scholarly journals Assistive Technology for Freshmen Design and K-12 Outreach

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devin R. Berg ◽  
Matthew Wigdahl ◽  
Charis D. Collins
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Societal Implications ◽  
Design Project ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The University ◽  
Design Experience

This Work in Progress paper presents on the design of project-based learning approach focused on assistive technology as applied in a freshmen level engineering course which also integrates outreach with the local K12 system. The university course targets general education topics as well as an introductory engineering design experience and includes content on the engineering design process, societal implications of engineering design, and a participatory lab-based design project. A partnering class of 5th graders from a local elementary school made use of a daily block of time set aside for academic interventions and individual project-based work to collaborate with the university class. A qualitative assessment was conducted and has thus far has revealed that the university students found the assistive technology theme of the semester-long design project to be meaningful. For the K12 students, the survey results and anecdotal observations suggest that we were only moderately successful in constructing a meaningful and purposeful design experience, from their perspective.

MODELING AN ABBREVIATED PRODUCT DESIGN CYCLE IN A FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING DESIGN COURSE

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Kristine Sheridan ◽  
Jason A Foster ◽  
Geoffrey S Frost
Keyword(s):  
Product Design ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Design Project ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
Praxis Ii ◽  
Engineering Communication ◽  
Detail Design ◽  
Praxis I ◽  
Design Experience

All Engineering Science students at the University of Toronto take the cornerstone Praxis Sequence of engineering design courses. In the first course in the sequence, Praxis I, students practice three types of engineering design across three distinct design projects. Previously the final design project had the students first frame and then develop conceptual design solutions for a self-identified challenge. While this project succeeded in providing an appropriate foundational design experience, it failed to fully prepare students for the more complex design experience in Praxis II. The project also failed to ingrain the need for clear and concise engineering communication, and the students’ lack of understanding of detail design inhibited their ability to make practical and realistic design decisions. A revised Product Design project in Praxis I was designed with the primary aims of: (a) pushing students beyond the conceptual design phase of the design process, and (b) simulating a real-world work environment by: (i) increasing the interdependence between student teams and (ii) increasing the students’ perceived value of engineering communication.

scholarly journals Training pre-service general educators in assistive technology competencies for students with visual impairments

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth Ashby Jones ◽  
Belinda Rudinger ◽  
Nichole Williams ◽  
Stephanie Witcher
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
General Education Teachers ◽  
General Educators ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Pre Service Teacher

Teacher knowledge of, and comfort with, assistive technology (AT) is key for student use of AT. Previous research identified the AT competencies needed for instructing students with visual impairments (VI) and level of competency required in each. The authors selected 20 of the competencies most appropriate for general education teachers instructing students with VI and investigated the impact of pre-service teacher training in AT on their self-rated competency levels. Pre-service teachers were given a pre-test (using qualitative and quantitative measures), trained in AT using a scavenger hunt in the AT Lab at the university where the study took place, and then completed a post-test of the same measures. Participants could name more AT software and devices on the post-test and viewed themselves as more competent with regards to the 20 SAT competencies.

Collaborative Multidisciplinary Engineering Design Experiences in IoT (Internet of Things) for Teachers Through Summer Research Site Program

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Karbalaei ◽  
Damla Turgut ◽  
Melissa Dagley ◽  
Eleazar Vasquez ◽  
Hyoung J. Cho
Keyword(s):  
Internet Of Things ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Technical Development ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Train The Trainer ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Research Experiences For Teachers ◽  
The University

The objective of the NSF RET (Research Experiences for Teachers) site program hosted by the University of Central Florida is to provide K-12 teachers with a hands-on engineering design experience covering all aspects of the Internet of Things, from the manufacturing of a sensor, to the hardware and software that allows it to connect to the Internet. This program gives teachers learning opportunities to explore the practical use of science for engineering applications, and provide a context in which students in their classroom can test their own scientific knowledge as they recognize the interplay among science, engineering and technology. The uniqueness of this site program lies in the engagement of teachers in various facets of scientific, engineering, and educational methods based on Train-the-Trainer model with rotation in multiple research labs. In order to support the STEM educational services for teachers and students in middle and high schools, our site program aims at creating competent teacher trainers who ensure quality pre-service and in-service teacher education, by providing multidisciplinary experiences that are relevant to the current technical development. Teachers in the adjacent public school districts are primary participants in this site program. Significant efforts have been made to recruit teachers serving underrepresented student populations, and female and minority teachers who can reach out to them. In our RET site program, the participants rotated to four different laboratories with a 1.5–3 week residency in each, where they learned about the practice of engineering in various disciplines at the research laboratories on the university campus under the guidance of faculty and graduate mentors. The teachers presented their learning outcomes in the final week and were invited back to share their educational implementation experiences in their classes. This site program provided teachers with interdisciplinary engineering design experiences relevant to innovative technical development, and helped them develop teacher-driven teaching modules that can be deployed in the classroom.

DEFINING THE APPROPRIATE COURSE PROJECT FOR FOSTERING THE EXPECTED COGNITIVE COMPETENCIES: EBD APPROACH TO AN ENGINEERING DESIGN COURSE

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amirali Ommi ◽  
Yong Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Real World ◽  
Design Problem ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
Successful Completion ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Design Project ◽  
House Design

Project-based learning is an inevitable part of current course curriculums, especially in engineering design courses. Incorporating course projects in curriculums is done for overcoming the lack of students’ familiarity with real-world challenges. Students either acquire or further develop those specific competencies upon successful completion of the course project. Thus, defining an appropriate course project becomes essential. The competencies that are fostered may depend either on the design problem or the project contexts. In this study, we employ an EBD approach to developing a framework for evaluating a course project regarding its fitness to course learning objectives. This framework makes it possible to elicit required competencies for accomplishing a course project and comparing it with the set of competencies in the course learning objectives. A case study of a flying house design project is presented to demonstrate the framework application. The discussion of the proposed framework and future directions to our research are presented at the end.

Curriculum Reform Due to Project-Based Learning Methodology Implementation in Teaching an ESP Course to Russian University Natural Science Students

2019 ◽  
pp. 250-269
Author(s):  
Boris A. Zhigalev ◽  
Olga A. Obdalova ◽  
Ludmila Y. Minakova
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Curriculum Reform ◽  
Natural Science ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Target Skills ◽  
The University ◽  
Methodological Aspects

This chapter investigates the didactic potential of a project-based learning (PjBL) methodology as a means of modernizing curriculum and improving an ESP course at the university level. The chapter outlines in detail the main elements of the negotiated teaching framework and discusses why such a methodology is appropriate for teaching communicative competence and developing learners' performance in English in a professional context. It also presents practical devices for the implementation of the designed conceptual framework. The first part of the chapter focuses on outlining methodological aspects of the undertaken case study. The second part concentrates on the quantitative and qualitative assessment of the results of the PjBL framework intervention. Within this context, a discussion about the influence of the PjBL course implementation on 48 students is provided. The authors also specify some factors contributing to the effectiveness of the development of learners' target skills attributed to the introduction of the featured model for the ESP project-based course.

Reconceptualizing Teacher Preparation for Inclusive Classrooms: A Description of the Dual License Program at the University of New Mexico

2000 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth B. Keefe ◽  
Pamela J. Rossi ◽  
J. S. de Valenzuela ◽  
Sam Howarth
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
New Mexico ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
General Education ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Teacher Preparation Program ◽  
University Of New Mexico ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The University ◽  
Dual License

This paper describes the Dual License Teacher Preparation Program at the University of New Mexico and the national and state context within which it was developed and continues to evolve. Graduates of the Dual License Program are eligible for licensure in general education (K-8) and special education (K-12). Our belief in democratic ideals in education, together with the vision of preparing all teachers to be ready to teach all students, has required us to reconceptualize the ways in which we implement university based coursework and field experiences. This paper gives specific examples of the ways in which faculty in the Dual License Program model collaboration between general and special education to prepare apprentice teachers to collaborate in the schools in order to provide inclusive educational practices for all students. This paper specifically highlights the inclusion ofbest practices for students with severe disabilities as an integral part of curriculum development right from the start. Also, challenges arising from the implementation of this innovative program are discussed.

Water as the Context for Community-Based Science Projects

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Hanley ◽  
Kelly Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Science Careers ◽  
College Of Agriculture ◽  
Community Based ◽  
University Of Kentucky ◽  
Science Projects ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The University

This chapter explores the educational practices employed to motivate young people to become interested and study science careers. Educators of the University of Kentucky (UK), College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s (CAFE) Environmental and Natural Resources Initiative consider their use of real-life situations and projects to teach science to Kentucky’s K-12 students. The educators demonstrate how they use project-based learning in conjunction with community-based issues to interest students in science topics and careers. Multiple examples of community-based science programs are described along with reflections from students and teachers. Recommendations for future projects methodologies are included.

AN ENGINEERING DESIGN PROJECT TO PROVIDE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seach Chyr (Ernest) Goh ◽  
Sumi Siddiqua
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
First Year ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Sustainable Engineering ◽  
Design Project ◽  
University Of British Columbia ◽  
Negative Comments ◽  
The University

First year engineering students at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, take the Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering Design course as part of the suite of common courses for all engineering students regardless of discipline. The largest assessment components of the course are the final exam (40%) and the design project (40%). For the design project, teams of 4 – 6 students build a scaled-down prototype of a Well Ventilated yet Energy Efficient Room (WeVeyEER) that must be able to maintain its interior temperature at 10°C above ambient and at the same time continuously exchange stale air from within with fresh air from outside. It also has to meet load-bearing, size and power supply constraints. The energy consumption, rate of air exchange and weight are parameters for comparing performance of the prototypes. The majority of teams (55 out of 64) could achieve the requirements. Feedback about the project was mixed, with 57 positive and 56 negative comments.  

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