ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Design and Evaluation of Class Exercises as Active Learning Tools in Software Verification and Validation
Author: Wu, Peter Y.
Date: 2016-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Active Learning,Computer Software,Computer Science Education,Programming,Undergraduate Students,Class Activities,Enrichment Activities,Case Studies,Course Evaluation,Course Organization,Curriculum Design,Pretesting

It is well known that interesting questions can stimulate thinking and invite participation. Class exercises are designed to make use of questions to engage students in active learning. In a project toward building a community skilled in software verification and validation (SV&amp;V), we critically review and further develop course materials in the software engineering curriculum for an undergraduate course in SV&amp;V. The project involves the joint effort with many other academic institutions and industry partners. There are four topic areas of Software Engineering in our focus: Requirements Engineering, Software Review, Configuration Management, and Testing. We see class exercises as active learning tools for the students in our flipped classroom approach. We present our design of the class exercise: in its generic components envisioning how it may be used in general, but also its use in selected examples to illustrate these components. The class exercise design includes the learning objectives to indicate how the course design meets the learning outcome objectives for ABET accreditation. We further applied a classification of the learning objectives to present the case of the class exercises as active learning tools. Our initial implementation is ready and we are in the process of implementation with partner institutions for feedback and review.
A Conceptual Framework for Error Remediation with Multiple External Representations Applied to Learning Objects
Author: Leite, Maici Duarte
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Intelligent Tutoring Systems,Models,Mathematics Instruction,Problem Solving,Resource Units,Computation,Geometry,Grade 9,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Pretests Posttests,Remedial Mathematics

This paper presents the application of some concepts of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) to elaborate a conceptual framework that uses the remediation of errors with Multiple External Representations (MERs) in Learning Objects (LO). To this is demonstrated a development of LO for teaching the Pythagorean Theorem through this framework. This study explored the remediation process of error by a classification of error in mathematical, providing support for the use of MERs with the remediation of error. The main objective of the proposed framework is to assist the individual learner in the recovery of a mistake made during the interaction with the LO, either through carelessness or lack of knowledge. Initially, we present the compilation of the classification of mathematical errors and their relationship with MERs. Later the concepts involved with conceptual framework proposed. Finally, an experiment with LO developed with a authoring tool called FARMA, using the conceptual framework for teaching the Pythagorean Theorem is presented.
Building I.S. Professionals through a Real-World Client Project in a Database Application Development Course
Author: Podeschi, R. J.
Date: 2016-11-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Databases,Computer System Design,Information Systems,Active Learning,Problem Based Learning,Teaching Methods,Partnerships in Education,Experiential Learning,Curriculum Design,School Business Relationship,Student Projects,Database Design,Higher Education

Information systems curricula are increasingly using active learning methodologies to help students learn &quot;through&quot; technology rather than just &quot;about&quot; technology. While one way to achieve this is through the assignment of semester-long projects, previous research suggests that real-world projects provide more meaningful experiences and prepare expected graduates for careers that will rely on both their technical and professional skills. Additionally, providing opportunities for both competition and collaboration spur the motivation of students while enabling them to practice the necessary professional skills employers are seeking. This paper reports on a database application development course, taught for the past four years, where the instructor has partnered with a different community business or nonprofit organization in need of an information system to convert existing spreadsheet data into a relational database for more accurate data entry and improved reporting. Student teams engage in both competition and collaboration through system development phases to deliver a database solution to an authentic client using Microsoft Access. As a result, students develop both technical and professional skills through this client project experience where ultimately, the client evaluates the students' performance.
Introducing IT Strategy in an Introductory Course
Author: Woods, David M.
Date: 2016-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Information Technology,Introductory Courses,Decision Making,Thinking Skills,Learning Activities,Information Systems,Information Science Education,Skill Development,Active Learning,Experiential Learning,Course Descriptions,College Students

Professionals working in technology fields face continuing challenges to be involved in the decision-making process about how technology is used by organizations rather than just implementing these decisions. Developing skills for thinking and acting strategically are key skills for our students. This has been recognized by the addition of an IS strategy course in the latest revision of the recommended curriculum, but programs have been slow to add this course. This paper investigates introducing learning activities related to IS/IT strategy in an introductory IT course. Including strategy activities throughout the curriculum could provide an alternative or complement to a dedicated strategy course.
Linking Climate Change Education through the Integration of a Kite-Borne Remote Sensing System: Linking Climate Change Education and Remote Sensing
Author: Xie, Yichun
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Instruction,Environmental Education,Climate,Hands on Science,Scientific Concepts,Teaching Methods,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Weather,Experiential Learning,Surveys,Pretests Posttests,Secondary School Science,Concept Formation,Data Analysis,Field Trips,Handheld Devices,Telecommunications,Statistical Analysis

A majority of secondary science teachers are found to include the topic of climate change in their courses. However, teachers informally and sporadically discuss climate change and students rarely understand the underlying scientific concepts. The project team developed an innovative pedagogical approach, in which teachers and students learn climate change concepts by analyzing National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) global data collected through satellites and by imitating the NASA data collection process through NASA Airborne Earth Research Observation Kites And Tethered Systems (AEROKATS), a kite-borne remote sensing system. Besides AEROKATS, other major components of this system include a web-collection of NASA and remote sensing data and related educational resources, project-based learning for teacher professional development, teacher and student field trips, iOS devices, smart field data collector apps, portable weather stations, probeware, and a virtual teacher collaboratory supported with a GIS-enabled mapping portal. Three sets of research instruments, the NASA Long-Term Experience-Educator End of Event Survey, the Teacher End of Project Survey, and the pre-and-post-Investigating Climate Change and Remote Sensing (ICCARS) project student exams, are adapted to study the pedagogical impacts of the NASA AEROKATS remote sensing system. These findings confirm that climate change education is more effective when both teachers and students actively participate in authentic scientific inquiry by collecting and analyzing remote sensing data, developing hypotheses, designing experiments, sharing findings, and discussing results.
Benefits of a STEAM Collaboration in Newark, New Jersey: Volcano Simulation through a Glass-Making Experience
Author: Gates, Alexander E.
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Physical Geography,Disproportionate Representation,Earth Science,STEM Education,Art Education,Science Education,Place Based Education,Urban Youth,Middle School Students,High School Students,Teaching Methods,Studio Art,Science Activities,Art Products,Handicrafts

A simulated physical model of volcanic processes using a glass art studio greatly enhanced enthusiasm and learning among urban, middle- to high-school aged, largely underrepresented minority students in Newark, New Jersey. The collaboration of a geoscience department with a glass art studio to create a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) educational experience increased strong interest in learning about volcanoes by 40.7% and learning of volcanic concepts by up to 92% across four major topic areas. In particular, using hands-on, interactive experiences, activities effectively informed and enthused students about the heat of a volcano and lava, lava flows and the dangers they pose, forms of falling volcanic bombs, volatiles in lava, and interaction of lava with water. Teachers found that students remained highly motivated by the experience even after their return to school. The Glass Volcano Experience has the potential to constitute a critical incident in encouraging students to pursue geoscience as an interest and/or profession. Such innovative collaborations of unlikely partners has the potential of creating new and innovative learning experiences for urban students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to witness geologic phenomena in situ.
An Earth Hazards Camp to Encourage Minority Participation in the Geosciences
Author: Sherman-Morris, Kathleen
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Summer Programs,African American Students,Middle School Students,Resident Camp Programs,Earth Science,Science Instruction,Meteorology,Geology,Water,Pretests Posttests,Program Effectiveness,Knowledge Level,Hands on Science,Experiential Learning,Minority Group Students

Summer camps have proven to be effective tools to engage students in the geosciences. Findings from this study highlight perceptions and experiences of middle school students from predominantly African American school districts in Mississippi who attended a 3-d residence camp focused on increasing interest in the geosciences through an earth hazards theme. The 2013 summer camp was structured to emphasize three subject areas: geology, hydrology, and meteorology. Nine middle school students (seven males and two females) attended the camp developed and held at Mississippi State University. Students' pre- and postcamp understanding about geoscience processes and interest in and knowledge about geoscience careers were measured to evaluate the camp's success. Overall interest in geosciences increased after completing the program. Among the three subject areas emphasized in this camp, students gained more knowledge about geology than about the other two areas (hydrology and meteorology). Results indicate that hands-on and experiential learning methods, especially those held indoors or with optimal conditions outdoors, were most successful at stimulating interest.
Refutation Texts for Effective Climate Change Education
Author: Nussbaum, E. Michael
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Climate,Misconceptions,Scientific Concepts,Instructional Materials,Weather,Undergraduate Students,Pretests Posttests,Statistical Analysis,Instructional Effectiveness,Nonmajors,Science Instruction

Refutation texts, which are texts that rebut scientific misconceptions and explain the normative concept, can be effective devices for addressing misconceptions and affecting conceptual change. However, few, if any, refutation texts specifically related to climate change have been validated for effectiveness. In this project, we developed and tested three refutation texts related to climate change. The three texts, which are freely available for other educators and researchers to use, relate to (1) the enhanced greenhouse effect, (2) the distinction between climate and weather, and (3) the nature of ozone depletion and how it is not a major contributor to global warming. Participants in the study consisted of 146 undergraduates enrolled in various educational psychology courses. They were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. All participants completed a knowledge pretest, posttest, and delayed (2 wk) posttest. Experimental-group participants read one of the refutation texts, whereas control subjects read an unrelated text. Based on repeated-measures ANOVAs, results indicated that the refutation texts were generally effective in increasing knowledge and addressing the misconceptions that they were designed to address, although results were mixed for the weather versus climate text. Furthermore, there was little regression at the delayed posttest, except for the weather versus climate text (understanding that climate is usually measured over a 30-y period) and for global warming being unrelated to skin cancer. The importance of combining these texts with other instructional activities and simulations is discussed.
Integrating Technology in STEM Education
Author: Chacko, Priya
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Technology Integration,STEM Education,Secondary School Science,Summer Programs,Grade 9,Grade 10,Grade 11,Grade 12,Manipulative Materials,Hands on Science,Genetics,Science Experiments,Science Programs

Students have access to the Internet at their fingertips via e-tablets and smart phones. However, the STEM fields are struggling to remain relevant in students' lives outside the classroom. In an effort to improve high school science curricula and to keep students engaged in the classroom, we developed a technology-rich bioengineering summer program for high school students in grades 9-12. The program utilized touch screen technology in conjunction with hands-on experiments and traditional lecturing to create an entertaining, relevant, and effective classroom experience.
Assessing Inquiry in Physical Geology Laboratory Manuals
Author: Ryker, Katherine D.
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Geology,Laboratory Manuals,Inquiry,Active Learning,College Science,Learning Activities,Introductory Courses,Science Activities,Science Laboratories,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Science Instruction

Many agencies, organizations, and researchers have called for the incorporation of inquiry-based learning in college classrooms. Providing inquiry-based activities in laboratory courses is one way to promote reformed, student-centered teaching in introductory geoscience courses. However, the literature on inquiry has relatively few geoscience examples and features an array of modifiers that complicate instructor efforts to identify or adapt inquiry-based activities for their courses. We review several measurement protocols developed to assess inquiry in laboratory activities. We apply one of these to assess the level of inquiry present in four published physical geology laboratory manuals. While the majority of activities used in the published manuals were classified at low levels of inquiry, these manuals also contained examples of higher-level activities that were not identified in previous analyses. We describe the development of inquiry-based lessons for inclusion in a freshman-level physical geology laboratory course at a large public research university in the southeast U.S. and apply the same protocol to assess the laboratory course activities and discuss how some activities were adapted to increase inquiry levels. We discuss how other instructors or laboratory course developers can adapt existing activities to incorporate higher levels of inquiry in their laboratory courses, matching them with the type of information or skill they want students to learn.
Development and Validation of the Critical Consciousness Scale
Author: Diemer, Matthew A.
Date: 2017-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Measures (Individuals),Test Construction,Test Validity,Factor Analysis,Factor Structure,Disadvantaged,Social Change,Social Justice,High School Students,Urban Youth,Statistical Analysis

This article details the development and validation of a measure of critical consciousness, defined as the capacity of oppressed or marginalized people to critically analyze their social and political conditions, endorsement of societal equality, and action to change perceived inequities. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with a diverse sample of youth, resulting in three internally consistent factors: (a) Critical Reflection: Perceived Inequality, (b) Critical Reflection: Egalitarianism, and (c) Critical Action: Sociopolitical Participation. In Study 2, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was completed with a new sample of youth. Strong model fit estimates in Study 2 confirmed the factor structure of Study 1 and resulted in a final 22-item measure called the &quot;Critical Consciousness Scale&quot; (CCS). The CCS has the potential to unite and advance the fragmented conceptualization and measurement of critical consciousness, the primary motivation for the development of the scale.
Establishing and Applying Literature-Based Criteria for Effective Communication of Science to Novices via Introductory Geology Textbooks
Author: Kortz, Karen M.
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Geology,Textbooks,College Science,Novices,Cognitive Processes,Difficulty Level,Best Practices,Textbook Evaluation,Learning Theories,Textbook Content,Visual Aids,Vocabulary,Criteria

Textbooks are widely used in higher education by instructors and students. Therefore, it is useful to examine how textbooks present information because textbook design impacts how well students learn from them. This study has two parts. First, within the framework of the cognitive load and dual-coding theories, a set of recommendations based on research on how novices learn from printed materials was developed with the goal of establishing a set of best practices to improve student learning. These recommendations include integrating text and figures and minimizing extraneous geologic vocabulary. Any information in printed form, such as textbooks, lab manuals, and informative handouts, could benefit by using these recommendations in their design. Second, a subset of the recommendations was systematically applied to analyze the four introductory geology textbooks with the largest market share. The results of this analysis indicate that students would benefit from textbooks that are more closely aligned with how novices learn best.
Assessing Gains in Science Teaching Self-Efficacy after Completing an Inquiry-Based Earth Science Course
Author: Gray, Kyle
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Self Efficacy,Science Instruction,Inquiry,Active Learning,Earth Science,Elementary Education,Comparative Analysis,Undergraduate Students

Preservice elementary teachers are often required to take an Earth Science content course as part of their teacher education program but typically enter the course with little knowledge of key Earth Science concepts and are uncertain in their ability to teach science. This study investigated whether completing an inquiry-based Earth Science course for preservice elementary teachers improved their self-efficacy beliefs toward science teaching using the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI-B). The results were compared against the number of years the students had been undergraduates. All students improved their science teaching self-efficacy (including the freshmen) but only the juniors and seniors experienced significant gains in outcome expectancy. The observed gains in self-efficacy were likely due to increases in cognitive content mastery-- the process of successfully learning new material, and the gain in outcome expectancy were probably influenced by the number of field experiences within their teacher-education program. Geoscience departments should, therefore, offer inquiry-based Earth Science content courses designed specifically for preservice elementary teachers to improve their self-efficacy and content knowledge, thus, meeting the needs of this critical student population.
Effective Use of Personal Assistants for Students with Disabilities: Lessons Learned from the 2014 Accessible Geoscience Field Trip
Author: Hendricks, Julie E.
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Geology,Disabilities,Teaching Methods,Field Trips,Deafness,Visual Impairments,Case Studies,Student Experience,Self Advocacy,Program Effectiveness,Role,Student Attitudes,Interpersonal Communication,Student Needs,Foreign Countries,College Students,Majors (Students),Teaching Assistants

In 2014, the Geological Society of America sponsored an Accessible Field Trip, designed to demonstrate best practices in accommodating a wide variety of participants with disabilities during a field experience. During the trip, an aide was deployed to assist two student participants with sensory disabilities, one with low vision and the other with deafness. The experiences and interactions between the assistant and the students were compiled into a thick description, which was subsequently analyzed through self-reflective case study. The lived experiences of the participants and the assistant are interpreted to describe the efficacy of personal assistants in field study. Effective assistants maintain an awareness that students with disabilities have varying comfort levels with self-advocacy. An effective assistant also facilitates a positive perception of the student with a disability within the full group. Key skills of the personal assistant include awareness of spatial placement, communication, and flexibility. Three fundamental recommendations are presented for the effective use of personal assistants: (1) open and continuous communication as part of pretrip planning, (2) trip leaders must be willing to be flexible and adaptable with their field sites and learning goals, and (3) trip leaders must recognize social and spatial parameters of assisting students with disabilities. Ultimately, trip planners must become familiar with the personal and cultural backgrounds and abilities of their students to plan for an effective instructional excursion.
Academic Performance of Students Admitted with Different Entry Certificates to the Nigerian Certificate in Education Programme at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku
Author: Amasuomo, Japo Oweikeye Morto
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Foreign Countries,Technical Education,Certification,Schools of Education,Prior Learning,Scores,College Admission

This study attempted to determine the levels of academic performance of two groups of students admitted with different entry certificates to the Nigeria certificate in Education (NCE) Technical Programme and to find out whether either group differed significantly in terms of performance. Seventy (70) first year Technical students at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, were monitored during the 2011/2012 academic year for the purposes of this study. The data consisted of raw scores obtained by these students in five (5) courses. The data were analysed according to their arithmetic means and a t-test. The reliability of t-test results were ascertained by the use of an f-test of group variances. The study established that the secondary school certificate students performed significantly better than their City and Guilds certificate counterparts, and both groups differed significantly in other aspects of academic performance.