advisors. Sophomore engineering women were much more likely than men to be involved in engineering peer mentoring or leadership programs. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the most significant predictor of student satisfaction was satisfaction with peers on campus. The most significant predictor of intention to persist and intention to graduate was surety of major choice. However, there were differences in the most significant predictors when looking at men and women separately. Predictors of success outcomes for engineering sophomores point to the interconnectedness of experiences with faculty, advisors, and peers with individual student traits, characteristics, and preferences, with individual aspects acting as mediating and moderating factors. The overarching results of this research project offer frameworks through which change in the engineering education process can lead to greater participation by women in the engineering field, and increased retention rates for all engineering students.

Students' Understanding of the Concept of Interface in a Situated Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boustedt, Jonas

2009-01-01

The current paper describes an empirical study with the aim of producing insights about how students experience programming and software engineering. The research aims to investigate the students' world, and hence, we have chosen a phenomenographic approach. Our questions focus on the students' experiences of concepts related to a realistic…

Industrial Education. "Small Engines".

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parma City School District, OH.

Part of a series of curriculum guides dealing with industrial education in junior high schools, this guide provides the student with information and manipulative experiences on small gasoline engines. Included are sections on shop adjustment, safety, small engines, internal combustion, engine construction, four stroke engines, two stroke engines,…

Environmental education and socioresponsive engineering. Report of an educational initiative in Hyderabad, India.

PubMed

Ansari, Ali Uddin; Jafari, Ashfaque; Mirzana, Ishrat Meera; Imtiaz, Zulfia; Lukacs, Heather

2003-07-01

A recent initiative at Muffakham Jah College of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, India, has resulted in setting up a program called Centre for Environment Studies and Socioresponsive Engineering which seeks to involve undergraduate students in studying and solving environmental problems in and around the city of Hyderabad, India. Two pilot projects have been undertaken--one focusing on design and construction of an eco-friendly house, The Natural House, and another directed at improving environmental and general living conditions in a slum area. The paper describes our attempts and experience of motivating our students to take interest in such projects. In an interesting development we invited a member of a student-faculty team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) that is doing a project in Nepal on safe drinking water. We report in our paper how the presentation by the guest from M.I.T. served as a catalyst for generating interest among civil and mechanical engineering students in our own projects. The paper includes contributions from one of our students and the M.I.T. staff member, reporting on their experiences related to the slum development project. We also discuss the Natural House project and its international and educational significance as a means of inculcating sensitivity and interest in nature among engineering students. We propose a pledge for engineers similar to the Hippocratic Oath for medical professionals.

Concept Development and Meaningful Learning among Electrical Engineering Students Engaged in a Problem-Based Laboratory Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bledsoe, Karen E.; Flick, Lawrence

2012-01-01

This phenomenographic study documented changes in student-held electrical concepts the development of meaningful learning among students with both low and high prior knowledge within a problem-based learning (PBL) undergraduate electrical engineering course. This paper reports on four subjects: two with high prior knowledge and two with low prior…

The Effects of a Collaborative Problem-Based Learning Experience on Students' Motivation in Engineering Capstone Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Brett D.; Epler, Cory M.; Mokri, Parastou; Bryant, Lauren H.; Paretti, Marie C.

2013-01-01

We identified and examined how the instructional elements of problem-based learning capstone engineering courses affected students' motivation to engage in the courses. We employed a two-phase, sequential, explanatory, mixed methods research design. For the quantitative phase, 47 undergraduate students at a large public university completed a…

Development of a Support Environment for First Year Students Taking Materials Science/Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laoui, Tahar; O'Donoghue, John

2008-01-01

This paper is based on the experience acquired in teaching materials science/engineering to first year university students. It has been observed that students struggle with some of the fundamental materials concepts addressed in the module/course. This applies to delivered lectures but extends to the incorporation of tutorial sessions provided…

Introducing High School Students to Chemical Engineering Kinetics with a Simple Experiment-Based Smartphone Education Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanley, Simone; Ymele-Leki, Patrick

2017-01-01

A community outreach project was integrated in a District of Columbia public schools summer internship program for students from underrepresented minorities in STEM. The project introduced these students to fundamental engineering principles by leveraging a smartphone application (App) so readily accessible and attractive to them that it boosted…

Changing Middle-School Students' Attitudes and Performance regarding Engineering with Computer-Based Social Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plant, E. Ashby; Baylor, Amy L.; Doerr, Celeste E.; Rosenberg-Kima, Rinat B.

2009-01-01

Women's under-representation in fields such as engineering may result in part from female students' negative beliefs regarding these fields and their low self-efficacy for these fields. In this experiment, we investigated the use of animated interface agents as social models for changing male and female middle-school students' attitudes toward…

Investigating and Developing Engineering Students' Mathematical Modelling and Problem-Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wedelin, Dag; Adawi, Tom; Jahan, Tabassum; Andersson, Sven

2015-01-01

How do engineering students approach mathematical modelling problems and how can they learn to deal with such problems? In the context of a course in mathematical modelling and problem solving, and using a qualitative case study approach, we found that the students had little prior experience of mathematical modelling. They were also inexperienced…

Beyond Blackboards: Engaging Underserved Middle School Students in Engineering.

PubMed

Blanchard, Sarah; Judy, Justina; Muller, Chandra; Crawford, Richard H; Petrosino, Anthony J; White, Christina K; Lin, Fu-An; Wood, Kristin L

Beyond Blackboards is an inquiry-centered, after-school program designed to enhance middle school students' engagement with engineering through design-based experiences focused on the 21 st Century Engineering Challenges. Set within a predominantly low-income, majority-minority community, our study aims to investigate the impact of Beyond Blackboards on students' interest in and understanding of engineering, as well as their ability to align their educational and career plans. We compare participants' and nonparticipants' questionnaire responses before the implementation and at the end of the program's first academic year. Statistically significant findings indicate a school-wide increase in students' interest in engineering careers, supporting a shift in school culture. However, only program participants showed increased enjoyment of design-based strategies, understanding of what engineers do, and awareness of the steps for preparing for an engineering career. These quantitative findings are supported by qualitative evidence from participant focus groups highlighting the importance of mentors in shaping students' awareness of opportunities within engineering.

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.

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.

Mathematics and online learning experiences: a gateway site for engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masouros, Spyridon D.; Alpay, Esat

2010-03-01

This paper focuses on the preliminary design of a multifaceted computer-based mathematics resource for undergraduate and pre-entry engineering students. Online maths resources, while attractive in their flexibility of delivery, have seen variable interest from students and teachers alike. Through student surveys and wide consultations, guidelines have been developed for effectively collating and integrating learning, support, application and diagnostic tools to produce an Engineer's Mathematics Gateway. Specific recommendations include: the development of a shared database of engineering discipline-specific problems and examples; the identification of, and resource development for, troublesome mathematics topics which encompass ideas of threshold concepts and mastery components; the use of motivational and promotional material to raise student interest in learning mathematics in an engineering context; the use of general and lecture-specific concept maps and matrices to identify the needs and relevance of mathematics to engineering topics; and further exploration of the facilitation of peer-based learning through online resources.

Two Brief Interventions to Mitigate a "Chilly Climate" Transform Women's Experience, Relationships, and Achievement in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walton, Gregory M.; Logel, Christine; Peach, Jennifer M.; Spencer, Steven J.; Zanna, Mark P.

2015-01-01

In a randomized-controlled trial, we tested 2 brief interventions designed to mitigate the effects of a "chilly climate" women may experience in engineering, especially in male-dominated fields. Participants were students entering a selective university engineering program. The "social-belonging intervention" aimed to protect…

Investigation of Students' Experiences of Gendered Cultures in Engineering Workplaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Male, Sally A.; Gardner, Anne; Figueroa, Eugenia; Bennett, Dawn

2018-01-01

Women remain severely under-represented in engineering in Australia as in all Western countries. This limits the pool of talent, standpoints and approaches within the profession. Furthermore, this under-representation equates to restriction of the benefits of being an engineer mainly to men. Gendered workplace experiences have been found to…

The Role of Functionality in the Mental Representations of Engineering Students: Some Differences in the Early Stages of Expertise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moss, Jarrod; Kotovsky, Kenneth; Cagan, Jonathan

2006-01-01

As engineers gain experience and become experts in their domain, the structure and content of their knowledge changes. Two studies are presented that examine differences in knowledge representation among freshman and senior engineering students. The first study examines recall of mechanical devices and chunking of components, and the second…

Concepts of Mathematics for Students of Physics and Engineering: A Dictionary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolecki, Joseph C.

2003-01-01

A physicist with an engineering background, the author presents a mathematical dictionary containing material encountered over many years of study and professional work at NASA. This work is a compilation of the author's experience and progress in the field of study represented and consists of personal notes and observations that can be used by students in physics and engineering.

Transformative Learning Experiences of International Graduate Students from Asian Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumi-Yeboah, Alex; James, Waynne

2014-01-01

This article investigates the transformative learning experiences of international graduate students from Asian countries. Data collection consisted of quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants included international graduate students from Asia, in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Engineering. Overall, 82.3% of the participants…

Student Perceptions of a Summer Robotics Camp Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, James; Polly, Drew; Binns, Ian; Algozzine, Bob

2018-01-01

Research on the effectiveness of STEM-focused (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-focused) schools and other learning experiences (e.g., short-term camps) on student outcomes is sparse. This study documented perceptions of STEM content and careers for elementary, middle, and secondary school students participating in…

Get Students Excited--3D Printing Brings Designs to Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lacey, Gary

2010-01-01

Students in technology education programs from middle school through high school around the nation are benefiting from--and enjoying--hands-on experience in mechanical engineering, applied mathematics, materials processing, basic electronics, robotics, industrial manufacturing, and other STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)-focused…

Collaborative Learning in Engineering Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newell, Sigrin

1990-01-01

Described is a capstone experience for undergraduate biomedical engineering students in which student teams work with children and adults with cerebral palsy to produce devices that make their lives easier or more enjoyable. The collaborative approach, benefits to the clients, and evaluation of the projects are discussed. (CW)

Attracting Students to Fluid Mechanics with Coffee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ristenpart, William

2016-11-01

We describe a new class developed at U.C. Davis titled "The Design of Coffee," which serves as a nonmathematical introduction to chemical engineering as illustrated by the process of roasting and brewing coffee. Hands-on coffee experiments demonstrate key engineering principles, including material balances, chemical kinetics, mass transfer, conservation of energy, and fluid mechanics. The experiments lead to an engineering design competition where students strive to make the best tasting coffee using the least amount of energy - a classic engineering optimization problem, but one that is both fun and tasty. "The Design of Coffee" started as a freshmen seminar in 2013, and it has exploded in popularity: it now serves 1,533 students per year, and is the largest and most popular elective course at U.C. Davis. In this talk we focus on the class pedagogy as applied to fluid mechanics, with an emphasis on how coffee serves as an engaging and exciting topic for teaching students about fluid mechanics in an approachable, hands-on manner.

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography in the Undergraduate Chemical Engineering Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Douglas D.; Guo, Hui; Karnik, Nikhila

2013-01-01

This article describes the assembly of a simple, low-cost, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system and its use in the undergraduate chemical engineering laboratory course to perform simple experiments. By interpreting the results from these experiments students are able to gain significant experience in the general method of…

The VLAB OER Experience: Modeling Potential-Adopter Student Acceptance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raman, Raghu; Achuthan, Krishnashree; Nedungadi, Prema; Diwakar, Shyam; Bose, Ranjan

2014-01-01

Virtual Labs (VLAB) is a multi-institutional Open Educational Resources (OER) initiative, exclusively focused on lab experiments for engineering education. This project envisages building a large OER repository, containing over 1650 virtual experiments mapped to the engineering curriculum. The introduction of VLAB is a paradigm shift in an…

Optical projects in the Clinic program at Harvey Mudd College

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Q.

2017-08-01

Clinic program is the senior capstone program at Harvey Mudd College (HMC). Multidisciplinary and industry-sponsored projects allow a team of students to solve a real-world problem over one academic year. Over its 50 plus years, Clinic program has completed numerous optics related projects. This report gives an overview of the Clinic program, reviews recent optical projects and discusses how this program supports the learning of the HMC engineering students. A few sample optical projects with more details are presented to provide an insight of what challenges that undergraduates can overcome. Students achieve learning within the optics discipline and the related engineering disciplines. The experiences in these optical projects indicate the great potential to bringing optical hands-on projects into the undergraduate level. Because of the general engineering curriculum at HMC, these projects often work the best with a multidisciplinary nature even if the core of the project is optically focused. Students gain leadership training, oral and written communication skills and experiences in team work. Close relationship with the sponsor liaisons allows for the students to gain skills in professional conduct, management of tight schedule and a specified budget, and it well prepares the students to their engineering practice. Optical projects have their own sets of specific challenges, so it needs to be chosen properly to match the undergraduate skill sets such as those of HMC engineering students.

Enhancing learning in geosciences and water engineering via lab activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valyrakis, Manousos; Cheng, Ming

2016-04-01

This study focuses on the utilisation of lab based activities to enhance the learning experience of engineering students studying Water Engineering and Geosciences. In particular, the use of modern highly visual and tangible presentation techniques within an appropriate laboratory based space are used to introduce undergraduate students to advanced engineering concepts. A specific lab activity, namely "Flood-City", is presented as a case study to enhance the active engagement rate, improve the learning experience of the students and better achieve the intended learning objectives of the course within a broad context of the engineering and geosciences curriculum. Such activities, have been used over the last few years from the Water Engineering group @ Glasgow, with success for outreach purposes (e.g. Glasgow Science Festival and demos at the Glasgow Science Centre and Kelvingrove museum). The activity involves a specific setup of the demonstration flume in a sand-box configuration, with elements and activities designed so as to gamely the overall learning activity. Social media platforms can also be used effectively to the same goals, particularly in cases were the students already engage in these online media. To assess the effectiveness of this activity a purpose designed questionnaire is offered to the students. Specifically, the questionnaire covers several aspects that may affect student learning, performance and satisfaction, such as students' motivation, factors to effective learning (also assessed by follow-up quizzes), and methods of communication and assessment. The results, analysed to assess the effectiveness of the learning activity as the students perceive it, offer a promising potential for the use of such activities in outreach and learning.

Outcomes for engineering students delivering a STEM education and outreach programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzallen, Noleine; Brown, Natalie Ruth

2017-11-01

University science outreach programmes are used to encourage more school students to select science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects in further education and pursue science-related careers. The benefits of science outreach programmes are often espoused from the perspective of programme participants. Little attention, however, is given to what university students delivering the programmes gain from the experience. This paper seeks to illustrate the benefits of engineering students delivering STEM outreach programmes in schools. It reports on a qualitative case study of the experiences of two STEM Education and Outreach team members from a regional university in Australia. Content analysis of interview data highlighted not only the participants' motivations and perceived benefits of being involved in the STEM programme but also revealed the skills and attributes honed throughout the experience. Involvement in the STEM outreach programme resulted in the development of social and personal responsibility generic graduate attribute skills, evidenced through their motivations to be involved, the demonstration of understanding of teaching and learning, and application of science communication skills. This study demonstrates that designing and delivering STEM outreach programmes assists in the development of skills that will be beneficial when pursuing careers in engineering in the future.

Effects of single-gender mathematics classrooms on self-perception of mathematical ability and post secondary engineering paths: an Australian case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tully, D.; Jacobs, B.

2010-08-01

This study focused on a population of female engineering students, probing the influences of their secondary school experience on their choice to pursue an engineering course of study at university. The motivating question is: Do unique opportunities exist in an all-female secondary school mathematics classroom, which impact a young woman's self-perception of her mathematics ability as well as promote a positive path towards an engineering-based university major? Using both qualitative and quantitative data collection instruments, this study examined a sample of Australian engineering students enrolled at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). Demographic statistics show that 40% of UTS' female engineering student population attended a single-gender secondary school, indicating a potential influence of school type (single-gender) on engineering enrolment patterns. Female students were primarily motivated to pursue a post secondary engineering path because of a self-belief that they are good at mathematics. In contrast, male students were more influenced by positive male role models of family members who are practising engineers. In measures of self- perception of mathematical skill and ability, female students from single-gender schools outscored their male engineering counterparts. Additionally, female students seem to benefit from verbal encouragement, contextualisation, same gender problem-solving groups and same gender classroom dynamics.

"I Don't Want to Be an Almost Engineer": Women's Voices of Persistence in Undergraduate Engineering Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Heather N.

2012-01-01

This narrative qualitative study focused on the experiences of four women pursuing undergraduate engineering degrees and how the experiences affect their self-efficacy and in turn persistence in the degree. The use of narrative methodologies allowed the addition of the voice of the women engineering students to the study providing a more robust…

Integrating Global Hydrology Into Graduate Engineering Education and Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffis, V. W.

2007-12-01

Worldwide, polluted water affects the health of 1.2 billion people and contributes to the death of 15 million children under five every year. In addition poor environmental quality contributes to 25 per cent of all preventable ill health in the world. To address some of these problems, at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, the world community set the goal of halving, by the year 2015, the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Solving sanitation and water resource management problems in any part of the world presents an interdisciplinary, complex challenge. However, when we attempt to solve these problems in an international context, our technical approaches must be tempered with cultural sensitivity and extraordinary management strategies. To meet this challenge, Michigan Tech has developed a unique global partnership with the U.S. Peace Corps to address our acknowledgement of the importance of placing engineering solutions in a global context. The program has graduated 30 students. Program enrollment is now over 30 and over 20 countries have hosted our students. The objective of this presentation is to demonstrate how this unique partnership can be integrated with graduate engineering education and research and also show how such a program may attract a more diverse student population into engineering. All graduate students enrolled in our Master's International Program in Civil and Environmental Engineering must complete specific coursework requirements before departing for their international experience. In CE5993 (Field Engineering in the Developing World) students learn to apply concepts of sustainable development and appropriate technology in the developing world. In FW5770 (Rural Community Development Planning and Analysis) students learn how one involves a community in the decision making process. A common theme in both courses is the role of woman in successful development projects. Technical specialization allows a student to take coursework in hydrology, water planning and management, and water quality engineering. The 2-3 semester residence on campus is then followed by three months of cultural, language, and technical training with the Peace Corps. After training students complete two years of service in the Peace Corps, typically working as a water/sanitation engineer while also completing a research project related to their Peace Corps experience. Some unique aspects of the Peace Corps experience is that it provides students with cultural awareness, language proficiency, community organizing skills, skills in consensus building and sustainable development, appreciation for technology that is economically and culturally sensitive, and a long-term field experience to develop an indepth overseas research project. Perhaps one of the greatest aspects of the Peace Corps experience is it provides students a basis to consider the social, economic, and environmental limitations of water projects in the developing world. Some examples of research projects that have been integrated into this program are: (a) culturally appropriate watershed planning and management, (b) technical capacity building of water supply systems, and (c) life cycle thinking approach applied to water and sanitation projects.

a Matter of Confidence: Gender Differences in Attitudes Toward Engaging in Lab and Course Work in Undergraduate Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Micari, Marina; Pazos, Pilar; Hartmann, Mitra J. Z.

Although there has been a great deal of research on women's experiences in engineering study, there has been little attempt to connect experiential factors to performance in both course and lab. This two-phase study investigated gender differences in undergraduates' experiences in a fluid mechanics course as well as the relationship between experiential factors and student performance in that course. One hundred forty-seven students at a Midwestern research university completed questionnaires related to course experience and perceived engagement. Data were also collected on final grade for 89 students in the second round of data collection. Relative to men, women reported less confidence that they could avoid mistakes in the lab, less experience with mechanical items, less perceived ability in engineering relative to classmates, and less perceived skill in tasks requiring navigation or maneuvering through space. Feelings of engagement were related to grade, but no gender differences were found in either engagement or grade.

Managing uncertainty in collaborative robotics engineering projects: The influence of task structure and peer interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, Michelle

Uncertainty is ubiquitous in life, and learning is an activity particularly likely to be fraught with uncertainty. Previous research suggests that students and teachers struggle in their attempts to manage the psychological experience of uncertainty and that students often fail to experience uncertainty when uncertainty may be warranted. Yet, few educational researchers have explicitly and systematically observed what students do, their behaviors and strategies, as they attempt to manage the uncertainty they experience during academic tasks. In this study I investigated how students in one fifth grade class managed uncertainty they experienced while engaged in collaborative robotics engineering projects, focusing particularly on how uncertainty management was influenced by task structure and students' interactions with their peer collaborators. The study was initiated at the beginning of instruction related to robotics engineering and preceded through the completion of several long-term collaborative robotics projects, one of which was a design project. I relied primarily on naturalistic observation of group sessions, semi-structured interviews, and collection of artifacts. My data analysis was inductive and interpretive, using qualitative discourse analysis techniques and methods of grounded theory. Three theoretical frameworks influenced the conception and design of this study: community of practice, distributed cognition, and complex adaptive systems theory. Uncertainty was a pervasive experience for the students collaborating in this instructional context. Students experienced uncertainty related to the project activity and uncertainty related to the social system as they collaborated to fulfill the requirements of their robotics engineering projects. They managed their uncertainty through a diverse set of tactics for reducing, ignoring, maintaining, and increasing uncertainty. Students experienced uncertainty from more different sources and used more and different types of uncertainty management strategies in the less structured task setting than in the more structured task setting. Peer interaction was influential because students relied on supportive social response to enact most of their uncertainty management strategies. When students could not garner socially supportive response from their peers, their options for managing uncertainty were greatly reduced.

A Gamification Experience to Improve Engineering Students' Performance through Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sánchez-Carmona, Adrián; Robles, Sergi; Pons, Jordi

2017-01-01

The students' lack of motivation is a usual problem. The students value more the obtention of the degree than the developing of competences and skills. In order to fight this, we developed a gamification's experience based on merits and leaderboards. The merits are linked to the attainment of skills and competences that students usually do not…

Interdisciplinary Learning for Chemical Engineering Students from Organic Chemistry Synthesis Lab to Reactor Design to Separation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Matt; Comitz, Richard L.; Biaglow, Andrew; Lachance, Russ; Sloop, Joseph

2008-01-01

A novel approach to the Chemical Engineering curriculum sequence of courses at West Point enabled our students to experience a much more realistic design process, which more closely replicated a real world scenario. Students conduct the synthesis in the organic chemistry lab, then conduct computer modeling of the reaction with ChemCad and…

Development of K-12 Engineering Outreach Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, William

2003-01-01

Six modules were created that can be used in K-12 classes to introduce students to what engineers can do at NASA.The purpose of this project was to create outreach materials for the classroom. To make it appealing to students, many color NASA photographs are used to illustrate NASA applications.Student experiments are described that can be performed to illustrate topics.

The Role of Gender in Students' Ratings of Teaching Quality in Computer Science and Environmental Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Linda; Svensson, Ingrid; Borell, Jonas; Richardson, John T. E.

2017-01-01

Students' ratings of teaching quality on course units in a computer science program and an environmental engineering program at a large Swedish university were obtained using the Course Experience Questionnaire; 8888 sets of ratings were obtained from men and 4280 sets were obtained from women over ten academic years. These student ratings from…

Research and Teaching: Transforming Discussion in General Chemistry with Authentic Experiences for Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crippen, Kent J.; Boyer, Treavor H.; Korolev, Maria; de Torres, Trisha; Brucat, Phil J.; Wu, Chang-Yu

2016-01-01

Undergraduate engineering education in the United States is in need of reform that addresses the recruitment and retention of a diverse population of students. Change Chem is a curriculum reform model that has been created to address this issue for freshman students. This article reports on a mixed method efficacy study of Change Chem, which uses…

Understanding Integrated STEM Science Instruction through Experiences of Teachers and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Margery

2017-01-01

Integrated STEM education comprises an exploration of the interconnections between science, technology, engineering and mathematics in order to reflect on how each discipline operates within real world contexts. Students benefit from the integrated STEM approach because it values students' real-life experiences and hands-on applications that…

Women's experiences in the engineering laboratory in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosaka, Masako

2014-07-01

This qualitative study aims to examine Japanese women undergraduate engineering students' experiences of interacting with departmental peers of the same year in the laboratory setting by using interview data of 32 final-year students at two modestly selective national universities in Japan. Expectation state theory that explains unequal relationship between men and women is used as a framework. Findings suggest that women generally had a discouraging experience while working with their male peers. Specifically, women participated less and lost confidence by comparing with the men who appeared to be confident and competent.

Development of Science and Mathematics Education System Including Teaching Experience of Students in Local Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kage, Hiroyuki

New reformation project on engineering education, which is supported from 2005 to 2008FY by Support Program for Contemporary Educational Needs of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, started in Kyushu Institute of Technology. In this project, teaching experience of students is introduced into the curriculum of Faculty of Engineering. In the curriculum students try to prepare teaching materials and to teach local school pupils with them by themselves. Teaching experience is remarkably effective for them to strengthen their self-dependence and learning motivation. Science Education Center, Science Laboratory and Super Teachers College were also organized to promote the area cooperation on the education of science and mathematics.

Reading about Real Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cummins, Sunday

2015-01-01

Although students do need hands-on experiences to master key skills in science, technology, and engineering, Cummins asserts, K-12 teachers should also help students understand key STEM concepts by reading, writing, and talking about the work of professional scientists and engineers. Cummins lists high-quality texts that help young people…

Broaden Engineering Technology students' knowledge through hands-on with motion robotics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The skills and knowledge that employers value most are not always well-aligned with undergraduate engineering technology programs. With the support of a federal grant, we identify and propose to broaden the undergraduate student experience to include training in transferable skills with agricultura...

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…

STEM as "Minority": A Phenomenological Case Study of How Students of Color Perceive Their Experience in a STEM Living-Learning Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sriram, Rishi; Diaz, Crystal

2016-01-01

The future of the U.S. scientific workforce depends on graduating college students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The completion rate of STEM students is a national concern, especially among students of color. This qualitative study examines the experiences of students of color in a living-learning program for STEM…

The Keller Plan: A Successful Experiment in Engineering Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koen, Billy; And Others

1985-01-01

Discusses the Keller Plan or personalized system of instruction (PSI), a mastery-oriented, self-paced, modular teaching strategy using student/peer proctors. Success for PSI in chemical engineering, operations research, electrical engineering, and nuclear engineering courses is explained. (DH)

The Importance of Field in Understanding Persistence among Science and Engineering Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyer, Mary

Many contemporary studies of persistence in science and engineering majors find that students' gender is an important explanatory variable in understanding why students leave and stay in their majors. This study revisits an earlier report by this author to explore the relative impact of gender on persistence when field of major is held constant, using the same data as the earlier work, drawing on survey responses from 285 students in required biology and engineering courses. The author argues two points: that effects of field on students' persistence are often misinterpreted as gender effects and that gender is too often understood in the narrow sense of students' sex. The author finds that when field is taken into account, students' sex has little explanatory power for understanding persistence rates. In contrast, students' positive experiences with and positive attitudes about gender equity significantly enhance commitments to science and engineering majors, advanced degrees, and careers. The results suggest the need for field-specific interventions to promote the advancement of undergraduate women in science and engineering.

Male Engineers: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Persistence in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ecklund, Adam P.

2013-01-01

More and more engineering programs have become concerned with retention and persistence in their degrees, because about half of their students either change majors or do not graduate at all (Center for Institutional Data Exchange and Analysis, 2000). Male students were chosen for this study because they make up 92.9% of all civil engineers, 90.6%…

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.

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.

Experiments in optics for younger students by and for older students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masi, James V.

1995-10-01

Under the auspices of a joint NSF/DOE grant for science and mathematics, the Electrical Engineering Department of the Engineering School at Western New England College developed a program of instruction in optics and optical applications for local Junior High School students. College level juniors and professors in the electrical engineering department, after the juniors had taken a one semester introductory course in optics and electro-optics, served as instructors in teaching and laboratory instruction in such diverse areas as solar cells/light detection, light sources, simple optics, optical fibers, liquid crystals, and lasers. Concepts such as seismic monitoring, Fourier transforms, power generation, information transfer, and many other applications were explained at level by the college students to the junior high school students with great effectiveness. Students at the lower level caught the enthusiasm of those at the upper level and learned with retention. Seven years into the program, the pros and cons are presented, the now- college bound students and their observations are detailed, and the learning experience for all is assessed, with scenarios for alternate programs suggested.

Early Career Summer Interdisciplinary Team Experiences and Student Persistence in STEM Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadavid, A. C.; Pedone, V. A.; Horn, W.; Rich, H.

2015-12-01

STEPS (Students Targeting Engineering and Physical Science) is an NSF-funded program designed to increase the number of California State University Northridge students getting bachelor's degrees in the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering and computer science. The greatest loss of STEM majors occurs between sophomore and junior- years, so we designed Summer Interdisciplinary Team Experience (SITE) as an early career program for these students. Students work closely with a faculty mentor in teams of ten to investigate regionally relevant problems, many of which relate to sustainability efforts on campus or the community. The projects emphasize hands-on activities and team-based learning and decision making. We report data for five years of projects, qualitative assessment through entrance and exit surveys and student interviews, and in initial impact on retention of the participants.

Promoting innovation: Enhancing transdisciplinary opportunities for medical and engineering students.

PubMed

Brazile, Tiffany; Hostetter Shoop, Glenda; McDonough, Christine M; Van Citters, Douglas W

2018-01-30

Addressing current healthcare challenges requires innovation and collaboration. Current literature provides limited guidance in promoting these skills in medical school. One approach involves transdisciplinary training in which students from different disciplines work together toward a shared goal. We assessed the need for such a curriculum at Dartmouth College. We surveyed medical and engineering students' educational values; learning experiences; professional goals; and interest in transdisciplinary education and innovation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Shared values among student groups included leadership development, innovation, collaboration, and resource sharing. Medical students felt their curriculum inadequately addressed creativity and innovation relative to their engineering counterparts (p < 0.05). Medical students felt less prepared for entrepreneurial activities (p < 0.05), while engineering students indicated a need for basic medical knowledge and patient-oriented design factors. Despite strong interest, collaboration was less than 50% of indicated interest. Medical and engineering students share an interest in the innovation process and need a shared curriculum to facilitate collaboration. A transdisciplinary course that familiarizes students with this process has the potential to promote physicians and engineers as leaders and innovators who can effectively work across industry lines. A transdisciplinary course was piloted in Spring 2017.

Undergraduate Students As Effective Climate Change Communicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, H. O.; Joseph, J.; Mullendore, G. L.

2014-12-01

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio College (SAC), and the University of North Dakota (UND) have partnered with NASA to provide underrepresented undergraduates from UTSA, SAC, and other community colleges climate-related research and education experiences through the Climate Change Communication: Engineer, Environmental science, and Education (C3E3) project. The program aims to develop a robust response to climate change by providing K-16 climate change education; enhance the effectiveness of K-16 education particularly in engineering and other STEM disciplines by use of new instructional technologies; increase the enrollment in engineering programs and the number of engineering degrees awarded by showing engineering's usefulness in relation to the much-discussed contemporary issue of climate change; increase persistence in STEM degrees by providing student research opportunities; and increase the ethnic diversity of those receiving engineering degrees and help ensure an ethnically diverse response to climate change. Students participated in the second summer internship funded by the project. The program is in its third year. More than 75 students participated in a guided research experiences aligned with NASA Science Plan objectives for climate and Earth system science and the educational objectives of the three institutions. The students went through training in modern media technology (webcasts), and in using this technology to communicate the information on climate change to others, especially high school students, culminating in production of webcasts on investigating the aspects of climate change using NASA data. Content developed is leveraged by NASA Earth observation data and NASA Earth system models and tools. Three Colleges were involved in the program: Engineering, Education, and Science.

Motivational project-based laboratory for a common first year electrical engineering course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nedic, Zorica; Nafalski, Andrew; Machotka, Jan

2010-08-01

Over the past few years many universities worldwide have introduced a common first year for all engineering disciplines. This is despite the opinion of many academics that large classes have negative effects on the learning outcomes of first year students. The University of South Australia is also faced with low motivation amongst engineering students studying non-major courses. In 2006, a project-based laboratory was successfully introduced for first year students enrolled in electrical disciplines, which increased student satisfaction, reduced the attrition rate and improved students' success rate. This paper presents the experiences with the project-based laboratory's implementation in three different projects in the common first year course, Electrical and Energy Systems, where each project aims to increase the motivation of students in one of three disciplines: electrical, mechanical or civil engineering.

Eliciting and characterizing students' mental models within the context of engineering design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dankenbring, Chelsey

Recently, science education reform documents have called for the incorporation of engineering principles and practices into the K-12 science standards and curriculum. One way this has been done is through the use of engineering design tasks as a way for students to apply their scientific understandings to real-world problems. However, minimal studies have documented students' conceptions within the context of engineering design. Thus, the first chapter of this thesis outlines the steps taken to develop a draw-and-explain item that elicited students' mental models regarding the cause of the four seasons after finishing an engineering design task. Students' mental models regarding the reason for the seasons are also described. The second chapter characterizes students' conceptions regarding sun-Earth relationships, specifically the amount of daylight hours throughout the year, for students who completed either an engineering design task or more traditional learning activities. Results from these studies indicate that draw-and-explain items are an effective way of obtaining students' mental models and that students harbor a variety of alternate conceptions on astronomy related concepts within various learning contexts. Implications from this study include the need for further research regarding how engineering design is used in the classroom and how engineering design facilitates science learning. Also, professional development that allows in-service teachers to gain experience teaching engineering design is needed, as are teacher preparation programs that expose pre-service teachers to engineering design.

The effect of context on student engagement in engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patterson, Eann A.; Campbell, Patricia B.; Busch-Vishniac, Ilene; Guillaume, Darrell W.

2011-06-01

The self-belief, motivation, tendency to procrastinate and learning styles of engineering students are discussed. It is proposed that engineering has developed an idiom and a learning approach that favours the dominant client, i.e. men, while simultaneously undermining the self-efficacy and motivation of women. Thematic coherence and teaching within a context that is familiar to students have been shown previously to be effective approaches for engaging students and are extended here to utilise the common experiences of all students to initiate the learning cycle. These approaches are combined with a template for teaching that uses the 5Es (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate) in order to render the fundamentals of engineering more accessible to all students. This methodology can be introduced by individual instructors, who will be rewarded by students who are more engaged, more motivated and more likely to give a higher rating to the instructor and the course.

Learning on the Job: Cooperative Education, Internships and Engineering Problem-Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yin, Alexander C.

2009-01-01

Cooperative education (co-op) and internships are forms of experiential education that allow students to complement their classroom experiences with work experience. This study examines the influence of co-op and internships on engineering problem-solving skills by answering the following research questions: (1) Does experience in cooperative…

Centrifugal Pump Experiment for Chemical Engineering Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanderslice, Nicholas; Oberto, Richard; Marrero, Thomas R.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe a Centrifugal Pump Experiment that provided an experiential learning experience to chemical engineering undergraduates at the University of Missouri in the spring of 2010 in the Unit Operations Laboratory course. Lab equipment was used by senior students with computer-based data and control technology. In…

Decoding Student Satisfaction: How to Manage and Improve the Laboratory Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikolic, Sasha; Ritz, Christian; Vial, Peter James; Ros, Montserrat; Stirling, David

2015-01-01

The laboratory plays an important role in teaching engineering skills. An Electrical Engineering department at an Australian University implemented a reform to monitor and improve student satisfaction with the teaching laboratories. A Laboratory Manager was employed to oversee the quality of 27 courses containing instructional laboratories.…

Navigating Community College Transfer in Science, Technical, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Packard, Becky Wai-Ling; Gagnon, Janelle L.; Senas, Arleen J.

2012-01-01

Given financial barriers facing community college students today, and workforce projections in science, technical, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, the costs of unnecessary delays while navigating transfer pathways are high. In this phenomenological study, we analyzed the delay experiences of 172 students (65% female) navigating community…

Stationary Engineering. Science 2. Teachers Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frost, Harold J.; Steingress, Frederick M.

This teachers guide to be used with the second-year student manual, "Stationary Engineering Science Manual--2," contains 140 lesson plans, corresponding to the lessons in the student manual. The lessons are brief and each involves concrete trade experiences where science is applied with 26 lessons also involving mathematical problems…

Personal Study Planning in Doctoral Education in Industrial Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lahenius, K.; Martinsuo, M.

2010-01-01

The duration of doctoral studies has increased in Europe. Personal study planning has been considered as one possible solution to help students in achieving shorter study times. This study investigates how doctoral students experience and use personal study plans in one university department of industrial engineering. The research material…

High School Student Information Access and Engineering Design Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mentzer, Nathan

2014-01-01

Developing solutions to engineering design problems requires access to information. Research has shown that appropriately accessing and using information in the design process improves solution quality. This quasi-experimental study provides two groups of high school students with a design problem in a three hour design experience. One group has…

Global Environmental Priorities of Engineering Students in Krakow Poland.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Michael; Bowen, William M.

2000-01-01

Reports and interprets the rankings of Rodger Bybee's 12 global-environmental issues/threats by first and second year engineering students (n=175) at the Technical University of Krakow, Poland. Results indicate that personal experience with local environmental issues are the most important determinant for ranking global environmental threats.…

The Civil Engineering Graduate Program at PUC-Rio: A Brazilian Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romanel, Celso; Filho, Jose Napoleao

This document discusses the graduate programs in civil engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the oldest Brazilian private university. The report features discussions of faculty member backgrounds, trends in student enrollment, women's participation in the program, degree completion, student origins,…

Choosing engineering: Can I succeed and do I want to? A qualitative analysis framed in expectancy-value theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matusovich, Holly Marie

Recently published reports call for an increase in the number of engineering graduates and suggest appropriate characteristics that these graduates should embody. Accomplishing either objective requires first understanding why students choose to pursue engineering degrees. This research started addressing this knowledge gap using Eccles' expectancy-value model to qualitatively and longitudinally examine undergraduate student's choices to enroll and persist in engineering majors. Specifically, this study focused on identity within Eccles' model to answer the question: How do students' beliefs about being engineers in the future shape their choices to pursue engineering? Framed in Eccles' model, students' choices to pursue engineering majors are based on beliefs about their engineering-related competence and how much they value succeeding in an engineering major. Eccles posits that identity shapes both competence and value beliefs. This study defined identity as students' self-perceptions as future engineers then examined the roles these self-perceptions in shaping their choices to pursue engineering degrees. Gee's conception of four-interrelated aspects of identity (nature identity, institutional identity, affinity identity, and discourse identity) provided a lens to examine students' self-perceptions as future engineers. Multiple case study methods guided this research with each of ten students (five men and five women) representing a case. Results derive from the inductive analysis of longitudinal interviews triangulated with survey results---all data spanned the students' first through fourth undergraduate years. This study is part of a larger body of work, the Academic Pathways Study (APS), conducted by the Center for Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE). Results demonstrated that students' self-perceptions as future engineers are connected to both competence and value beliefs and to the choice to persist in engineering. Specifically, the results showed: (1) even in their fourth undergraduate year, three out of ten participants were uncertain about themselves as future engineers; (2) students choosing to pursue an engineering degree because they identify with the types of activities in which engineers engage experience the persistence choice process differently than students who choose engineering for other reasons; and (3) all students ultimately had positive competence beliefs, although two women participants continually renegotiated definitions of competence in engineering.

Tsinghua-Johns Hopkins Joint Center for Biomedical Engineering Research: scientific and cultural exchange in undergraduate engineering.

PubMed

Wisneski, Andrew D; Huang, Lixia; Hong, Bo; Wang, Xiaoqin

2011-01-01

A model for an international undergraduate biomedical engineering research exchange program is outlined. In 2008, the Johns Hopkins University in collaboration with Tsinghua University in Beijing, China established the Tsinghua-Johns Hopkins Joint Center for Biomedical Engineering Research. Undergraduate biomedical engineering students from both universities are offered the opportunity to participate in research at the overseas institution. Programs such as these will not only provide research experiences for undergraduates but valuable cultural exchange and enrichment as well. Currently, strict course scheduling and rigorous curricula in most biomedical engineering programs may present obstacles for students to partake in study abroad opportunities. Universities are encouraged to harbor abroad opportunities for undergraduate engineering students, for which this particular program can serve as a model.

Teaching Ethics to Engineers: A Socratic Experience.

PubMed

Génova, Gonzalo; González, M Rosario

2016-04-01

In this paper we present the authors' experience of teaching a course in Ethics for Engineers, which has been delivered four times in three different universities in Spain and Chile. We begin by presenting the material context of the course (its place within the university program, the number of students attending, its duration, etc.), and especially the intellectual background of the participating students, in terms of their previous understanding of philosophy in general, and of ethics in particular. Next we set out the objectives of the course and the main topics addressed, as well as the methodology and teaching resources employed to have students achieve a genuine philosophical reflection on the ethical aspects of the profession, starting from their own mindset as engineers. Finally we offer some results based on opinion surveys of the students, as well as a more personal assessment by the authors, recapitulating the most significant achievements of the course and indicating its underlying Socratic structure.

Optics in engineering education: stimulating the interest of first-year students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanco-García, Jesús; Vazquez-Dorrío, Benito

2014-07-01

The work here presented deals with stimulating the interest for optics in first-year students of an Engineering School, which are not specifically following Optical Engineering studies. Optic-based technologies are nowadays wide spread, and growing, in almost all the engineering fields (from non destructive testing or alignments to power laser applications, fiber optic communications, memory devices, etc.). In general, the first year curriculum doesn't allow a detailed review of the main light properties, least its technical applications. We present in this paper our experience in showing some basic optic concepts and related technologies to the students of our school. Based on the fact that they have a very basic training in this branch of physics, we have designed a series of experimental demonstrations with the dual purpose of making them understand the basic principles of these technologies, and to know the potential of applications to engineering they offer. We assembled these experiments in the laboratory and invited students to pass to get to know them, giving them an explanation in which we focused on the possible range of application of each technique. The response was very good, not only by the number of students who attended the invitation but also by the interest demonstrated by their questions and opinions.

Project-based learning in a high school engineering program: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

France, Todd

Generating greater student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been a major topic of discussion among educators, policymakers, and researchers in recent years, as increasing the number of graduates in these fields is widely considered a necessary step for sustaining the progress of today's society. Fostering this interest must occur before students reach college, and substantial efforts have been made to engage students at K-12 levels in STEM-focused learning. Attempts to involve students in engineering, a vital and growing profession, yet one in which students often have little experience, have frequently emphasized the design and construction of physical products, a practice supported by project-based learning. This thesis examines the environment of an engineering high school course that employed the project-based model. The course is part of a dedicated curricular program which aims to provide students with positive experiences in engineering-related activities while also preparing them for the rigors of college. A case study was conducted to provide insight into the benefits and drawbacks of the learning model. The study's outcomes are intended to provide guidance to educators participating in the design and/or facilitation of project-based activities, particularly those involved with engineering education. The research was performed using a qualitative approach. Long-term engagement with course participants was deemed critical to gaining a comprehensive understanding of the interactions and events that transpired on a daily basis. Nine educators involved with the program were interviewed, as were nineteen of the course's thirty-nine students. A wealth of other relevant data -- including surveys, field notes, and evaluations of student work -- was compiled for analysis as well. The study findings suggest that experiences in problem solving and teamwork were the central benefits of the course. Limitations existed due to a high focus on hands-on work, which infringed upon the significance of math and science content as well as the utilization of disciplined inquiry. In addition, group projects failed to hold individuals accountable, leading to assessment challenges. Program-wide, a number of issues hindered the teachers' abilities to institute changes, most notably a commitment to serve students of all abilities.

Experiences of Judeo-Christian Students in Undergraduate Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, M. Elizabeth; Truong, Jasmine M.; Brownell, Sara E.

2017-01-01

A major research thrust in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is focused on how to retain students as STEM majors. The accumulation of seemingly insignificant negative experiences in STEM classes can, over time, lead STEM students to have a low sense of belonging in their disciplines, and this can lead to lower…

Enhancing the Student Learning Experience in Software Engineering Project Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marques, Maira; Ochoa, Sergio F.; Bastarrica, Maria Cecilia; Gutierrez, Francisco J.

2018-01-01

Carrying out real-world software projects in their academic studies helps students to understand what they will face in industry, and to experience first-hand the challenges involved when working collaboratively. Most of the instructional strategies used to help students take advantage of these activities focus on supporting agile programming,…

MCEER, from Earthquake Engineering to Extreme Events | Home Page

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Center Report Series Education Education Home Bridge Engineering Guest Speaker Series Connecte²d Teaching CSEE Graduate Student Poster Competition Earthquake Engineering Education in Haiti Earthquakes : FAQ's Engineering Seminar Series K-12 STEM Education National Engineers Week Research Experiences for

Developing an Engineering Identity in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pantoya, Michelle L.; Aguirre-Munoz, Zenaida; Hunt, Emily M.

2015-01-01

This project describes a strategy to introduce young children to engineering in a way that develops their engineering identity. The targeted age group is 3-7 year old students because they rarely experience purposeful engineering instruction. The curriculum was designed around an engineering storybook and included interactive academic discussions…

Prefreshman and Cooperative Education Program. [PREFACE training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Of the 93 students enrolled in the PREFACE program over its four-year history, 70 are still in engineering school. Tables show profiles of student placement and participation from 1973 to 1977 (first semester completed). During the 1977 summer, 10 students were placed at NASA Goddard, 8 at DOE-Brookhaven, and 2 at American Can. Eleven students with less high school math preparation remained on campus for formal precalculus classes. Majors of the students in the program include civil, chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering. Student satisfaction with their training experiences is summarized.

Roles, uses, and benefits of general aviation aircraft in aerospace engineering education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Odonoghue, Dennis P.; Mcknight, Robert C.

1994-01-01

Many colleges and universities throughout the United States offer outstanding programs in aerospace engineering. In addition to the fundamentals of aerodynamics, propulsion, flight dynamics, and air vehicle design, many of the best programs have in the past provided students the opportunity to design and fly airborne experiments on board various types of aircraft. Sadly, however, the number of institutions offering such 'airborne laboratories' has dwindled in recent years. As a result, opportunities for students to apply their classroom knowledge, analytical skills, and engineering judgement to the development and management of flight experiments on an actual aircraft are indeed rare. One major reason for the elimination of flight programs by some institutions, particularly the smaller colleges, is the prohibitive cost of operating and maintaining an aircraft as a flying laboratory. The purpose of this paper is to discuss simple, low-cost, relevant flight experiments that can be performed using readily available general aviation aircraft. This paper examines flight experiments that have been successfully conducted on board the NASA Lewis Research Center's T-34B aircraft, as part of the NASA/AIAA/University Flight Experiment Program for Students (NAUFEPS) and discusses how similar experiments could be inexpensively performed on other general aviation aircraft.

Developing creativity and problem-solving skills of engineering students: a comparison of web- and pen-and-paper-based approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentine, Andrew; Belski, Iouri; Hamilton, Margaret

2017-11-01

Problem-solving is a key engineering skill, yet is an area in which engineering graduates underperform. This paper investigates the potential of using web-based tools to teach students problem-solving techniques without the need to make use of class time. An idea generation experiment involving 90 students was designed. Students were surveyed about their study habits and reported they use electronic-based materials more than paper-based materials while studying, suggesting students may engage with web-based tools. Students then generated solutions to a problem task using either a paper-based template or an equivalent web interface. Students who used the web-based approach performed as well as students who used the paper-based approach, suggesting the technique can be successfully adopted and taught online. Web-based tools may therefore be adopted as supplementary material in a range of engineering courses as a way to increase students' options for enhancing problem-solving skills.

Collaborative Sounding Rocket launch in Alaska and Development of Hybrid Rockets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono, Tomohisa; Tsutsumi, Akimasa; Ito, Toshiyuki; Kan, Yuji; Tohyama, Fumio; Nakashino, Kyouichi; Hawkins, Joseph

Tokai University student rocket project (TSRP) was established in 1995 for a purpose of the space science and engineering hands-on education, consisting of two space programs; the one is sounding rocket experiment collaboration with University of Alaska Fairbanks and the other is development and launch of small hybrid rockets. In January of 2000 and March 2002, two collaborative sounding rockets were successfully launched at Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska. In 2001, the first Tokai hybrid rocket was successfully launched at Alaska. After that, 11 hybrid rockets were launched to the level of 180-1,000 m high at Hokkaido and Akita in Japan. Currently, Tokai students design and build all parts of the rockets. In addition, they are running the organization and development of the project under the tight budget control. This program has proven to be very effective in providing students with practical, real-engineering design experience and this program also allows students to participate in all phases of a sounding rocket mission. Also students learn scientific, engineering subjects, public affairs and system management through experiences of cooperative teamwork. In this report, we summarize the TSRP's hybrid rocket program and discuss the effectiveness of the program in terms of educational aspects.

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.

The use of mathematical models in teaching wastewater treatment engineering.

PubMed

Morgenroth, E; Arvin, E; Vanrolleghem, P

2002-01-01

Mathematical modeling of wastewater treatment processes has become increasingly popular in recent years. To prepare students for their future careers, environmental engineering education should provide students with sufficient background and experiences to understand and apply mathematical models efficiently and responsibly. Approaches for introducing mathematical modeling into courses on wastewater treatment engineering are discussed depending on the learning objectives, level of the course and the time available.

"Hungry for Hands-on": Talented, Inner-City Engineering Students, Applied Learning and Employer Engagement in a Vocational-Learning Trajectory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haight, Annie

2012-01-01

This paper analyses the findings of a case study into the attitudes and experiences of engineering students and teachers on a vocational education trajectory from the 14-19 Diploma in Engineering through post-16 vocational courses to a university Access course. The research took place in 2008-2009 in a deprived inner city area of London. A…

Differential Experiences of Women and Minority Engineering Students in a Cooperative Education Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fifolt, Matthew M.; Abbott, Gypsy

Although slight gains have been made in attracting women and minority students to the field of engineering, the differences are not great enough to meet current economic demands [National Academy of Sciences (2007). Rising above the gathering storm: Energizing and employing America for a brighter economic future, Washington, DC: National Academies Press]. Therefore, it has become imperative that colleges and universities increase efforts to both recruit and retain these students who express interest in the STEM fields [National Science Foundation (2006), Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering, NSF 4-311, Arlington, VA: NSF]. In engineering, one promising venue for students to gain professional experience as part of their undergraduate training is through cooperative education (co-op). However, there is a dearth of information in the research literature regarding how co-op programs can be structured to address the needs of diverse students. There is consensus, however, about one aspect of addressing the needs of diverse students, namely, mentoring and role models are key strategies for success. In this study, a mixed methods design was used to examine students' perceptions of mentoring in a cooperative education program in a southeastern university. Using Noe's [Noe, R. (1988). An investigation of the determinants of successful assigned mentoring relationships. Personnel Psychology, 1, 457-479] mentoring functions scales, which described psychosocial and career-related support, research findings indicated a statistically significant difference between gender and the psychosocial aspect of mentoring. Analysis of the qualitative data further confirmed differences in cooperative education experiences with respect to both gender and ethnicity.

First-Hand Experience with Engineering Design and Career Interest in Engineering: An Informal STEM Education Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayar, Mehmet C.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to present students' experiences, interest in engineering, and personal narratives while participating in a robotics summer camp in a metropolitan city in Turkey. In this study, I used qualitative data collection methods such as interviews, field notes, and observations. I used the four principles of Engle and Conant…

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.

Design and practice of a comprehensively functional integrated management information system for major construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuling; Wang, Xiaoping; Zhu, Yuhui; Fei, Lanlan

2017-08-01

This paper introduces a Comprehensively Functional Integrated Management Information System designed for the Optical Engineering Major by the College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, which combines the functions of teaching, students learning, educational assessment and management. The system consists of 5 modules, major overview, online curriculum, experiment teaching management, graduation project management and teaching quality feedback. The major overview module introduces the development history, training program, curriculums and experiment syllabus and teaching achievements of optical engineering major in Zhejiang University. The Management Information System is convenient for students to learn in a mobile and personalized way. The online curriculum module makes it very easy for teachers to setup a website for new curriculums. On the website, teachers can help students on their problems about the curriculums in time and collect their homework online. The experiment teaching management module and the graduation project management module enables the students to fulfill their experiment process and graduation thesis under the help of their supervisors. Before students take an experiment in the lab, they must pass the pre-experiment quiz on the corresponding module. After the experiment, students need to submit the experiment report to the web server. Moreover, the module contains experiment process video recordings, which are very helpful to improve the effect of the experiment education. The management of the entire process of a student's graduation program, including the project selection, mid-term inspection, progress report of every two weeks, final thesis, et al, is completed by the graduation project management module. The teaching quality feedback module is not only helpful for teachers to know whether the education effect of curriculum is good or not, but also helpful for the administrators of the college to know whether the design of syllabus is reasonable or not. The Management Information System changes the management object from the education results to the entire education processes. And it improves the efficiency of the management. It provides an effective method to promote curriculum construction management by supervision and evaluation, which improves students' learning outcomes and the quality of curriculums. As a result, it promotes the quality system of education obviously.

Student Self-Efficacy in Introductory Project-Based Learning Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pleiss, Geoffrey; Zastavker, Yevgeniya V.

2012-02-01

This study investigates first-year engineering students' self-efficacy in two introductory Project-Based Learning (PjBL) courses -- Physics (Mechanics) Laboratory and Engineering Design -- taught at a small technical institution. Twelve students participated in semi-structured open-ended interviews about their experiences in both courses. Analysis was performed using grounded theory. Results indicate that students had lower self-efficacy in Physics Lab than in Engineering Design. In Physics Lab, students reported high levels of faculty-supported scaffolding related to final project deliverables, which in turn established perceptions of an outcome-based course emphasis. Conversely, in Engineering Design, students observed high levels of scaffolding related to the intermediate project deliverables, highlighting process-centered aspects of the course. Our analyses indicate that this difference in student perceptions of course emphases -- resulting from the differences in scaffolding -- is a primary factor for the discrepancy in self-efficacy between Physics Lab and Engineering Design. Future work will examine how other variables (e.g., academic background, perception of community, gender) affect students' self-efficacy and perception of scaffolding in these PjBL courses.

Explore engineering with solar energy

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

Davidson, J.H.

1995-11-01

An outreach program was initiated at the University of Minnesota by faculty and student members of the Society of Women Engineers in the spring of 1994 to interest students in 3rd through 9th grade, particularly girls, in careers in engineering. Interaction with elementary and junior high students focuses on hands-on experiences with portable solar devices. This paper reports progress of the program including descriptions of the solar devices, their use in visits to local schools, day visits to the University, and week-long summer camps, and continuing education programs for elementary and secondary school teachers.

A Course in... Biochemical Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Terry K-L.; And Others

1988-01-01

Describes a chemical engineering course for senior undergraduates and first year graduate students in biochemical engineering. Discusses five experiments used in the course: aseptic techniques, dissolved oxygen measurement, oxygen uptake by yeast, continuous sterilization, and cultivation of microorganisms. (MVL)

Educating Civil Engineers for Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanley, D.

1974-01-01

Based on engineering teaching experience in Africa and Asia, ideas are presented on educating civil engineers for developing countries, especially those in Africa. Some of the problems facing educational planners, teachers, and students are addressed, including responsibilities of a newly graduated civil engineer, curriculum development, and…

Female peer mentors early in college increase women’s positive academic experiences and retention in engineering

PubMed Central

Dasgupta, Nilanjana

2017-01-01

Scientific and engineering innovation is vital for American competitiveness, quality of life, and national security. However, too few American students, especially women, pursue these fields. Although this problem has attracted enormous attention, rigorously tested interventions outside artificial laboratory settings are quite rare. To address this gap, we conducted a longitudinal field experiment investigating the effect of peer mentoring on women’s experiences and retention in engineering during college transition, assessing its impact for 1 y while mentoring was active, and an additional 1 y after mentoring had ended. Incoming women engineering students (n = 150) were randomly assigned to female or male peer mentors or no mentors for 1 y. Their experiences were assessed multiple times during the intervention year and 1-y postintervention. Female (but not male) mentors protected women’s belonging in engineering, self-efficacy, motivation, retention in engineering majors, and postcollege engineering aspirations. Counter to common assumptions, better engineering grades were not associated with more retention or career aspirations in engineering in the first year of college. Notably, increased belonging and self-efficacy were significantly associated with more retention and career aspirations. The benefits of peer mentoring endured long after the intervention had ended, inoculating women for the first 2 y of college—the window of greatest attrition from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Thus, same-gender peer mentoring for a short period during developmental transition points promotes women’s success and retention in engineering, yielding dividends over time. PMID:28533360

Female peer mentors early in college increase women's positive academic experiences and retention in engineering.

PubMed

Dennehy, Tara C; Dasgupta, Nilanjana

2017-06-06

Scientific and engineering innovation is vital for American competitiveness, quality of life, and national security. However, too few American students, especially women, pursue these fields. Although this problem has attracted enormous attention, rigorously tested interventions outside artificial laboratory settings are quite rare. To address this gap, we conducted a longitudinal field experiment investigating the effect of peer mentoring on women's experiences and retention in engineering during college transition, assessing its impact for 1 y while mentoring was active, and an additional 1 y after mentoring had ended. Incoming women engineering students ( n = 150) were randomly assigned to female or male peer mentors or no mentors for 1 y. Their experiences were assessed multiple times during the intervention year and 1-y postintervention. Female (but not male) mentors protected women's belonging in engineering, self-efficacy, motivation, retention in engineering majors, and postcollege engineering aspirations. Counter to common assumptions, better engineering grades were not associated with more retention or career aspirations in engineering in the first year of college. Notably, increased belonging and self-efficacy were significantly associated with more retention and career aspirations. The benefits of peer mentoring endured long after the intervention had ended, inoculating women for the first 2 y of college-the window of greatest attrition from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Thus, same-gender peer mentoring for a short period during developmental transition points promotes women's success and retention in engineering, yielding dividends over time.

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.

Educating next-generation civil engineers about smart structures technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunfeng

2005-05-01

The implementation of smart structures technology in the design, construction and maintenance of civil and mechanical systems have been shown beneficial to the performance enhancement, operating efficiency and reliability of structural systems. However, most of today's engineering students are unaware of the remarkable properties of smart sensors and many applications of smart structures technology. It is thus desirable to prepare the future engineers of the society for the cutting-edge technologies in smart structures, for which they may see broad application in their generation. Pioneering work in incorporating smart structures technologies into civil engineering curriculum has been done by the writer at Lehigh University and is described in this paper. In particular, a graduate-level course entitled "Smart Structural Systems" has been taught in the Spring Semester of Year 2004 at Lehigh University. To better convey the course material to students, a smart structures test-bed, which is used not only to showcase various technological aspects of a smart structural system but also offer students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience by doing experiments has been under development at Lehigh University. The hands-on experience that could be developed with the smart structures test-bed is believed being essential for students to have a good understanding and mastering of the smart structures technologies.

Teaching introductory game development with unreal engine: Challenges, strategies, and experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Head, Nicholas A.

From the days of Pong to 100 million dollar projects such as the Grand Theft Auto franchise, video games have evolved significantly over the years. This evolution has also changed the way game development is viewed as a career. Today, video games are one of the most profitable forms of entertainment, and game development courses are appearing at universities around the world. Even with this growth, a degree from a university has yet to be an important factor in finding a job in game development (Owen, 2013). This thesis examines a method of creating and implementing an introductory gaming course and recommends ways to improve the curriculum. The main focus of the course was to introduce game development to the students. Each week, they were given an exercise that covered a different topic. Students also took part in a team project in which they were tasked with creating a complete game. The goal of the team projects was to expand the student's basic knowledge given to them from the exercises. Data was gathered on the students' subjective experiences with the class. This data and the class's overall performance were compared with past iterations of the course. New to the course was the Unreal Engine. Students used the latest version of the engine, Unreal Engine 4, to complete exercises. Not all students chose to use this engine for the team project. Instructor and students experiences with the engine were also recorded. While there were some problems implementing the engine within our lab environment, we were still able to execute the overall lesson plan. Even with the engine issues, the course had overall good performance. CGT 241, Introduction to 3D Animation, was shown to help the students to complete the course while CGT 215, Computer Graphics Programming I, did not provide enough information on game programming. Exercises were found to be helpful but students wanted a better understanding of how these skills can be applied to game development. Team projects also went well with most teams creating a functional project. Students wanted more time to complete projects along with a structured approach to the project. Confidence in game development and the Unreal Engine were not high but students were enthusiastic in continuing in the field of game development. Recommendations were made to the curriculum in order to fix some of the issues with the introductory course and help students find a career. In order to fix the gap between the programming course and the introductory game course, a video game programming course was recommended that focused on teaching students how code works with video game engines. An option to specialize was also recommended in order to see a higher level of understanding on game concepts and a higher level of quality of game projects. Changes to the higher courses were also made for a yearlong course where students would focus on a single project to publish. This would expand on the introductory course while also replicating the game development process.

Emulation-Based Virtual Laboratories: A Low-Cost Alternative to Physical Experiments in Control Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin, G. C.; Medioli, A. M.; Sher, W.; Vlacic, L. B.; Welsh, J. S.

2011-01-01

This paper argues the case for emulation-based virtual laboratories in control engineering education. It demonstrates that such emulation experiments can give students an industrially relevant educational experience at relatively low cost. The paper also describes a particular emulation-based system that has been developed with the aim of giving…

Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) - Engaging Students and Teachers in Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boice, Daniel C.; Reiff, P.

2012-10-01

Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) has been a community partnership between local high schools in San Antonio, Texas (USA), and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) for the past 20 years. The goals of YES are to increase the number of high school students, especially those from underrepresented groups, seeking careers in science and engineering and to enhance their success in entering the college and major of their choice. This is accomplished by expanding career awareness, including information on "hot" career areas through seminars and laboratory tours by SwRI staff, and allowing students to interact on a continuing basis with role models at SwRI in a real-world research experiences in physical sciences (including astronomy), information sciences, and a variety of engineering fields. YES consists of two parts: 1) An intensive three-week summer workshop held at SwRI where students experience the research environment and 2) a collegial mentorship where students complete individual research projects under the guidance of SwRI mentors during the academic year. At the end of the school year, students publicly present and display their work, spreading career awareness to other students and teachers. Twenty-one YES 2012 students developed a website for the Dawn Mission (yesserver.space.swri.edu) and five high school science teachers are developing space-related lessons for classroom presentation. Partnerships between research institutes, local high schools, and community foundations, like the YES Program, positively affect students’ preparation for STEM careers via real-world research experiences with mentorship teams consisting of professional staff and qualified teachers. Acknowledgements. We acknowledge support from the NASA MMS Mission, SwRI, and local charitable foundations.

Post-Graduation Plans of International Science and Engineering Doctoral Students Attending U.S. Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ugwu, Dorothy N.; Adamuti-Trache, Maria

2017-01-01

This study examines the post-graduation plans of international science and engineering doctoral students at a public research-intensive university, and the extent to which graduate school experiences influence post-graduation plans. The study is grounded in Tinto's Integration Model as well as Berry's Acculturation Model. Study findings highlight…

Designing a Better Experience: A Qualitative Investigation of Student Engineering Internships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paknejad, Mohammad R.

2016-01-01

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education play a very important role in preparing students with skills necessary to obtain better jobs, solve real-world challenges, and compete in the global economy. STEM education develops critical thinking and the ability to solve complex problems. Research showed that 8 out of 10 most…

Improving the Latin American Engineering Student's Experience in the U.S. University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Kenneth A.

This report resulted from a conference convened to discuss the special needs of Latin American students in the US and the relationship between academic courses offered and educational needs and career opportunities at home. The conference focused on business administration and engineering, fields attracting the largest number of Latin American…

An Interdisciplinary Laboratory to Teach Experimentation. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schenck, Hilbert, Jr.

The author views the primary purpose of the modern engineering laboratory as teaching the student how to experiment. An attempt is made to update the engineering laboratory and make it generally meaningful for all students, whether headed for graduate school or an industrial job. The intent is to broaden the experimental picture so that students…

Five Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Majors: A Portraiture of Their Lived Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torcivia, Patrice Prusko

2012-01-01

Numerous studies have addressed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and their relation to education and gender ranging from elementary school pedagogy to career choices for traditional-aged college students. Little research has addressed nontraditional female students returning to the university to in the STEM fields. This…

Making Sense of Curriculum--The Transition into Science and Engineering University Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulriksen, Lars; Holmegaard, Henriette T.; Madsen, Lene Møller

2017-01-01

Research on students' transition, retention and experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has increasingly focused on identity formation and on students' integration in the study programmes. However, studies focusing on the role of the curriculum in this process at the level of higher education are scarce. The present…

Perspectives on Peer-Mentoring from Taiwanese Science and Engineering Master's Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Yii-nii

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to describe the peer-mentoring experience from the perspective of 16 master's students majoring in science or engineering at a research-oriented university in Taiwan. Utilizing a qualitative method of phenomenology, these mentees shared their views about their peer-mentors through in-depth interviews. Participants…

Tracking Student Participants from a REU Site with NAE Grand Challenges as the Common Theme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkett, Susan; Dye, Tabatha; Johnson, Pauline

2015-01-01

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Grand Challenges provides the theme for this NSFfunded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site. Research topics, with their broad societal impact, allow undergraduate students from multiple engineering disciplines and computer science to work together on exciting and critical problems. The…

The research on teaching reformation of photoelectric information science and engineering specialty experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zheng; Yang, Fan; Zhang, Yang; Geng, Tao; Li, Yuxiang

2017-08-01

This paper introduced the idea of teaching reformation of photoelectric information science and engineering specialty experiments. The teaching reformation of specialty experiments was analyzed from many aspects, such as construction of specialized laboratory, experimental methods, experiment content, experiment assessing mechanism, and so on. The teaching of specialty experiments was composed of four levels experiments: basic experiments, comprehensive and designing experiments, innovative research experiments and engineering experiments which are aiming at enterprise production. Scientific research achievements and advanced technology on photoelectric technology were brought into the teaching of specialty experiments, which will develop the students' scientific research ability and make them to be the talent suitable for photoelectric industry.

Disciplinary Categories, Majors, and Undergraduate Academic Experiences: Rethinking Bok's "Underachieving Colleges" Thesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brint, Steven; Cantwell, Allison M.; Saxena, Preeta

2012-01-01

Using data from the 2008 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey, we show that study time and academic conscientiousness were lower among students in humanities and social science majors than among students in science and engineering majors. Analytical and critical thinking experiences were no more evident among humanities and…

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 44: Becoming an aerospace engineer: Some thoughts on the career goals and educational preparation of AIAA student members

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.; Hecht, Laura M.

1994-01-01

Similarities and differences between undergraduate and graduate engineering students in the context of two general aspects of educational experience are described. Considered first is the extent to which students differ regarding the factors that led to the choice of a career in aerospace engineering, their current levels of satisfaction with that choice, and career-related goals and objectives. Second, the importance of certain information-use skills for professional success, and the frequency of use and importance of specific information sources and products to meet students' educational needs, are explored.

Research Laboratory for Engineering and Tehnology (ReLEnT)-Summer Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okhio, Cyril B.

1996-01-01

During the fiscal years 1994-1995 students at Central State University (CSU) have worked diligently under the supervision of the PI and associates to plan, design and conduct a four-week hands on summer program for high school students in grades 9 to 12. These workshops consists of experiments and computer aided design and manufacturing, designed to constructively stimulate interests in engineering and technology, and promote enrollment at CSU after they matriculate from high school. The experience gained in two years will be utilized to realize one of the deliverables for CSU engineering program during 1996. In FY-96 a new total of 30 students are now being interviewed for the 1996 program. This grant also provides resource for students enrolled in CSU's engineering program to work as undergraduate research assistants and ReLEnT tuition scholarship awards. These students are involved in the development of research, design projects, workshop procedures, laboratory exercises and seminars. Undergraduate students receiving tuition scholarships are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Finally, the ReLEnT award has made it possible for CSU to acquire some experimental and CFD capability which now provides us with the opportunity to compete and respond to RFP's on a competitive basis and a timely manner.

Present Circumstances and its Effect of Participation in NHK Robocon/RoboCup Competition for Engineering Education in College of Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiura, Touko; Ito, Kazuaki; Watanabe, Masato

The engineering education through making robots which needs various techniques such as construction of mechanism and electric circuit design are very useful for training of the students' creativity and developing the students' personality. Toyota National College of Technology has participate in NHK Robocon competition for sixteen years and Robocup competition for four years as a part of engineering education getting spectacular results in those competitions. This paper discusses the present circumstances and its effect of participation in Robocon/RoboCup competition for the engineering education, based on the students' questionnaire survey. It is described to participate in NHK Robocon competition is very important for enhancing the students' knowledge and experience. Furthermore, the participation in Robocup competition brings better results for student' personality development as compared with participation in only Robocon competition.

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…

The Effect of Integrating Lab Experiments in Electronic Circuits into Mathematic Studies--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabag, Nissim

2017-01-01

Background: The importance of knowledge and skills in mathematics for electrical engineering students is well known. Engineers and engineering educators agree that any engineering curriculum must include plenty of mathematics studies to enrich the engineer's toolbox. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to the possible contribution of…

An Engineering Research Program for High School Science Teachers: Year Two Changes and Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeJong, Brian P.; Yelamarthi, Kumar; Kaya, Tolga

2016-01-01

The research experiences for teachers program at Central Michigan University was initiated to team in-service and pre-service teachers with undergraduate engineering students and engineering faculty, in an engineering research setting. During the six-week program, teachers learn engineering concepts and develop high-school instructional material…

The Experience and Persistence of College Students in STEM Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Yonghong Jade

2018-01-01

In this study, an online survey was constructed based on the extant literature on college student success. The survey was used to collect data from a sample of college students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors in order to examine their learning experiences and to identify the factors that may influence their persistence…

Robust and Fragile Mathematical Identities: A Framework for Exploring Racialized Experiences and High Achievement among Black College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Ebony O.

2015-01-01

I introduce the construct of fragile and robust identities for the purpose of exploring the experiences that influenced the mathematical and racial identities of high-achieving Black college students in mathematics and engineering. These students maintained high levels of academic achievement in these fields while enduring marginalization,…

A Model for Engaging Students in a Research Experience Involving Variational Techniques, Mathematica, and Descent Methods.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahavier, W. Ted

2002-01-01

Describes a two-semester numerical methods course that serves as a research experience for undergraduate students without requiring external funding or the modification of current curriculum. Uses an engineering problem to introduce students to constrained optimization via a variation of the traditional isoperimetric problem of finding the curve…

A hermeneutic phenomenological study of the experiences of female African American undergraduate engineering students at a predominantly White and an historically Black institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frillman, Sharron Ann

2011-12-01

This phenomenological study examined the experiences of twelve female African Americans enrolled as fulltime undergraduate engineering students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, an historically Black university, and seven female African Americans enrolled as undergraduate engineering students at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, a traditionally White institution. Interviews provided insights into the "lived" experiences of these young women and the factors they believe have contributed to their success in their respective engineering programs. Data analysis involved coding each participant's responses to interview questions using Atlas.ti, a powerful qualitative data analysis tool. This generated 181 codes that were further categorized into nine emergent themes, indicating the potential for extensive associations among the variables. The emergent themes are as follows: (1) Demographic information/special circumstances, (2) Personal attributes and characteristics, (3) Personal insights, (4) Sense of mission, (5) Sources of negative stress, (6) Success strategies, (7) Various forms of support, (8) Would/would not have made it to where she is now, and (9) Being African American and female in engineering. Analysis of these themes and their relationships led to the development of the Frillman Model of Emergent Themes in Female African American Engineering Students. Success. In addressing similarities and differences, three overriding theme categories emerged. These were: (1) Four personhood themes and dual social identity theme; (2) Environmental input and response theme; and (3) Outcome emergent theme of Would/Would not have made it to where she is now. Recommendations were made for future research to expand upon this exploratory study.

Intending to stay: Positive images, attitudes, and classroom experiences as influences on students' intentions to persist in science and engineering majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyer, Mary Beth

2000-10-01

Contemporary research on persistence in undergraduate education in science and engineering has focused primarily on identifying the structural, social, and psychological barriers to participation by students in underrepresented groups. As a result, there is a wealth of data to document why students leave their majors, but there is little direct empirical data to support prevailing presumptions about why students stay. Moreover, researchers have used widely differing definitions and measures of persistence, and they have seldom explored field differences. This study compared three ways of measuring persistence. These constituted three criterion variables: commitment to major, degree aspirations, and commitment to a science/engineering career. The study emphasized social factors that encourage students to persist, including four predictor variables---(1) positive images of scientists/engineers, (2) positive attitudes toward gender and racial equality, (3) positive classroom experiences, and (4) high levels of social integration. In addition, because researchers have repeatedly documented the degree to which women are more likely than men to drop out of science and engineering majors, the study examined the potential impact of gender in relation to these predictor variables. A survey was administered in the classroom to a total of 285 students enrolled in a required course for either a biological sciences and or an engineering major. Predictor variables were developed from standard scales, including the Images of Science/Scientists Scale, the Attitudes toward Women Scale, the Women in Science Scale, and the Perceptions of Prejudice Scale. Based on logistic regression models, results indicate that positive images of scientists and engineers was significantly related to improving the odds of students having a high commitment to major, high degree aspirations, and high commitment to career. There was also evidence that positive attitudes toward gender and racial equality as well as positive classroom experiences improved the odds of students' having high degree aspirations. There was limited evidence to suggest the significance of gender in interaction with the predictor variables. There was tentative evidence that field differences may play a critical role in persistence. The study concludes on two points. The first is that gender may be a more important factor in explaining why some students leave their science and engineering majors than in explaining why others stay. The second is that research directed at improving diversity in science would benefit from discussion about the measures of persistence.

Research Institute for Technical Careers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glenn, Ronald L.

1996-01-01

The NASA research grant to Wilberforce University enabled us to establish the Research Institute for Technical Careers (RITC) in order to improve the teaching of science and engineering at Wilberforce. The major components of the research grant are infrastructure development, establishment of the Wilberforce Intensive Summer Experience (WISE), and Joint Research Collaborations with NASA Scientists. (A) Infrastructure Development. The NASA grant has enabled us to improve the standard of our chemistry laboratory and establish the electronics, design, and robotics laboratories. These laboratories have significantly improved the level of instruction at Wilberforce University. (B) Wilberforce Intensive Summer Experience (WISE). The WISE program is a science and engineering bridge program for prefreshman students. It is an intensive academic experience designed to strengthen students' knowledge in mathematics, science, engineering, computing skills, and writing. (C) Joint Collaboration. Another feature of the grant is research collaborations between NASA Scientists and Wilberforce University Scientists. These collaborations have enabled our faculty and students to conduct research at NASA Lewis during the summer and publish research findings in various journals and scientific proceedings.

Improving collaborative learning in online software engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neill, Colin J.; DeFranco, Joanna F.; Sangwan, Raghvinder S.

2017-11-01

Team projects are commonplace in software engineering education. They address a key educational objective, provide students critical experience relevant to their future careers, allow instructors to set problems of greater scale and complexity than could be tackled individually, and are a vehicle for socially constructed learning. While all student teams experience challenges, those in fully online programmes must also deal with remote working, asynchronous coordination, and computer-mediated communications all of which contribute to greater social distance between team members. We have developed a facilitation framework to aid team collaboration and have demonstrated its efficacy, in prior research, with respect to team performance and outcomes. Those studies indicated, however, that despite experiencing improved project outcomes, students working in effective software engineering teams did not experience significantly improved individual achievement. To address this deficiency we implemented theoretically grounded refinements to the collaboration model based upon peer-tutoring research. Our results indicate a modest, but statistically significant (p = .08), improvement in individual achievement using this refined model.

A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Latina Engineering Students at a Community College: Intersection of Race, Gender, and Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melendez, Marnie

The United States Science, Technology, and Engineering and Math (STEM) workforce is vital to this country's economic development interests, and its ability to compete effectively in the global market. One of the greatest challenges facing that industry in the US is the current and projected shortage of engineers serving the STEM industry. Policymakers, educators, and industry leaders in the US are concerned that if the noted challenge is not addressed, the projected shortage particularly in the engineering sector, will have a significant negative impact on the economic well-being of the U.S. (Hagedorn & Purnamasari, 2012). Research supports the need to widen the net when seeking out potential STEM students, and experts have pointed to increasing recruitment of women and underrepresented students into the STEM majors and fields. This study sought a deeper understanding of the lived experience of Latinas pursuing an engineering major at a California community college. Having the Latin engineering students describe in their own words what it is like to be women of color pursuing an engineering degree at a community college made their struggle real. It helped to explore new strategies and provoke change in policies to increase student success rates for Latinas in the STEM fields specifically in engineering. To attract and retain women of color (e.g., Latinas) in STEM programs, the effort must start where many of them typically begin their higher education, in the community college system. The researcher is also recommending that educators concerned with increasing retention, persistence, and academic performance, also examine and promote practices that serve to enhance the sense of belonging among all students, especially students of color. Furthermore, this research recommends that school administrators within the community college system should reaffirm their stated mission to eradicate racial and gender discrimination within the classroom and throughout the campus. Essentially, this stresses that college administration can play a huge role in enhancing the student success of historically disadvantaged students, including women of color pursuing or aspiring to pursue a degree within the STEM field.

Hazards in the Solar System: Out-of-School Time Student Activities Focused on Engineering Protective Space Gloves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughan, R. G.; Meyer, N.; Anderson, R. B.; Sokol, K.; Nolan, B.; Edgar, L. A.; Gaither, T. A.; Milazzo, M. P.; Clark, J.

2017-12-01

"In Good Hands: Engineering Space Gloves" is a new Engineering Adventures® curriculum unit created for students in grades 3-5 in out-of-school time programs. It was designed and created by the Engineering is Elementary® team at the Museum of Science in Boston, MA, in collaboration with subject matter experts at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and teacher professional development experts at Northern Arizona University's Center for Science Teaching and Learning. As part of the NASA-funded PLANETS (Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science) project, the goals for this unit are to introduce students to some of the potential hazards that would be faced by astronauts exploring planetary bodies in the solar system, and to engage students in thinking about how to engineer solutions to these challenges. Potential human health hazards in planetary exploration include: little to no breathable oxygen, exposure to extreme temperatures and pressures, radiation, dusty or toxic environments, and/or high velocity debris. First, students experiment with gloves made of different materials to accomplish tasks like picking up paper clips, entering numbers on a calculator, and using simple tools, while also testing for insulating properties, protection from crushing forces, and resistance to dust contamination. Students explore the trade-offs between form and multiple desired functions, and gain an introduction to materials engineering. Students are then presented with three different missions. Mission 1 is to collect and return a sample from Saturn's moon, Titan; Mission 2 is mining asteroids for useful minerals; and Mission 3 is to build a radio tower on the far side of Earth's moon. Each of these missions exhibits different potential hazards. Based on their previous experiments with different types of glove materials, students develop and test glove designs that will protect astronauts from mission-specific hazards, while still retaining basic dexterity and functionality. Educators are given background information and links to in-depth descriptions of the science content, and students are guided through the engineering design process as well as given scientific background on hazards in the solar system in a fun and engaging series of activities.

MIT January Operational Internship Experience 2011

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLatte, Danielle; Furhmann, Adam; Habib, Manal; Joujon-Roche, Cecily; Opara, Nnaemeka; Pasterski, Sabrina Gonzalez; Powell, Christina; Wimmer, Andrew

2011-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the 2011 January Operational Internship experience (JOIE) program which allows students to study operational aspects of spaceflight, how design affects operations and systems engineering in practice for 3 weeks. Topics include: (1) Systems Engineering (2) NASA Organization (3) Workforce Core Values (4) Human Factors (5) Safety (6) Lean Engineering (7) NASA Now (8) Press, Media, and Outreach and (9) Future of Spaceflight.

Applied aerodynamics experience for secondary science teachers and students

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbitt, John D., III; Carroll, Bruce F.

1992-01-01

The Department of Aerospace Engineering, Mechanics & Engineering Science at the University of Florida in conjunction with the Alachua County, Florida School Board has embarked on a four-year project of university-secondary school collaboration designed to enhance mathematics and science instruction in secondary school classrooms. The goals are to provide teachers with a fundamental knowledge of flight sciences, and to stimulate interest among students, particularly women and minorities, toward careers in engineering, mathematics, and science. In the first year of the project, all thirteen of the eighth grade physical science teachers and all 1200 of the eighth grade physical science students in the county participated. The activities consisted of a three-day seminar taught at the college level for the teachers, several weeks of classroom instruction for all the students, and an airport field trip for a subgroup of about 430 students that included an orientation flight in a Cessna 172 aircraft. The project brought together large numbers of middle school students, teachers, undergraduate and graduate engineering students, school board administrators, and university engineering faculty.

Economical graphics display system for flight simulation avionics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

During the past academic year the focal point of this project has been to enhance the economical flight simulator system by incorporating it into the aero engineering educational environment. To accomplish this goal it was necessary to develop appropriate software modules that provide a foundation for student interaction with the system. In addition experiments had to be developed and tested to determine if they were appropriate for incorporation into the beginning flight simulation course, AERO-41B. For the most part these goals were accomplished. Experiments were developed and evaluated by graduate students. More work needs to be done in this area. The complexity and length of the experiments must be refined to match the programming experience of the target students. It was determined that few undergraduate students are ready to absorb the full extent and complexity of a real-time flight simulation. For this reason the experiments developed are designed to introduce basic computer architectures suitable for simulation, the programming environment and languages, the concept of math modules, evaluation of acquired data, and an introduction to the meaning of real-time. An overview is included of the system environment as it pertains to the students, an example of a flight simulation experiment performed by the students, and a summary of the executive programming modules created by the students to achieve a user-friendly multi-processor system suitable to an aero engineering educational program.

A journey of negotiation and belonging: understanding students' transitions to science and engineering in higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmegaard, Henriette Tolstrup; Madsen, Lene Møller; Ulriksen, Lars

2014-09-01

The paper presents results from a longitudinal study of students' decisions to enrol on a higher education science programme and their experiences of it. The aim is to give insights into students' transition process and negotiation of identity. This is done by following a cohort of 38 students in a series of qualitative interviews during a 3-year period starting as they were about to finish upper secondary school. We find that the students' choice of study is an ongoing process of meaning-making, which continues when the students enter higher education and continuously work on their identities to gain a sense of belonging to their science or engineering programme. The use of a narrative methodology provides understanding of choice of study as involving changes in future perspectives and in the interpretation of past experiences. Further, we gain access into how this meaning-making process over time reflects the students' negotiations in terms of belonging to higher education and their coping strategies when their expectations of their new programme interact with their first-year experiences.

A Biotic Game Design Project for Integrated Life Science and Engineering Education

PubMed Central

Denisin, Aleksandra K.; Rensi, Stefano; Sanchez, Gabriel N.; Quake, Stephen R.; Riedel-Kruse, Ingmar H.

2015-01-01

Engaging, hands-on design experiences are key for formal and informal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Robotic and video game design challenges have been particularly effective in stimulating student interest, but equivalent experiences for the life sciences are not as developed. Here we present the concept of a "biotic game design project" to motivate student learning at the interface of life sciences and device engineering (as part of a cornerstone bioengineering devices course). We provide all course material and also present efforts in adapting the project's complexity to serve other time frames, age groups, learning focuses, and budgets. Students self-reported that they found the biotic game project fun and motivating, resulting in increased effort. Hence this type of design project could generate excitement and educational impact similar to robotics and video games. PMID:25807212

Teaching Reform of Civil Engineering Materials Course Based on Project-Driven Pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yidong, Xu; Wei, Chen; WeiguoJian, You; Jiansheng, Shen

2018-05-01

In view of the scattered experimental projects in practical courses of civil engineering materials, the poor practical ability of students and the disconnection between practical teaching and theoretical teaching, this paper proposes a practical teaching procedure. Firstly, the single experiment should be offered which emphasizes on improving the students’ basic experimental operating ability. Secondly, the compressive experiment is offered and the overall quality of students can be examined in the form of project team. In order to investigate the effect of teaching reform, the comparative analysis of the students of three grades (2014, 2015 and 2016) majored in civil engineering was conducted. The result shows that the students’ ability of experimental operation is obviously improved by using the project driven method-based teaching reform. Besides, the students’ ability to analyse and solve problems has also been improved.

A biotic game design project for integrated life science and engineering education.

PubMed

Cira, Nate J; Chung, Alice M; Denisin, Aleksandra K; Rensi, Stefano; Sanchez, Gabriel N; Quake, Stephen R; Riedel-Kruse, Ingmar H

2015-03-01

Engaging, hands-on design experiences are key for formal and informal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Robotic and video game design challenges have been particularly effective in stimulating student interest, but equivalent experiences for the life sciences are not as developed. Here we present the concept of a "biotic game design project" to motivate student learning at the interface of life sciences and device engineering (as part of a cornerstone bioengineering devices course). We provide all course material and also present efforts in adapting the project's complexity to serve other time frames, age groups, learning focuses, and budgets. Students self-reported that they found the biotic game project fun and motivating, resulting in increased effort. Hence this type of design project could generate excitement and educational impact similar to robotics and video games.

Experiences in Developing an Experimental Robotics Course Program for Undergraduate Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Seul

2013-01-01

An interdisciplinary undergraduate-level robotics course offers students the chance to integrate their engineering knowledge learned throughout their college years by building a robotic system. Robotics is thus a core course in system and control-related engineering education. This paper summarizes the experience of developing robotics courses…

Teaching Cellular Automation Concepts through Interdisciplinary Collaborative Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biernacki, Joseph J.; Ayers, Jerry B.

2000-01-01

Reports on the experiences of 12 students--three senior undergraduates majoring in chemical engineering, five master-level, and four doctoral students--in a course titled "Interdisciplinary Studies in Multi-Scale Simulation of Concrete Materials". Course objectives focused on incorporating team-oriented interdisciplinary experiences into the…

A Phenomenographic Investigation of the Ways Engineering Students Experience Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fila, Nicholas David

2017-01-01

Innovation has become an important phenomenon in engineering and engineering education. By developing novel, feasible, viable, and valued solutions to complex technical and human problems, engineers support the economic competitiveness of organizations, make a difference in the lives of users and other stakeholders, drive societal and scientific…

Engineering Encounters: Reverse Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGowan, Veronica Cassone; Ventura, Marcia; Bell, Philip

2017-01-01

This column presents ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month's issue shares information on how students' everyday experiences can support science learning through engineering design. In this article, the authors outline a reverse-engineering model of instruction and describe one example of how it looked in our fifth-grade…

Structure of Black Male Students Academic Achievement in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rascoe, Barbara

Educational policies and practices have been largely unsuccessful in closing the achievement gap between Black and White students "Schwartz, 2001". This achievement gap is especially problematic for Black students in science "Maton, Hrabrowski, - Schmitt, 2000. Given the fact that the Black-White achievement gap is still an enigma, the purpose of this article is to address the Black female-Black male academic achievement gap in science majors. Addressing barriers that Black male students may experience as college science and engineering majors, this article presents marketing strategies relative to politics, emotional intelligence, and issues with respect to how science teaching, and Black male students' responses to it, are different. Many Black male students may need to experience a paradigm shift, which structures and enhances their science achievement. Paradigm shifts are necessary because exceptional academic ability and motivation are not enough to get Black males from their first year in a science, technology, education, and mathematics "STEM" major to a bachelor's degree in science and engineering. The conclusions focus on the balance of truth-slippery slopes concerning the confluence of science teachers' further ado and Black male students' theories, methods, and values that position their academic achievement in science and engineering majors.

Astrobiobound! Search for Life in the Solar System: Scientists and Engineers Bringing their Challenges to K-12 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klug Boonstra, S. L.; Swann, J.; Manfredi, L.; Zippay, A.; Boonstra, D.

2014-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) brought many dynamic opportunities and capabilities to the K-12 science classroom - especially with the inclusion of engineering. Using science as a context to help students engage in the engineering practices and engineering disciplinary core ideas is an essential step to students' understanding of how science drives engineering and how engineering enables science. Real world examples and applications are critical for students to see how these disciplines are integrated. Furthermore, the interface of science and engineering raise the level of science understanding, and facilitate higher order thinking skills through relevant experiences. Astrobiobound! is designed for the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) and CCSS (Common Core State Standards). Students also practice and build 21st Century Skills. Astrobiobound! help students see how science and systems engineering are integrated to achieve a focused scientific goal. Students engage in the engineering design process to design a space mission which requires them to balance the return of their science data with engineering limitations such as power, mass and budget. Risk factors also play a role during this simulation and adds to the excitement and authenticity. Astrobiobound! presents the authentic first stages of NASA mission design process. This simulation mirrors the NASA process in which the science goals, type of mission, and instruments to return required data to meet mission goals are proposed within mission budget before any of the construction part of engineering can begin. NASA scientists and engineers were consulted in the development of this activity as an authentic simulation of their mission proposal process.

An Overview of contributions of NASA Space Shuttle to Space Science and Engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lulla, Kamlesh

2012-07-01

This paper provides an indepth overview of the enormous contrbutions made by the NASA Space Shuttle Program to Space science and engineering education over the past thirty years. The author has served as one of the major contributors and editors of NASA book "Wings In Orbit: Scientific and Engineering Legacies of the Space Shuttle program" (NASA SP-2010-3409). Every Space Shuttle mission was an education mission: student involvement programs such as Get Away Specials housed in Shuttle payload allowed students to propose research and thus enrich their university education experience. School students were able to operate "EarthKAM" to learn the intricacies of orbital mechanics, earth viewing opportunities and were able to master the science and art of proposal writing and scientific collaboration. The purpose of this presentation is to introduce the global student and teaching community in space sciences and engineering to the plethora of educational resources available to them for engaging a wide variety of students (from early school to the undergraduate and graduate level and to inspire them towards careers in Space sciences and technologies. The volume "Wings In Orbit" book is one example of these ready to use in classroom materials. This paper will highlight the educational payloads, experiments and on-orbit classroom activities conducted for space science and engineering students, teachers and non-traditional educators. The presentation will include discussions on the science content and its educational relevance in all major disiciplines in which the research was conducted on-board the Space Shuttle.

Developing a Pre-Engineering Curriculum for 3D Printing Skills for High School Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chien, Yu-Hung

2017-01-01

This study developed an integrated-STEM CO[subscript 2] dragster design course using 3D printing technology. After developing a pre-engineering curriculum, we conducted a teaching experiment to assess students' differences in creativity, race forecast accuracy, and learning performance. We compared student performance in both 3D printing and…

Testing Foreign Language Impact on Engineering Students' Scientific Problem-Solving Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatzl, Dietmar; Messnarz, Bernd

2013-01-01

This article investigates the influence of English as the examination language on the solution of physics and science problems by non-native speakers in tertiary engineering education. For that purpose, a statistically significant total number of 96 students in four year groups from freshman to senior level participated in a testing experiment in…

The Public Good and Academic Capitalism: Science and Engineering Doctoral Students and Faculty on the Boundary of Knowledge Regimes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szelényi, Katalin; Bresonis, Kate

2014-01-01

This article examines the research-related experiences of 48 doctoral students and 22 faculty in science and engineering fields at three research universities, with specific emphasis on the intersection of the public good and academic capitalism. Identifying an expansive, intersecting organizational space between the public good and academic…

Characterizing Learning-through-Service Students in Engineering by Gender and Academic Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carberry, Adam Robert

2010-01-01

Service is increasingly being viewed as an integral part of education nationwide. Service-based courses and programs are growing in popularity as opportunities for students to learn and experience their discipline. Widespread adoption of learning-through-service (LTS) in engineering is stymied by a lack of a body of rigorous research supporting…

Case-Based Instruction: Improving Students' Conceptual Understanding through Cases in a Mechanical Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yadav, Aman; Vinh, Megan; Shaver, Gregory M.; Meckl, Peter; Firebaugh, Stephanie

2014-01-01

Recently, there has been a push within engineering curricula to adopt more learner-centered pedagogies, such as case-based instruction. Case-based instruction has been hypothesized to make the curriculum more relevant and motivating for students by pushing them to integrate the concepts they have learned with other experiences. The current study…

An Analysis of Retention Programs for Female Students in Engineering at the University of Toledo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franchetti, Matthew

2012-01-01

This paper summarizes the findings of a five-year study aimed at improving the retention rates of female students pursuing careers in engineering. The study analyzed a series of programs implemented at the University of Toledo. The programs involve hands-on design projects, research experiences, communication tools geared towards females,…

Developing Design and Management Skills for Senior Industrial Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urbanic, R. J.

2011-01-01

In Canadian engineering institutions, a significant design experience must occur in the final year of study. In the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems at the University of Windsor, unsolved, open ended projects sponsored by industrial partners from a variety of sectors are provided to the student teams in order for them to apply…

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.

The effect of integrating lab experiments in electronic circuits into mathematic studies - a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabag, Nissim

2017-10-01

The importance of knowledge and skills in mathematics for electrical engineering students is well known. Engineers and engineering educators agree that any engineering curriculum must include plenty of mathematics studies to enrich the engineer's toolbox. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to the possible contribution of examples from engineering fields for the clarification of mathematical issues.

The development of learning material using learning goal orientation approach in digital electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puspitaningayu, P.; Anifah, L.; Kholis, N.

2018-01-01

Mastery of digital electronics principles is essential for future engineers in the digital era. This article describes the use of simulations in an undergraduate electrical engineering course to promote the adoption of a learning-goal orientation. This study used experimental method. This was done by providing students with a simulation environment which students freely use to experiment with various circuit models. Students were then invited to reflect on how the simulation results compare with results from lab experiments. The module got 82% of positive rating from 28 students and all of them passed in the examination with 81.8 as the average score. Those majority students were motivated by the combination of two learning goals written in the module. Moreover, they also gain the ability to design more complex systems because of their combined experience. Additionally, the module also has been validated and got 83% of reliability. The final product of this research hereafter can be recommended to be used as teaching material.

[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.

Graduate engineering research participation in aeronautics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, A. S., Jr.

1986-01-01

The Aeronautics Graduate Research Program commenced in 1971, with the primary goal of engaging students who qualified for regular admission to the Graduate School of Engineering at Old Dominion University in a graduate engineering research and study program in collaboration with NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. The format and purposes of this program are discussed. Student selection and program statistics are summarized. Abstracts are presented in the folowing areas: aircraft design, aerodynamics, lift/drag characteristics; avionics; fluid mechanics; solid mechanics; instrumentation and measurement techniques; thermophysical properties experiments; large space structures; earth orbital dynamics; and environmental engineering.

A psychological model that integrates ethics in engineering education.

PubMed

Magun-Jackson, Susan

2004-04-01

Ethics has become an increasingly important issue within engineering as the profession has become progressively more complex. The need to integrate ethics into an engineering curriculum is well documented, as education does not often sufficiently prepare engineers for the ethical conflicts they experience. Recent research indicates that there is great diversity in the way institutions approach the problem of teaching ethics to undergraduate engineering students; some schools require students to take general ethics courses from philosophical or religious perspectives, while others integrate ethics in existing engineering courses. The purpose of this paper is to propose a method to implement the integration of ethics in engineering education that is pedagogically based on Kohlberg's stage theory of moral development.

Students' explanations in complex learning of disciplinary programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieira, Camilo

Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) has been denominated as the third pillar of science and as a set of important skills to solve the problems of a global society. Along with the theoretical and the experimental approaches, computation offers a third alternative to solve complex problems that require processing large amounts of data, or representing complex phenomena that are not easy to experiment with. Despite the relevance of CSE, current professionals and scientists are not well prepared to take advantage of this set of tools and methods. Computation is usually taught in an isolated way from engineering disciplines, and therefore, engineers do not know how to exploit CSE affordances. This dissertation intends to introduce computational tools and methods contextualized within the Materials Science and Engineering curriculum. Considering that learning how to program is a complex task, the dissertation explores effective pedagogical practices that can support student disciplinary and computational learning. Two case studies will be evaluated to identify the characteristics of effective worked examples in the context of CSE. Specifically, this dissertation explores students explanations of these worked examples in two engineering courses with different levels of transparency: a programming course in materials science and engineering glass box and a thermodynamics course involving computational representations black box. Results from this study suggest that students benefit in different ways from writing in-code comments. These benefits include but are not limited to: connecting xv individual lines of code to the overall problem, getting familiar with the syntax, learning effective algorithm design strategies, and connecting computation with their discipline. Students in the glass box context generate higher quality explanations than students in the black box context. These explanations are related to students prior experiences. Specifically, students with low ability to do programming engage in a more thorough explanation process than students with high ability. This dissertation concludes proposing an adaptation to the instructional principles of worked-examples for the context of CSE education.

Considering Student Voices: Examining the Experiences of Underrepresented Students in Intervention Programs

PubMed Central

Gibau, Gina Sanchez

2015-01-01

Qualitative studies that examine the experiences of underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields are comparatively few. This study explores the self-reported experiences of underrepresented graduate students in the biomedical sciences of a large, midwestern, urban university. Document analysis of interview transcripts from program evaluations capture firsthand accounts of student experiences and reveal the need for a critical examination of current intervention programs designed to reverse the trend of underrepresentation in the biomedical sciences. Findings point to themes aligned around the benefits and challenges of program components, issues of social adjustment, the utility of supportive relationships, and environmental impacts. PMID:26163562

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.

M.U.S.T. 2007 Summer Research Project at NASA's KSC MILA Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

PintoRey, Christian R.

2007-01-01

The summer research activity at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) aims to introduce the student to the basic principles in their field of study. While at KSC, a specific research project awaits the student to complete. As an Aeronautical Engineering student, my assigned project is to assist the cognizant engineer, Mr. Troy Hamilton, in the six engineering phases for replacing the Ponce De Leon (PDL)4.3M Antenna Control Unit (ACU). Although the project mainly requires the attention of two engineers and two students, it also involves the participation of many colleagues at various points during the course of the engineering change (EC). Since the PDL 4.3M ACU engineering change makes both hardware and software changes, it calls upon the expertise of a Hardware Engineer as well as a Software Engineer. As students, Mr. Jeremy Bresette and I have worked side by side with the engineers, gaining invaluable experience. We work in two teams, the hardware team and the software team, On certain tasks, we assist the engineers, while on others we assume their roles. By diligently working in this fashion, we are learning how to communicate effectively as professionals, despite the fact that we are studying different engineering fields. This project has been a great fit for my field of study, as it has highly improved my awareness of the many critical tasks involved in carrying out an engineering project.

"Sounds like something a white man should be doing": Academic identity in African American female engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stitt, Rashunda LaRuth

This study exposed the way African American female engineering students constructed their academic identities by focusing on their lived experiences. Participants included nine engineering students at Mid-South University (pseudonym) who identified as African American females. Participants were required to sit for one semi-structured academic life history interview that focused on their academic experiences from early childhood to present. This study employed two levels of theory in order to obtain a comprehensive view of participants' experiences. Black feminist theory, which accounts for the intersectionality of participants' race and gender, served as the macro level theory and academic identity, which accounts for the individual's sense of identity within an academic context, served as the mid-level theory. I engaged in thematic analysis, narrative analysis, and creative analytic practice in order to highlight similarities between participants' stories, differences between participants' experiences, and to make this research accessible to individuals outside of academia. As a result, the following three themes emerged to highlight the similarities between participants: (a) just because you struggle, does not mean you should quit; (b) engineering is something you cannot do alone; and (c) I can be creative and do math and science? That's cool! Narrative analysis exposed the academic identity statuses of participants to be either identity achieved, identity moratorium, identity foreclosed or identity diffused. The final piece of analysis involved creating a play that highlights the experiences of an African American girl's pursuit of her engineering degree. Additionally, the final chapter provides conclusions, implications, suggestions for future research, and limitations of the current study.

Linking Teaching and Research in an Undergraduate Course and Exploring Student Learning Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallin, Patric; Adawi, Tom; Gold, Julie

2017-01-01

In this case study, we first describe how teaching and research are linked in a master's course on tissue engineering. A central component of the course is an authentic research project that the students carry out in smaller groups and in collaboration with faculty. We then explore how the students experience learning in this kind of…

Students Who Demonstrate Strong Talent and Interest in STEM Are Initially Attracted to STEM through Extracurricular Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanMeter-Adams, Amy; Frankenfeld, Cara L.; Bases, Jessica; Espina, Virginia; Liotta, Lance A.

2014-01-01

What early experiences attract students to pursue an education and career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)? Does hands-on research influence them to persevere and complete a major course of academic study in STEM? We evaluated survey responses from 149 high school and undergraduate students who gained hands-on research…

A Model of Research Group Microclimate: Environmental and Cultural Factors Affecting the Experiences of Overseas Research Students in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Elaine

2010-01-01

Researchers from outside the European Union represent an increasing proportion of the UK doctoral student body. However, relatively little research exists on their experience from their own perspective. This research, based on interviews with students from a range of countries and scientific and engineering disciplines, seeks to address that…

Undergraduate engineering student experiences: Comparing sex, gender and switcher status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fergen, Brenda Sue

This dissertation explores undergraduate engineering experiences, comparing men with women and switchers with non-switchers. Factors related to a chilly academic climate and gender-role socialization are hypothesized to contribute to variations in men's and women's academic experiences and persistence rates. Both quantitative and qualitative data are utilized in an effort to triangulate the findings. Secondary survey data, acquired as result of a 1992 Academic Environment Survey, were utilized to test the hypothesis that sex is the most important predictor (i.e., demographic variable) of perceptions of academic climate. Regression analyses show that sex by itself is not always a significant determinant. However, when sex and college (engineering vs. other) are combined into dummy variables, they are statistically significant in models where sex was not significant alone. This finding indicates that looking at sex differences alone may be too simplistic. Thirty personal interviews were conducted with a random stratified sample of undergraduate students from the 1993 engineering cohort. The interview data indicate that differences in childhood socialization are important. With regard to persistence, differences in socialization are greater for switchers vs. non-switchers than men vs. women. Thus, gender-role socialization does not appear to play as prominent a role in women's persistence as past literature would indicate. This may be due to the self-selection process that occurs among women who choose to pursue engineering. Other aspects of childhood socialization such as parents' level of educational and occupation, students' high school academic preparation and knowledge of what to expect of college classes appear to be more important. In addition, there is evidence that, for women, male siblings play an important role in socialization. There is also evidence that women engineering students at Midwestern University face a chilly academic climate. The factors which appear to contribute the most to an inhospitable atmosphere include subtle behaviors on the part of faculty and administrators and blatant sexist, derogatory and hostile comments and jokes on the part of male undergraduate students. Personal interview data indicate continued resistance among some male administrators, faculty and students to women pursuing majors in engineering.

On Design Experiment Teaching in Engineering Quality Cultivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xiao

2008-01-01

Design experiment refers to that designed and conducted by students independently and is surely an important method to cultivate students' comprehensive quality. According to the development and requirements of experimental teaching, this article carries out a study and analysis on the purpose, significance, denotation, connotation and…

STS-114: Engine Cut-Off Sensors Are a No-Go: Teaching Notes for NASA Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ransom, Khadijah S.; Johnson, Grace K.

2013-01-01

This case study format is intended to simulate the experience of facing the same difficult challenges and making the same critical decisions as managers, engineers, and scientists in the Space Shuttle Program. It has been designed for use in the classroom setting to help students develop skills related to decision-making. Students will read about the engine cut-off sensor anomaly which created challenges during the STS-114 mission and have the opportunity to make decisions as lead NASA engineers and Mission Management Team members. Included within this document are three case study presentation options - class discussion, group activity, and open-ended research. Please read the full case prior to in-class presentation to allow ample time for students' analysis and reflection, as well as to prepare additional questions. activities or exercises, material selection, etc. Depending upon the setting of your presentation and the number of participants, please choose at least one presentation format beforehand and plan accordingly. You may expect the following learning objectives by using the proposed formats. Learning Objectives: To enable students to experience the responsibilities of NASA management, engineers, and analysis; to discover possible procedures for investigating system anomalies; to become familiar with the liquid hydrogen low level engine cut-off sensor, including its function, connecting components, and location within the Space Shuttle; and to encourage critical analysis and stimulating discussion of Space Shuttle mission challenges.

How High School Students Envision Their STEM Career Pathways

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Lin; Barnett, Michael

2015-01-01

Given that many urban students exclude Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics careers from their career choices, the present study focuses on urban high school students and adopts the social-cultural approach to understand the following questions: how do students envision their careers? What are the experiences that shape students'…

Student-to-Student Legacies in Exploratory Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Katherine

2017-01-01

In 2013/2014, I conducted two consecutive cycles of exploratory action research aimed at improving the quality of my French engineering students' oral presentations in English. Each cycle involved a different group of students. I collaborated with the students extensively throughout the project and found that the experience was highly beneficial…

DEEP: Discover, Explore, and Enjoy Physics & Engineering via High Impact Educational Experiences at Texas A&M and Beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erukhimova, Tatiana; Fry, Edward

2014-03-01

We will present the first results of an innovative program at Texas A&M University that aims to enhance the learning and research experiences of undergraduate and graduate students through their participation in high-profile outreach activities: principally the Texas A&M Physics and Engineering Festival and the Physics Shows. The goals are to enhance students' knowledge of fundamental physics concepts through collaborative hands-on research and educational activities, to teach them effective communication skills and responsibility, and to enhance their opportunities for interactions with their peers and professors outside the classroom. The program activities include (i) students working side-by-side with their peers and professors on research, concept, design, and fabrication of physics demonstration experiments, (ii) presentation of these exhibits during the Festival and Shows in teams of several students and faculty members, (iii) assessment of students teamwork, and (iv) incorporation of new demonstrations in core curriculum classes. Texas A&M Physics and Engineering Festival is a major annual outreach event at TAMU attracting over 4000 visitors and featuring over 100 interactive exhibits, public lectures by prominent scientists, and various hands-on activities. This program is supported by Tier One Grant from Texas A&M University.

Demonstration Experiments with a Stirling Engine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deacon, Christopher G.; And Others

1994-01-01

Describes an investigation with the primary purpose of allowing students to generate and interpret a pressure/volume diagram of a Stirling engine. Explains how the Stirling engine can be used to demonstrate the principles of operation of a refrigerator and a heat pump. (DDR)

Study of the undergraduate student's innovation and entrepreneurship training strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sui, Guorong; Liang, Binming; Jia, Hongzhi

2017-08-01

With the development of science and technology, all teachers in the college will face how to stimulate the undergraduate student's ability and make them to be an excellent engineer. For solving these questions, a new scheme with three steps has been designed. First, students will participate in the class teaching activity not only teacher. It will encourage them to read many extracurricular books and articles. Second, they will be required to think and design more new experiments after complete all experiment about the textbook and join more competition of the innovation and entrepreneurship. Third, some students who have more time and ability can early enter into his advisor professor's lab to join various science and technology project. By this scheme, it will be realized to improve student's innovation ability and be a brilliant engineer.

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.

Analysis of Student Service-Learning Reflections for the Assessment of Transferable-Skills Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, D. M.; Dewoolkar, M.; Hayden, N.; Oka, L.; Pearce, A. R.

2010-12-01

The civil and environmental engineering (CEE) programs at the University of Vermont (UVM) incorporate systems thinking and a systems approach to sustainable engineering problem solving. A systems approach considers long-term social, environmental and economic factors within the context of the engineering problem solution and encompasses sustainable engineering solutions. Our goal is to prepare students to become leaders in their chosen field who can anticipate co-products associated with forecasted solutions. As a way of practicing the systems approach, we include service-learning projects in many of our undergraduate engineering courses, culminating with the senior capstone design course. We use a variety of formative and summative assessment methods to gage student understanding and attitudes including student surveys, focus groups, assessment of student projects, and student reflections. Student reflections from two courses -Modeling Environmental and Transportation Systems (31 juniors) and Senior Design Project (30 seniors) are compared. Of these, 25 students were common to both courses. The focus of the systems modeling service-learning project involved mentoring home-schooled children (11-14 yrs old) to solve problems of mobility, using the fun and inspiration of biomimicry. Students were required to invent innovative methods to move people or goods that improve associated constraints (i.e., minimize congestion, reduce pollution, increase safety), or reduce the need for transportation altogether. The capstone design project required a comprehensive engineering design involving two or more CEE sub-disciplines. Both service-learning projects were intended to enhance students’ academic learning experience, attain civic engagement and reinforce transferable skills (written and oral communication, teamwork, leadership and mentoring skills). The student course reflections were not guided; yet they provided valuable data to assess commonalities and differences in student attitudes toward their service-learning projects, specifically, the development of transferable skills. In the spirit of service-learning pedagogy, we divide the contents of students’ written reflections into three categories - academic enhancement, civic engagement and personal growth skills. The commonalities focused mostly on civic engagement. Differences are observed primarily in academic enhancement and personal growth categories. Students working on the biomimicry design project reflected on personal growth (e.g. leadership skills, mentoring, creativity, organizational skills, communication to nontechnical audience), but did not credit it with academic enhancement. In contrast, the senior design reflections concentrated on academics, specifically, students appreciated the enhancement of technical skills as a part of their engineering experience.

"I'm just a boy with girl parts": Understanding gender perception and negotiation in an undergraduate engineering program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson Skaggs, Jennifer Anne

The number of women being enrolled and retained in engineering programs has steadily decreased since 1999, even with increased efforts and funding of initiatives to counteract this trend. Why are women not persisting or even choosing to pursue engineering? This qualitative research examines how undergraduate female engineering students perceive and negotiate their gender identities to successfully persist in engineering education. Narrative inquiry including semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and data analysis was conducted at a Research I institution. Participants were recruited through purposeful network sampling. Criteria for inclusion include students who have been in the American K-12 educational pipeline at least eight years and are junior or senior level academic standing and academic eligibility. By including male students in the collection of data, perceptions of the issues for women could be seen in context when compared to the perceptions of men in the same engineering discipline. The study focuses on the individual, institutional, and cultural perceptions of gender performativity within a network and the strategies and negotiations employed by undergraduate female engineering students to achieve their educational goals regarding each of these perspectives. Findings reveal female students utilize strategies of camouflage and costume, as well as internal and external support to persist in engineering education. Also, female engineering students are being prepared to only become engineering-students-in-the-making and kept from the larger engineering network, while male students are becoming engineers-in-the-making automatically connected to the larger engineering network based on gender. This lack of association with the network influences female engineering students in their decisions to pursue a career in professional engineering, or to pursue more traditionally gendered careers after graduation. This research is significant in its use of feminist theory and methodology to study engineering education. It is also significant in its use of qualitative methods allowing students to articulate their experiences in their own words and voices thus allowing for nuanced of meaning and understanding to emerge. Butler's theory of gender performativity in conjunction with Nespor's actor-network theory provides the conceptual framework with inductive analysis used as the primary tool for data analysis.

The experiences of African-American students majoring in engineering: Cognitive, non-cognitive and situational aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Gloria Pinckney

1997-12-01

To understand the causes for the disproportionately high rate of attrition among ethnic minority students, it is important to consider not only how they differ from the majority population, but what differences exist in personal qualities and academic preparation within groups at particular types of institutions, and within particular majors. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of African-American students enrolled in engineering at a predominately white, selective research university to determine which cognitive, non-cognitive and situational variables impact their progress towards graduation. The goal was to see how African-American students who meet or exceed the minimum criteria for admission perceive their experience on campus, and what strategies they use to manage their day-to-day existence. The study was conducted using personal interviews guided by an open-ended questionnaire. The qualitative methodology allowed students to assess the college experience through their own cultural lens, and to identify the cognitive, non-cognitive, and situational variables important to them. Responses were sorted by class and gender, tabulated and grouped into categories. Interpretation was primarily descriptive. Consistencies, inconsistencies, patterns and relationships to concepts in the literature and to the research questions were discussed. Findings indicate that well prepared students become less confident about their commitment to engineering and their ability to succeed academically after they begin matriculating rather than before, and that redefinition of what it means to be academically successful is an effective coping mechanism to sustain the effort required to master courses. The study suggests that the current focus on the impact of the freshman year transition on student retention should be expanded to include the sophomore year. This is particularly true for institutions where engineering students spend the first year in a core curriculum, then move into specific disciplines as sophomores. The perception of their ability among non-minority peers, assertively utilizing resources and services, the absence of a critical mass of African-American students, and participation in study groups were among the variables thought to influence their success.

Development of a global education environment to study the Equatorial Ionosphere with Cognitive Radars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urbina, J. V.

2011-12-01

The author has recently been awarded the NSF Career award to develop a radar with cognitive sensing capabilities to study Equatorial plasma instabilities in the Peruvian Andes. Educational research has shown that a rich learning environment contributes tremendously toward improvement in learning achievements and also attitudes toward studies. One of the benefits of this project is that it provides such an environment and a global platform to involve several students at both graduate and undergraduate levels from the US, Puerto Rico, and Peru, and who will benefit from designing, installing, and deploying a radar in multi-instrument science campaigns. In addition to working in the laboratories, students will gain invaluable real world experience building this complex instrument and making it work under challenging conditions at remote sites. The PI will describe how these components are being developed in a Freshman Seminar course and Graduate courses in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Penn State University, and how they are aligned well with the department's and university's strategy for greater global engagement through a network of Global Engagement Nodes in South America (GENSA). The issues of mentoring, recruitment, and retention become particularly important in consideration of the educational objective of this career project to involve underrepresented students with diverse backgrounds and interest them in research projects. The author is working very closely with the Office of Engineering Diversity to leverage existing programs at Penn State designed to increase the participation of women and minority students in science and engineering research: (a) WISER (Women In Science and Engineering Research), and (b) MURE (Minority Undergraduate Research Experience). The Electrical Engineering Department at Penn State is also currently an NSF REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) site. The PI will also present his efforts in connecting his career project in providing research experiences during summer to underrepresented groups as well as students from schools without extensive research environments.

Empowering biomedical engineering undergraduates to help teach design.

PubMed

Allen, Robert H; Tam, William; Shoukas, Artin A

2004-01-01

We report on our experience empowering upperclassmen and seniors to help teach design courses in biomedical engineering. Initiated in the fall of 1998, these courses are a projects-based set, where teams of students from freshmen level to senior level converge to solve practical problems in biomedical engineering. One goal in these courses is to teach the design process by providing experiences that mimic it. Student teams solve practical projects solicited from faculty, industry and the local community. To hone skills and have a metric for grading, written documentation, posters and oral presentations are required over the two-semester sequence. By requiring a mock design and build exercise in the fall, students appreciate the manufacturing process, the difficulties unforeseen in the design stage and the importance of testing. A Web-based, searchable design repository captures reporting information from each project since its inception. This serves as a resource for future projects, in addition to traditional ones such as library, outside experts and lab facilities. Based on results to date, we conclude that characteristics about our design program help students experience design and learn aspects about teamwork and mentoring useful in their profession or graduate education.

Impact of pedagogical approaches on cognitive complexity and motivation to learn: Comparing nursing and engineering undergraduate students.

PubMed

McComb, Sara A; Kirkpatrick, Jane M

2016-01-01

The changing higher education landscape is prompting nurses to rethink educational strategies. Looking beyond traditional professional boundaries may be beneficial. We compare nursing to engineering because engineering has similar accreditation outcome goals and different pedagogical approaches. We compare students' cognitive complexity and motivation to learn to identify opportunities to share pedagogical approaches between nursing and engineering. Cross-sectional data were collected from 1,167 freshmen through super senior students. Comparisons were made across years and between majors. Overall nursing and engineering students advance in cognitive complexity while maintaining motivation for learning. Sophomores reported the lowest scores on many dimensions indicating that their experiences need review. The strong influence of the National Council Licensure Examination on nursing students may drive their classroom preferences. Increased intrinsic motivation, coupled with decreased extrinsic motivation, suggests that we are graduating burgeoning life-long learners equipped to maintain currency. The disciplines' strategies for incorporating real-world learning opportunities differ, yet the students similarly advance in cognitive complexity and maintain motivation to learn. Lessons can be exchanged across professional boundaries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reform and practice for photoelectric specialty experimental teaching based on virtual simulation experiment platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-08-01

In view of some problems about the traditional photoelectric specialty experimental teaching process, such as separation of theoretical teaching and practical teaching, immobilization of experimental teaching contents, low quality of experiments and no obvious effect, we explored and practiced a new experimental teaching model of "theoretical teaching, virtual simulation and physical experiment", which combined the characteristics of photoelectric information science and engineering major and the essential requirements of engineering innovation talents cultivation. The virtual simulation experiment platform has many advantages, such as high performance-to-price ratio, easy operation and open experimental process, which makes virtual simulation combine physical experiment, complete each other with virtual for practical. After the users log into the virtual simulation experimental platform, they will first study the contents of the experiment, clarify the purpose and requirements of the experiment, master the method of using the instrument and the relevant notes, and then use the experimental instruments provided by the platform to build the corresponding experimental system. Once the experimenter's optical path is set incorrectly or the instrument parameters are set incorrectly, the error or warning message will be automatically triggered, and the reference information will be given instructing the student to complete the correct experimental operation. The results of our practice in recent years show that the teaching reform of the photoelectric specialty experiments has not only brought great convenience to the experimental teaching management, broadened the students' thinking and vision, enhanced the students' experimental skills and comprehensive qualities, but also made the students participate in the experiment with their enthusiasm. During the construction of experiment programs, the students' engineering practical ability and independent innovation awareness has been improved greatly. In the next time, based on the development trend of optoelectronic discipline and our own major characteristics, we will further perfect and enrich the construction of virtual simulation experimental platform and continuously improve the quality of experimental teaching.

The Characteristics and Experiences of Successful Undergraduate Latina Students Who Persist in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Carrie

2012-01-01

Females and underrepresented ethnic minorities earn a small percentage of engineering and computer science bachelor's degrees awarded in the United States, earn an even smaller proportion of master's and doctoral degrees, and are underrepresented in the engineering workforce (Engineering Workforce Commission, [2006], as cited in National Science…

Inspiring the Next Generation: The International Space Station Education Accomplishments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alleyne, Camille W.; Hasbrook, Pete; Knowles, Carolyn; Chicoine, Ruth Ann; Miyagawa, Yayoi; Koyama, Masato; Savage, Nigel; Zell, Martin; Biryukova, Nataliya; Pinchuk, Vladimir;

Education and Research Related to Organic Waste Management at Agricultural Engineering Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soliva, Montserrat; Bernat, Carles; Gil, Emilio; Martinez, Xavier; Pujol, Miquel; Sabate, Josep; Valero, Jordi

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the experience of the Agriculture Engineering School of Barcelona (ESAB), where undergraduate students were involved in field research experiments on organic waste use in agricultural systems. Design/methodology/approach: The paper outlines how the formation of professionals oriented to work for…

Women's Doctoral Student Experiences and Degree Progress in Education versus Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masterman, Ann Katherine

2014-01-01

This study's purpose was to compare the lived experiences of doctoral women studying Education, a prototypically female field, with women studying Engineering, a prototypically male field to illustrate the phenomenon of doctoral degree progress in the two fields. Using critical feminist theory and Valian's (1999) concept of gender schemas, this…

The Role of Work Placement in Engineering Students' Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blicblau, Aaron Simon; Nelson, Tracey Louise; Dini, Kurosh

2016-01-01

Engineering graduates without industrial experience may find that employment is difficult to obtain immediately after completing their studies. This study investigates the impact of two arrangements of work experiences; short term (over 12 weeks, STP) and long-term (over 52 weeks, IBL) on academic grades. This study involved 240 undergraduate…

Engineering Education Using a Remote Laboratory through the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Axaopoulos, Petros J.; Moutsopoulos, Konstantinos N.; Theodoridis, Michael P.

2012-01-01

An experiment using real hardware and under real test conditions can be remotely conducted by engineering students and other interested individuals in the world via the Internet and with the capability of live video streaming from the test site. The presentation of this innovative experiment refers to the determination of the current voltage…

Versatile Desktop Experiment Module (DEMo) on Heat Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minerick, Adrienne R.

2010-01-01

This paper outlines a new Desktop Experiment Module (DEMo) engineered for a chemical engineering junior-level Heat Transfer course. This new DEMo learning tool is versatile, fairly inexpensive, and portable such that it can be positioned on student desks throughout a classroom. The DEMo system can illustrate conduction of various materials,…

An Examination of Student Outcomes in Studio Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiste, Alan L.; Scott, Gregory E.; Bukenberger, Jesse; Markmann, Miles; Moore, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Twenty years ago, a major curriculum revision at a large, comprehensive university in the Western United States led to the implementation of an integrated lecture/laboratory (studio) experience for our engineering students taking general chemistry. Based on these twenty years of experience, construction of four purpose-built studio classrooms to…

NASA Ames Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, P.

1985-01-01

The Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program (SHARP) is described. This program is designed to provide engineering experience for gifted female and minority high school students. The students from this work study program which features trips, lectures, written reports, and job experience describe their individual work with their mentors.

A Simple Laboratory Exercise for Ethanol Production by Immobilized Bakery Yeasts ("Saccharomyces Cerevisiae")

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vullo, Diana L.; Wachsman, Monica B.

2005-01-01

This laboratory experiment was designed for Chemistry, Food Technology, Biology, and Chemical Engineering undergraduate students. This laboratory experience shows the advantages of immobilized bakery yeasts in ethanol production by alcoholic fermentation. The students were able to compare the ethanol production yields by free or calcium alginate…

Charting the pipeline: Identifying the critical elements in the development of successful African American scientists, engineers, and mathematicians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Brian Anthony

Many educational researchers are concerned with the apparent poor performance of different racial and ethnic groups in the fields of science, engineering, and mathematics in the United States. Despite improvements in the performance of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans in these areas over the past decade, these groups are still less likely to enroll in advanced math and science courses or score at or above the proficient level in mathematics. Furthermore, these groups continue to be underrepresented in the nation's technical and scientific workforce. The purpose of this study was to identify the critical elements related to the success of African Americans in science, engineering, and mathematics. Specifically, this study was designed to answer the following questions as they pertained to African American graduate students: What factors were perceived to have contributed to the students' initial interest in science, engineering, or mathematics? What factors were perceived to have contributed to the students' decisions to continue their studies in their specific areas of interest? What factors, associated with the K--12 schooling experience, were perceived to have contributed to the students' success in science, engineering, or mathematics? The data for the study were acquired from interviews with 32 African American students (16 males and 16 females) who were engaged in graduate work in science, engineering, or mathematics. Four major themes emerged from the analysis of the interview data. The first was that all students were involved in experiences that allowed a significant level of participation in science, engineering, and mathematics. Second, all of the students experienced some form of positive personal intervention by another person. Third, all students possessed perceptions of these fields that involved some sort of positive outcome. Finally, all of the of the students believed they possessed intrinsic qualities that qualified and prepared them for their involvement with science, engineering, and mathematics. These four themes exhibited themselves in different ways during the course of the students' lives. As a result, the discussion of the results of the study was divided among the three developmental periods: the interest-building phase, the knowledge-acquisition phase, and the careerbuilding phase. The study's findings provide valuable information to schools, educators, policy makers, and researchers on how to prepare effectively all children for a science and technology driven society, and for some, induction into tomorrow's scientific community.

NanoJapan: international research experience for undergraduates program: fostering U.S.-Japan research collaborations in terahertz science and technology of nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Sarah R.; Matherly, Cheryl A.; Kono, Junichiro

2014-09-01

The international nature of science and engineering research demands that students have the skillsets necessary to collaborate internationally. However, limited options exist for science and engineering undergraduates who want to pursue research abroad. The NanoJapan International Research Experience for Undergraduates Program is an innovative response to this need. Developed to foster research and international engagement among young undergraduate students, it is funded by a National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) grant. Each summer, NanoJapan sends 12 U.S. students to Japan to conduct research internships with world leaders in terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, nanophotonics, and ultrafast optics. The students participate in cutting-edge research projects managed within the framework of the U.S-Japan NSF-PIRE collaboration. One of our focus topics is THz science and technology of nanosystems (or `TeraNano'), which investigates the physics and applications of THz dynamics of carriers and phonons in nanostructures and nanomaterials. In this article, we will introduce the program model, with specific emphasis on designing high-quality international student research experiences. We will specifically address the program curriculum that introduces students to THz research, Japanese language, and intercultural communications, in preparation for work in their labs. Ultimately, the program aims to increase the number of U.S. students who choose to pursue graduate study in this field, while cultivating a generation of globally aware engineers and scientists who are prepared for international research collaboration.

Supporting the Development of Science Communication Skills in STEM University Students: Understanding Their Learning Experiences as They Work in Middle and High School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Brooke L.; Liu, Xiufeng; Gardella, Joseph A.

2015-01-01

This paper examines the roles that 52 university Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students play in an Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership that connects several middle schools, high schools, institutions of higher learning, businesses, and community institutions. It also examines the support these students…

Open-Inquiry Driven Overcoming of Epistemological Difficulties in Engineering Undergraduates: A Case Study in the Context of Thermal Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pizzolato, Nicola; Fazio, Claudio; Sperandeo Mineo, Rosa Maria; Persano Adorno, Dominique

2014-01-01

This paper addresses the efficacy of an open-inquiry approach that allows students to build on traditionally received knowledge. A sample of thirty engineering undergraduates, having already attended traditional university physics instruction, was selected for this study. The students were involved in a six-week long learning experience of…

Evidence-Based Conclusions Concerning Practice, Curriculum Design and Curriculum Reform in a Civil Engineering Capstone Design Course in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Cecilia K. Y.; Wong, George C. K.; Law, Ada K. H.; Zhang, T.; Au, Francis T. K.

2017-01-01

This study aimed to provide evidence-based conclusions from students concerning a capstone-design course in a civil engineering programme in Hong Kong. The evidence was generated by designing a student-experience questionnaire. The questionnaire instrument was assessed for internal consistency in four scales (curriculum and structure changes;…

How Do Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Minority Faculty Members Describe Their Experiences of Graduate Student and Faculty Socialization?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Ayana M.

2012-01-01

To remain globally competitive in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), we must increase our number of underrepresented minority scientists (URMs) as our country's population becomes more diverse. For URMs to move up the educational and professional ranks, they need to be properly socialized as graduate students and…

Cultivation of students' engineering designing ability based on optoelectronic system course project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Danhua; Wu, Yubin; Li, Jingping

2017-08-01

We carry out teaching based on optoelectronic related course group, aiming at junior students majored in Optoelectronic Information Science and Engineering. " Optoelectronic System Course Project " is product-designing-oriented and lasts for a whole semester. It provides a chance for students to experience the whole process of product designing, and improve their abilities to search literature, proof schemes, design and implement their schemes. In teaching process, each project topic is carefully selected and repeatedly refined to guarantee the projects with the knowledge integrity, engineering meanings and enjoyment. Moreover, we set up a top team with professional and experienced teachers, and build up learning community. Meanwhile, the communication between students and teachers as well as the interaction among students are taken seriously in order to improve their team-work ability and communicational skills. Therefore, students are not only able to have a chance to review the knowledge hierarchy of optics, electronics, and computer sciences, but also are able to improve their engineering mindset and innovation consciousness.

Poetry for physicists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobias, Sheila; Abel, Lynne S.

1990-09-01

In an effort to discover what makes the humanities difficult and unpopular with some science and engineering students, 14 Cornell faculty from the disciplines of chemistry, physics, applied mathematics, geology, materials science, and engineering were invited to become ``surrogate learners'' in a junior/senior level poetry seminar designed expressly for them. Their encounter with humanistic pedagogy and scholarship was meant to be an extension of ``Peer Perspectives on Science'' [see S. Tobias and R. R. Hake, ``Professors as physics students: What can they teach us?'' Am. J. Phys. 56, 786 (1988)]. The results challenge certain assumptions about differences between scholarship and pedagogy in the humanities and science (as regards ``certainty'' and models). But the experiment uncovered other problems that affect ``marketing'' the humanities to science and engineering students. Results are some additional insights into what makes science ``hard'' for humanities students and why physical science and engineering students have difficulty with and tend to avoid courses in literature, as well as into what can make humanities courses valuable for science students.

Investigation Of Student Learning In Thermodynamics And Implications For Instruction In Chemistry And Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meltzer, David E.

2007-01-01

As part of an investigation into student learning of thermodynamics, we have probed the reasoning of students enrolled in introductory and advanced courses in both physics and chemistry. A particular focus of this work has been put on the learning difficulties encountered by physics, chemistry, and engineering students enrolled in an upper-level thermal physics course that included many topics also covered in physical chemistry courses. We have explored the evolution of students' understanding as they progressed from the introductory course through more advanced courses. Through this investigation we have gained insights into students' learning difficulties in thermodynamics at various levels. Our experience in addressing these learning difficulties may provide insights into analogous pedagogical issues in upper-level courses in both engineering and chemistry which focus on the theory and applications of thermodynamics.

An Integral, Multidisciplinary and Global Geophysical Field Experience for Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vázquez, O.; Carrillo, D. J.; Pérez-Campos, X.

2007-05-01

The udergraduate program of Geophysical Engineering at the School of Engineering, of the Univesidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), went through an update process that concluded in 2006. As part of the program, the student takes three geophysical prospecting courses (gravity and magnetics, electric, electromagnetics, and seismic methods). The older program required a three-week field experience for each course in order to gradute. The new program considers only one extended field experience. This work stresses the importance of international academic exchange, where undergraduate students could participate, such as the Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience (SAGE), and interaction with research programs, such as the MesoAmerican Subduction Experiment (MASE). Also, we propose a scheeme for this activity based on those examples; both of them have in common real geophysical problems, from which students could benefit. Our proposal covers academic and logistic aspects to be taken into account, enhancing the relevance of interaction between other academic institutions, industry, and UNAM, in order to obtain a broader view of geophysics.

A Multidisciplinary Course in Bioengineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bienkowski, Paul R.; And Others

1989-01-01

Outlines a graduate course, "Microbial Systems Analysis," for students in chemical and environmental engineering or engineering mechanics, as well as microbiology, ecology and biotechnology. Describes the objectives, structure and laboratory experiments for the course. (YP)

The Personal Computer in Mechanical Engineering Thermodynamics Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romer, I. C., Jr.; Balmer, R. T.

1986-01-01

Describes experiences over several semesters with microcomputers in a mechanical engineering applied thermodynamics course. Includes course objectives, computer assignment structure, typical assignments, prewritten versus student-written software, and other topic areas. (JN)

Climate Change Communicators: The C3E3 Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, H. O.; Joseph, J.

2013-12-01

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio College (SAC), and the University of North Dakota (UND) have partnered with NASA to provide underrepresented undergraduates from UTSA, SAC, and other community colleges climate-related research and education experiences through the Climate Change Communication: Engineer, Environmental science, and Education (C3E3) project. The program aims to develop a robust response to climate change by providing K-16 climate change education; enhance the effectiveness of K-16 education particularly in engineering and other STEM disciplines by use of new instructional technologies; increase the enrollment in engineering programs and the number of engineering degrees awarded by showing engineering's usefulness in relation to the much-discussed contemporary issue of climate change; increase persistence in STEM degrees by providing student research opportunities; and increase the ethnic diversity of those receiving engineering degrees and help ensure an ethnically diverse response to climate change. Students participated in the second summer internship funded by the project. More than 60 students participated in guided research experiences aligned with NASA Science Plan objectives for climate and Earth system science and the educational objectives of the three institutions. The students went through training in modern media technology (webcasts), and in using this technology to communicate the information on climate change to others, especially high school students, culminating in production of webcasts on investigating the aspects of climate change using NASA data. Content developed is leveraged by NASA Earth observation data and NASA Earth system models and tools. Several departments are involved in the educational program.

Howard University Energy Expert Systems Institute Summer Program (EESI)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Momoh, James A.; Chuku, Arunsi; Abban, Joseph

1996-01-01

Howard University, under the auspices of the Center for Energy Systems and Controls runs the Energy Expert Systems Institute (EESI) summer outreach program for high school/pre-college minority students. The main objectives are to introduce precollege minority students to research in the power industry using modern state-of-the-art technology such as Expert Systems, Fuzzy Logic and Artificial Neural Networks; to involve minority students in space power management, systems and failure diagnosis; to generate interest in career options in electrical engineering; and to experience problem-solving in a teamwork environment consisting of faculty, senior research associates and graduate students. For five weeks the students are exposed not only to the exciting experience of college life, but also to the inspiring field of engineering, especially electrical engineering. The program consists of lectures in the fundamentals of engineering, mathematics, communication skills and computer skills. The projects are divided into mini and major. Topics for the 1995 mini projects were Expert Systems for the Electric Bus and Breast Cancer Detection. Topics on the major projects include Hybrid Electric Vehicle, Solar Dynamics and Distribution Automation. On the final day, designated as 'EESI Day' the students did oral presentations of their projects and prizes were awarded to the best group. The program began in the summer of 1993. The reaction from the students has been very positive. The program also arranges field trips to special places of interest such as the NASA Goddard Space Center.

A comparison of traditional physical laboratory and computer-simulated laboratory experiences in relation to engineering undergraduate students' conceptual understandings of a communication systems topic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javidi, Giti

2005-07-01

This study was designed to investigate an alternative to the use of traditional physical laboratory activities in a communication systems course. Specifically, this study examined whether as an alternative, computer simulation is as effective as physical laboratory activities in teaching college-level electronics engineering education students about the concepts of signal transmission, modulation and demodulation. Eighty undergraduate engineering students participated in the study, which was conducted at a southeastern four-year university. The students were randomly assigned to two groups. The groups were compared on understanding the concepts, remembering the concepts, completion time of the lab experiments and perception toward the laboratory experiments. The physical group's (n = 40) treatment was to conduct laboratory experiments in a physical laboratory. The students in this group used equipment in a controlled electronics laboratory. The Simulation group's (n = 40) treatment was to conduct similar experiments in a PC laboratory. The students in this group used a simulation program in a controlled PC lab. At the completion of the treatment, scores on a validated conceptual test were collected once after the treatment and again three weeks after the treatment. Attitude surveys and qualitative study were administered at the completion of the treatment. The findings revealed significant differences, in favor of the simulation group, between the two groups on both the conceptual post-test and the follow-up test. The findings also revealed significant correlation between simulation groups' attitude toward the simulation program and their post-test scores. Moreover, there was a significant difference between the two groups on their attitude toward their laboratory experience in favor of the simulation group. In addition, there was significant difference between the two groups on their lab completion time in favor of the simulation group. At the same time, the qualitative research has uncovered several issues not explored by the quantitative research. It was concluded that incorporating the recommendations acquired from the qualitative research, especially elements of incorporating hardware experience to avoid lack of hands-on skills, into the laboratory pedagogy should help improve students' experience regardless of the environment in which the laboratory is conducted.

Interpreting Context to the UK's National Student (Satisfaction) Survey Data for Science Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fielding, Alan; Dunleavy, Peter J.; Langan, A. Mark

2010-01-01

Universities capture and use student feedback to improve the student experience, but how should information from national scale surveys be used at local and institutional levels? The authors explored the UK's National Student (Satisfaction) Survey (NSS) data relevant to science and engineering programmes using percentages of students who were…

Designing a hands-on brain computer interface laboratory course.

PubMed

Khalighinejad, Bahar; Long, Laura Kathleen; Mesgarani, Nima

2016-08-01

Devices and systems that interact with the brain have become a growing field of research and development in recent years. Engineering students are well positioned to contribute to both hardware development and signal analysis techniques in this field. However, this area has been left out of most engineering curricula. We developed an electroencephalography (EEG) based brain computer interface (BCI) laboratory course to educate students through hands-on experiments. The course is offered jointly by the Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science Departments of Columbia University in the City of New York and is open to senior undergraduate and graduate students. The course provides an effective introduction to the experimental design, neuroscience concepts, data analysis techniques, and technical skills required in the field of BCI.

Team-Based Development of Medical Devices: An Engineering-Business Collaborative.

PubMed

Eberhardt, Alan W; Johnson, Ophelia L; Kirkland, William B; Dobbs, Joel H; Moradi, Lee G

2016-07-01

There is a global shift in the teaching methodology of science and engineering toward multidisciplinary, team-based processes. To meet the demands of an evolving technical industry and lead the way in engineering education, innovative curricula are essential. This paper describes the development of multidisciplinary, team-based learning environments in undergraduate and graduate engineering curricula focused on medical device design. In these programs, students actively collaborate with clinicians, professional engineers, business professionals, and their peers to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. In the undergraduate senior capstone courses, teams of biomedical engineering (BME) and business students have produced and delivered numerous functional prototypes to satisfied clients. Pursuit of commercialization of devices has led to intellectual property (IP) disclosures and patents. Assessments have indicated high levels of success in attainment of student learning outcomes and student satisfaction with their undergraduate design experience. To advance these projects toward commercialization and further promote innovative team-based learning, a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Design and Commercialization was recently launched. The MEng facilitates teams of graduate students in engineering, life sciences, and business who engage in innovation-commercialization (IC) projects and coursework that take innovative ideas through research and development (R&D) to create marketable devices. The activities are structured with students working together as a "virtual company," with targeted outcomes of commercialization (license agreements and new start-ups), competitive job placement, and/or career advancement.

Corrosion Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Charles V.

A description is provided for a Corrosion and Corrosion Control course offered in the Continuing Engineering Education Program at the General Motors Institute (GMI). GMI is a small cooperative engineering school of approximately 2,000 students who alternate between six-week periods of academic study and six weeks of related work experience in…

Formative Assessment Probes: Pendulums and Crooked Swings--Connecting Science and Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeley, Page

2013-01-01

The "Next Generation Science Standards" provide opportunities for students to experience the link between science and engineering. In the December 2011 issue of "Science and Children," Rodger Bybee explains: "The relationship between science and engineering practices is one of complementarity. Given the inclusion of…

Students' perceptions of the relevance of mathematics in engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flegg, Jennifer; Mallet, Dann; Lupton, Mandy

2012-09-01

In this article, we report on the findings of an exploratory study into the experience of students as they learn first year engineering mathematics. Here we define engineering as the application of mathematics and sciences to the building and design of projects for the use of society [M. Kirschenman and B. Brenner, Education for Civil Engineering: A Profession of Practice, Leader. Manag. Eng. 10 (2010), p. 54]. Qualitative and quantitative data on students' views of the relevance of their mathematics study to their engineering studies and future careers in engineering was collected. The students described using a range of mathematics techniques (mathematics skills developed, mathematics concepts applied to engineering and skills developed relevant for engineering) for various usages (as a subject of study, a tool for other subjects or a tool for real world problems). We found a number of themes relating to the design of engineering mathematics curriculum emerged from the data. These included the relevance of mathematics within different engineering majors, the relevance of mathematics to future studies, the relevance of learning mathematical rigour and the effectiveness of problem-solving tasks in conveying the relevance of mathematics more effectively than other forms of assessment. We make recommendations for the design of engineering mathematics curriculum based on our findings.

Academic Coaching: Outcomes from a Pilot Group of Postsecondary STEM Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellman, Scott; Burgstahler, Sheryl; Hinke, Penny

2015-01-01

Faced with poor retention and graduation rates for students with disabilities, postsecondary institutions have experimented with interventions to help students succeed in college. This practice brief describes a pilot initiative in which 41 students with disabilities pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees at…

Measurement of student attitudes in first year engineering - A mixed methods approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malik, Qaiser Hameed

This research study focused on freshman attitudes towards engineering in a newly implemented cornerstone sequence that emphasized holistic design experiences. The students' initial attitudes and changes in these attitudes were examined with the explanatory mixed methods approach that allows a sequential examination of the target population with two methods, using two sets of data, to investigate the treatment effects. In the quantitative phase, the study compared changes in freshman attitude towards engineering, between the new 'design sequence' group (composed of freshmen in the cornerstone sequence) and the prior 'traditional sequence' group (composed of all other freshmen), over the course of one semester. The data were collected in fall 2008 at two time intervals and changes in the two groups' attitudes were examined with repeated measures analysis of covariance models. The analyses reported here include data from 389 students out of the total population of 722 freshmen. The analyses revealed that engineering freshmen joined the program with positive or strongly positive attitudes towards engineering. Those strong attitudes were durable and resistant to change. Students in the design sequence group had higher ACT scores, enjoyed math and science the most, and did not believe engineering to be an exact science. However, no appreciable time-group interaction was observed. To validate the quantitative results, an interview protocol was developed to investigate initial freshman attitudes and changes, if any, that took place as a result of the new cornerstone sequence. One-on-one interviews with a sample of ten students out of the population of 272 freshmen revealed that freshmen in the cornerstone sequence entered the program full of enthusiasm and idealism, and with strongly positive attitudes towards engineering. The strong motivational factors included parental/teacher influences, childhood motivations, and high school extra-curricular experiences. The participants appreciated the team work and problem solving aspects of engineering; however, they reported negative experiences in the cornerstone sequence. Interestingly, their overall perception about engineering was not affected by any of the negative experiences. The qualitative phase substantiated the belief that strong attitudes are harder to change; they are durable, they have impact, and they are not significantly affected by a short treatment. The results of this mixed methods study indicate that changing student attitudes may not be an easy task. One must develop a better understanding of student attitudes in order to improve understanding of the fine-grained details of curriculum and its implementation to be able to develop more effective cornerstone design courses. Clearly, tight and focused quantitative studies complemented with a qualitative component provide a much broader and deeper insight into the learning that takes place in freshman courses. This research also documents the use of a longitudinal study to track the design sequence group and observe their performance in their junior and senior years. This would provide a better understanding of the long term effects of the new sequence.

Dealing with complex and ill-structured problems: results of a Plan-Do-Check-Act experiment in a business engineering semester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riis, Jens Ove; Achenbach, Marlies; Israelsen, Poul; Kyvsgaard Hansen, Poul; Johansen, John; Deuse, Jochen

2017-07-01

Challenged by increased globalisation and fast technological development, we carried out an experiment in the third semester of a global business engineering programme aimed at identifying conditions for training student in dealing with complex and ill-structured problems of forming a new business. As this includes a fuzzy front end, learning cannot be measured in traditional, quantitative terms; therefore, we have explored the use of reflection to convert tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge. The experiment adopted a Plan-Do-Check-Act approach and concluded with developing a plan for new learning initiatives in the subsequent year's semester. The findings conclude that (1) problem-based learning develops more competencies than ordinarily measured at the examination, especially, the social/communication and personal competencies are developed; (2) students are capable of dealing with a complex and ambiguous problem, if properly guided. Four conditions were identified; (3) most students are not conscious of their learning, but are able to reflect if properly encouraged; and (4) improving engineering education should be considered as an organisational learning process.

Research approach to teaching groundwater biodegradation in karst aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, L.; Byl, T.; Painter, R.

2006-01-01

TSU in partnership with the USGS has conducted extensive research regarding biode??gradation of contaminants in karst aquifers. This research resulted in the development of a numerical approach to modeling biodegradation of contaminants in karst aquifers that is taught to environmental engineering students in several steps. First, environmental engineering students are taught chemical-reaction engineering principles relating to a wide variety of environmental fate and transport issues. Second, as part of TSU's engineering course curriculum, students use a non-ideal flow laboratory reactor system and run a tracer study to establish residence time distribution (RTD). Next, the students couple that formula to a first-order biodegradation rate and predict the removal of a biodegradable contaminant as a function of residence time. Following this, students are shown data collected from karst bedrock wells that suggest that karst aquifers are analogous to non-ideal flow reactors. The students are challenged to develop rates of biodegradation through lab studies and use their results to predict biodegradaton at an actual contaminated karst site. Field studies are also conducted to determine the accuracy of the students' predictions. This academic approach teaches biodegradation processes, rate-kinetic processes, hydraulic processes and numerical principles. The students are able to experience how chemical engineering principles can be applied to other situations, such as, modeling biodegradation of contaminants in karst aquifers. This paper provides background on the chemical engineering principles and karst issues used in the research-enhanced curriculum. ?? American Society for Engineering Education, 2006.

Showcasing Chemical Engineering Principles through the Production of Biodiesel from Spent Coffee Grounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bendall, Sophie; Birdsall-Wilson, Max; Jenkins, Rhodri; Chew, Y. M. John; Chuck, Christopher J.

2015-01-01

Chemical engineering is rarely encountered before higher-level education in the U.S. or in Europe, leaving prospective students unaware of what an applied chemistry or chemical engineering degree entails. In this lab experiment, we report the implementation of a three-day course to showcase chemical engineering principles for 16-17 year olds…

The Experience of Teaching of Descriptive Geometry and Engineering Graphics in Russian Language as a Foreign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voronina, Marianna V.; Tretyakova, Zlata O.

2017-01-01

The article considers the peculiarities of training foreign students subject "Descriptive geometry and Engineering Graphics" in a modern engineering university of Russia. The relevance of the problem conditioned by the fact that virtually there are no special studies of teaching Descriptive Geometry and Engineering Graphics in Russian…

Building a Framework for Engineering Design Experiences in STEM: A Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denson, Cameron D.

2011-01-01

Since the inception of the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education in 2004, educators and researchers have struggled to identify the necessary components of a "good" engineering design challenge for high school students. In reading and analyzing the position papers on engineering design many themes emerged that may begin to form a…

Same Courses, Different Outcomes? Variations in Confidence, Experience, and Preparation in Engineering Design. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morozov, Andrew; Kilgore, Deborah; Yasuhara, Ken; Atman, Cindy

2008-01-01

There is evidence in the literature that women have lower confidence in their skills and knowledge than men, particularly in areas considered crucial for engineering, like math and science. This difference has been linked to gender gaps in engineering enrollment and persistence. This study of engineering students extends research on gender…

Assessment of an Engineering Technology Outreach Program for 4th-7th Grade Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dell, Elizabeth M.; Christman, Jeanne; Garrick, Robert D.

2011-01-01

This paper describes a workshop led by female Engineering Technology students, with support from female faculty, to provide an introduction to Engineering Technology to 4th-7th grade girls through a series of interactive laboratory experiments. This outreach program was developed to improve attitudes towards science and engineering in middle…

The Effect of Individual Differences on Searching the Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ihadjadene, Madjid; Chaudiron, Stephanne,; Martins, Daniel

2003-01-01

Reports results from a project that investigated the influence of two types of expertise--knowledge of the search domain and experience of the Web search engines--on students' use of a Web search engine. Results showed participants with good knowledge in the domain and participants with high experience of the Web had the best performances. (AEF)

Peer Mentoring in Engineering: (Un)Shared Experience of Undergraduate Peer Mentors and Mentees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Jae Hoon; MacLeod, Bailey P.; Tkacik, Peter T.; Dika, Sandra L.

2017-01-01

In this qualitative study, we explored the experiences of 26 engineering student mentors and mentees in a peer mentoring program. We found that mentors and mentees exploited the mentoring program's fluid structure and situated social relationships to enact a specific type of academic/professional goal and identity conducive to their entry to one…

Providing Nuclear Criticality Safety Analysis Education through Benchmark Experiment Evaluation

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

John D. Bess; J. Blair Briggs; David W. Nigg

2009-11-01

One of the challenges that today's new workforce of nuclear criticality safety engineers face is the opportunity to provide assessment of nuclear systems and establish safety guidelines without having received significant experience or hands-on training prior to graduation. Participation in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and/or the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) provides students and young professionals the opportunity to gain experience and enhance critical engineering skills.

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.

Characteristics of Exemplary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-Related Experiential Learning Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Jamie Munn

2017-01-01

Experiential opportunities at the secondary level give students the "intimate and necessary relation between the processes of actual experience and education" (Dewey, 1938, p. 19-20). Career and Technical Education classes (CTE) and co-curricular experiences, one type of experiential learning, underpin and cultivate student curiosity and…

Indigenous Cultural Contexts for STEM Experiences: Snow Snakes' Impact on Students and the Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Brant G.; Roehrig, Gillian

2018-01-01

Opportunities for American Indian youth to meaningfully engage in school-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiences have historically been inadequate. As a consequence, American Indian students perform lower on standardized assessments of science education than their peers. In this article we describe the emergence…

Undergraduate Research Experiences: Mentoring, Awareness, and Perceptions--A Case Study at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodríguez Amaya, Laura; Betancourt, Tania; Collins, Kristina Henry; Hinojosa, Orlando; Corona, Carlos

2018-01-01

Background: Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) have been proposed as means to increase the retention and engagement of minority--and more specifically Hispanic--college students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. This study explores the impact of student characteristics such as gender, classification,…

Education for Change: Epic Charter School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

EDUCAUSE, 2015

2015-01-01

The student-centered school model of Epic Charter School in Oakland, California, framed around a hero's journey empowers middle school students with sense of unity and purpose in life, where they can feel part of a culture with a shared experience and with more opportunities to experiences growth and accomplishment. Design and engineering is front…

Utilizing Factor Analysis to Inform the Development of Institutionally Contrived Experiences to Increase STEM Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Micaela V. C.; Gerber, Michael M.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine what institutionally contrived experiences would engage community college students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) study, regardless of their major. During the 2013-2014 academic year, 373 students at two California community colleges were surveyed, and an exploratory factor…

Real-Time Internet Mediated Laboratory Experiments for Distance Education Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemckert, Charles; Florance, John

2002-01-01

Discusses the demand for distance education opportunities in engineering and science and considers delivery methods for theoretical content and for laboratory work. Explains the Real-Time Internet Mediated Laboratory Experiments (RTIMLE) that use the World Wide Web, and suggests that RTIMLE may be most appropriate for students who already have…

Leveraging the Experimental Method to Inform Solar Cell Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Mary Annette; Ribblett, Jason W.; Hershberger, Heather Nicole

2010-01-01

In this article, the underlying logic of experimentation is exemplified within the context of a photoelectrical experiment for students taking a high school engineering, technology, or chemistry class. Students assume the role of photochemists as they plan, fabricate, and experiment with a solar cell made of copper and an aqueous solution of…

Experiential learning in control systems laboratories and engineering project management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reck, Rebecca Marie

Experiential learning is a process by which a student creates knowledge through the insights gained from an experience. Kolb's model of experiential learning is a cycle of four modes: (1) concrete experience, (2) reflective observation, (3) abstract conceptualization, and (4) active experimentation. His model is used in each of the three studies presented in this dissertation. Laboratories are a popular way to apply the experiential learning modes in STEM courses. Laboratory kits allow students to take home laboratory equipment to complete experiments on their own time. Although students like laboratory kits, no previous studies compared student learning outcomes on assignments using laboratory kits with existing laboratory equipment. In this study, we examined the similarities and differences between the experiences of students who used a portable laboratory kit and students who used the traditional equipment. During the 2014- 2015 academic year, we conducted a quasi-experiment to compare students' achievement of learning outcomes and their experiences in the instructional laboratory for an introductory control systems course. Half of the laboratory sections in each semester used the existing equipment, while the other sections used a new kit. We collected both quantitative data and qualitative data. We did not identify any major differences in the student experience based on the equipment they used. Course objectives, like research objectives and product requirements, help provide clarity and direction for faculty and students. Unfortunately, course and laboratory objectives are not always clearly stated. Without a clear set of objectives, it can be hard to design a learning experience and determine whether students are achieving the intended outcomes of the course or laboratory. In this study, I identified a common set of laboratory objectives, concepts, and components of a laboratory apparatus for undergraduate control systems laboratories. During the summer of 2015, a panel of 40 control systems faculty members, from a variety of institutions, completed a multi-round Delphi survey in order to bring them toward consensus on the common aspects of their laboratories. The following winter, 45 additional faculty members and practitioners from the control systems community completed a follow-up survey to gather feedback on the results of the Delphi survey. During the Delphi study, the panelists identified 15 laboratory objectives, 26 concepts, and 15 components that were common in their laboratories. Then in both the Delphi survey and follow-up survey each participant rated the importance of each of these items. While the average ratings differed slightly between the two groups, the order of each set of items was compared with two different tests and the order was found to be similar. Some of the common and important learning objectives include connecting theory to what is implemented and observed in the laboratory, designing controllers, and modeling and simulating systems. The most common component in both groups was Math-Works software. Some of the common concepts include block diagrams, stability, and PID control. Defining common aspects of undergraduate control systems laboratories enables common development, detailed comparisons, and simplified adaptation of equipment and experiments between campuses and programs. Throughout an undergraduate program in engineering, there are multiple opportunities for hands-on laboratory experiences that are related to course content. However, a similarly immersive experience for project management graduate students is harder to incorporate for all students in a course at once. This study explores an experiential learning opportunity for graduate students in engineering management or project management programs. The project management students enroll in a project management course. Undergraduate students interested in working on a project with a real customer enroll in a different projects course. Two students from the project management course function as project managers and lead a team of undergraduate students in the second course through a project. I studied how closely the project management experience in these courses aligns with engineering project management in industry. In the spring of 2015, I enrolled in the project management course at a large Midwestern university. I used analytic autoethnography to compare my experiences in the course with my experiences as a project engineer at a large aerospace company. I found that the experience in the course provided an authentic and comprehensive opportunity to practice most of the skills listed in the Project Management Book of Knowledge (an industry standard) as necessary for project managers. Some components of the course that made it successful: I was the project manager for the whole term, I worked with a real client, and the team defined and delivered the project before the end of the semester.

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.

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.

Cardiovascular system simulation in biomedical engineering education.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rideout, V. C.

1972-01-01

Use of complex cardiovascular system models, in conjunction with a large hybrid computer, in biomedical engineering courses. A cardiovascular blood pressure-flow model, driving a compartment model for the study of dye transport, was set up on the computer for use as a laboratory exercise by students who did not have the computer experience or skill to be able to easily set up such a simulation involving some 27 differential equations running at 'real time' rate. The students were given detailed instructions regarding the model, and were then able to study effects such as those due to septal and valve defects upon the pressure, flow, and dye dilution curves. The success of this experiment in the use of involved models in engineering courses was such that it seems that this type of laboratory exercise might be considered for use in physiology courses as an adjunct to animal experiments.

A Comparison of Two Approaches to Safety Analysis Based on Use Cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stålhane, Tor; Sindre, Guttorm

Engineering has a long tradition in analyzing the safety of mechanical, electrical and electronic systems. Important methods like HazOp and FMEA have also been adopted by the software engineering community. The misuse case method, on the other hand, has been developed by the software community as an alternative to FMEA and preliminary HazOp for software development. To compare the two methods misuse case and FMEA we have run a small experiment involving 42 third year software engineering students. In the experiment, the students should identify and analyze failure modes from one of the use cases for a commercial electronic patient journals system. The results of the experiment show that on the average, the group that used misuse cases identified and analyzed more user related failure modes than the persons using FMEA. In addition, the persons who used the misuse cases scored better on perceived ease of use and intention to use.

Training the next generation of Space and Earth Science Engineers and Scientists through student design and development of an Earth Observation Nanosatellite, AlbertaSat-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lange, B. A.; Bottoms, J.

2011-12-01

This presentation addresses the design and developmental process of a Nanosatellite by an interdisciplinary team of undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Alberta. The Satellite, AlbertaSat-1, is the University of Alberta's entry in the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge (CDSC); an initiative to entice Canadian students to contribute to space and earth observation technologies and research. The province of Alberta, while home to a few companies, is very limited in its space industry capacity. The University of Alberta reflects this fact, where one of the major unifying foci of the University is oil, the provinces greatest resource. For students at the U of A, this lack of focus on astronautical, aerospace and space/earth observational research limits their education in these industries/disciplines. A fully student operated project such as AlbertaSat-1 provides this integral experience to almost every discipline. The AlbertaSat-1 team is comprised of students from engineering, physics, chemistry, earth and atmospheric science, business, and computer science. While diverse in discipline, the team is also diverse in experience, spanning all levels from 1st year undergraduate to experienced PhD. Many skill sets are required and the diverse group sees that this is covered and all opinions voiced. Through immersion in the project, students learn quickly and efficiently. The necessity for a flawless product ensures that only the highest quality of work is presented. Students participating must research and understand their own subsystem as well as all others. This overall system view provides the best educational tool, as students are able to see the real impacts of their work on other subsystems. As the project is completely student organized, the participants gain not only technical engineering, space and earth observational education, but experience in operations and financial management. The direct exposure to all aspects of the space and earth science industry through a student satellite development program is one of the best methods of developing the next generation of space and earth science engineers and scientists.

Design and Implementation of a Project-Based Active/Cooperative Engineering Design Course for Freshmen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdulaal, R. M.; Al-Bahi, A. M.; Soliman, A. Y.; Iskanderani, F. I.

2011-01-01

A project-based active/cooperative design course is planned, implemented, assessed and evaluated to achieve several desired engineering outcomes. The course allows freshman-level students to gain professional hands-on engineering design experience through an opportunity to practise teamwork, quality principles, communication skills, life-long…

Efficient Optoelectronics Teaching in Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matin, M. A.

2005-01-01

The Engineering Department's vision for undergraduate education for the next century is to develop a set of laboratory experiences that are thoughtfully sequenced and integrated to promote the full development of students in all courses. Optoelectronics is one of the most important and most demanding courses in Electrical and Computer Engineering.…

Teaching Process Engineering Principles Using an Ice Cream Maker

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaletunc, Gonul; Duemmel, Kevin; Gecik, Christopher

2007-01-01

The ice cream laboratory experiment is designed to illustrate and promote discussion of several engineering and science topics including material and energy balances, heat transfer, freezing, mass transfer, mixing, viscosity, and freezing point depression in a sophomore level engineering class. A pre-lab assignment requires the students to develop…

Engineering Sustainable Engineers through the Undergraduate Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weatherton, Yvette Pearson; Sattler, Melanie; Mattingly, Stephen; Chen, Victoria; Rogers, Jamie; Dennis, Brian

2012-01-01

In order to meet the challenges of sustainable development, our approach to education must be modified to equip students to evaluate alternatives and devise solutions that meet multi-faceted requirements. In 2009, faculty in the Departments of Civil, Industrial and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington began implementation…

Implementation of Effective Capstone Projects in Undergraduate Manufacturing Design Engineering Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viswanathan, Shekar

2017-01-01

Final program projects (capstone course) in manufacturing design engineering technology at National University are intensive experiences in critical thinking and analysis, designed to broaden students' perspectives and provide an opportunity for integration of coursework in the area of manufacturing design engineering. This paper focuses on three…

Learning by Brewing: Beer Production Experiments in the Chemical Engineering Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cerretani, Colin; Kelkile, Esayas; Landry, Alexandra

2017-01-01

We discuss the successful creation and implementation of a biotechnology track within the chemical engineering unit operations course. The track focuses on engineering principles relevant to brewing. Following laboratory modules investigating heat transfer processes and yeast fermentation kinetics, student groups design and implement a project to…

Alta Scuola Politecnica: An Ongoing Experiment in the Multidisciplinary Education of Top Students towards Innovation in Engineering, Architecture and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benedetto, S.; Bernelli Zazzera, F.; Bertola, P.; Cantamessa, M.; Ceri, S.; Ranci, C.; Spaziante, A.; Zanino, R.

2010-01-01

Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino, the top technical universities in Italy, united their efforts in 2004 by launching a unique excellence programme called Alta Scuola Politecnica (ASP). The ASP programme is devoted to 150 students, selected each year from among the top 5-10% of those enrolled in the Engineering, Architecture and…

"You Would Not Believe What I Have to Go through to Prove My Intellectual Value!" Stereotype Management among Academically Successful Black Mathematics and Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Ebony O.; Martin, Danny B.

2011-01-01

Stereotype management is introduced to explain high achievement and resilience among 23 Black mathematics and engineering college students. Characterized as a tactical response to ubiquitous forms of racism and racialized experiences across school and non-school contexts, stereotype management emerged along overlapping paths of racial, gender, and…

RFID Student Educational Experiences at the UNT College of Engineering: A Sequential Approach to Creating a Project-Based RFID Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaidyanathan, V. V.; Varanasi, M. R.; Kougianos, E.; Wang, Shuping; Raman, H.

2009-01-01

This paper describes radio frequency identification (RFID) projects, designed and implemented by students in the College of Engineering at the University of North Texas, as part of their senior-design project requirement. The paper also describes an RFID-based project implemented at Rice Middle School in Plano, TX, which went on to win multiple…

Examining Students' Proportional Reasoning Strategy Levels as Evidence of the Impact of an Integrated LEGO Robotics and Mathematics Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martínez Ortiz, Araceli

2015-01-01

The presented study used a problem-solving experience in engineering design with LEGO robotics materials as the real-world mathematics-learning context. The goals of the study were (a) to determine if a short but intensive extracurricular learning experience would lead to significant student learning of a particular academic topic and (b) to…

Racializing Experiences of Foreign-Born and Ethnically Diverse Black Male Engineering Graduate Students: Implications for Student Affairs Practice, Policy, and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burt, Brian A.; Knight, Alexander; Robeson, Justin

2017-01-01

Despite a growing body of work on the experiences of Black collegians, the higher education knowledge base lacks scholarship focused on Black men in graduate programs who are foreign-born and/or identify ethnically as other than African American. In this article, we provide a domain-specific investigation (i.e., based on students' field of study),…

Virtual Reality Lab Assistant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saha, Hrishikesh; Palmer, Timothy A.

1996-01-01

Virtual Reality Lab Assistant (VRLA) demonstration model is aligned for engineering and material science experiments to be performed by undergraduate and graduate students in the course as a pre-lab simulation experience. This will help students to get a preview of how to use the lab equipment and run experiments without using the lab hardware/software equipment. The quality of the time available for laboratory experiments can be significantly improved through the use of virtual reality technology.

Developing research competencies through a project-based tissue-engineering module in the biomedical engineering undergraduate curriculum.

PubMed

Wallen, M; Pandit, A

2009-05-01

In addressing the task of developing an undergraduate module in the field of tissue engineering, the greatest challenge lies in managing to capture what is a growing and rapidly changing field. Acknowledging the call for the development of greater critical thinking and interpersonal skills among the next generation of engineers as well as encouraging students to engage actively with the dynamic nature of research in the field, the module was developed to include both project-based and cooperative-learning experiences. These learning activities include developing hypotheses for the application of newly introduced laboratory procedures, a collaborative mock grant submission, and debates on ethical issues in which students are assigned roles as various stakeholders. Feedback from module evaluations has indicated that, while students find the expectations challenging, they are able to gain an advanced insight into a dynamic field. More importantly, students develop research competencies by engaging in activities that require them to link current research directions with their own development of hypotheses for future tissue-engineering applications.

Integration of NASA Research into Undergraduate Education in Math, Science, Engineering and Technology at North Carolina A&T State University

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monroe, Joseph; Kelkar, Ajit

2003-01-01

The NASA PAIR program incorporated the NASA-Sponsored research into the undergraduate environment at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. This program is designed to significantly improve undergraduate education in the areas of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology (MSET) by directly benefiting from the experiences of NASA field centers, affiliated industrial partners and academic institutions. The three basic goals of the program were enhancing core courses in MSET curriculum, upgrading core-engineering laboratories to compliment upgraded MSET curriculum, and conduct research training for undergraduates in MSET disciplines through a sophomore shadow program and through Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs. Since the inception of the program nine courses have been modified to include NASA related topics and research. These courses have impacted over 900 students in the first three years of the program. The Electrical Engineering circuit's lab is completely re-equipped to include Computer controlled and data acquisition equipment. The Physics lab is upgraded to implement better sensory data acquisition to enhance students understanding of course concepts. In addition a new instrumentation laboratory in the department of Mechanical Engineering is developed. Research training for A&T students was conducted through four different programs: Apprentice program, Developers program, Sophomore Shadow program and Independent Research program. These programs provided opportunities for an average of forty students per semester.

Undergraduate Students as Climate Communicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, H. O.; Joseph, J.; Mullendore, G. L.

2012-12-01

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio College (SAC), and the University of North Dakota (UND) are partnering with NASA to provide underrepresented undergraduates from UTSA, SAC, and other community colleges climate-related research and education experiences. The program aims to develop a robust response to climate change by providing K-16 climate change education; enhance the effectiveness of K-16 education particularly in engineering and other STEM disciplines by use of new instructional technologies; increase the enrollment in engineering programs and the number of engineering degrees awarded by showing engineering's usefulness in relation to the much-discussed contemporary issue of climate change; increase persistence in STEM degrees by providing student research opportunities; and increase the ethnic diversity of those receiving engineering degrees and help ensure an ethnically diverse response to climate change. Students will have the opportunity to participate in guided research experiences aligned with NASA Science Plan objectives for climate and Earth system science and the educational objectives of the three institutions. An integral part of the learning process will include training in modern media technology (webcasts), and in using this technology to communicate the information on climate change to others, especially high school students, culminating in production of a webcast about investigating aspects of climate change using NASA data. Content developed is leveraged by NASA Earth observation data and NASA Earth system models and tools. Several departments are involved in the educational program.

An Undergraduate-Built Prototype Altitude Determination System (PADS) for High Altitude Research Balloons.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verner, E.; Bruhweiler, F. C.; Abot, J.; Casarotto, V.; Dichoso, J.; Doody, E.; Esteves, F.; Morsch Filho, E.; Gonteski, D.; Lamos, M.; Leo, A.; Mulder, N.; Matubara, F.; Schramm, P.; Silva, R.; Quisberth, J.; Uritsky, G.; Kogut, A.; Lowe, L.; Mirel, P.; Lazear, J.

2014-12-01

In this project a multi-disciplinary undergraduate team from CUA, comprising majors in Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Biology, design, build, test, fly, and analyze the data from a prototype attitude determination system (PADS). The goal of the experiment is to determine if an inexpensive attitude determination system could be built for high altitude research balloons using MEMS gyros. PADS is a NASA funded project, built by students with the cooperation of CUA faculty, Verner, Bruhweiler, and Abot, along with the contributed expertise of researchers and engineers at NASA/GSFC, Kogut, Lowe, Mirel, and Lazear. The project was initiated through a course taught in CUA's School of Engineering, which was followed by a devoted effort by students during the summer of 2014. The project is an experiment to use 18 MEMS gyros, similar to those used in many smartphones, to produce an averaged positional error signal that could be compared with the motion of the fixed optical system as recorded through a string of optical images of stellar fields to be stored on a hard drive flown with the experiment. The optical system, camera microprocessor, and hard drive are enclosed in a pressure vessel, which maintains approximately atmospheric pressure throughout the balloon flight. The experiment uses multiple microprocessors to control the camera exposures, record gyro data, and provide thermal control. CUA students also participated in NASA-led design reviews. Four students traveled to NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas to integrate PADS into a large balloon gondola containing other experiments, before being shipped, then launched in mid-August at Ft. Sumner, New Mexico. The payload is to fly at a float altitude of 40-45,000 m, and the flight last approximately 15 hours. The payload is to return to earth by parachute and the retrieved data are to be analyzed by CUA undergraduates. A description of the instrument is presented here as well as a preliminary analysis of the anticipated data, which were not available at the time of abstract submission. Acknowledgements: NASA grant NNX13AR61 under NASA's Undergraduate Student Instrument Program (USIP). Participating Brazilian students acknowledge support through Brazil's "Science without Borders" program.

Research project for increasing pool of minority engineers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Decatur B.

1995-01-01

The Tennessee State University (TSU) Research Project for Increasing the Pool of Minority Engineers is designed to develop engineers who have academic and research experiences in technical areas of interest to NASA. These engineers will also have some degree of familiarity with NASA Lewis Research Center as a result of interaction with Lewis engineers, field trips and internships at Lewis. The Research Project has four components, which are: (1) Minority Introduction to Engineering (MITE), a high school precollege program, (2) engineering and technology previews, (3) the NASA LeRC Scholars program which includes scholarships and summer internships, and (4) undergraduate research experiences on NASA sponsored research. MITE is a two-week summer engineering camp designed to introduce minority high school students to engineering by exposing them to: (1) engineering role models (engineering students and NASA engineer), (2) field trips to engineering firms, (3) in addition to introducing youth to the language of the engineer (i.e., science, mathematics, technical writing, computers, and the engineering laboratory). Three MITE camps are held on the campus of TSU with an average of 40 participants. MITE has grown from 25 participants at its inception in 1990 to 118 participants in 1994 with participants from 17 states, including the District of Columbia, and 51 percent of the participants were female. Over the four-year period, 77 percent of the seniors who participated in MITE have gone to college, while 53 percent of those seniors in college are majoring in science, engineering or mathematics (SEM). This first Engineering and Technology Previews held in 1993 brought 23 youths from Cleveland, Ohio to TSU for a two-day preview of engineering and college life. Two previews are scheduled for 1994-1995. The NASA LeRC Scholars program provides scholarships and summer internships for minority engineering students majoring in electrical or mechanical engineering. Presently six (6) engineering students are in the Scholars program. The average GPA for the scholars is 3.239. Each scholar must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.000/4.000. NASA LeRC Fred Higgs has been awarded a GEM Fellowship. In addition, he will be presenting a paper entitled 'Design of Helical Spring Using Probabilistic Design Methodology' at the Middle Tennessee Section ASME Student Design Presentations in Nashville on March 23rd and at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research to be held at Union College, Schenectady, New York on April 20-22, 1995. Each of the scholars is working on one of the three NASA sponsored research projects in the college.

Students Own Their Introductory Chemistry Experience: Becoming an Element for a Semester

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fautch, Jessica M.; Foresman, James B.

2017-01-01

Introductory science courses serve a population of students in the major (i.e., chemistry) as well as those students outside the discipline (i.e., premed, biology, engineering). In an effort to help this diverse population of students connect personally with the content of the course, we sought ways to include student-centered activities, provide…

Towards Chemical Engineering Student Diversity: The Case of International Student Experiences at Tuskegee University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baah, David; Floyd-Smith, Tamara; Begum, Shamim Ara; Smith, Allen; Kwon, K. C.; Vahdat, Nader

2018-01-01

Cultural integration of students and student population diversity play an important role in training college students, due to growing demand for diversity to solutions to human needs, the advancement of global economy and cultural understanding. This type of cultural integration has resulted in the new normal known as the multicultural classroom.…

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 55: Career goals and educational preparation of aerospace engineering and science students: An international perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1995-01-01

Results are presented of a survey of aerospace engineering and science students conducted in India, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The similarities and differences among aerospace engineering and science students from the five countries are examined in the context of two general aspects of educational experience. First, the extent to which students differ regarding the factors that led to the choice of a career in aerospace, their current levels of satisfaction with that choice, and career-related goals and objectives is considered. Second, the importance of certain communications/information-use skills for professional use is examined, as well as the frequency of use and importance of specific information sources and products to meet students' educational needs. Overall, the students who participated in this research remain relatively happy with the choice of a career in aerospace engineering, despite pessimism in some quarters about the future of the industry. Regardless of national identity, aerospace engineering and science students appear to share a similar vision of the profession in terms of their career goals and aspirations. The data also indicate that aerospace engineering and science students are well aware of the importance of communications/information-use skills to professional success and that competency in these skills will help them to be productive members of their profession. Collectively, all of the students appear to use and value similar information sources and products, although some differences appear by country.

Exploration of the lived experiences of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics minority students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snead-McDaniel, Kimberly

An expanding ethnicity gap exists in the number of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers in the United States. The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering revealed that the number of minorities pursuing STEM degrees and careers has declined over the past few years. The specific origins of this trend are not quite evident; one variable to consider is that undergraduate minority students are failing in STEM disciplines at various levels of education from elementary to postsecondary. The failure of female and minority students to enter STEM disciplines in higher education have led various initiatives to establish programs to promote STEM disciplines among these groups. Additional funding for minority STEM programs have led to a increase in undergraduate minority students entering STEM disciplines, but the minority students' graduation rate in STEM disciplines is approximately 7% lower than the graduation of nonminority students in STEM disciplines. This phenomenological qualitative research study explores the lived experiences of underrepresented minority undergraduate college students participating in an undergraduate minority-mentoring program. The following nine themes emerged from the study: (a) competitiveness, (b) public perception, (c) dedication, (d) self-perception, (e) program activities, (f) time management, (g) exposure to career and graduate opportunities, (h) rigor in the curriculum, and (i) peer mentoring. The themes provided answers and outcomes to better support a stronger minority representation in STEM disciplines.

Integrating Computational Science Tools into a Thermodynamics Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieira, Camilo; Magana, Alejandra J.; García, R. Edwin; Jana, Aniruddha; Krafcik, Matthew

2018-01-01

Computational tools and methods have permeated multiple science and engineering disciplines, because they enable scientists and engineers to process large amounts of data, represent abstract phenomena, and to model and simulate complex concepts. In order to prepare future engineers with the ability to use computational tools in the context of their disciplines, some universities have started to integrate these tools within core courses. This paper evaluates the effect of introducing three computational modules within a thermodynamics course on student disciplinary learning and self-beliefs about computation. The results suggest that using worked examples paired to computer simulations to implement these modules have a positive effect on (1) student disciplinary learning, (2) student perceived ability to do scientific computing, and (3) student perceived ability to do computer programming. These effects were identified regardless of the students' prior experiences with computer programming.

Student Learning by Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schallies, Michael; Lembens, Anja

2002-01-01

Describes a research and development project aiming to help develop secondary students' abilities to understand biotechnology/genetic engineering. Focuses on an exemplary true-to-life experiment, planned and executed by students in grade 8, that involves external experts and uses an industrial research laboratory for solving genuine questions.…

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.

Young Engineers and Scientists: a Mentorship Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boice, Daniel C.; Wuest, Martin; Marilyn, Koch B.

The Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) Program is a community partnership between Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and local high schools in San Antonio Texas (USA). It provides talented high school juniors and seniors a bridge between classroom instruction and real-world research experiences in physical sciences and engineering. YES consists of two parts: 1) an intensive three-week summer workshop held at SwRI where students experience the research environment first-hand; develop skills and acquire tools for solving scientific problems attend mini-courses and seminars on electronics computers and the Internet careers science ethics and other topics; and select individual research projects to be completed during the academic year; and 2) a collegial mentorship where students complete individual research projects under the guidance of their mentors during the academic year and earn honors credit. At the end of the school year students publicly present and display their work acknowledging their accomplishments and spreading career awareness to other students and teachers. YES has been highly successful during the past 10 years. All YES graduates have entered college several have worked for SwRI and three scientific publications have resulted. Student evaluations indicate the effectiveness of YES on their academic preparation and choice of college majors.

PRCC Aviation Students

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-01-26

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's Jeff Hansell, right, explains functions of a space shuttle main engine to Pearl River Community College Aviation Maintenance Technology Program students. Christopher Bryon, left, of Bay St. Louis, Ret Tolar of Kiln, Dan Holston of Baxterville and Billy Zugg of Long Beach took a recent tour of the SSME Processing Facility and the E-1 Test Complex at Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi. The students attend class adjacent to the Stennis International Airport tarmac in Kiln, where they get hands-on experience. PRCC's program prepares students to be responsible for the inspection, repair and maintenance of technologically advanced aircraft. A contractor to NASA, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, Calif., manufactures the space shuttle main engine and its high-pressure turbo pumps. SSC was established in the 1960s to test the huge engines for the Saturn V moon rockets. Now 40 years later, the center tests every main engine for the space shuttle, and is America's largest rocket engine test complex. SSC will soon begin testing the rocket engines that will power spacecraft carrying Americans back to the moon and on to Mars.

PRCC Aviation Students

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's Jeff Hansell, right, explains functions of a space shuttle main engine to Pearl River Community College Aviation Maintenance Technology Program students. Christopher Bryon, left, of Bay St. Louis, Ret Tolar of Kiln, Dan Holston of Baxterville and Billy Zugg of Long Beach took a recent tour of the SSME Processing Facility and the E-1 Test Complex at Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi. The students attend class adjacent to the Stennis International Airport tarmac in Kiln, where they get hands-on experience. PRCC's program prepares students to be responsible for the inspection, repair and maintenance of technologically advanced aircraft. A contractor to NASA, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, Calif., manufactures the space shuttle main engine and its high-pressure turbo pumps. SSC was established in the 1960s to test the huge engines for the Saturn V moon rockets. Now 40 years later, the center tests every main engine for the space shuttle, and is America's largest rocket engine test complex. SSC will soon begin testing the rocket engines that will power spacecraft carrying Americans back to the moon and on to Mars.

Advanced Physics Labs and Undergraduate Research: Helping Them Work Together

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Richard W.

2009-10-01

The 2009 Advanced Lab Topical Conference in Ann Arbor affirmed the importance of advanced labs that teach crucial skills and methodologies by carefully conducting a time-honored experiment. Others however argued that such a constrained experiment can play a complementary role to more open-ended, project experiences. A genuine ``experiment'' where neither student or faculty member is exactly sure of the best approach or anticipated result can often trigger real excitement, creativity, and career direction for students while reinforcing the advanced lab and undergraduate research interface. Several examples are cited in areas of AMO physics, optics, fluids, and acoustics. Colleges and universities that have dual-degree engineering, engineering physics, or applied physics programs may especially profit from interdisciplinary projects that utilize optical, electromagnetic, and acoustical measurements in conjunction with computational physics and simulation.

Team-Based Development of Medical Devices: An Engineering–Business Collaborative

PubMed Central

Eberhardt, Alan W.; Johnson, Ophelia L.; Kirkland, William B.; Dobbs, Joel H.; Moradi, Lee G.

2016-01-01

There is a global shift in the teaching methodology of science and engineering toward multidisciplinary, team-based processes. To meet the demands of an evolving technical industry and lead the way in engineering education, innovative curricula are essential. This paper describes the development of multidisciplinary, team-based learning environments in undergraduate and graduate engineering curricula focused on medical device design. In these programs, students actively collaborate with clinicians, professional engineers, business professionals, and their peers to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. In the undergraduate senior capstone courses, teams of biomedical engineering (BME) and business students have produced and delivered numerous functional prototypes to satisfied clients. Pursuit of commercialization of devices has led to intellectual property (IP) disclosures and patents. Assessments have indicated high levels of success in attainment of student learning outcomes and student satisfaction with their undergraduate design experience. To advance these projects toward commercialization and further promote innovative team-based learning, a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Design and Commercialization was recently launched. The MEng facilitates teams of graduate students in engineering, life sciences, and business who engage in innovation-commercialization (IC) projects and coursework that take innovative ideas through research and development (R&D) to create marketable devices. The activities are structured with students working together as a “virtual company,” with targeted outcomes of commercialization (license agreements and new start-ups), competitive job placement, and/or career advancement. PMID:26902869

NASA's Robotics Mining Competition Provides Undergraduates Full Life Cycle Systems Engineering Experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecklein, Jonette

2017-01-01

NASA has held an annual robotic mining competition for teams of university/college students since 2010. This competition is yearlong, suitable for a senior university engineering capstone project. It encompasses the full project life cycle from ideation of a robot design to actual tele-operation of the robot in simulated Mars conditions mining and collecting simulated regolith. A major required element for this competition is a Systems Engineering Paper in which each team describes the systems engineering approaches used on their project. The score for the Systems Engineering Paper contributes 25% towards the team's score for the competition's grand prize. The required use of systems engineering on the project by this competition introduces the students to an intense practical application of systems engineering throughout a full project life cycle.

An inquiry-based approach to the Franck-Hertz experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persano Adorno, Dominique; Pizzolato, Nicola

2016-05-01

The practice of scientists and engineers is today exerted within interdisciplinary contexts, placed at the intersections of different research fields, including nanoscale science. The development of the required competences is based on an effective science and engineering instruction, which should be able to drive the students towards a deeper understanding of quantum mechanics fundamental concepts and, at the same time, strengthen their reasoning skills and transversal abilities. In this study we report the results of an inquiry-driven learning path experienced by a sample of 12 electronic engineering undergraduates engaged to perform the Franck-Hertz experiment. Before being involved in this experimental activity, the students received a traditional lecture-based instruction on the fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics, but their answers to an open-ended questionnaire, administered at the beginning of the inquiry activity, demonstrated that the acquired knowledge was characterized by a strictly theoretical vision of quantum science, basically in terms of an artificial mathematical framework having very poor connections with the real world. The Franck Hertz experiment was introduced to the students by starting from the problem of finding an experimental confirmation of the Bohr's postulates asserting that atoms can absorb energy only in quantum portions. The whole activity has been videotaped and this allowed us to deeply analyse the student perception's change about the main concepts of quantum mechanics. We have found that the active participation to this learning experience favored the building of cognitive links among student theoretical perceptions of quantum mechanics and their vision of quantum phenomena, within an everyday context of knowledge. Furthermore, our findings confirm the benefits of integrating traditional lecture-based instruction on quantum mechanics with learning experiences driven by inquiry-based teaching strategies.

Designing a Hands-On Brain Computer Interface Laboratory Course

PubMed Central

Khalighinejad, Bahar; Long, Laura Kathleen; Mesgarani, Nima

2017-01-01

Devices and systems that interact with the brain have become a growing field of research and development in recent years. Engineering students are well positioned to contribute to both hardware development and signal analysis techniques in this field. However, this area has been left out of most engineering curricula. We developed an electroencephalography (EEG) based brain computer interface (BCI) laboratory course to educate students through hands-on experiments. The course is offered jointly by the Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science Departments of Columbia University in the City of New York and is open to senior undergraduate and graduate students. The course provides an effective introduction to the experimental design, neuroscience concepts, data analysis techniques, and technical skills required in the field of BCI. PMID:28268946

GSFC Technical Outreach: The Capitol College Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marius, Julio L.; Wagner, David

2008-01-01

In February 2005, as part of the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) Technical Outreach Program, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) awarded Capitol College of Laurel, Maryland an Educational Grant to establish a Space Operation academic curriculum to meet the future needs of mission operations engineers. This was in part due to the aerospace industry and GSFC concerns that a large number of professional engineers are projected to retire in the near term with evidence showing that current enrollment in engineering schools will not produce sufficient number of space operation trained engineers that will meet industry and government demands. Capitol College, under the agreement of the Educational Grant, established the Space Operations Institute (SOI) with a new curriculum in Space Operations that was approved and certified by the State of Maryland. The SO1 programs focuses on attracting, recruiting, and training a pipeline of highly qualified engineers with experience in mission operations, system engineering and development. The selected students are integrated as members of the engineering support team in any of the missions supported by the institute. The students are mentored by professional engineers from several aerospace companies that support GSFC. Initially, the institute was involved in providing console engineers and mission planning trainees for the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) and the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer mission (TOMS). Subsequently, the students were also involved in the technology refresh of the TOMS ground system and other mission operations development. Further mission assignment by GSFC management included participation in the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) mission operations and ground system technology refresh. The SOI program has been very successful. Since October 2005, sixty-four students have been enrolled in the SOI program and twenty-five have already graduated from the program, nineteen of whom are employed by company's supporting GSFC. Due to the success of the program, the initial grant period was extended for another period of two years. This paper presents the process that established the SOI as a viable pipeline of mission operations engineers, the lessons learned in the process of dealing with grants, and experience gained in mentoring engineering students that are responsible for particular areas of expertise and functionality. This paper can also be considered a case study and model for integrating a student team with government and industry professionals in the real world of mission operations.

Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) 2009 - Engaging Students and Teachers in Space Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boice, D. C.; Reiff, P. H.

2009-12-01

During the past 17 years, Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) has been a community partnership between local high schools in San Antonio, Texas (USA), and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The goals of YES are to increase the number of high school students, especially those from underrepresented groups, seeking careers in science and engineering, to enhance their success in entering the college and major of their choice, and to promote teacher development in STEM fields. This is accomplished by allowing students and teachers to interact on a continuing basis with role models at SwRI in real-world research experiences in physical sciences (including space science), information sciences, and a variety of engineering fields. A total of 218 students have completed YES or are currently enrolled. Of these students, 37% are females and 56% are ethnic minorities, reflecting the local ethnic diversity, and 67% represent underserved groups. Presently, there are 20 students and 3 teachers enrolled in the YES 2009/2010 Program. YES consists of an intensive three-week summer workshop held at SwRI where students and teachers experience the research environment and a collegial mentorship where they complete individual research projects under the guidance of SwRI mentors during the academic year. At the end of the school year, students publicly present and display their work, spreading career awareness to other students and teachers. Teachers participate in an in-service workshop to share classroom materials and spread awareness of space-related research. YES students develop a website (yesserver.space.swri.edu) for topics in space science (this year was NASA's MMS Mission) and high school science teachers develop space-related lessons for classroom presentation. Partnerships between research institutes, local high schools, and community foundations, like the YES Program, can positively affect students’ preparation for STEM careers via real-world research experiences with mentorship teams consisting of professional staff and qualified teachers. Acknowledgements. We acknowledge support from the NASA MMS Mission, Texas Space Grant Consortium, SwRI, and local charitable foundations.

More than Just Hot Air: How Hairdryers and Role Models Inspire Girls in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kekelis, Linda; Larkin, Molly; Gomes, Lyn

2014-01-01

This article describes a reverse-engineering project where female students take a part a hair dryer--giving them an opportunity to see the many different kinds of engineering disciplines involved in making a hairdryer and that they work together. Mechanical Engineer, Lyn Gome, describes her experience leading a group of middle school girls through…

Learning Experience and Socio-Cultural Influences on Female Engineering Students' Perspectives on Engineering Courses and Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balakrishnan, Balamuralithara; Low, Foon Siang

2016-01-01

As developed and developing countries move towards greater technological development in the 21st century, the need for engineers has increased substantially. Japan is facing the dilemma of insufficient engineers; therefore, the country has to rely on foreign workers. This problem may be resolved if there is a continuous effort to increase the…

Moving Toward an Anti-Deficit Perspective: African American Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahoney, Melissa M.

The increased demand for qualified STEM workers, necessitates addressing the bachelor's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degree achievement among African Americans and other underrepresented populations. Using inquiry derived from Harper's (2010) Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework, this study sought to explore the factors that contribute to the successful degree completion of African American STEM students within a large comprehensive university system. Coding of the twelve semi-structured interviews revealed six major themes: a) K-12/precollege educational experiences, b) motivation to complete a STEM degree, c) systems of social support, d) extracurricular activities and out-of-class experiences, e) addressing stereotyping and discrimination, and f) faculty behaviors and dispositions. All themes were intertwined at each phase of participants' academic careers, thereby, highlighting the complexity of this population's experience and what is needed to address their low STEM degree attainment. Findings indicated that this student population benefits from positive, sustained faculty-student interactions, holistic STEM success programming, and genuine networks of social support. Furthermore, Harper's framework can be modified to explore the motivation of African American STEM students as well as the African American student's relationship with disability support services.

A new experience: the course of ethics in engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Granada.

PubMed

Gil-Martín, Luisa María; Hernández-Montes, Enrique; Segura-Naya, Armando

2010-06-01

A course in professional ethics for civil engineers was taught for the first time in Spain during the academic year 2007/08. In this paper a survey on the satisfaction and expectation of the course is presented. Surprisingly the students sought moral and ethical principles for their own ordinary lives as well as for their profession. Students were concerned about the law, but in their actions they were more concerned with their conscience, aware that it can be separate from the law.

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.

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.

#BlackGirlMagic: The Influence of Identity Expression on STEM Identity and Retention for Black Females in Undergraduate Research Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morton, Terrell Roderick

2017-01-01

Research and reports promote targeted interventions such as the undergraduate research experience to address issues with Black student retention and matriculation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The effectiveness of these interventions are purported to be their ability to foster strong associations between Black students and…

What Knowledge of Responsible Conduct of Research Do Undergraduates Bring to Their Undergraduate Research Experiences?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mabrouk, Patricia Ann

2016-01-01

Over a three-year period, chemistry and engineering students participating in six Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs were surveyed before and after participating in a research ethics training workshop. The goal was to learn what undergraduate students already knew about key concepts in research ethics at the start of their…

On the Use of Interactive Texts in Undergraduate Chemical Reaction Engineering Courses: A Pedagogical Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asensio, Daniela A.; Barassi, Francisca J.; Zambon, Mariana T.; Mazza, Germán D.

2010-01-01

This paper describes the results of a pedagogical experience carried out at the University of Comahue, Argentina, with an interactive text (IT) concerning Homogeneous Chemical Reactors Analysis. The IT was built on the frame of the "Mathematica" software with the aim of providing students with a robust computational tool. Students'…

High-Achieving Black Students, Biculturalism, and Out-of-School STEM Learning Experiences: Exploring Some Unintended Consequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Ebony O.

2013-01-01

In this article, the author discusses the complex challenges of high-achieving Black students who are successful in becoming immersed in predominately White STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) spaces and how such immersion can exacerbate their experiences of racial stereotyping and other forms of racial bias. The author…

Early Error Detection: An Action-Research Experience Teaching Vector Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Añino, María Magdalena; Merino, Gabriela; Miyara, Alberto; Perassi, Marisol; Ravera, Emiliano; Pita, Gustavo; Waigandt, Diana

2014-01-01

This paper describes an action-research experience carried out with second year students at the School of Engineering of the National University of Entre Ríos, Argentina. Vector calculus students played an active role in their own learning process. They were required to present weekly reports, in both oral and written forms, on the topics studied,…

Laboratory: Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment Teaching Fundamental Concepts of Rheology in Context of Sickle Cell Anemia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernengo, Jennifer; Purdy, Caitlin; Farrell, Stephanie

2014-01-01

This paper describes a biomedical engineering experiment that introduces students to rheology. Healthy and sickle-cell blood analogs are prepared that are composed of chitosan particles suspended in aqueous glycerol solutions, which substitute for RBCs and plasma, respectively. Students study flow properties of the blood analogs with a viscometer…

Well-planning programs give students field-like experience

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

Sifferman, T.R.; Chapman, L.

1983-01-01

The University of Tulsa recently was given a package of computer well planning and drilling programs that will enable petroleum engineering students to gain valuable experience in designing well programs while still in school. Comprehensive homework assignments are now given in areas of drilling fluids programing, hydraulics, directional wells and surveying. Additional programs are scheduled for next semester.

Early Engagement in Course-Based Research Increases Graduation Rates and Completion of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodenbusch, Stacia E.; Hernandez, Paul R.; Simmons, Sarah L.; Dolan, Erin L.

2016-01-01

National efforts to transform undergraduate biology education call for research experiences to be an integral component of learning for all students. Course-based undergraduate research experiences, or CUREs, have been championed for engaging students in research at a scale that is not possible through apprenticeships in faculty research…

An Automated Statistical Process Control Study of Inline Mixing Using Spectrophotometric Detection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickey, Michael D.; Stewart, Michael D.; Willson, C. Grant

2006-01-01

An experiment is described, which is designed for a junior-level chemical engineering "fundamentals of measurements and data analysis" course, where students are introduced to the concept of statistical process control (SPC) through a simple inline mixing experiment. The students learn how to create and analyze control charts in an effort to…

Student Activity and Profile Datasets from an Online Video-Based Collaborative Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martín, Estefanía; Gértrudix, Manuel; Urquiza-Fuentes, Jaime; Haya, Pablo A.

2015-01-01

This paper describes two datasets extracted from a video-based educational experience using a social and collaborative platform. The length of the trial was 3 months. It involved 111 students from two different courses. Twenty-nine came from Computer Engineering (CE) course and 82 from Media and Communication (M&C) course. They were organised…

Exploration on the reform of the science and engineering experiment teaching based on the combination with teaching and scientific research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Peng

2017-08-01

The existing problems of the experiment education in colleges and universities are analyzed. Take the science and engineering specialty as example, the idea of the combination with teaching and scientific research is discussed. The key problems are how the scientific research and scientific research achievements are used effectively in the experiment education, how to effectively use scientific research laboratories and scientific researchers. Then, a specialty experiment education system is established which is good for the teaching in accordance of all students' aptitude. The research in this paper can give the construction of the experiment teaching methods and the experiment system reform for the science and engineering specialties in colleges and universities.

Find Your Future: A Career-Planning Guide in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering for Precollege Students with Disabilities and the Adults Who Work with Them. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuBois, Phyllis; Weisgerber, Robert

This career planning guide is intended for precollege students with disabilities who desire careers in science, mathematics, or engineering. The booklet reflects the experiences and advice of 286 individuals with disabilities who are in these careers or preparing for them. The first section summarizes the advantages of a career in these fields,…

Design and development of experimental facilities for short duration, low-gravity combustion and fire experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This report contains the results of three projects conducted by undergraduate students from Worcester Polytechnical Institute at the NASA's Lewis Research Center under a NASA Award NCC3-312. The students involved in these projects spent part of the summer of 1993 at the Lewis Research Center (LeRC). The Principal Investigator at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was Professor Vahid Motevalli. Professor Motevalli served as the principal project advisor for two of the three projects which were in Mechanical Engineering. The third project was advised by Professor Duckworth of Electrical and Computer Engineering, while Professor Motevalli acted as the co-advisor. These projects provided an excellent opportunity for the students to participate in the cutting edge research and engineering design, interact with NASA engineers and gain valuable exposure to a real working environment. This report has been divided to three sections, representing the outcome of each of the separate projects. The three reports which have been written by the students under the supervision of their advisors have been compiled into a combined report by Dr. Motevalli. Each project report is presented here as a section which is essentially self-contained. Each section contains chapters introducing the problem, solution approach, description of the experiments, results and analysis, conclusions and appendixes as appropriate.

Project-based learning with international collaboration for training biomedical engineers.

PubMed

Krishnan, Shankar

2011-01-01

Training biomedical engineers while effectively keeping up with the fast paced scientific breakthroughs and the growth in technical innovations poses arduous challenges for educators. Traditional pedagogical methods are employed for coping with the increasing demands in biomedical engineering (BME) training and continuous improvements have been attempted with some success. Project-based learning (PBL) is an academic effort that challenges students by making them carry out interdisciplinary projects aimed at accomplishing a wide range of student learning outcomes. PBL has been shown to be effective in the medical field and has been adopted by other fields including engineering. The impact of globalization in healthcare appears to be steadily increasing which necessitates the inclusion of awareness of relevant international activities in the curriculum. Numerous difficulties are encountered when the formation of a collaborative team is tried, and additional difficulties occur as the collaboration team is extended to international partners. Understanding and agreement of responsibilities becomes somewhat complex and hence the collaborative project has to be planned and executed with clear understanding by all partners and participants. A model for training BME students by adopting PBL with international collaboration is proposed. The results of previous BME project work with international collaboration fit partially into the model. There were many logistic issues and constraints; however, the collaborative projects themselves greatly enhanced the student learning outcomes. This PBL type of learning experience tends to promote long term retention of multidisciplinary material and foster high-order cognitive activities such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation. In addition to introducing the students to experiences encountered in the real-life workforce, the proposed approach enhances developing professional contracts and global networking. In conclusion, despite initial challenges, adopting project-based learning with international collaboration has strong potentials to be valuable in the training of biomedical engineering students.

An Investigation Into the Performance of a Miniature Diesel Engine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevenson, P. W.

1970-01-01

Reports the procedures and results of a student investigation of the performance of a miniature diesel engine. The experiments include (1) torque measurement, (2) power measurement, and (3) variation of power output with applied load. Bibliography. (LC)

Identifying STEM Concepts Associated with Junior Livestock Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wooten, Kate; Rayfield, John; Moore, Lori L.

2013-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is intended to provide students with a cross-subject, contextual learning experience. To more fully prepare our nation's students to enter the globally competitive workforce, STEM integration allows students to make connections between the abstract concepts learned in core subject…

Student Views of Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenkraft, Arthur

2011-01-01

Current instructional and learning models insist that when teachers prepare lessons for their technology and engineering classes, they must begin with a sense of what students already know. In preparing lessons, many teachers use their years of classroom experience as data to inform them about students' prior knowledge and about student…

"Dirt Cheap" Project Teaches Soils Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roman, Harry T.

2010-01-01

This article describes a soil-testing activity that enables students to learn some interesting and useful things about how soil behaves under varied conditions. It offers a great way to give them a practical pre-engineering experience and will show them how engineers think about construction and how local soils influence building design. The…

Turkish Students' Career Choices in Engineering: Experiences from Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavas, Bulent; Cakiroglu, Jale; Cavas, Pinar; Ertepinar, Hamide

2011-01-01

The shortfall of young people, particularly women, in the field of Science, Mathematics and Engineering (SME) has been shown in many national studies. Schreiner and Sjoberg (2007) indicated that boys outnumber girls in physics and engineering studies, while the gender balance is shifted towards the girls in studies including medicine, veterinary…

Developing Tomorrows Engineers: A Case Study in Instrument Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonnell, Liam; O'Neill, Donal

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this case study is to outline the challenges facing industry and educational institutions in educating and training instrument engineers against a backdrop of declining interest by secondary school students in mathematics and physics. This case study cites the experience and strategies of the Kentz Group and Cork Institute…

Enhancing Critical Thinking across the Undergraduate Experience: An Exemplar from Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ralston, Patricia A.; Bays, Cathy L.

2013-01-01

Faculty in a large, urban school of engineering designed a longitudinal study to assess the critical thinking skills of undergraduate students as they progressed through the engineering program. The Paul-Elder critical thinking framework was used to design course assignments and develop a holistic assessment rubric. The curriculum was re-designed…

Capstone Engineering Design Projects for Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walz, Kenneth A.; Christian, Jon R.

2017-01-01

Capstone engineering design courses have been a feature at research universities and four-year schools for many years. Although such classes are less common at two-year colleges, the experience is equally beneficial for this population of students. With this in mind, Madison College introduced a project-based Engineering Design course in 2007.…

Learning the Fundamentals of Kinetics and Reaction Engineering with the Catalytic Oxidation of Methane

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cybulskis, Viktor J.; Smeltz, Andrew D.; Zvinevich, Yury; Gounder, Rajamani; Delgass, W. Nicholas; Ribeiro, Fabio H.

2016-01-01

Understanding catalytic chemistry, collecting and interpreting kinetic data, and operating chemical reactors are critical skills for chemical engineers. This laboratory experiment provides students with a hands-on supplement to a course in chemical kinetics and reaction engineering. The oxidation of methane with a palladium catalyst supported on…

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.

Mechatronic system design course for undergraduate programmes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleem, A.; Tutunji, T.; Al-Sharif, L.

2011-08-01

Technology advancement and human needs have led to integration among many engineering disciplines. Mechatronics engineering is an integrated discipline that focuses on the design and analysis of complete engineering systems. These systems include mechanical, electrical, computer and control subsystems. In this paper, the importance of teaching mechatronic system design to undergraduate engineering students is emphasised. The paper offers the collaborative experience in preparing and delivering the course material for two universities in Jordan. A detailed description of such a course is provided and a case study is presented. The case study used is a final year project, where students applied a six-stage design procedure that is described in the paper.

Engineering a Healthier Watershed: Middle School Students Use Engineering Design to Lessen the Impact of Their Campus' Impervious Surfaces on Their Local Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, Elizabeth Claire

It is important that students understand not only how their local watershed functions, but also how it is being impacted by impervious surfaces. Additionally, students need experience exploring the scientific and engineering practices that are necessary for a strong STEM background. With this knowledge students can be empowered to tackle this real and local problem using engineering design, a powerful practice gaining momentum and clarity through its prominence in the recent Framework for K-12 Science Education. Twenty classes of suburban sixth-graders participated in a new five-week Watershed Engineering Design Unit taught by their regular science teachers. Students engaged in scientific inquiry to learn about the structure, function, and health of their local watersheds, focusing on the effects of impervious surfaces. In small groups, students used the engineering design process to propose solutions to lessen the impact of runoff from their school campuses. The goal of this evaluation was to determine the effectiveness of the curriculum in terms of student gains in understanding of (1) watershed function, (2) the impact of impervious surfaces, and (3) the engineering design process. To determine the impact of this curriculum on their learning, students took multiple-choice pre- and post-assessments made up of items covering the three categories above. This data was analyzed for statistical significance using a lower-tailed paired sample t-test. All three objectives showed statistically significant learning gains and the results were used to recommend improvements to the curriculum and the assessment instrument for future iterations.

The role of hardware in learning engineering fundamentals: An empirical study of engineering design and product analysis activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brereton, Margot Felicity

A series of short engineering exercises and design projects was created to help students learn to apply abstract knowledge to physical experiences with hardware. The exercises involved designing machines from kits of materials and dissecting and analyzing familiar household products. Students worked in teams. During the activities students brought their knowledge of engineering fundamentals to bear. Videotape analysis was used to identify and characterize the ways in which hardware contributed to learning fundamental concepts. Structural and qualitative analyses of videotaped activities were undertaken. Structural analysis involved counting the references to theory and hardware and the extent of interleaving of references in activity. The analysis found that there was much more discussion linking fundamental concepts to hardware in some activities than in others. The analysis showed that the interleaving of references to theory and hardware in activity is observable and quantifiable. Qualitative analysis was used to investigate the dialog linking concepts and hardware. Students were found to advance their designs and their understanding of engineering fundamentals through a negotiation process in which they pitted abstract concepts against hardware behavior. Through this process students sorted out theoretical assumptions and causal relations. In addition they discovered design assumptions, functional connections and physical embodiments of abstract concepts in hardware, developing a repertoire of familiar hardware components and machines. Hardware was found to be integral to learning, affecting the course of inquiry and the dynamics of group interaction. Several case studies are presented to illustrate the processes at work. The research illustrates the importance of working across the boundary between abstractions and experiences with hardware in order to learn engineering and physical sciences. The research findings are: (a) the negotiation process by which students discover fundamental concepts in hardware (and three central causes of negotiation breakdown); (b) a characterization of the ways that material systems contribute to learning activities, (the seven roles of hardware in learning); (c) the characteristics of activities that support discovering fundamental concepts in hardware (plus several engineering exercises); (d) a research methodology to examine how students learn in practice.

Using a Low Cost Flight Simulation Environment for Interdisciplinary Education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khan, M. Javed; Rossi, Marcia; ALi, Syed F.

2004-01-01

A multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary education is increasingly being emphasized for engineering undergraduates. However, often the focus is on interaction between engineering disciplines. This paper discusses the experience at Tuskegee University in providing interdisciplinary research experiences for undergraduate students in both Aerospace Engineering and Psychology through the utilization of a low cost flight simulation environment. The environment, which is pc-based, runs a low-cost of-the-shelf software and is configured for multiple out-of-the-window views and a synthetic heads down display with joystick, rudder and throttle controls. While the environment is being utilized to investigate and evaluate various strategies for training novice pilots, students were involved to provide them with experience in conducting such interdisciplinary research. On the global inter-disciplinary level these experiences included developing experimental designs and research protocols, consideration of human participant ethical issues, and planning and executing the research studies. During the planning phase students were apprised of the limitations of the software in its basic form and the enhancements desired to investigate human factors issues. A number of enhancements to the flight environment were then undertaken, from creating Excel macros for determining the performance of the 'pilots', to interacting with the software to provide various audio/video cues based on the experimental protocol. These enhancements involved understanding the flight model and performance, stability & control issues. Throughout this process, discussions of data analysis included a focus from a human factors perspective as well as an engineering point of view.

Responses to different types of inquiry prompts: college students' discourse, performance, and perceptions of group work in an engineering class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balgopal, Meena M.; Casper, Anne Marie A.; Atadero, Rebecca A.; Rambo-Hernandez, Karen E.

2017-08-01

Working in small groups to solve problems is an instructional strategy that allows university students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines the opportunity to practice interpersonal and professional skills while gaining and applying discipline-specific content knowledge. Previous research indicates that not all group work prompts result in the same experiences for students. In this study we posed two types of prompts (guided and open) to undergraduate engineering students in a statics course as they participated in group work projects. We measured student discourse, student performance, and perceptions of group work. We found that guided prompts were associated with higher-level discourse and higher performance (project scores) than open prompts. Students engaged in guided prompts were more likely to discuss distribution of labour and design/calculation details of their projects than when students responded to open prompts. We posit that guided prompts, which more clearly articulate expectations of students, help students determine how to divide tasks amongst themselves and, subsequently, jump to higher levels of discourse.

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-04-26

The first NASA Dropping In a Microgravity Environment (DIME) student competition pilot project came to a conclusion at the Glenn Research Center in April 2001. The competition involved high-school student teams who developed the concept for a microgravity experiment and prepared an experiment proposal. The two student teams - COSI Academy, sponsored by the Columbus Center of Science and Industry, and another team from Cincinnati, Ohio's Sycamore High School, designed a microgravity experiment, fabricated the experimental apparatus, and visited NASA Glenn to operate their experiment in the 2.2 Second Drop Tower. Here, students are briefed by NASA engineer Daniel Dietrich at the top of the drop tower. This image is from a digital still camera; higher resolution is not available.

An Experimental Introduction to Acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, Andy Nicholas; Magruder, Robert H.

2017-11-01

Learning and understanding physics requires more than studying physics texts. It requires doing physics. Doing research is a key opportunity for students to connect physical principles with their everyday experience. A powerful way to introduce students to research and technique is through subjects in which they might find interest. Presented is an experiment that serves to introduce an advanced undergraduate or high school student to conducting research in acoustics via an experiment involving a standard dreadnought acoustic guitar, recording industry-related equipment, and relevant industrial analysis software. This experimental process is applicable to a wide range of acoustical topics including both acoustic and electric instruments. Also, the student has a hands-on experience with relevant audio engineering technology to study physical principles.

Gummi-Bears On Fire! Bringing Students and Scientists Together at the Alaska Summer Research Academy (ASRA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drake, J.; Schamel, D.; Fisher, P.; Terschak, J. A.; Stelling, P.; Almberg, L.; Phillips, E.; Forner, M.; Gregory, D.

2002-12-01

When a gummi-bear is introduced into hot potassium chlorate there is a powerful reaction. This is analogous to the response we have seen to the Alaska Summer Research Academy (ASRA). ASRA is a residential science research camp supported by the College of Science, Engineering and Mathematics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The hallmark of ASRA is the opportunity for small groups of 4 or fewer students, ages 10-17, to conduct scientific research and participate in engineering design projects with university faculty and researchers as mentors. Participating scientists, engineers, faculty, graduate students, and K-12 teachers from a variety of disciplines design individual research units and guide the students through designing and constructing a project, collecting data, and synthesizing results. The week-long camp culminates with the students from each project making a formal presentation to the camp and public. In its second year ASRA is already a huge success, quadrupling in size from 21 students in 2001 to 89 students in 2002. Due to a high percentage of returning students, we anticipate there will be a waiting list next year. This presentation contains perspectives from administrators, instructors, staff, and students. Based on our experience we feel there is a large potential demand for education and public outreach (EPO) in university settings. We believe the quality and depth of the ASRA experience directly contributes to the success of a worthwhile EPO program. ASRA will be portrayed as a useful model for EPO at other institutions.

A comparative study on real lab and simulation lab in communication engineering from students' perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balakrishnan, B.; Woods, P. C.

2013-05-01

Over the years, rapid development in computer technology has engendered simulation-based laboratory (lab) in addition to the traditional hands-on (physical) lab. Many higher education institutions adopt simulation lab, replacing some existing physical lab experiments. The creation of new systems for conducting engineering lab activities has raised concerns among educators on the merits and shortcomings of both physical and simulation labs; at the same time, many arguments have been raised on the differences of both labs. Investigating the effectiveness of both labs is complicated, as there are multiple factors that should be considered. In view of this challenge, a study on students' perspectives on their experience related to key aspects on engineering laboratory exercise was conducted. In this study, the Visual Auditory Read and Kinetic model was utilised to measure the students' cognitive styles. The investigation was done through a survey among participants from Multimedia University, Malaysia. The findings revealed that there are significant differences for most of the aspects in physical and simulation labs.

NASA Ames summary high school apprenticeship research program, 1983 research papers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, P.

1984-01-01

Engineering enrollments are rising in universities; however, the graduate engineer shortage continues. Particularly, women and minorities will be underrepresented for years to come. As one means of solving this shortage, Federal agencies facing future scientific and technological challenges were asked to participate in the Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program (SHARP). This program was created 4 years ago to provide an engineering experience for gifted female and minority high school students at an age when they could still make career and education decisions. The SHARP Program is designed for high school juniors (women and minorities) who are U.S. citizens, are 16 years old, and who have unusually high promise in mathematics and science through outstanding academic performance in high school. Students who are accepted into this summer program will earn as they learn by working 8 hours a day in a 5-day work week. This work-study program features weekly field trips, lectures and written reports, and job experience related to the student's career interests.

Active Learning session based on Didactical Engineering framework for conceptual change in students' equilibrium and stability understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canu, Michael; Duque, Mauricio; de Hosson, Cécile

2017-01-01

Engineering students on control courses lack a deep understanding of equilibrium and stability that are crucial concepts in this discipline. Several studies have shown that students find it difficult to understand simple familiar or academic static equilibrium cases as well as dynamic ones from mechanics even if they know the discipline's criteria and formulae. Our aim is to study the impact of a specific and innovative classroom session, containing well-chosen situations that address students' misconceptions. We propose an example of Active Learning experiment based both on the Didactical Engineering methodology and the Conceptual Fields Theory that aims at promoting a conceptual change in students. The chosen methodology allows, at the same time, a proper design of the student learning activities, an accurate monitoring of the students' rational use during the tasks and provides an internal tool for the evaluation of the session's efficiency. Although the expected starting conceptual change was detected, it would require another activity in order to be reinforced.

A Student Experiment Method for Learning the Basics of Embedded Software Technologies Including Hardware/Software Co-design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kambe, Hidetoshi; Mitsui, Hiroyasu; Endo, Satoshi; Koizumi, Hisao

The applications of embedded system technologies have spread widely in various products, such as home appliances, cellular phones, automobiles, industrial machines and so on. Due to intensified competition, embedded software has expanded its role in realizing sophisticated functions, and new development methods like a hardware/software (HW/SW) co-design for uniting HW and SW development have been researched. The shortfall of embedded SW engineers was estimated to be approximately 99,000 in the year 2006, in Japan. Embedded SW engineers should understand HW technologies and system architecture design as well as SW technologies. However, a few universities offer this kind of education systematically. We propose a student experiment method for learning the basics of embedded system development, which includes a set of experiments for developing embedded SW, developing embedded HW and experiencing HW/SW co-design. The co-design experiment helps students learn about the basics of embedded system architecture design and the flow of designing actual HW and SW modules. We developed these experiments and evaluated them.

Introducing a flipped classroom to engineering students: A case study in mechanics of materials course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suwapaet, Nuchida

2018-03-01

Flipped classroom is basically a reversed way of learning in classroom. Lecture is brought outside classroom and available online in many forms such as video lecture and e-books. In-class time is focused more on discussions and practices such as exercises and projects. Flipped classroom was introduced to Mechanical Engineering students in Mechanics of Materials course in 2016 academic year at Mahasarakham University, Thailand. The course was still taught in traditional way and series of video lecture were used as additional class materials outside classroom. There were 2 groups of students that enrolled in the course in 2 different semesters. Students in 1st semester were taught in traditional way (control group) and students in 2nd semester were used flipped classroom (experiment group). Students' grades between 2 groups were compared and analyzed. Satisfaction survey of using flipped classroom was carried out and evaluated. There were 3 aspects of evaluation which were content, varieties of activity, and functions. Results showed that the course's GPA of experiment group was 1.92 which was greater than the control group of 1.68. The greatly reduction of failed students in experiment group was noticeable. The percentages of failed students of control and experiment groups were 17% and 6%. Satisfaction survey evaluation results showed that the students satisfied in high level in every aspect. The comments pointed out that flipped classroom were easy to use and promoted self-study outside classroom. Those qualities would help students develop more skills in lifelong learning and learning to learn.

Global challenges as inspiration: a classroom strategy to foster social responsibility.

PubMed

Vanasupa, Linda; Slivovsky, Lynn; Chen, Katherine C

2006-04-01

Social responsibility is at the heart of the Engineer's Creed embodied in the pledge that we will dedicate [our] professional knowledge and skill to the advancement and betterment of human welfare... [placing] public welfare above all other considerations. However, half century after the original creed was written, we find ourselves in a world with great technological advances and great global-scale technologically-enabled peril. These issues can be naturally integrated into the engineering curriculum in a way that enhances the development of the technological skill set. We have found that these global challenges create a natural opportunity to foster social responsibility within the engineering students whom we educate. In freshman through senior-level materials engineering courses, we used five guiding principles to shape several different classroom activities and assignments. Upon testing an initial cohort of 28 students had classroom experiences based on these five principles, we saw a shift in attitude: before the experience, 18% of the cohort viewed engineers as playing an active role in solving global problems; after the experiences, 79% recognized the engineer's role in solving global-scale problems. In this paper, we present how global issues can be used to stimulate thinking for socially-responsible engineering solutions. We set forth five guiding principles that can foster the mindset for socially responsible actions along with examples of how these principles translate into classroom activities.

Examining the Effects of Integrated Science, Engineering, and Nonfiction Literature on Student Learning in Elementary Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tank, Kristina Maruyama

In recent years there has been an increasing emphasis on the integration of multiple disciplines in order to help prepare more students to better address the complex challenges they will face in the 21st century. Exposing students to an integrated and multidisciplinary approach will help them to better understand the connections between subjects instead of as individual and separate subjects. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Integration has been suggested as an approach that would model a multidisciplinary approach while also offering authentic and meaningful learning experiences to students. However, there is limited research on STEM integration in the elementary classroom and additional research is needed to better define and explore the effects of this integration for both students and science educators. With the recent recommendations for teaching both science and engineering in elementary classrooms (NRC, 2012), two common models include teaching science through inquiry and teaching science through engineering-design pedagogies. This study will explore both of these models as it seeks to better understand one piece of the larger issue of STEM and STEM integration by examining how the integration of science, engineering, and nonfiction literature affects students learning in elementary classrooms. This study employed an embedded mixed methods design to measure the effects of this integration on student learning in four fifth grade classrooms from the same elementary school. The findings revealed that the students who participated in the nonfiction reading instruction that was integrated with their science instruction showed a greater increase in all measures of student learning in both science and reading when compared to the control students. The findings from the integrated science, engineering and nonfiction literature revealed similar findings with the treatment students showing a greater increase in the measures of student learning in all three of the content areas. These results suggest that integrating nonfiction literature with science or science and engineering instruction can be an effective strategy in improving student learning in elementary classrooms.

Role of Human Factors and Engineering Psychology in Undergraduate and Graduate Engineering Curriculum

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

Piyush Sabharwall; Jesse Rebol

The engineering discipline is a profession of acquiring and applying technical knowledge, and the focus of engineering psychology is to optimize the effectiveness and efficiency with which human activities are conducted. Having human factors and engineering psychology be a permanent part of the engineering curriculum will make students aware of them, so they can learn from past experiences and avoid making the same mistakes their peers made. (Should be close to 200 words)

Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) 2010 - Engaging Teachers in Space Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boice, D. C.; Reiff, P. H.

2010-12-01

During the past 18 years, Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) has been a community partnership between local high schools in San Antonio, Texas (USA), and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The goals of YES are to increase the number of high school students, especially those from underrepresented groups, seeking careers in science and engineering, to enhance their success in entering the college and major of their choice, and to promote teacher development in STEM fields. This is accomplished by allowing students and teachers to interact on a continuing basis with role models at SwRI in real-world research experiences in physical sciences (including space science), information sciences, and a variety of engineering fields. A total of 239 students have completed YES or are currently enrolled. Of these students, 38% are females and 56% are ethnic minorities, reflecting the local ethnic diversity, and 67% represent underserved groups. Presently, there are 21 students and 9 secondary school teachers enrolled in the YES 2010/2011 Program. YES consists of an intensive three-week summer workshop held at SwRI where students and teachers experience the research environment and a collegial mentorship where they complete individual research projects under the guidance of SwRI mentors during the academic year. YES students develop a website (yesserver.space.swri.edu) for topics in space science (this year was ESA's Rosetta Mission) and high school STEM teachers develop space-related lessons for classroom presentation. Teachers participate in an in-service workshop to share their developed classroom materials and spread awareness of space-related research. At the end of the school year, students publicly present and display their work, spreading career awareness to other students and teachers. Partnerships between research institutes, local high schools, and community foundations, like the YES Program, can positively affect students’ preparation for STEM careers via real-world research experiences with mentorship teams consisting of professional staff and qualified teachers. Acknowledgements: We acknowledge support from the NASA MMS Mission, Texas Space Grant Consortium, SwRI, and local charitable foundations.

Project SunbYte: solar astronomy on a budget

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez Gonzalez, F.; Badilita, A.-M.; Baker, A.; Cho, Y.-H.; Dhot, N.; Fedun, V.; Hare, C.; He, T.; Hobbs, M.; Javed, M.; Lovesey, H.; Lord, C.; Panoutsos, G.; Permyakov, A.; Pope, S.; Portnell, M.; Rhodes, L.; Sharma, R.; Taras, P.; Taylor, J.; Tilbrook, R.; Verth, G.; Wrigley, S. N.; Yaqoob, M.; Cook, R.; McLaughlin, J.; Morton, R.; Scullion, E.; Shelyag, S.; Hamilton, A.; Zharkov, S.; Jess, D.; Wrigley, M.

2017-04-01

The Sheffield University Nova Balloon Lifted Solar Telescope (SunbYte) is a high-altitude balloon experiment devised and run largely by students at the University of Sheffield, and is scheduled for launch in October 2017. It was the only UK project in 2016 to be selected for the balloon side of the Swedish-German student programme REXUS/BEXUS (Rocket and Balloon Experiments for University Students; see box on p2.25). The success of the SunbYte team in the REXUS/BEXUS selection process is an unprecedented opportunity for the students to gain valuable experience working in the space engineering industry, using their theoretical knowledge and networking with students and technology companies from all over Europe.

Lecturers' Experiences of Teaching STEM to Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngubane-Mokiwa, S. A.; Khoza, S. B.

2016-01-01

Innovative teaching is a concept based on student-centred teaching strategies. Access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects has not been equitable due to use of traditional teaching strategies. These strategies tend to exclude students with disabilities who can effectively learn in environments that appropriately and…

Translating University Biosensor Research to a High School Laboratory Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heldt, Caryn L.; Bank, Alex; Turpeinen, Dylan; King, Julia A.

2016-01-01

The need to increase science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates is great. To interest more students into STEM degrees, we made our graphene biosensor research portable, inexpensive, and safe to demonstrate technology development to high school students. The students increased their knowledge of biosensors and proteins, and…

Remote Access to Wireless Communications Systems Laboratory--New Technology Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafadarova, Nadezhda; Sotirov, Sotir; Milev, Mihail

2012-01-01

Technology nowadays enables the remote access to laboratory equipment and instruments via Internet. This is especially useful in engineering education, where students can conduct laboratory experiment remotely. Such remote laboratory access can enable students to use expensive laboratory equipment, which is not usually available to students. In…

Minority University System Engineering: A Small Satellite Design Experience Held at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory During the Summer of 1996

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ordaz, Miguel Angel

1997-01-01

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in conjunction with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), North Carolina A&T and California State University of Los Angeles participated during the summer of 1996 in a prototype program known as Minority University Systems Engineering (MUSE). The program consisted of a ten week internship at JPL for students and professors of the three universities. The purpose of MUSE as set forth in the MUSE program review August 5, 1996 was for the participants to gain experience in the following areas: 1) Gain experience in a multi-disciplinary project; 2) Gain experience working in a culturally diverse atmosphere; 3) Provide field experience for students to reinforce book learning; and 4) Streamline the design process in two areas: make it more financially feasible; and make it faster.

Teaching vs. Research: An Approach to Understanding Graduate Students' Roles through ePortfolio Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svyantek, Martina V.; Kajfez, Rachel L.; McNair, Lisa D.

2015-01-01

In this work, we examined the problem of preparing future faculty (graduate students) regarding their development in multiple roles, focusing on students in science and engineering disciplines. The purpose of the presented research was to address the questions, "Do graduate students believe that their current experiences align with the roles…

A Unique Methodology for Implementing High School Capstone Experiences through Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chin, Jessica; Zeid, Abe; Duggan, Claire; Kamarthi, Sagar

2011-01-01

Innovators and abstract thinkers--students who question why are going to be the future of engineering, of science and cures for diseases. Rarely do students ask where and how innovation is created. Students, particularly post-secondary students have lost their curiosity and they have lost their ability to question. Why? Because the relationship…

NASA's Robotic Mining Competition Provides Undergraduates Full Life Cycle Systems Engineering Experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecklein, Jonette

2017-01-01

NASA has held an annual robotic mining competition for teams of university/college students since 2010. This competition is yearlong, suitable for a senior university engineering capstone project. It encompasses the full project life cycle from ideation of a robot design, through tele-operation of the robot collecting regolith in simulated Mars conditions, to disposal of the robot systems after the competition. A major required element for this competition is a Systems Engineering Paper in which each team describes the systems engineering approaches used on their project. The score for the Systems Engineering Paper contributes 25% towards the team’s score for the competition’s grand prize. The required use of systems engineering on the project by this competition introduces the students to an intense practical application of systems engineering throughout a full project life cycle.

Modeling student success in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Qu

In order for the United States to maintain its global competitiveness, the long-term success of our engineering students in specific courses, programs, and colleges is now, more than ever, an extremely high priority. Numerous studies have focused on factors that impact student success, namely academic performance, retention, and/or graduation. However, there are only a limited number of works that have systematically developed models to investigate important factors and to predict student success in engineering. Therefore, this research presents three separate but highly connected investigations to address this gap. The first investigation involves explaining and predicting engineering students' success in Calculus I courses using statistical models. The participants were more than 4000 first-year engineering students (cohort years 2004 - 2008) who enrolled in Calculus I courses during the first semester in a large Midwestern university. Predictions from statistical models were proposed to be used to place engineering students into calculus courses. The success rates were improved by 12% in Calculus IA using predictions from models developed over traditional placement method. The results showed that these statistical models provided a more accurate calculus placement method than traditional placement methods and help improve success rates in those courses. In the second investigation, multi-outcome and single-outcome neural network models were designed to understand and to predict first-year retention and first-year GPA of engineering students. The participants were more than 3000 first year engineering students (cohort years 2004 - 2005) enrolled in a large Midwestern university. The independent variables include both high school academic performance factors and affective factors measured prior to entry. The prediction performances of the multi-outcome and single-outcome models were comparable. The ability to predict cumulative GPA at the end of an engineering student's first year of college was about a half of a grade point for both models. The predictors of retention and cumulative GPA while being similar differ in that high school academic metrics play a more important role in predicting cumulative GPA with the affective measures playing a more important role in predicting retention. In the last investigation, multi-outcome neural network models were used to understand and to predict engineering students' retention, GPA, and graduation from entry to departure. The participants were more than 4000 engineering students (cohort years 2004 - 2006) enrolled in a large Midwestern university. Different patterns of important predictors were identified for GPA, retention, and graduation. Overall, this research explores the feasibility of using modeling to enhance a student's educational experience in engineering. Student success modeling was used to identify the most important cognitive and affective predictors for a student's first calculus course retention, GPA, and graduation. The results suggest that the statistical modeling methods have great potential to assist decision making and help ensure student success in engineering education.