ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Instructional Strategies to Promote Student Strategic Thinking When Using SolidWorks
Author: Toto, Roxanne
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering,Engineering Education,Computer Software,College Curriculum,Curriculum Development,Models,Design,Educational Strategies,College Freshmen,Strategic Planning,Thinking Skills,Self Esteem,Computer Assisted Design,Classification,Student Surveys,Likert Scales,Scoring Rubrics

Reflective of current trends in industry, engineering design professionals are expected to have knowledge of 3D modeling software. Responding to this need, engineering curricula seek to effectively prepare students for the workforce by requiring instruction in the use of 3D parametric solid modeling. Recent literature contains many examples that learning this type of software involves three types of knowledge: declarative command knowledge of the software, specific procedural command knowledge of the software, and most importantly for engineering design students, strategic knowledge of the software. Engineering design faculty, to be successful, should seek to implement teaching strategies and instructional practices that promote strategic thinking. However, current assessment of student success is often based on the inspection of the product of the modeling effort rather than the strategic thinking of the student during the construction process. This paper considers the impact of three instructional strategies on first year engineering design students' strategic thinking when using a 3D parametric modeling software package. Findings appear to suggest that 1) expertly modeling the design construction process may improve student confidence related to using CAD software, but does not impact student ability or proficiency with the software; 2) object construction is more effective at supporting the development of declarative command knowledge related to CAD software than engaging with and completing software tutorials; 3) Engaging with and completing the software tutorials supports the development of procedural command knowledge more effectively than constructing a design object and; 4) constructing a design object supports the development of strategic use of the software more effectively than expertly guided modeled design processes.
Closing the Competency Gap in Manufacturing Processes as It Applies to New Engineering Graduates
Author: Ssemakula, Mukasa
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Engineering Technology,Achievement Gap,Manufacturing,Manufacturing Industry,Hands on Science,Teamwork,Cooperative Learning,Student Projects,Focus Groups,Student Surveys,Observation,Experiential Learning,Job Skills,Competency Based Education,Skill Development,College Programs,Teaching Methods,Instructional Effectiveness

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 with selected manufacturing processes. The projects start with simple components that can be made on a single machine such as a lathe or a mill, and progress to the manufacture and assembly of a fully functional mechanism. This approach introduces students to the issues involved in putting together a non-trivial assembly. Multiple evaluation tools including focus groups, surveys, and actual observations, were used to assess the effectiveness of the approach used. The results indicate that this is indeed an effective way of addressing industry concerns.
Improving Engineering Students' Cognitive and Affective Preparedness with a Pre-Instructional E-Learning Strategy
Author: Chyung, Seung Youn
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Student Attitudes,Multimedia Instruction,Electronic Learning,Cognitive Ability,Affective Behavior,Teaching Methods,Educational Strategies,Educational Technology,Independent Study,Instructional Design

During the 2006-2007 academic year, five faculty members from the College of Engineering at Boise State University initiated a curriculum augmentation project using new instructional technologies with the intention to help improve undergraduate engineering students' cognitive and affective preparedness for their classroom learning. The instructional technologies used in the project were a pre-instructional strategy and a self-paced e-learning method. The main question addressed in this project was: Will a pre-instructional e-learning strategy help engineering students cognitively and affectively prepare for their classroom learning? This paper is a report of the project, describing the analysis, design, and development of a multimedia e-learning module for an engineering curriculum, the implementation of the e-learning module as a pre-instructional strategy in two engineering courses, and the evaluation of the effectiveness of using the pre-instructional e-learning strategy on engineering students' cognitive and affective preparedness for classroom learning. It also provides a list of lessons learned from the project.
Assessing International Product Design and Development Graduate Courses: The MIT-Portugal Program
Author: Dori, Yehudit Judy
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,College Faculty,Foreign Countries,Manufacturing,Teacher Attitudes,Feedback (Response),Student Attitudes,Course Descriptions,Graduate Study,Outcomes of Education,Questionnaires,Design,Teaching Methods,Teacher Student Relationship,International Education,Partnerships in Education,Problem Based Learning,Student Projects,Program Evaluation,Graduate Students,Qualitative Research

The Product Design and Development (PDD) course is part of the graduate curriculum in the Engineering Design and Advanced Manufacturing (EDAM) study in the MIT-Portugal Program. The research participants included about 110 students from MIT, EDAM, and two universities in Portugal, Instituto Superior Técnico-Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (IST) and the Universidade do Porto (FEUP). We investigated the PDD EDAM course in the context of the two other groups who studied a similar course in a different setting. Research tools included questionnaires, with questions related to students' learning outcomes and perceptions as well as focus groups with EDAM faculty and students. We assessed the EDAM course format of several concentrated two-week long periods compared with a regular semester based on students and faculty feedback. In a question related to the product life cycle stages the MIT and EDAM students listed on average a higher number of items than that of the IST and FEUP students, indicating a higher level of learning. The learning approach that follows the MIT PDD course has been instrumental in successfully incorporating hands-on activities and student-faculty interactions into the EDAM program.
Making Communication Matter: Integrating Instruction, Projects and Assignments to Teach Writing and Design
Author: Riddell, William T.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Technical Writing,Writing Instruction,Student Projects,Design,Teaching Methods,Content Area Writing,Interdisciplinary Approach,Laboratories,Homework,Recordkeeping,Writing Across the Curriculum,Engineering Education,College Students,Writing Assignments,Class Activities,Feedback (Response),Student Evaluation,Scoring Rubrics,Teamwork,Grading,Communications,College Faculty,Writing Achievement,Student Attitudes

An integrated technical writing and design course has been developed at Rowan University. This course was developed using aspects of project-based learning and recent discussions about design education, as well as pedagogical approaches from the write-to-learn and the writing in the disciplines (WID) movements. The result is a course where the writing and design instruction are highly integrated, resulting in improvements in both technical writing and engineering design.
Application of Community of Practice Theory to the Preparation of Engineering Graduate Students for Faculty Careers
Author: Crede, Erin D.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Graduate Students,Communities of Practice,Career Development,College Faculty,Teacher Education,Program Design,Fellowships,Mentors,Teacher Role,Peer Relationship,Social Networks,Professional Identity,Teacher Responsibility,Teaching Assistants,Focus Groups,Semi Structured Interviews,Comparative Analysis,Novices,Teaching Experience

In this paper, we demonstrate how theory can inform the design of a program to prepare graduate students for faculty careers. Preparing Future Faculty programs within and beyond engineering are not new, but explicit application of Communities of Practice and related literature is novel. We describe a prestigious teaching fellowship program that spans three years of increasing instructional responsibility, and present assessment data to describe the role of faculty mentoring and peer networks in student identity development as a Steward of the Discipline. The results are interpreted in light of the literature, and we conclude with areas for future research.
PRIME: An Integrated and Sustainable Undergraduate International Research Program
Author: Arzberger, Peter
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Sustainability,International Programs,Undergraduate Students,Science Careers,Program Descriptions,Models,Labor Force Development,Engineering Education,Science Education,Research Skills,Information Technology,Program Development,Program Implementation,Outcomes of Education,Computer Software,Research Projects,Foreign Countries

Recently we have seen an increase in the calls for universities and the education community to re-think undergraduate education and create opportunities that prepare students as effective global professionals. The key motivator is the need to build a research and industrial workforce that works collaboratively across cultures and disciplines to address major global challenges. At the same time, computing, information, and communication technology facilitates a comprehensive &quot;cyberinfrastructure&quot; on which new types of scientific and engineering knowledge environments and organizations can be constructed. We describe our four-year pilot experience with the Pacific Rim Experiences for Undergraduates (PRIME) project. The goals of PRIME are to: develop an integrated and sustainable undergraduate international research program that serves as a model for 21st Century undergraduate education; prepare students to become effective global professionals and citizens; and give students a head-start on careers in science, engineering and technology research. We discuss the design and motivation for the scheme, salient implementation details, outcomes to date and discuss challenges of scalability and sustainability.
Integrated Engineering Math-Based Summer Bridge Program for Student Retention
Author: Gleason, Jim
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Summer Programs,Engineering Education,Mathematics Instruction,Interdisciplinary Approach,Program Descriptions,Calculus,Service Learning,Field Trips,Mathematics Skills,Problem Solving,Academic Persistence,Laboratories,STEM Education,Student Placement,Scores,Program Effectiveness,Undergraduate Students

In an effort to reduce the engineering student withdrawal rate due to mathematics, The University of Alabama developed a unique, informal, interactive, and interdisciplinary five-week summer residence program called the Engineering Math Advancement Program (E-MAP). The program aims to increase retention by preparing students to be successful in calculus and excited about engineering. In addition to a nontraditional math class, the program includes hands-on &quot;Living-Lab&quot; experiences, field trips and a community service project led by professional engineers. The non-math aspects of the program strengthened mathematical skills indirectly through engagement of the students in laboratory and real world engineering problems, in the idea that solving skills are best nurtured through hands-on experiences. E-MAP improved retention of students in STEM fields overall by approximately 12% after three years with 36% increase in retention of students who entered with placement scores within the target math range for the program.
Student Perceptions of On-Line Education
Author: Scherrer, Christina R.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Online Courses,Engineering Education,Surveys,Marketing,Academic Advising,Distance Education,College Students,Beliefs

The purpose of this research is to study general student perceptions of online education and characterize the differences that exist between various student demographic groups, with a focus on differences between those who have and have not previously taken courses online. We surveyed more than 300 students and analyzed their responses. Although almost every survey participant agreed that on-line courses are more convenient for students, there were significant disagreements and different perspectives about on-line education between the groups. Results from this research can be used to shape marketing and advising efforts for on-line courses and programs.
On the Use of Interactive Texts in Undergraduate Chemical Reaction Engineering Courses: A Pedagogical Experience
Author: Asensio, Daniela A.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Chemical Engineering,Engineering Education,Chemistry,Computer Software,Information Technology,Computation,Interaction,Academic Achievement,Undergraduate Students,Undergraduate Study,Electronic Learning,Program Evaluation

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 &quot;Mathematica&quot; software with the aim of providing students with a robust computational tool. Students' performance was analyzed on the basis of parameters established by educational criteria. The use of IT can be strongly recommended in undergraduate chemical engineering courses.
Study on the Theoretical Foundation of Business English Curriculum Design Based on ESP and Needs Analysis
Author: Zhu, Wenzhong
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Business English,English for Special Purposes,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Needs Assessment,Curriculum Design,Language Teachers,Educational Improvement,Asians,College Students,Majors (Students),Foreign Countries,Business Administration Education

Based on a review of the literature on ESP and needs analysis, this paper is intended to offer some theoretical supports and inspirations for BE instructors to develop BE curricula for business contexts. It discusses how the theory of need analysis can be used in Business English curriculum design, and proposes some principles of BE curriculum design, including objective principle, need principle, scientific principle, systematic principle and developmental principle, which will provide some references for the improvement of BE module curriculums.
Moving from Marketization to Marketing of Higher Education: The Co-Creation of Value in Higher Education
Author: Judson, Kimberly M.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Marketing,Higher Education,Salesmanship,Guidelines,Student Recruitment,Individual Development,Role of Education,Employment Potential,Moral Development,Cognitive Ability,Student Attitudes,Psychological Patterns

Universities in the United States today often proudly proclaim achievements in student satisfaction across their marketing communications. The marketing promise is that a student will be happy and satisfied upon graduation if tuition dollars are paid to a specific university. Such claims are often supported with promises of greater employability upon graduation. While some of this promise appears to be true from a socioeconomic perspective, a growing body of literature suggests that educational delivery in the United States today generally has less influence on intellectual and personal growth (Arum &amp; Roksa, 2011; Holbrook, 2005; Vargo &amp; Lusch, 2004; Wilke &amp; Moore, 2003). Arum and Roksa (2011) present a recent analysis of current university students' academic and social experiences in colleges and conclude that a significant proportion of students demonstrate no significant improvement in a range of skills including critical thinking, complex reasoning, and writing. They attribute this impotence of learning to a growing student body distracted by socializing or employment and institutional cultures that put undergraduate learning close to the bottom of institutional priority lists. In this article, the authors suggest that this apparent attenuation of the priority of learning in academic organizational plans appears be attributable at least in part to recent trends in which institutions are moving toward the marketization of education. Regretfully, the marketization practices employed by most universities today appear to be based on rather archaic marketing theory (Taylor &amp; Judson, 2011). Herein, the authors demonstrate that: (1) these emerging marketization practices tend to be more sales-oriented than marketing oriented (i.e., marketization is not marketing); and (2) such practices lead to arguably dangerous self-reinforcing pressures which appear to focus primarily on stakeholder satisfaction instead of learning, thereby, helping to explain the observations of Arum and Roksa (2011). The authors call for the adoption of marketing practices within institutions of higher learning that are more consistent with emerging marketing theory and propose a framework for measuring marketing &quot;success&quot; in universities that focuses on enhancing human capabilities instead of the growing emphasis on student satisfaction and employment.
Tool Use of Experienced Learners in Computer-Based Learning Environments: Can Tools Be Beneficial?
Author: Juarez Collazo, Norma A.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Computer Assisted Instruction,Computer Uses in Education,Use Studies,Graduate Students,Foreign Countries,Student Motivation,Academic Achievement,Hypermedia,Concept Mapping,Self Management,Usability,Intervention,Learning Strategies,Questionnaires,Regression (Statistics),College Students,Pretests Posttests,Multivariate Analysis,Self Efficacy

Research has documented the use of tools in computer-based learning environments as problematic, that is, learners do not use the tools and when they do, they tend to do it suboptimally. This study attempts to disentangle cause and effect of this suboptimal tool use for experienced learners. More specifically, learner variables (metacognitive and motivational) were related to the tool presentation (non-/embedded), interventions, type of tool use (quantitatively and qualitative) and learners' performance. One hundred and seventeen graduate students were assigned to one of five conditions (embedded and non-embedded with explained tool functionality, embedded and non-embedded with non-explained tool functionality and one control condition) to study a hypertext using semi-structured concept maps as the tools. Findings are discussed with respect to experienced learners' role on tool use and performance. Although no differences among conditions and performance were found, results reveal that the self-regulation skill of organization and the explained tool functionality affected time on tool negatively, while the self-regulation skill of elaboration and perceived tool usability showed a positive effect. Time on tool influenced performance positively. Quality influenced performance negatively. It is argued that some tools and interventions are unnecessary for experienced learners.
The Professional Educator: Connecting with Students and Families through Home Visits
Author: Faber, Nick
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Home Visits,Parent School Relationship,Parent Participation,School Community Relationship,Interpersonal Relationship,Parent Teacher Cooperation,Teacher Student Relationship,Partnerships in Education,Elementary Secondary Education

Professional educators--in the classroom, library, counseling center, or anywhere in between--share one overarching goal: ensuring all students receive the rich, well-rounded education they need to be productive, engaged citizens. This regular feature, explores the work of professional educators--their accomplishments and their challenges--so that the lessons they have learned can benefit students across the country. After all, listening to the professionals who do this work every day is a blueprint for success.
Effectiveness of Critical Thinking Instruction in Higher Education: A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies
Author: Tiruneh, Dawit T.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Critical Thinking,Higher Education,Intervention,Literature Reviews,Instructional Effectiveness,Predictor Variables,Educational Environment,Colleges,College Students,Teaching Methods,Educational Strategies,Measures (Individuals),Student Characteristics,Teacher Characteristics,Search Strategies

Promoting students' critical thinking (CT) has been an essential goal of higher education. However, despite the various attempts to make CT a primary focus of higher education, there is little agreement regarding the conditions under which instruction could result in greater CT outcomes. In this review, we systematically examined current empirical evidence and attempted to explain why some instructional interventions result in greater CT gains than others. Thirty three empirical studies were included in the review and features of the interventions of those individual studies were analyzed. Emphasis was given to the study features related to CT instructional approach, teaching strategy, student and teacher related characteristics, and CT measurement. The findings revealed that effectiveness of CT instruction is influenced by conditions in the instructional environment comprising the instructional variables (teaching strategies and CT instructional approaches), and to some extent by student-related variables (year level and prior academic performance). Moreover, the type of CT measures adopted (standardized vs. non-standardized) appear to influence evaluation of the effectiveness of CT interventions. The findings overall indicated that there is a shift towards embedding CT instruction within academic disciplines, but failed to support effectiveness of particular instructional strategies in fostering acquisition and transfer of CT skills. The main limitation in the current empirical evidence is the lack of systematic design of instructional interventions that are in line with empirically valid instructional design principles.
Nigerian University and Manpower Development in a Changing World
Author: Anyebe, Adam Adem
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Universities,Labor Force Development,Educational Planning,Competition,Higher Education,Educational History,Interviews,College Admission,Educational Finance,Financial Support,Instructional Leadership

This paper examines Nigerian university system in relation to manpower development in a rapidly changing world of work. This is for purposes of identifying areas that need urgent attention in order to reposition the system to produce high quality manpower. The study reveals that the expansion in the university system is characterized by a mixed bag of limited success, and continuing challenges. For Nigerian university to fulfill its objective effectively, the system needs to be systematically planned in order to produce graduates that are versatile enough to acquire competitive positions as well as generate their own employment.