scholarly journals Development of Active-Learning Units in Nuclear Engineering

2021 ◽  
Vol 253 ◽  
pp. 10003
Author(s):  
Stephen U. Egarievwe
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Graduate Programs ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Radiation Shielding ◽  
Nuclear Engineering ◽  
Interactive Mode ◽  
Hands On ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Dose Radiation

Active learning engages students in activities that could enhance their ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the material being learned. Evidence-based studies have shown that active learning increases student performance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses. This paper presents the design of active learning units in nuclear engineering. The goal is to enhance students learning and technical skills, thereby improving their preparation for success in pursuing STEM graduate programs and careers in nuclear engineering. Three modes of active learning that are of interest are problem-solving, lab-based hands-on activities, and simulation. The active learning units are aimed at using interactive mode to provide students with the mastering of fundamental principles and concepts, and better understanding of how equations translate and apply to real-life engineering situations. The introductory nuclear engineering topics to be covered include radioactivity and half-life, binding energy, atom density, radiation interactions, radiation dose, radiation shielding, stopping power, and fission. An assessment plan for the effectiveness of the active-learnings units is also presented.

scholarly journals Use of case-based or hands-on laboratory exercises with physiology lectures improves knowledge retention, but veterinary medicine students prefer case-based activities

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renee M. McFee ◽  
Andrea S. Cupp ◽  
Jennifer R. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Veterinary Medicine ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Case Based Learning ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Case Based

Didactic lectures are prevalent in physiology courses within veterinary medicine programs, but more active learning methods have also been utilized. Our goal was to identify the most appropriate learning method to augment the lecture component of our physiology course. We hypothesized that case-based learning would be well received by students and would be more effective at helping them learn physiological concepts compared with more traditional laboratory exercises. In this study, approximately one-half of the laboratory sessions for the two-semester course were dedicated to traditional hands-on laboratory exercises, whereas the remaining one-half of the sessions were dedicated to case-based exercises. The lecture portion of the course was not altered. Student attitudes were evaluated after each session and at the end of each semester via quantitative and qualitative survey questions. Student performance was evaluated using section exams and end-of-semester posttests. The vast majority of survey responses received were positive for both cased-based activities and traditional hands-on laboratories. In addition, participation in both types of active learning activities, but not lecture, was associated with retention of conceptual knowledge based on student performance between the section exams and posttests ( P < 0.002). These results indicate that both case-based learning and laboratory exercises are beneficial learning activities to incorporate into a lecture-based physiology course. However, positive survey responses were significantly greater following case-based activities vs. traditional hands-on laboratories, and only participation in case-based activities resulted in greater student performance on the posttest ( P < 0.04). Therefore, case-based activities may be the preferred supplemental learning activity for veterinary medical physiology.

scholarly journals Enhancing Diversity in Undergraduate Science: Self-Efficacy Drives Performance Gains with Active Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. ar56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cissy J. Ballen ◽  
Carl Wieman ◽  
Shima Salehi ◽  
Jeremy B. Searle ◽  
Kelly R. Zamudio
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Social Belonging ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
Performance Gains

Efforts to retain underrepresented minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have shown only limited success in higher education, due in part to a persistent achievement gap between students from historically underrepresented and well-represented backgrounds. To test the hypothesis that active learning disproportionately benefits URM students, we quantified the effects of traditional versus active learning on student academic performance, science self-efficacy, and sense of social belonging in a large (more than 250 students) introductory STEM course. A transition to active learning closed the gap in learning gains between non-URM and URM students and led to an increase in science self-efficacy for all students. Sense of social belonging also increased significantly with active learning, but only for non-URM students. Through structural equation modeling, we demonstrate that, for URM students, the increase in self-efficacy mediated the positive effect of active-learning pedagogy on two metrics of student performance. Our results add to a growing body of research that supports varied and inclusive teaching as one pathway to a diversified STEM workforce.

Promoting STEAMH at primary school: a collaborative interdisciplinary project

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 234-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Cristina Oliveira da Cristina Oliveira da Costa
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Real Life ◽  
School Level ◽  
Pedagogical Intervention ◽  
Local Schools ◽  
School Collaboration ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Hands On ◽  
And Mathematics

There is a growing call on the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at the primary school level, aiming to motivate students to learn these subject matters, in order to correspond to the scientific and technological challenges of an increasingly demanding society. Recently, many studies sustain the importance of extending STEM to STEAM by adding Arts to the previous areas, to better prepare students for real life. In this article, we present a way to promote STEAMH, by integrating Heritage with STEAM. With a qualitative approach and an action research methodology, we intend to investigate how to develop a pedagogical intervention project that fosters STEAMH learning at primary school and local community. It is concluded that it is possible to implement a STEAMH pedagogical intervention project, being necessary to develop a collaborative partnership with local community and local schools. Keywords: STEAMH, hands-on, interdisciplinarity, primary school, collaboration

scholarly journals Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics

2014 ◽  
Vol 111 (23) ◽  
pp. 8410-8415 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Freeman ◽  
S. L. Eddy ◽  
M. McDonough ◽  
M. K. Smith ◽  
N. Okoroafor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
And Mathematics

scholarly journals STUDENT GRAPHICAL INFORMATION LITERACY IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
Ilze France ◽  
Dace Namsone ◽  
Līga Čakāne ◽  
Jānis Vilciņš ◽  
Uldis Dzērve ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
9Th Grade ◽  
Improve Student Performance ◽  
Life Context ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Oecd Pisa ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
National Test

Among the most important 21st century skills that every student needs are the ability to work with information. The key for implementing competency based approach to learning will be related to how students' ability to apply skills acquired in, for example, mathematics can be transferred to other subject contexts. Newest OECD PISA results presented in 2016 show a recurring tendency that in Latvia there is a small number of students whose performance is in accordance to the 5th and 6th level of the framework. These two levels represent students' ability to apply deep thinking skills in new learning contexts. It is necessary to analyze the causes of this situation in order to identify opportunities for how to improve student performance. Accordingly, the research goal is to analyze how Latvian students manage to apply deep thinking skills in 9th grade national test assignments where they need to analyze graphic information in science and real life context. Additionally, the research aims to analyze the cognitive depth of science and mathematics assignments included in the national test as well as how the acquisition of these skills are planned in the learning content of educational regulations and learning materials.

Teaching of Beam Deflection Analysis Through Laboratory Experiments

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Eveloy ◽  
Shrinivas Bojanampati ◽  
Peter Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Data Acquisition ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Oral Presentation ◽  
Solid Mechanics ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Beam Deflection ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Hands On

Hands-on laboratory skills play a vital role in providing students with a sound understanding of the scientific fundamentals and their application in solving real-life engineering problems. This paper describes a hands-on laboratory project focused on solid mechanics, which is taught as part of a one-semester, junior-level mechanical engineering course titled Core Measurements Laboratory. The project requires students to design, construct and commission an experimental test facility for the characterization of cantilever beam deflection and stress due to pure bending using concomitant methods, consisting of three experimental techniques and analytical predictions. Beam deflection is measured using both a linear displacement transducer (LDT) and digital camera, with corresponding stress measurements derived from strain gage measurements. These measurements are compared with analytical predictions. The project is undertaken over a five-week period by a team of four students. A written project report and oral presentation are conducted on project completion. Emphasis is placed on elaboration of a test plan, sensor installation, data acquisition and LabVIEW programming, as well as analysis of discrepancies between measurements and predictions. The teaching strategy employed to integrate fundamental theory with hands-on experiences is described, with a sample of the measurement results presented. The effectiveness of the laboratory project in enhancing student fundamental and applied knowledge in the subject area, and project management skills, is assessed by monitoring student performance improvements over the duration of the project, as well as through student surveys. On a scale of 1 (deficient) to 4 (exemplary), overall class scores of 2.92, 3.25 and 3.4 were obtained for ABET Criterion 3 Outcomes (b), (d) and (g), respectively, which were assessed using the hands-on project final report and oral presentation. The student survey indicates that student knowledge in fundamentals, sensors, data acquisition and LabVIEW programming improved by 16%, 23%, 30% and 48%, respectively, with the hands on project.

scholarly journals Promoting active learning out-of-class via online “study questions” leads to higher than expected exam scores in General Biology

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan I Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Student Learning Outcomes ◽  
General Biology ◽  
Online Study ◽  
Covering Material ◽  
Exam Scores

A rising need for workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields has fueled interest in improving teaching within STEM disciplines. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of active learning approaches on student learning outcomes. However, many of these studies have been conducted in experimental, rather than real-life class, settings. In addition, most of these studies have focused on in-class active learning exercises. This study tested the effects of a form of out-of-class active learning on exam performance for General Biology students at the University of Minnesota. An online database of 1,020 multiple-choice questions covering material from the first half of the course was generated, with feedback provided for 73% of the questions. Students in seven course sections (with an average of approximately 265 students per section) were given unlimited access to the online study questions. These students made extensive use of the online questions, with students answering an average of approximately 1,323 questions (94.5 questions per lecture) covering material from the half of the semester for which the questions were available. The extent to which access to the online study questions improved student learning outcomes was assessed by comparing the performance on exam questions of students in the seven course sections with access to the online study questions with the performance of students in course sections without access to the online study questions. Student performance was analyzed for a total of 89 different exams questions that were not included in the study questions, but that covered the same material covered by the study questions. Each of these 89 questions was used on one to five (average of 2.3) exams administered to students in course sections that had access to the online study questions and on three to 77 (average of 24.8) exams administered to students in sections that lacked access to the online study questions. Data from over 1,800 students in sections with access to the online study questions show that those students scored a statistically significant average of 6.6 percentage points higher on the exam questions analyzed than students in sections without access to the study questions. This difference was greater than the average amount necessary to raise students’ exam grades by one grade (e.g. from a “B-“ to a “B”). In addition, there was a higher correlation between number of questions answered and success on exam questions on material related to the study questions than between number of questions answered and success on exam questions on material unrelated to the study questions. The online study question system analyzed in this work required substantial effort to set up in the first year, but required minimal effort to maintain in subsequent years and was effective in significantly raising average exam scores for even very large course sections.

Activities for Students: Rational Functions: A New Perspective

2011 ◽  
Vol 104 (7) ◽  
pp. 538-549
Author(s):  
Anna A. Davis ◽  
Ronald E. Zielke ◽  
Jessica L. Lickeri
Keyword(s):  
Real Life ◽  
Rational Functions ◽  
College Algebra ◽  
High School Mathematics ◽  
Mathematics Methods ◽  
Exponential Functions ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Mathematics Student ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
And Mathematics

The study of asymptotes constitutes one of the earliest and most significant encounters a high school mathematics student can have with infinity. The study of horizontal asymptotes, in particular, contributes to a student's later understanding of limits and the notion of “arbitrarily close to.” Typically, students are exposed to horizontal asymptotes in the contexts of exponential and rational functions. Real–life applications of exponential functions abound, but real–life applications of rational functions do not. In this article, we present a hands–on activity that allows students to explore horizontal asymptotes of graphs of rational functions visually and mathematically and that has been used successfully with intermediate algebra, precalculus, college algebra, and mathematics methods students.

scholarly journals Promoting active learning out-of-class via online “study questions” leads to higher than expected exam scores in General Biology

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan I Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Student Learning Outcomes ◽  
General Biology ◽  
Online Study ◽  
Covering Material ◽  
Exam Scores

A rising need for workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields has fueled interest in improving teaching within STEM disciplines. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of active learning approaches on student learning outcomes. However, many of these studies have been conducted in experimental, rather than real-life class, settings. In addition, most of these studies have focused on in-class active learning exercises. This study tested the effects of a form of out-of-class active learning on exam performance for General Biology students at the University of Minnesota. An online database of 1,020 multiple-choice questions covering material from the first half of the course was generated, with feedback provided for 73% of the questions. Students in seven course sections (with an average of approximately 265 students per section) were given unlimited access to the online study questions. These students made extensive use of the online questions, with students answering an average of approximately 1,323 questions (94.5 questions per lecture) covering material from the half of the semester for which the questions were available. The extent to which access to the online study questions improved student learning outcomes was assessed by comparing the performance on exam questions of students in the seven course sections with access to the online study questions with the performance of students in course sections without access to the online study questions. Student performance was analyzed for a total of 89 different exams questions that were not included in the study questions, but that covered the same material covered by the study questions. Each of these 89 questions was used on one to five (average of 2.3) exams administered to students in course sections that had access to the online study questions and on three to 77 (average of 24.8) exams administered to students in sections that lacked access to the online study questions. Data from over 1,800 students in sections with access to the online study questions show that those students scored a statistically significant average of 6.6 percentage points higher on the exam questions analyzed than students in sections without access to the study questions. This difference was greater than the average amount necessary to raise students’ exam grades by one grade (e.g. from a “B-“ to a “B”). In addition, there was a higher correlation between number of questions answered and success on exam questions on material related to the study questions than between number of questions answered and success on exam questions on material unrelated to the study questions. The online study question system analyzed in this work required substantial effort to set up in the first year, but required minimal effort to maintain in subsequent years and was effective in significantly raising average exam scores for even very large course sections.

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