ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
P-12 Engineering Education Research and Practice
Author: Moore, Tamara
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Educational Research,Educational Practices,Educational Development,Science Achievement,Enrollment Trends,Technological Literacy,Student Diversity,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Change,Change Strategies,Science Course Improvement Projects,Publications

This special issue of &quot;Advances in Engineering Education&quot; explores recent developments in P-12 Engineering Education. It includes papers devoted to research and practice, and reports some of the most exciting work in the field today. In our Call of Papers, we solicited two types of papers: Research papers and Practice papers. The former would include research on P-12 student learning and on teacher education and professional development. The latter would focus on innovative practice by teachers and/or by engineers and university programs. However, papers in both categories had to be true &quot;advances&quot; with an applications orientation. We anticipated a few dozen submissions and a quick review process. We were surprised, delighted and overwhelmed by the response; we received over 60 abstracts by the deadline and several appeals after it. The first round of reviews narrowed our pool to about 30 authors who were asked to submit full papers for review. When the 14 final papers were accepted, we worked with the authors to adapt their articles to the unique features of AEE--in particular, its on-line presence and multimedia focus. In this introductory essay, we provide a look at the emerging field of P-12 Engineering Education; indicate why precollege outreach is necessary; review the history of the field including the roles of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and reflect on where we are now and how the field may develop in the future.
Enriching K-12 Science and Mathematics Education Using LEGOs
Author: Williams, Keeshan
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Instruction,Mathematics Instruction,Elementary School Science,Secondary School Science,Pretests Posttests,Surveys,Teaching Methods,Science Activities,Mathematics Activities,STEM Education,Robotics,Learning Motivation,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Elementary Schools,Middle Schools,High Schools,Grade 3,Grade 8,Grade 10,Grade 2,Grade 6,Grade 9

This paper presents a series of illustrative LEGO Mindstorms-based science and math activities, developed under an NSF GK-12 Fellows project, for elementary, middle, and high school grades. The activities, developed by engineering and science graduate Fellows in partnership with K-12 teachers, are grade appropriate, address pertinent learning objectives, and adhere to the science and math learning standards of New York City and State. To measure the effectiveness of the use of LEGO Mindstorms-based lab activities in science and math lessons, pre- and post-lesson assessment surveys, consisting of content and evaluation questions, were administered to all participating students. In this paper, we provide: our motivation to investigate the effectiveness of LEGO Mindstorms-based lessons; descriptions of six LEGO Mindstorms-based science and math activities and their associated assessment; statistical analysis; reflection on the effectiveness of the lessons; and recommendations for future work.
The Impact of Cognitive Style on Social Networks in On-Line Discussions
Author: Jablokow, Kathryn
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering,Engineering Education,Electronic Learning,Online Courses,Cognitive Style,Social Networks,Educational Environment,Learner Engagement,Interpersonal Communication,Creativity Tests,Problem Solving,Innovation,Computer Software,Asynchronous Communication,Computer Mediated Communication,Graduate Students,Graduate Study,Leadership,Discussion Groups

With the rise of e-Learning in engineering education, understanding the impact of individual differences on the ways students communicate and collaborate on-line has become increasingly important. The research described here investigates the influence of cognitive style on the interactions within student social networks in an on-line learning environment, with a particular focus on student engagement, patterns of communication, and the self-directed creation of sub-groups (i.e., cliques). The Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI) was used to assess cognitive style, and UCINET software was used to analyze the interactions of two cohorts of Systems Engineering students throughout a series of asynchronous on-line discussion forums across two graduate-level courses. Among the findings, the highly heterogeneous style composition of the cliques formed by the students suggests that e-Learning environments may mask cognitive differences that have been shown to create conflict in face-to-face student interactions. Links between cognitive style, expansiveness, influence, leadership, and students' choices between resident and on-line programs are also discussed.
Richer Connections to Robotics through Project Personalization
Author: Veltman, Melanie
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Robotics,Workshops,Engineering,Engineering Education,Middle School Students,Secondary School Students,Females,Outreach Programs,Design,Program Evaluation

In this work, we describe youth outreach activities carried out under the Chair for Women in Science and Engineering for Ontario (CWSE-ON) program. Specifically, we outline our design and implementation of robotics workshops to introduce and engage middle and secondary school students in engineering and computer science. Toward the goal of increasing the participation of women in science and engineering, our workshop design incorporates strategies presented in work by Rusk et al. (2008) on broadening participation in robotics: focusing on themes, not just challenges; combining art and engineering; encouraging story-telling; and organizing exhibitions, rather than competitions (Rusk et al., 2008, page 1) We discuss three workshop themes designed to highlight creativity and provide choices to participants. Our &quot;Wild in the Rainforest&quot; workshops make use of the PicoCrickets robotics kits and software used and described by Rusk et al. (2008). We also present Lego Mindstorms workshops themed &quot;So You Think Your Robot Can Dance&quot; and &quot;A Day at the Park&quot;. Our workshops are presented by female role models with academic backgrounds in science and engineering. Although workshop periods are fairly short (60-90 minutes), participants learn that robots have perception, cognition, and action--and are tasked with designing and programming to highlight these abilities. We present the results of our workshops through images and videos of the teams' creations. Workshop evaluation data provided by participants demonstrate that our approach results in rich connections to engineering and technology for participants of both genders.
Developing a Dynamics and Vibrations Course for Civil Engineering Students Based on Fundamental-Principles
Author: Barroso, Luciana R.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Civil Engineering,Undergraduate Study,Program Development,Undergraduate Students,Course Content,Relevance (Education),Skill Development,Active Learning,Problem Solving,Critical Thinking,Teamwork,Educational Technology,Program Effectiveness,Cooperative Learning,Mechanics (Physics),Curriculum Development,Teaching Methods,Student Projects,Demonstrations (Educational),Communities of Practice,Student Surveys,Qualitative Research

This paper describes the creation and evolution of an undergraduate dynamics and vibrations course for civil engineering students. Incorporating vibrations into the course allows students to see and study &quot;real&quot; civil engineering applications of the course content. This connection of academic principles to real life situations is in itself a critical learning stage for the students, and addressing the creation of these connections led to the incorporation of active demonstrations into the course. The course also focuses on developing skills through various active learning strategies that can be transferred to other non-structural engineering courses, such as problem solving and critical thinking, as well as ABET skills such as teamwork and the utilization of computer tools. This paper presents how designing a course structure and implementation with the explicit consideration of developing these critical skills aids students in mastering both course content and in enhancing their educational development. Results of increased student performance due to the synthesis of strategies incorporated into the course are presented, including performance in a later course as well as in the dynamics portion of the Fundamentals of Engineering exam.
Exploration of NSF-ATE Projects Approaches in the Integration of Technology and Engineering Education at the K-12 Levels
Author: Strobel, Johannes
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Technology Education,Elementary Secondary Education,Mixed Methods Research,Surveys,Interviews,Program Effectiveness,Two Year Colleges

Access to post-secondary education, specifically in the technical, two-year institution area, is a topic of growing interest in the country. Funding agencies, such as NSF, via the Advanced Technological Education Program (ATE), are supporting initiatives and research aimed at increasing the number of technicians and engineers and improving science, mathematics performance, and technological literacy among pre-college populations. This study focused on projects and programs awarded under the NSF-ATE program. It aimed to understand their approaches to K-12 engineering and technology education. Forty eight percent of the 2009 spring-summer active awards with K-12 components were identified. Through a mixed-method design, 49 NSF-ATE award representatives responded to an online survey, and five were interviewed after their online responses were analyzed. Results show that &quot;pathways to increase the number of engineers and technicians&quot; was the most prevalent goal, that their activities were more informational than instructional, that and their concerns concentrated primarily on their evaluations.
&quot;Star Power&quot; for Teaching Professional Skills to Engineering Students
Author: Goh, Suk Meng
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Games,Engineering,Engineering Education,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Skill Development,Professional Development,Simulation,Undergraduate Students

The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of a game called &quot;Star Power&quot; to teach professional skills to mechanical engineering undergraduates. The game was conducted as an activity in a final year Professional Practice unit. A survey in the form of a questionnaire was administered to participating students in the following semester of studies after a summer break. The survey showed that the majority of the students believed they had improved their professional skills from playing &quot;Star Power.&quot; Although the game is typically used in the teaching of sociology, this study demonstrated that the game can provide a rich and versatile setting in which different elements of professional skills that are important to an engineer can be incorporated and developed.
A Review of Learning-by-Teaching for Engineering Educators
Author: Carberry, Adam R.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Teaching Methods,Literature Reviews,Educational Practices,Investigations,Instructional Effectiveness,Student Centered Learning,Learning Activities,Program Descriptions,Educational Theories,Educational Strategies,Praxis

Learning-by-teaching is a pedagogical approach grossly underused in the education of engineers at all levels. The existing learning-by-teaching literature across all disciplines was reviewed with the intent of formally presenting this teaching method to engineering educators. The review defines learning-by-teaching, presents theoretical support for use, details the teaching process, and reports seminal work in a variety of contexts investigating the impacts on learning. The overall review is then discussed in terms of possible implications for engineering education.
The Skyline TEAMS Model: A Longitudinal Look at the Impacts of K-12 Engineering on Perception, Preparation and Persistence
Author: Zarske, Malinda S.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Engineering,College School Cooperation,Partnerships in Education,Elementary Secondary Education,College Faculty,Secondary School Teachers,Disproportionate Representation,STEM Education,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Design,Longitudinal Studies,Academic Persistence,Mathematics Instruction,Hands on Science,Gender Differences,Teacher Effectiveness,Minority Group Students,High School Students,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research,Student Surveys,Focus Groups,Likert Scales,Pretests Posttests

This paper describes the longitudinal impacts of a partnership between the University of Colorado Boulder's K-12 Engineering Education initiative and the St. Vrain Valley School District. Together, university and high school educators created a replicable pre-college engineering model in a nine-school feeder system, which serves many Colorado students who are traditionally underrepresented in the engineering profession, and culminates with a high school STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Academy whose graduates are motivated to thrive in engineering colleges. However, the following question, &quot;Is this an effective model for increasing student STEM persistence and performance?&quot; remains a driver for our investments as we refine the K-12 engineering program based on partner school feedback and quantitative and qualitative assessment results. Data show that our K-12 engineering program has positively impacted student perception, preparedness, and persistence in engineering based on regular, pre-college hands-on engineering design experiences. A description of the multi-year K-12 engineering model and longitudinal analysis of students' concurrent math course choices is presented. Also, subsequent student persistence in and from the STEM Academy is addressed.
Middle Grades Teachers' Understanding and Teaching of the Central Ideas of the Engineering Design Process
Author: Hynes, Morgan
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Teachers,Engineering,Engineering Education,Science Teachers,Urban Schools,Public Schools,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Design,Observation,Faculty Development,Semi Structured Interviews

The research reported on in this paper addresses the problem of preparing Massachusetts middle school mathematics, science, and computer teachers to teach engineering. The results presented here are part of a larger dissertation study investigating six urban public school teachers and their subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge teachers know and develop as they taught an engineering unit. The results discussed in this paper focused on the teachers' instruction and knowledge of the central aspects of the engineering design process (EDP)--the purpose of the EDP, that the EDP is a cyclical, iterative process, and that the EDP fosters communication. The analysis of the videotaped classroom observation data revealed that the teachers as a group covered the central ideas regarding 1. &quot;Purpose of the EDP&quot; and 2. &quot;EDP as a cyclical process&quot; quite well. Every teacher touched upon at least one of the sub-ideas for these two central ideas. The teachers did not cover 3. &quot;EDP for fostering communication&quot; well. Only Frieda and Monica conveyed anything regarding this idea to their students. This paper explores each central idea and the teachers' understandings of them as expressed through their explanations in the classroom observations and follow-up interviews.
Finite Element Learning Modules as Active Learning Tools
Author: Brown, Ashland O.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Active Learning,Tutoring,Engineering Education,Computer Assisted Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Pretests Posttests,Statistical Analysis,Undergraduate Students,Cognitive Style

The purpose of active learning is to solicit participation by students beyond the passive mode of traditional classroom lectures. Reading, writing, participating in discussions, hands-on activities, engaging in active problem solving, and collaborative learning can all be involved. The skills acquired during active learning tend to go above and beyond basic comprehension of information covered during a lecture. In fact, the goal of active learning is to not only enable student comprehension, but also to assist the student in cultivating valuable aptitudes for synthesizing, analyzing, and evaluating ideas and their learning potential. This captures a significantly larger portion of the Bloom's Taxonomy than would be available in a lecture-only situation. One model for active learning takes the form of tutorials, or more accurately described as active learning modules (ALMs), aimed at improving student learning in historically difficult subject areas in engineering through the application of finite element analysis. The tutorial set developed here includes learning modules for various subject areas in Mechanical, Electrical, and Biomedical Engineering courses. The aim of this study is to determine if ALMs of this type are, in fact, effective active learning tools. In each participating course, after the student completes their traditional lecture series, they are introduced to a computer-based ALM. In order to perform a baseline study, students are administered content quizzes before and after the completion of the module. These quiz results are statistically analyzed to determine if subject aptitude, including comprehension, is improved. The incorporation of a novel assessment methodology reinforces the project goals as we are able to judge if these modules afford all students with an equal active learning process experience. The ALMs are shown to be a successful step towards improving aptitude and comprehension of challenging engineering content in an active learning environment.
Engineering Design of Cars and Gadgets in K-5 as Vehicle for Integrating Math, Science and Literacy
Author: Benenson, Gary
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Elementary Education,STEM Education,Design,Interdisciplinary Approach,College School Cooperation,Physics,Curriculum,Public Schools,Urban Schools,Minority Group Students,Curriculum Development,Research and Development,Pilot Projects,Elementary School Teachers,Scientific Concepts,Experiential Learning,Teaching Methods,Motion,Motor Vehicles

In spite of numerous calls for action, e.g., Executive Office of the President (2010), there have been few efforts nationally to promote engineering education in the elementary grades. Of these, hardly any have targeted underrepresented populations (National Academy of Engineering, 2009, p. 74). The collaboration described in this paper is a significant exception, which could provide important lessons for those seeking to broaden the reach and scope of K-5 engineering education. We will argue for an interdisciplinary approach, which integrates engineering, math, science, literacy and art, and that engages a school and a university as equal partners. Neither of these components has been prominent in the literature on K-12 engineering education.
An Evaluation of HigherEd 2.0 Technologies in Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Courses
Author: Orange, Amy
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Engineering Education,Undergraduate Students,Technology Integration,Video Technology,Feedback (Response),Asynchronous Communication,Student Attitudes,Electronic Publishing,Web Sites,Teaching Methods,Educational Technology,Animation,Cooperative Learning,Web 2.0 Technologies,Surveys,Interviews,Statistical Analysis

Between 2006 and 2010, sophomore engineering students at four universities were exposed to technologies designed to increase their learning in undergraduate engineering courses. Our findings suggest that students at all sites found the technologies integrated into their courses useful to their learning. Video solutions received the most positive feedback and were found to be the most beneficial to the students. When used as intended, the course blog provides a discussion tool for the students allowing for asynchronous collaboration. The inclusion of technology in engineering courses has the potential to positively impact student learning and collaboration. Students find the availability of video solutions very helpful to their learning and when the course blog is used by enough students, it provides an easy way for students to receive assistance from their peers and instructors.
Model Wind Turbine Design in a Project-Based Middle School Engineering Curriculum Built on State Frameworks
Author: Cogger, Steven D.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Middle School Students,Energy,Teaching Methods,Student Projects,Active Learning,Curriculum Development,State Standards,Design,Energy Conservation,STEM Education,Program Descriptions

This paper proposes that project-based active learning is a key part of engineering education at the middle school level. One project from a comprehensive middle school engineering curriculum developed by the authors is described to show how active learning and state frameworks can coexist. The theoretical basis for learning and assessment in a project-based curriculum is presented as a more favorable approach to teaching engineering in middle school. We address the unique issues of middle school students and how they engage the engineering process. We conclude that project-based active learning is integral in a successful engineering education program for middle school students.
Understanding Students' Perceptions on the Utility of Engineering Notebooks
Author: Berland, Leema
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Documentation,Student Journals,Interviews,Secondary School Teachers,High School Students,Grounded Theory,Content Analysis,Reflection,Teaching Methods,Observation,Design

Engineering notebooks are a pervasive practice across high school, college, and professional contexts. Within this consistency, there are two basic forms: process-based notebooks serve as a complete record of the engineer's work and are used by the authors to support their endeavors, while product-based notebooks represent a record of final form projects to be evaluated by outsiders. Given this breadth of purposes, expected content and primary audiences, this paper explores students' and teacher's use and perceptions of the utility of engineering notebooks. In this study, we interviewed students and teachers, and examined the student notebooks, from three different high-school engineering classes. Grounded-theory analyses of this data reveals that all classes used process-based notebooks and they all struggled with supporting student reflection, a common teacher goal. In addition, in each class, the notebooks emphasized a different phase of the design process and students similarly reported the utility of notebooks for supporting that phase. The key instructional implication of this work is that facilitating students' meaningful and thorough use of their notebooks requires creating situations in which maintaining notebooks helps them complete their project work. The paper provides examples, pulled from the study data, of how to enact this strategy.