A Miniature and Low-Cost Robotic Fish for Ethorobotics Research and Engineering Education: Part II—STEM Outreach

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Abaid ◽  
Vladislav Kopman ◽  
Maurizio Porfiri
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Robotic Fish ◽  
Outreach Program ◽  
Underwater Robotics ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Development Organization ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
K 12

Interactive robotics in formal and informal settings alike has been shown to effectively excite and educate learners at every level. In this second of two papers, we present the educational application of recently-developed biomimetic robotic fish for K-12 learning at the New York Aquarium focused on underwater robotics and marine science. We narrate the development, organization, and execution of an outreach program designed around these robotic fish to pique K-12 students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and to attract them toward engineering careers. The activity offers an authentic engineering experience through bioinspired modification of the swimming robots informed by observation of the aquarium’s inhabitants. Student survey responses indicate the success of the activity in influencing the students’ perception of engineering. More specifically, the students showed an increased interest in STEM fields and found engineering to be a more accessible and exciting discipline after the activity.

A Miniature and Low-Cost Robotic Fish for Ethorobotics Research and Engineering Education: I—Bioinspired Design

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladislav Kopman ◽  
Maurizio Porfiri
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Robotic Fish ◽  
School Students ◽  
Caudal Fin ◽  
Interest In Science ◽  
Active Research ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
K 12

The development of underwater biomimetic robots has recently become an active research topic due to their stealth, performance, and maneuverability. In this two-part paper, we present the system design and characterization of a multipurpose, miniature, bioinspired low-cost robotic fish implemented in a fun-science activity for pre-high school students at the New York Aquarium; the activity is aimed at igniting K-12 students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and to attract them toward engineering careers. The robot features a servomotor-actuated modular caudal fin for selection of swimming modality and thrust optimization. The thrust produced by various caudal fin geometries is experimentally quantified, reported, and discussed. In addition to its applications in K-12 education, this robotics platform is utilized for several robot-live fish interaction studies, where the effect of robot leadership in fish shoals is investigated.

Bugscope: A Practical Approach to Providing Remote Microscopy for Science Education Outreach

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clinton S. Potter ◽  
Bridget Carragher ◽  
Liana Carroll ◽  
Charles Conway ◽  
Benjamin Grosser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Educational Outreach ◽  
Outreach Program ◽  
High Magnification ◽  
Research Groups ◽  
Web Browser ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Education Outreach

AbstractThe Bugscope project is an educational outreach program for kindergarten to grade 12 (K–12) classrooms. The project provides a resource to classrooms so that they may remotely operate a scanning electron microscope to image insects at high magnification. The microscope is remotely controlled in real time from a classroom computer over the Internet using a Web browser. Bugscope provides a state-of-the-art microscope resource for teachers that can be readily integrated into classroom activities. The Bugscope project provides a low-cost, sustainable model for research groups to support K–12 education outreach projects.

Integrating mechatronics in project-based learning of Malaysian high school students and teachers

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 297-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavia Tauro ◽  
Youngsu Cha ◽  
Faszly Rahim ◽  
Mohammad Sattar Rasul ◽  
Kamisah Osman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
New York ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Dual Model ◽  
New York University ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
National University ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
K 12 ◽  
High Schoolers

College students’ attrition in engineering programs is a major problem in developed and developing countries. Outreach activities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are a powerful resource to ignite K-12 students’ interest to pursue scientific and engineering careers. Here, a program on mechatronics for Malaysian high-schoolers developed at the New York University Tandon School of Engineering and implemented at the National University of Malaysia is presented. The program follows a dual model where instructors and students work together on a project-based learning curriculum inspired by real-world problems. A group of Malaysian graduate students and high-school teachers was trained to serve as instructors by the New York University team. After training, the New York University team aided the instructors to administer the curriculum to 100 high-schoolers and organize a one-day exhibit for families at the National University of Malaysia. Pre- and post-assessment surveys offer evidence for the positive impact of the program on teachers’ professional development and student engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

scholarly journals A Summer Program Designed to Educate College Students for Careers in Bioinformatics

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beverly Krilowicz ◽  
Wendie Johnston ◽  
Sandra B. Sharp ◽  
Nancy Warter-Perez ◽  
Jamil Momand
Keyword(s):  
Exit Interview ◽  
Assessment Instruments ◽  
Summer Program ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Career Trajectory ◽  
Research Mentor ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Programming Knowledge ◽  
Survey Responses

A summer program was created for undergraduates and graduate students that teaches bioinformatics concepts, offers skills in professional development, and provides research opportunities in academic and industrial institutions. We estimate that 34 of 38 graduates (89%) are in a career trajectory that will use bioinformatics. Evidence from open-ended research mentor and student survey responses, student exit interview responses, and research mentor exit interview/survey responses identified skills and knowledge from the fields of computer science, biology, and mathematics that are critical for students considering bioinformatics research. Programming knowledge and general computer skills were essential to success on bioinformatics research projects. General mathematics skills obtained through current undergraduate natural sciences programs were adequate for the research projects, although knowledge of probability and statistics should be strengthened. Biology knowledge obtained through the didactic phase of the program and prior undergraduate education was adequate, but advanced or specific knowledge could help students progress on research projects. The curriculum and assessment instruments developed for this program are available for adoption by other bioinformatics programs at http://www.calstatela.edu/SoCalBSI .

scholarly journals Making BrainWaves: Portable Brain Technologies in Biology Education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ido Davidesco ◽  
Steven Azeka ◽  
Steven Carter ◽  
Emma Laurent ◽  
Henry Valk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
College Readiness ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
K 12 ◽  
City Schools

Neuroscience is one of the fastest-growing STEM fields, yet its presence in K-12 science education is very limited, partially due to the lack of accessible teaching materials and tools. Here, we describe a new high school neuroscience curriculum ("BrainWaves"), where students utilize recent advances in low-cost, portable Electroencephalography (EEG) technology to investigate their own brain activity. This semester-long curriculum is supported by science mentors and an educational application that guides students through the process of recording and analyzing their own brain activity. Evaluation data collected in 5 public New York City schools in 2018/19 indicate significant positive shifts in content knowledge and self-efficacy among students who participated in BrainWaves compared to students in other courses of the same teacher. The quantitative findings are supported by interviews, where students reported increased appreciation for neuroscience and college readiness as well as the benefits of collaborating with scientists and using portable brain technology in classrooms.

Integrating popular music into urban schools: Assessing the effectiveness of a comprehensive music teacher development program

2021 ◽  
pp. 025576142098622
Author(s):  
Hal Abeles ◽  
Lindsay Weiss-Tornatore ◽  
Bryan Powell
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
New York ◽  
Music Education ◽  
Popular Music ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
School Year ◽  
Music Program ◽  
K 12

As popular music education programs become more common, it is essential to determine what kinds of professional development experiences that are designed to help teachers include popular music into their music education classrooms are effective—keeping in mind that the inclusion of popular music in K–12 classrooms requires a change not only in instrumentation and repertoire but also pedagogical approaches. This study examined the effects of a popular music professional development initiative on more than 600 New York City urban music teachers’ musicianship, their pedagogy, and their leadership skills throughout one school year. Results revealed increases in all three areas, most notably in teachers’ musicianship. The study also showed an increase in teachers’ positive perceptions about their music programs, specifically, their level of excitement about the state of their music program and that their music program was more effective at meeting their students’ needs than it had been previously.

scholarly journals Integrated STEM for Teacher Professional Learning and Development: “I Need Time for Practice”

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Andrea C. Burrows ◽  
Mike Borowczak ◽  
Adam Myers ◽  
Andria C. Schwortz ◽  
Courtney McKim
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Social Constructionism ◽  
Teacher Professional Learning ◽  
Authentic Science ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Integrated Stem ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
K 12

This study compares three pre-collegiate teacher professional learning and development (PLD) integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiences framed in astronomy. The study is set in the western United States (USA) and involves 60 pre-collegiate teachers (in the USA these are K-12 teachers) over the course of three years (June 2014–May 2017). During the PLDs, astronomy acted as a vehicle for pre-collegiate STEM teachers to increase their STEM content knowledge as well as create and implement integrated STEM classroom lessons. The authors collected quantitative and qualitative data to address five research questions and embraced social constructionism as the theoretical framework. Findings show that STEM pre-collegiate teachers are largely engaged with integrated STEM PLD content and embrace astronomy content and authentic science. Importantly, they need time to practice, interpret, translate, and use the integrated STEM content in classroom lessons. Recommendations for PLD STEM teacher support are provided. Implications of this study are vast, as gaps in authentic science, utilizing astronomy, PLD structure, and STEM integration are ripe for exploration.

STEM undergraduate students: library use, perceptions and GPA

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung Mi Scoulas
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stem Disciplines ◽  
Library Use ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
User Groups ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Online Library

PurposeThis study aims to examine if differences exist in undergraduate students' library use, perceptions and grade point average (GPA) among science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM disciplines.Design/methodology/approachThe current study used data from the 2018 student survey. Among 2,277 students who completed the survey (response rate = 8%), only undergraduate students (n = 1,265) were selected for this study because the current study aims to examine the differences between STEM and non-STEM undergraduate students.FindingsThe findings from a Mann–Whitney U test revealed that STEM respondents perceived specific library resources (subject and course guide, library instructions and library workshops) as slightly less than non-STEM respondents. The results from ANOVA demonstrated that the mean scores in GPA for STEM respondents who never used online library, journals and databases were lower than respondents who used those library resources, regardless of STEM and non-STEM disciplines.Originality/valueRevisiting the data collected and analyzing specific user groups will be valuable to academic libraries because this study will provide academic librarians with a deeper understanding of specific user needs and perceptions of library resources and services.

NYC Selective Specialized Public High Schools and Honors College STEM Degrees: A Previously Unexplored Relationship

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 304-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pessy J. Sloan
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
New York ◽  
High Schools ◽  
College Graduates ◽  
Public High Schools ◽  
Public High School ◽  
Honors College ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The Relationship

This study examined the relationship between attending one of the nine New York City (NYC) selective specialized public high schools and graduating from an honors college with a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degree, compared with honors college graduates who attended any other high school. A causal-comparative study design was applied. The participants consisted of 1,647 graduates from seven honors colleges, from 2011 to 2015, in the northeastern United States. Of the 1,647 graduates, 482 students graduated from NYC selective specialized public high schools and 1,165 students graduated from other high schools. The study found a significant difference ( p < .05) between the two groups. A larger percentage of NYC selective specialized public high schools graduated with a STEM degree from an honors college than students from other high schools. These results support the positive relationship between attending a NYC selective specialized public high school and graduating with a STEM degree from an honors college. Results and implications are discussed.

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