WorldWideScience

Sample records for student projects presented

  1. Student Learning Projects in Electric Vehicle Engineering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ritchie, Ewen; Leban, Krisztina Monika

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents the didactic problem based learning method in general use at Aalborg University as applied to Electric Mobility. Advantage is taken of this method to link student learning to current research projects. This offers advantages to the students and the researchers. The paper...... introduces the subject, presents the research of the Department of Energy Technology and describes the relevant syllabus. It continues to present a range of titles of previous research linked student project projects, and to fill in some of the detail, an example of such a student project. The paper...

  2. Student design projects in applied acoustics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bös, Joachim; Moritz, Karsten; Skowronek, Adam; Thyes, Christian; Tschesche, Johannes; Hanselka, Holger

    2012-03-01

    This paper describes a series of student projects which are intended to complement theoretical education in acoustics and engineering noise control with practical experience. The projects are also intended to enhance the students' ability to work in a team, to manage a project, and to present their results. The projects are carried out in close cooperation with industrial partners so that the students can get a taste of the professional life of noise control engineers. The organization of such a project, its execution, and some of the results from the most recent student project are presented as a demonstrative example. This latest project involved the creation of noise maps of a production hall, the acoustic analysis of a packaging machine, and the acoustic analysis of a spiral vibratory conveyor. Upon completion of the analysis, students then designed, applied, and verified some simple preliminary noise reduction measures to demonstrate the potential of these techniques. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America

  3. Interactive Spherical Projection Presentations teach students about the Moon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherman, S. B.; Pilger, E.; James, B.; Au, C.; Lum, K.; Gillis-Davis, J. J.

    2011-12-01

    Using data from Clementine, Lunar Orbiter, Lunar Prospector, as well as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission we are creating multimedia applications for the Magic Planet (MP) and Science on a Sphere (SOS), spherical displays for digital media, for the Moon. Presenting the data on this innovative and stimulating medium captures the interest, stimulates curiosity, and inspires scientific learning in children, as well as general audiences. One such presentation is an interactive game where the audience uses "clickers" to vote on the location of their own lunar base determined by available resources, such as proximity to water ice, illumination (source of solar power), TiO,2, (oxygen production) and hydrogen abundances as well as local topography. The interactive nature accommodates a variety of knowledge levels and can be adapted in real-time accordingly. The clickers are used as an assessment tool as well as a means for audience to control the direction of the application. As an assessment tool audience members can make predictions and answer questions using the clicker. In addition, the audience can use the clickers to vote on what they want to do, see, or go next. Having control over the direction of the application increases the audiences' involvement and therefore interest in the activity. Both uses of the clickers engage the audience and they become active participants rather than passive observers. Undergraduates from the University of Hawaii and Leeward Community College, and a high school student from Moanalua High School, are actively involved in the design and execution of these applications. Their input help us to anticipate areas of interest, field test ease of use, and determine areas of potential confusion. In addition, their involvement in this project is intended to increase and foster their interest in planetary science, and/or another STEM related field, while at the same time gain practical experience. The applications are designed to run

  4. The Internet as a Platform for Student Presentations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ponomarenko, A. L.

    2003-12-01

    As the number of students enrolled in colleges and universities across the country increases, both class size and faculty workloads also increase, and individual students slip through wider and wider cracks. Universities are moving toward web-based technology as a way to facilitate student learning in an academic environment that is growing and changing faster than ever. Faculty web pages, hosted by the faculty's own internet provider, by the university, or by national services such as Blackboard or WebCT, are often used to bridge the gap between faculty and students. Typically, faculty web pages are used to post syllabi and announcements, to distribute course notes, and to disseminate student grades, while email replaces office hours as the preferred method of communication. While this use of the internet has already begun to transform course instruction, it represents only the simplest use of a tool that has tremendous potential, both in and out of the classroom. The internet can be used to bring back the element of personalization that is quickly lost as class size continues to grow. Much of the material covered in large introductory science classes is completely new to students, and they have trouble visualizing new concepts and placing them in context. In smaller classes, a solution might be to assign papers or projects to help students become familiar with the new concepts and new ideas. This is neither feasible nor terribly effective in large lecture courses. With the innovative use of web-based technology, student presentations as a method of learning can be reinvented, with greater impact for each student. Additional use of internet-based discussions and chats enables each student to experience many of their classmate's presentations in addition to their own. This use of the web as a media for storage and presentation of student projects is well-liked by students. They are able to work together on projects in large classes otherwise closed to such activity

  5. Student and Faculty Outcomes of Undergraduate Science Research Projects by Geographically Dispersed Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lawton Shaw

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Senior undergraduate research projects are important components of most undergraduate science degrees. The delivery of such projects in a distance education format is challenging. Athabasca University (AU science project courses allow distance education students to complete research project courses by working with research supervisors in their local area, coordinated at a distance by AU faculty. This paper presents demographics and course performance for 155 students over five years. Pass rates were similar to other distance education courses. Research students were surveyed by questionnaire, and external supervisors and AU faculty were interviewed, to examine the outcomes of these project courses for each group. Students reported high levels of satisfaction with the course, local supervisors, and faculty coordinators. Students also reported that the experience increased their interest in research, and the probability that they would pursue graduate or additional certification. Local supervisors and faculty affirmed that the purposes of project courses are to introduce the student to research, provide opportunity for students to use their cumulative knowledge, develop cognitive abilities, and independent thinking. The advantages and challenges associated with this course model are discussed.

  6. Developing Critical Thinking through Student Consulting Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canziani, Bonnie; Tullar, William L.

    2017-01-01

    The authors present survey results from faculty at 44 universities on the role of student consulting projects in developing business students' critical thinking. They conclude that students can improve critical thinking by engaging in guided primary and secondary research to inform their business assumptions that underpin business planning and…

  7. An Innovative, Experiential-Learning Project for Sales Management and Professional Selling Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, Joseph; Schetzsle, Stacey; Wahlers, Russell

    2016-01-01

    This article presents an innovative, experiential-learning project that incorporates students from two different courses: sales management and professional selling. Sales management students actually manage sales students on an outside sales project. Students apply classroom knowledge to a real-life sales project for a local community…

  8. Project-based fieldwork: perspectives of graduate entry students and project sponsors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortune, Tracy; McKinstry, Carol

    2012-08-01

    This article builds on an earlier viewpoint regarding the need for project-focussed fieldwork. It presents the findings of an evaluative study into the value of project placements undertaken by final year graduate entry master's students as part of a capstone subject. The authors argue that provision of project placements enable impending graduates to develop and implement macro level strategies to develop prevention, resource and service development skills often required of contemporary occupational therapy practitioners. A qualitative approach is adopted. Student cohorts from 2005 and 2006 completed open-ended, written questionnaires, and agency project sponsors were interviewed to obtain their perspectives of the project placement experience. Despite some concern that project placements might be undertaken at the expense of 'clinical' placements these findings reveal that projects managed by students were perceived by services to add great value enabling them to advance important priorities. Students and sponsors highlighted a range of positive learning outcomes, including the ability to work collaboratively with supervisors and develop advanced communication skills and political acumen. The success of such placements depends on supportive supervision from academic staff. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: The findings promote project placements as a highly authentic aspect of work integrated learning enabling learners to draw together a range of attributes that support the ability to manage complex issues that have occupational relevance at a macro level. In addition, such experiences help learners to develop agency and political acumen both increasingly important capabilities for the contemporary workplace. © 2012 The Authors Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2012 Occupational Therapy Australia.

  9. Students enabling students in a Student Partnership Project: A case study emerging from the OLT Transforming Practice Project on Student Partnerships

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Megan Kek

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This emerging initiative stemmed from an Office for Learning and Teaching Project (OLT project, Transforming Practice Programme 2016: Student Engagement: Students as Partners in Teaching and Learning. The initiative, trialed in semester two, 2016, involved the selection and training of two experienced students to be leaders of a Closed Facebook ‘students-only’ community which provided advice and triaged queries to appropriate channels. The evaluative processes comprised a participatory action research methodology. Two student leaders who facilitated the Closed Facebook and four academic staff of the project were the participants. The findings demonstrate that the Closed Facebook students-only site provided a safe space, outside the formal learning/classroom environment, where student participants were able to ask and share knowledge. The informal student-for-student learning community complemented the formal structure by facilitating the opportunity for students to become ‘experts’ as university students as they move-through their learning journey.

  10. The Undergraduate Student Instrument Project (USIP) - building the STEM workforce by providing exciting, multi-disciplinary, student-led suborbital flight projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dingwall, B. J.

    2015-12-01

    NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) recognizes that suborbital carriers play a vital role in training our country's future science and technology leaders. SMD created the Undergraduate Student Instrument Project (USIP) to offer students the opportunity to design, build, and fly instruments on NASA's unique suborbital research platforms. This paper explores the projects, the impact, and the lessons learned of USIP. USIP required undergraduate teams to design, build, and fly a scientific instrument in 18 months or less. Students were required to form collaborative multidisciplinary teams to design, develop and build their instrument. Teams quickly learned that success required skills often overlooked in an academic environment. Teams quickly learned to share technical information in a clear and concise manner that could be understood by other disciplines. The aggressive schedule required team members to hold each other accountable for progress while maintaining team unity. Unanticipated problems and technical issues led students to a deeper understanding of the need for schedule and cost reserves. Students exited the program with a far deeper understanding of project management and team dynamics. Through the process of designing and building an instrument that will enable new research transforms students from textbook learners to developers of new knowledge. The initial USIP project funded 10 undergraduate teams that flew a broad range of scientific instruments on scientific balloons, sounding rockets, commercial rockets and aircraft. Students were required to prepare for and conduct the major reviews that are an integral part of systems development. Each project conducted a Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review and Mission Readiness review for NASA officials and flight platform providers. By preparing and presenting their designs to technical experts, the students developed a deeper understanding of the technical and programmatic project pieces that

  11. Lights! Camera! Action Projects! Engaging Psychopharmacology Students in Service-based Action Projects Focusing on Student Alcohol Abuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Susan

    2016-01-01

    Alcohol abuse continues to be an issue of major concern for the health and well-being of college students. Estimates are that over 80% of college students are involved in the campus "alcohol culture." Annually, close to 2000 students die in the United States due to alcohol-related accidents, with another 600,000 sustaining injury due to alcohol-related incidents (NIAAA, 2013). Students enrolled in a Psychopharmacology course engaged in action projects (community outreach) focused on alcohol abuse on our campus. Research has indicated that these types of projects can increase student engagement in course material and foster important skills, including working with peers and developing involvement in one's community. This paper describes the structure and requirements of five student outreach projects and the final projects designed by the students, summarizes the grading and assessment of the projects, and discusses the rewards and challenges of incorporating such projects into a course.

  12. Self- and Peer Assessments of Oral Presentations by First-Year University Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aryadoust, Vahid

    2015-01-01

    Forty science students received training for 12 weeks on delivering effective presentations and using a tertiary-level English oral presentation scale comprising three subscales (Verbal Communication, Nonverbal Communication, and Content and Organization) measured by 18 items. For their final project, each student was given 10 to 12 min to present…

  13. An Interdisciplinary Team Project: Psychology and Computer Science Students Create Online Cognitive Tasks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flannery, Kathleen A.; Malita, Mihaela

    2014-01-01

    We present our case study of an interdisciplinary team project for students taking either a psychology or computer science (CS) course. The project required psychology and CS students to combine their knowledge and skills to create an online cognitive task. Each interdisciplinary project team included two psychology students who conducted library…

  14. Improving Technological Competency in Nursing Students: The Passport Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie Edwards

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Integration of informatics competency into a nursing curriculum is important to ensure success throughout the education and career of contemporary nursing students. As enrollment in nursing programs increases, the diverse population of students from many different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds presents a challenge for faculty in addressing unique learning needs. Competency in informatics will allow the beginning nursing student to navigate the on-line teaching software used by colleges. With rigorous expectations in nursing programs, students may feel overwhelmed with assignments, organization, and time management. Frustration may build when students struggle with basic informatics competency, often leaving them unable to navigate instructional websites or work with necessary on-line learning content. The purpose of this project, Passport Project for Nursing Success, was to assess the skills, knowledge, and informatics comfort level of students, while providing computer training and teaching for beginning nursing students in an undergraduate nursing program in Central Illinois. The community college encompassed students from a ten county area, with 20 percent of the student population enrolled in the Applied Science curriculum. Initial implementation occurred prior to the students' first nursing course and emphasized basic skills necessary to navigate on-line learning software, library search engines, and electronic communication. The greatest barrier to successful implementation was faculty resistance and academic support during completion of the initial implementation of the Passport Project. Post- project surveys indicated overwhelming student support for the education received and improved retention rates of first semester nursing students.

  15. Student Research Projects Inhibiting Factors from the Students Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laila Nikrooz

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Background & Objective: Identifying the research barriers and assess the ability of students to use the university services and facilities is crucial to promote research activities. Present study was carried out to determine the inhibiting factors influencing the student's research projects from the view point of Yasuj University of Medical Sciences students in 2008. Materials & Methods: In this cross sectional study 96 students of Yasuj Medical University were selected by stratified random sampling. The data were collected by validate & reliable questionnaire, containing demographic information, inhibiting factors related to students (personal and organization. The data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: The mean scores against the personal barriers and the organizational barriers questions were 43.23±12.96 and 62.58±12.08 respectively. There was a significant difference between personal and organizational barriers (P<0.001 and personal barriers were more important. According to the results, the student's inadequate skills & knowledge of research methodology and lack of awareness of research topics were the most prevalent personal barriers. The most prevalent organizational barriers were unavailability of research consulters, inadequate research skills of consulter, insufficient facilities & equipment and lack of motivating staff & faculties. Other variables such as gender, subject of study and research experience are mentioned in the full text. Conclusion: This study showed that the personal barriers were more important than organizational barriers which interfere with the student's research projects. This can be corrected and controlled by teachers, faculty members, university officials and students, themselves.

  16. Using UAVs to Conduct Student-led Research Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olds, S. E.; Lewis, P. M., Jr.

    2016-12-01

    Recreational drones can inspire students to initiate research projects. These "toys" have a low cost (Arduino board, SABEL collects temperature, humidity, and GPS position. This presentation will provide examples of student-led investigations, instructions for building the SABEL sensor package, and the status of the new e-book compilation of student-focused activities using recreational drones to pursue science, math, engineering, and technology research investigations.

  17. Project Career: A qualitative examination of five college students with traumatic brain injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nardone, Amanda; Sampson, Elaine; Stauffer, Callista; Leopold, Anne; Jacobs, Karen; Hendricks, Deborah J; Elias, Eileen; Chen, Hui; Rumrill, Phillip

    2015-01-01

    Project Career is an interprofessional five-year development project designed to improve the employment success of undergraduate college and university students with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The case study information was collected and synthesized by the project's Technology and Employment Coordinators (TECs) at each of the project's three university sites. The project's evaluation is occurring independently through JBS International, Inc. Five case studies are presented to provide an understanding of student participants' experiences within Project Career. Each case study includes background on the student, engagement with technology, vocational supports, and interactions with his/her respective TEC. A qualitative analysis from the student's case notes is provided within each case study, along with a discussion of the overall qualitative analysis. Across all five students, the theme Positive Outcomes was mentioned most often in the case notes. Of all the different type of challenges, Cognitive Challenges were most often mentioned during meetings with the TECs, followed by Psychological Challenges, Physical Challenges, Other Challenges, and Academic Challenges, respectively. Project Career is providing academic enrichment and career enhancement that may substantially improve the unsatisfactory employment outcomes that presently await students with TBI following graduation.

  18. International Group Heterogeneity and Students' Business Project Achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Ning; Bosker, Roel J.; Xu, Xiaoyan; Rugers, Lucie; van Heugten, Petra PAM

    2015-01-01

    In business higher education, group project work plays an essential role. The purpose of the present study is to explore the relationship between the group heterogeneity of students' business project groups and their academic achievements at both group and individual levels. The sample consists of 536 freshmen from an International Business School…

  19. Mathematics authentic assessment on statistics learning: the case for student mini projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fauziah, D.; Mardiyana; Saputro, D. R. S.

    2018-03-01

    Mathematics authentic assessment is a form of meaningful measurement of student learning outcomes for the sphere of attitude, skill and knowledge in mathematics. The construction of attitude, skill and knowledge achieved through the fulfilment of tasks which involve active and creative role of the students. One type of authentic assessment is student mini projects, started from planning, data collecting, organizing, processing, analysing and presenting the data. The purpose of this research is to learn the process of using authentic assessments on statistics learning which is conducted by teachers and to discuss specifically the use of mini projects to improving students’ learning in the school of Surakarta. This research is an action research, where the data collected through the results of the assessments rubric of student mini projects. The result of data analysis shows that the average score of rubric of student mini projects result is 82 with 96% classical completeness. This study shows that the application of authentic assessment can improve students’ mathematics learning outcomes. Findings showed that teachers and students participate actively during teaching and learning process, both inside and outside of the school. Student mini projects also provide opportunities to interact with other people in the real context while collecting information and giving presentation to the community. Additionally, students are able to exceed more on the process of statistics learning using authentic assessment.

  20. NASA's Student Launch Projects: A Government Education Program for Science and Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepherd, Christena C.

    2009-01-01

    Among the many NASA education activities, the Student Launch projects are examples of how one agency has been working with students to inspire math, science and engineering interest. There are two Student Launch projects: Student Launch Initiative (SLI) for middle and high school students and the University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) for college students. The programs are described and website links are provided for further information. This document presents an example of how an agency can work with its unique resources in partnership with schools and communities to bring excitement to the classroom.

  1. Summary of student scenarios: 2020 Vision project, fiscal year 1997

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gordon, K.W.; Munoz, A.; Scott, K.P.; Rinne, R.

    1997-11-01

    The Strategic Issues Thinking: 2020 Vision project introduces students and teaches to national security issues through the techniques of scenario building, and engages them in an interactive process of creating scenarios relevant to the Department of Energy, Defense Programs (DOE/DP). Starting with the world as it is today, teams of students develop a series of scenarios on international developments over the next 25 years under various circumstances. This report identifies recurrent themes in the student`s scenarios, lists creative ways the students presented their scenarios, compares and contrasts the program`s FY97 results with FY96 results, identifies the benefits of the program, and offers a glimpse of Sandia`s future plans for the 2020 Vision project.

  2. Gender and legitimacy in student project groups

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Gerd

    also found that some of the positive and negative characteristics were linked to the students due to their gender. Through the argument that female students talk too much or are having difficulty in coping with criticism, male students refused to cooperate with the female students. Conversely, the male...... students, who were few in the educations I studied, were quite in demand. For me it was very surprising to find these stereotypical perceptions and reasoning among young people in contemporary (and quite progressive) Danish educations. And the question is what it means for the students’ possibilities...... of completing their education. In my presentation I will unfold and discuss the ways in which the students attributed and disclaimed legitimacy to each other qua gender and thus how gender was linked to the relationship between inclusion and exclusion in the student project groups....

  3. Tales from the Dark Side: Teacher Professional Development , Support , Activities, Student Research & Presentations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, C. E.; Pompea, S. M.

    2013-12-01

    In a partnership last Spring with Arizona Public Service, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) created the 'Dark-Skies Energy Education Program: Energy Awareness for a Sustainable Future'. In this program, experienced science and technology education specialists from NOAO led 2 one-day professional development workshops for thirteen 6th grade teachers on dark skies and energy education. The workshops focused on three foundational, scaffolding activities and a final student research project. This in turn culminated in a Family Science Night where students presented their projects. In between these events, our NOAO team provided support for teachers through real-time video conferencing using FaceTime. In addition to the professional development, each teacher received a kit full of resource materials to perform the activities and research project. The kit was at no cost to the teacher, school, or district. Each kit contained the latest version of a tablet, which was used to facilitate communication and support for the teachers, as well as provide all the program's written teaching materials. The activities are in accordance with state, Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. Our NOAO instructors gave firsthand experiences on how best to use these materials in a classroom or public setting. They also discussed opportunities on how they can incorporate, adapt and expand upon the activities and research projects in the classroom. Evaluation reports from the program's independent evaluator showed that the students enjoyed learning from the three foundational activities and research projects. The project presentations by the Yuma students were outstanding in their creativity, level of effort, and scientific accuracy. To summarize the evaluations, significant changes in knowledge and attitude were made with the teachers and students (from one-on-one interviews and surveys), but behavioral changes (albeit only over a semester) seemed minimal. The AGU

  4. Campus Eco Tours: An Integrative & Interactive Field Project for Undergraduate Biology Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boes, Katie E.

    2013-01-01

    Outdoor areas within or near college campuses offer an opportunity for biology students to observe the natural world and apply concepts from class. Here, I describe an engaging and integrative project where undergraduate non-major biology students work in teams to develop and present professional "eco tours." This project takes place over multiple…

  5. Examining Thai high school students' developing STEM projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teenoi, Kultida; Siripun, Kulpatsorn; Yuenyong, Chokchai

    2018-01-01

    Like others, Thailand education strongly focused on STEM education. This paper aimed to examine existing Thai high school students' integrated knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in their developing science project. The participants included 49 high school students were studying the subject of individual study (IS) in Khon Kaen wittayayon school, Khon Kaen, Thailand. The IS was provided to gradually enhance students to know how to do science project starting from getting start to do science projects, They enrolled to study the individual study of science project for three year in roll. Methodology was qualitative research. Views of students' integrated knowledge about STEM were interpreted through participant observation, interview, and students' science projects. The first author as participant observation has taught this group of students for 3 years. It found that 16 science projects were developed. Views of students' integrated knowledge about STEM could be categorized into three categories. These included (1) completely indicated integration of knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, (2) partial indicated integration of knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and (3) no integration. The findings revealed that majority of science projects could be categorized as completely indicated integration of knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The paper suggested some ideas of enhancing students to applying STEM for developing science projects.

  6. Writing throughout the biochemistry curriculum: Synergistic inquiry-based writing projects for biochemistry students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mertz, Pamela; Streu, Craig

    2015-01-01

    This article describes a synergistic two-semester writing sequence for biochemistry courses. In the first semester, students select a putative protein and are tasked with researching their protein largely through bioinformatics resources. In the second semester, students develop original ideas and present them in the form of a research grant proposal. Both projects involve multiple drafts and peer review. The complementarity of the projects increases student exposure to bioinformatics and literature resources, fosters higher-order thinking skills, and develops teamwork and communication skills. Student feedback and responses on perception surveys demonstrated that the students viewed both projects as favorable learning experiences. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  7. Enhancing Student Learning through Scaffolded Client Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomlinson, Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    This article reports on the current status of client projects (CPs) in business communication courses, provides a scaffolded model for implementing CP, and assesses student learning in CPs. Using a longitudinal mixed method research design, survey data and qualitative materials from six semesters are presented. The instructor survey indicated need…

  8. STEM-related, Student-led Service Learning / Community Engagement Projects: Examples and Benefits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swap, R. J.; Wayland, K.

    2015-12-01

    Field-based, STEM-related service learning / community engagement projects present an opportunity for undergraduate students to demonstrate proficiencies related to the process of inquiry. These proficiencies include: appreciation of the larger project context, articulation of an informed question/hypothesis, project proposal development, interdisciplinary collaboration, project management (including planning, implementation reconfiguration and synthesis) and lastly the generation and handing off of acquired knowledge. Calls for these types of proficiencies have been expressed by governmental, non-governmental as well as the private sector. Accordingly, institutions of higher learning have viewed such activities as opportunities for enriching the learning experience for undergraduate students and for making such students more marketable, especially those from STEM-related fields. This institutional interest has provided an opportunity to support and expand field-based learning. Here we present examples of student-led/faculty-mentored international service learning and community engagement projects along the arc of preparation, implementation and post-field process. Representative examples that draw upon environmental science and engineering knowledge have been selected from more than 20 international undergraduate student projects over past decade and include: slow-sand water filtration, rainwater harvesting, methane biodigesters, water reticulation schemes and development and implementation of rocket stoves for communal cooking. We discuss these efforts in terms of the development of the aforementioned proficiencies, the utility of such proficiencies to the larger enterprise of STEM and the potential for transformative student learning outcomes. We share these experiences and lessons learned with the hope that others may intelligently borrow from our approach in a manner appropriate for their particular context.

  9. Student Attitudes Towards and Impressions of Project Citizen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Winstead FRY

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Project Citizen is a civic education curriculum used across the United States and internationally, yet research about its impact on students is lacking in the literature. This article reports the results of a preliminary study designed to answer the following questions: What are students’ attitudes toward and perceptions of Project Citizen? How do their attitudes and perceptions compare to those of students who completed senior projects? Tenhigh school students and 23 first-year college students completed a questionnaire designed for this study. Our findings indicate that the high school students had positive perceptions of Project Citizen, and they self-reported anunderstanding and high levels of efficacy regarding civic responsibility. In contrast, the first-year college students had lower levels of efficacy regarding civic responsibility. Our findings suggest the importance of specific learning experiences to help students develop civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and indicate the need for further research into civic programs such as Project Citizen

  10. Using the Apple iPad to facilitate student-led group work and seminar presentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Mark

    2014-08-01

    Mobile technology has become progressively more visible within the Higher Education learning environment, and is, in the author's experience, often used casually by students to support their learning. The project outlined within this paper examines the efficacy of using such technology (Apple iPad) more formally in facilitating increased levels of interaction and group cohesion within a series of tutorial sessions involving undergraduate nursing students (n = 24). For the purposes of the project, a tutorial group was created and facilitated in which the students undertook and fed back upon a series of specific iPad supported activities. Data was collected at the mid point and cessation of the project. The outcomes were most encouraging, and indicated that mobile computing platforms of this type may indeed help students to engage more fully with learning activities and materials, and as a corollary, increase student confidence with peer presentation and feedback. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Student Research Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeske, Lanny A.

    1998-01-01

    Numerous FY1998 student research projects were sponsored by the Mississippi State University Center for Air Sea Technology. This technical note describes these projects which include research on: (1) Graphical User Interfaces, (2) Master Environmental Library, (3) Database Management Systems, (4) Naval Interactive Data Analysis System, (5) Relocatable Modeling Environment, (6) Tidal Models, (7) Book Inventories, (8) System Analysis, (9) World Wide Web Development, (10) Virtual Data Warehouse, (11) Enterprise Information Explorer, (12) Equipment Inventories, (13) COADS, and (14) JavaScript Technology.

  12. Developing an online support tool to assist students in higher education with project proposals

    OpenAIRE

    Haji Suhaili, Wida Susanty

    2015-01-01

    The research presented in this thesis investigates ways to assist students with writing their project proposals. There is limited literature on the problems students have when writing project proposals in Higher Education. Particularly most of the literature has concentrated on the writing aspects, rhetorical aspects and structure of a scientific article. Even though various studies on assessment of undergraduate individual and group project works have been done, the project pr...

  13. CERN Summer Student Project Report – Simulation of the Micromegas Detector

    CERN Document Server

    Soares Ferreira Nunes Teixeira, Sofia Luisa

    2015-01-01

    My project during the Summer Student Programme at CERN consisted on simulations of the Micromegas (MM) detectors in order to test and characterize them in the presence of contamination by air of the gas mixture. The MM detectors were chosen for the upcoming upgrade of the ATLAS detector. The motivation for this project and the results obtained are here presented. Moreover, the work that should be carried out after this programme as a continuation of this project is also referred. To conclude, final considerations about the project are presented.

  14. Ergonomics work assessment in rural industrial settings: a student occupational therapy project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowman, Peter J

    2012-01-01

    This case study describes a student occupational therapy (OT) program, the creation of a worksite assessment project as a part of a Community Connections: Partners for Learning and Service grant funded by Health Resources and Services Administration. The primary goals were to design occupation-based community learning experiences in a variety of rural community settings, so that students might benefit from participating in the community based learning and: based on the results, embed occupation-based learning into existing occupational therapy curriculum. The components of the project and the ergonomics content of the OT education program are described; details of the work assessment are presented with analysis of data from the student evaluation of this project.

  15. The nuclear weapons inheritance project: student-to-student dialogues and interactive peer education in disarmament activism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buhmann, Caecilie Böck

    2007-01-01

    The Nuclear Weapons Inheritance Project is a student run and student initiated project founded in 2001 with the purpose of increasing awareness of health effects of nuclear policies and empowering university students to take action in a local and international context. The project uses dialogues to discuss nuclear disarmament with university students and a method of interactive peer education to train new trainers. The project has met more than 1500 students in nuclear weapon states in dialogue and trained about 400 students from all over the world. This article describes the methods and results of the project and discuss how the experience of the project can be used in other projects seeking to increase awareness of a topic and to initiate action on social injustice.

  16. Summer Student Report - Project Kryolize

    CERN Document Server

    Drozdowski, Pawel

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this document is to describe the work and results obtained by the author during his summer student internship at CERN. The author of this document was attached to the project Kryolize as a software developer, overtaking the job from a recently departed technical student.

  17. Creating Student Engagement: The Kickstarter Active Learning Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manzon, Elliott

    2017-01-01

    Students can become disengaged from marketing material if they cannot see the direct application. Marketing material needs to be applied to a meaningful business task to engage and motivate students. This article introduces the Kickstarter Active Learning Project--an innovative semester-long project in which students create a Kickstarter…

  18. Enhancing Teacher and Student Engagement and Understanding of Marine Science Through Classroom Citizen Science Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodale, T. A.

    2016-02-01

    Overview This paper presentation shares findings from a granted funded project that sought to expand teacher content knowledge and pedagogy within the fields of marine science and coastal resource management through the implementation of classroom citizen science projects. A secondary goal was to increase middle and high school student interest and participation in marine science and natural resources research. Background A local science & engineering fair has seen a rapid decline in secondary student participants in the past four years. Research has demonstrated that when students are a part of a system of knowledge production (citizen science) they become much more aware, involved and conscious of scientific concepts compared to traditional school laboratory and nature of science activities. This project's primary objectives were to: (a) enhance teacher content expertise in marine science, (b) enrich teacher professional learning, (c) support citizen science classroom projects and inspire student activism and marine science engagement. Methods Project goals were addressed through classroom and meaningful outdoor educational experiences that put content knowledge into field based practices. Teachers learned to apply thier expanded content knowlege through classroom citizen science projects that focus on marine resource conservation issues such as fisheries management, water quality, turtle nesting and biodiversity of coastal ecosystems. These projects would eventually become potential topics of citizen science research topics for their students to pursue. Upon completion of their professional development, participants were urged to establish student Marine Science clubs with the goal of mentoring student submissions into the local science fair. Supplemental awards were possible for the students of project participants. Findings Based on project measures participants significantly increased their knowledge and awareness of presented material marine science and

  19. Student project of optical system analysis API-library development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivanova, Tatiana; Zhukova, Tatiana; Dantcaranov, Ruslan; Romanova, Maria; Zhadin, Alexander; Ivanov, Vyacheslav; Kalinkina, Olga

    2017-08-01

    In the paper API-library software developed by students of Applied and Computer Optics Department (ITMO University) for optical system design is presented. The library performs paraxial and real ray tracing, calculates 3d order (Seidel) aberration and real ray aberration of axis and non-axis beams (wave, lateral, longitudinal, coma, distortion etc.) and finally, approximate wave aberration by Zernike polynomials. Real aperture can be calculated by considering of real rays tracing failure on each surface. So far we assume optical system is centered, with spherical or 2d order aspherical surfaces. Optical glasses can be set directly by refraction index or by dispersion coefficients. The library can be used for education or research purposes in optical system design area. It provides ready to use software functions for optical system simulation and analysis that developer can simply plug into their software development for different purposes, for example for some specific synthesis tasks or investigation of new optimization modes. In the paper we present an example of using the library for development of cemented doublet synthesis software based on Slusarev's methodology. The library is used in optical system optimization recipes course for deep studying of optimization model and its application for optical system design. Development of such software is an excellent experience for students and help to understanding optical image modeling and quality analysis. This development is organized as student group joint project. We try to organize it as a group in real research and development project, so each student has his own role in the project and then use whole library functionality in his own master or bachelor thesis. Working in such group gives students useful experience and opportunity to work as research and development engineer of scientific software in the future.

  20. Keynote presentation: Project Management, Technology and Evolving Work Processes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kampf, Constance Elizabeth

    not be used in the workplace when students graduate, but rather on the ”engine” of problem solving and communication strategies which drives projects and affects project success from the stakeholders point of view. Once students understand the engine, they are able to not only use software tools...... management documents looked like, but also how these documents are interconnected and work together to solve a problem. In addition, as they were in communication with a real client, they needed to work iteratively, ch anging their understanding of the problem, which in turn changed their options for solving...... the problem as well as planning and communicating the solution. This dynamic participation in problem solving helped students gain experience beyond recognition and reproduction  Campus Encounters – Bridging Learners Conference “Developing Competences for Next Generation Service Sectors” April 13–14, 2011...

  1. Students Perceptions of Excellence in Landscape Architecture Studio Projects: A UNSW Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda Corkery

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes an action-research project undertaken to explore teaching and learning in the design studio in the Faculty of the Built Environment (FBE, University of New South Wales, Sydney. The research project involved three undergraduate design programmes (architecture, interior architecture and landscape architecture within the FBE, however this paper will focus only on the findings related to the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLArch programme. The studio is at the core of the design-based curriculum for the landscape architecture degree. This setting nurtures and encourages students to demonstrate a range of capabilities and attributes expected in professional practice. Design projects are complex, integrated assessment tasks. While design teachers use criteria to assess knowledge and skills, students often feel the judgement of overall design project excellence is based on subjective interpretation. There is also concern about the effectiveness of design teaching across the studios. Specifically, the study identified students' perceptions of what constitutes the mark of High Distinction (HD and characteristics of the ideal design teacher. This paper does not present a discourse analysis of the theoretical framework and concepts of the research project. That material is presented in previous and subsequent publications (Corkery et al, 2003.

  2. Teaching Cell Biology to Dental Students with a Project-Based Learning Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa-Silva, Daniela; Côrtes, Juliana A; Bachinski, Rober F; Spiegel, Carolina N; Alves, Gutemberg G

    2018-03-01

    Although the discipline of cell biology (CB) is part of the curricula of predoctoral dental schools, students often fail to recognize its practical relevance. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a practical-theoretical project-based course in closing the gaps among CB, scientific research, and dentistry for dental students. A project-based learning course was developed with nine sequential lessons to evaluate 108 undergraduate dental students enrolled in CB classes of a Brazilian school of dentistry during 2013-16. To highlight the relevance of in vitro studies in the preclinical evaluation of dental materials at the cellular level, the students were challenged to complete the process of drafting a protocol and performing a cytocompatibility assay for a bone substitute used in dentistry. Class activities included small group discussions, scientific database search and article presentations, protocol development, lab experimentation, and writing of a final scientific report. A control group of 31 students attended only one laboratory class on the same theme, and the final reports were compared between the two groups. The results showed that the project-based learning students had superior outcomes in acknowledging the relevance of in vitro methods during biocompatibility testing. Moreover, they produced scientifically sound reports with more content on methodological issues, the relationship with dentistry, and the scientific literature than the control group (p<0.05). The project-based learning students also recognized a higher relevance of scientific research and CB to dental practice. These results suggest that a project-based approach can help contextualize scientific research in dental curricula.

  3. Reflections: Improving Medical Students' Presentation Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarkowski, Radoslaw

    2017-12-01

    Both good communication and presentation skills on the part of an academic teacher are crucial when trying to generate students' interest in the subject of a lecture. More generally, our task is to share knowledge in the most effective way possible. It is also worth teaching students presentation skills, as today's students are tomorrow's teachers. An engaging presentation is a powerful tool. There are some rules for presenting which I consider worthy of being discussed and taught at a medical university.

  4. What Do College Students, Young Families, and Empty Nesters Want in a Car? A Market Segmentation and Marketing Mix Project for Introduction to Marketing Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bristow, Dennis; Gulati, Rajesh; Schneider, Kenneth C.

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents the details of a student project used in introduction to marketing courses. The project is designed to involve students in the application of survey research to generate data used to make a series of marketing management decisions. Students collect data from three different segments of the car buying market and make product,…

  5. EDITORIAL: Student undergraduate laboratory and project work

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schumacher, Dieter

    2007-05-01

    During the last decade 'labwork' courses at university level have changed significantly. The beginning of this development was indicated and partly initiated by the EU-project 'Labwork in Science Education' funded by the European Community (1999-2001). The present special issue of the European Journal of Physics focuses on a multitude of different aspects of this process. The aim of this publication is to improve the exchange of experience and to promote this important trend. In physics research labs a silent revolution has taken place. Today the personal computer is omnipresent. It controls the experiment via stepping motors, piezo-microdrives etc, it monitors all parameters and collects the experimental data with the help of smart sensors. In particular, computer-based modern scanning and imaging techniques open the possibility of creating really new types of experiments. The computer allows data storage and processing on the one hand and simulation and modelling on the other. These processes occur in parallel or may even be interwoven. The web plays an important role in modern science for inquiry, communication, cooperation and publication. Traditional labwork courses do not prepare students for the many resulting demands. Therefore it is necessary to redefine the learning targets and to reconsider the learning methods. Two contributions show exemplarily how modern experimental devices could find their way into students' labs. In the article 'Infrared thermal imaging as a tool in university physics education' by Klaus-Peter Möllmann and Michael Vollmer we can see that infrared thermal imaging is a valuable tool in physics education at university level. It can help to visualize and thereby enhance understanding of physical phenomena of mechanics, thermal physics, electromagnetism, optics and radiation physics. The contribution 'Using Peltier cells to study solid-liquid-vapor transitions and supercooling' by Giacomo Torzo, Isabella Soletta and Mario Branca proves

  6. The Impact of Student-Directed Projects in Introductory Statistics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spence, Dianna J.; Bailey, Brad; Sharp, Julia L.

    2017-01-01

    A multi-year study investigated the impact of incorporating student-directed discovery projects into introductory statistics courses. Pilot instructors at institutions across the United States taught statistics implementing student-directed projects with the help of a common set of instructional materials designed to facilitate such projects.…

  7. Teacher and Student Intrinsic Motivation in Project-Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Shui-fong; Cheng, Rebecca Wing-yi; Ma, William Y. K.

    2009-01-01

    In this study we examined the relationship between teacher and student intrinsic motivation in project-based learning. The participants were 126 Hong Kong secondary school teachers and their 631 students who completed evaluation questionnaires after a semester-long project-based learning program. Both teachers and students were asked to indicate…

  8. MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS FOR SECOND YEAR CHEMICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MARWAN M. SHAMEL

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available In the second semester of the second year of a Mechanical Engineering course, students are supposed to take a Module Outside the Main Discipline (MOMD. This module is chosen to be “Product Design Exercise” a module that is offered to Chemical Engineering students at the same stage. The aim was to expose students from both disciplines to an environment in which they are encouraged to interact with and engage team members with a relatively different background. The students were divided into eight groups all comprised of Chemical and Mechanical Engineering students, and they were offered different open-ended projects that were selected to exploit the knowledge developed by the students thus far and they were slightly skewed towards Chemical Engineering. The students demonstrated a high level of cooperation and motivation throughout the period of the project. Effective communication and closing of knowledge gaps were prevalent. At the end of the project period, students produced a journal paper in lieu of the project report.

  9. Coupled rolling motion: a student project in non-holonomic mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Janova, Jitka; Musilova, Jana; Bartos, JirI

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents an original undergraduate student project in theoretical mechanics: a demonstration of theory and experiment agreement inspired by a recently theoretically treated mechanical problem of coupled rolling motion of two cylinders. The problem of a mechanical system subjected to non-holonomic constraints is theoretically and numerically solved. Subsequently, the solution is quantitatively verified by a simple and inexpensive experiment, originally proposed and constructed by the authors. The comparison of results of the theoretical study with experimental output shows that there are instruments to directly verify rather abstract mathematical theories even on the undergraduate level. Moreover, combining the theoretical description of the problem with an appropriate laboratory experiment and computational procedures gives students a more complex view of the physical problem as a whole. This paper can be used by physics teachers on the undergraduate university level as an inspiration for an interesting student project. Moreover, the theoretical part of this paper itself can be used by interested intermediate students themselves as a good exercise in theoretical mechanics.

  10. Student perceptions of writing projects in a university differential-equations course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latulippe, Christine; Latulippe, Joe

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study surveyed 102 differential-equations students in order to investigate how students participating in writing projects in university-level mathematics courses perceive the benefits of writing in the mathematics classroom. Based on previous literature on writing in mathematics, students were asked specifically about the benefits of writing projects as a means to explore practical uses of mathematics, deepen content knowledge, and strengthen communication. Student responses indicated an awareness of these benefits, supporting justifications commonly cited by instructors assigning writing projects. Open-ended survey responses highlighted additional themes which students associated with writing in mathematics, including using software programs and technology, working in groups, and stimulating interest in mathematics. This study provides student feedback to support the use of writing projects in mathematics, as well as student input, which can be utilized to strengthen the impact of writing projects in mathematics.

  11. Interdisciplinary project-based learning: technology for improving student cognition

    OpenAIRE

    Natalia Stozhko; Boris Bortnik; Ludmila Mironova; Albina Tchernysheva; Ekaterina Podshivalova

    2015-01-01

    The article studies a way of enhancing student cognition by using interdisciplinary project-based learning (IPBL) in a higher education institution. IPBL is a creative pedagogic approach allowing students of one area of specialisation to develop projects for students with different academic profiles. The application of this approach in the Ural State University of Economics resulted in a computer-assisted learning system (CALS) designed by IT students. The CALS was used in an analytical chemi...

  12. Preparing TESOL Students for the ESOL Classroom: A Cross-Cultural Project in Intercultural Communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medina-López-Portillo, Adriana

    2014-01-01

    Intercultural communication classes for TESOL students give them a solid foundation for their work with their own ESOL students. This article presents the cross-cultural project that TESOL students have to complete in a required intercultural communication class at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the case study that was used to…

  13. Student Projects as a Funding Source

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henson, Kerry L.

    2010-01-01

    Prompted by restricted funding for a lab which supported student software development work on real-world projects, a contribution program was established to facilitate monetary support from the external clients. The paper explores the relationships between instructor, students and client and how a funding component can affect these ties.…

  14. Student-Designed Service-Learning Projects in an Undergraduate Neurobiology Course

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katharine V. Northcutt

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available One of the challenges in teaching a service-learning course is obtaining student buy-in from all students in the course. To circumvent this problem, I have let students in my undergraduate Neurobiology course design their own service-learning projects at the beginning of the semester. Although this can be chaotic because it requires last-minute planning, I have made it successful through facilitating student communication in the classroom, requiring thorough project proposals, meeting with students regularly, and monitoring group progress through written reflection papers. Most of my students have strong opinions about the types of projects that they want to carry out, and many students have used connections that they have already made with local organizations. Almost all projects that students have designed to this point involve teaching basic concepts of neurobiology to children of various ages while simultaneously sparking their interest in science. Through taking ownership of the project and designing it such that it works well with their strengths, interests, and weekly schedule, students have become more engaged in service learning and view it as a valuable experience. Despite some class time being shifted away from more traditional assignments, students have performed equally well in the course, and they are more eager to talk with others about course concepts. Furthermore, the feedback that I have received from community partners has been excellent, and some students have maintained their work with the organizations.

  15. Project PEACH at UCLH: Student Projects in Healthcare Computing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramachandran, Navin; Mohamedally, Dean; Taylor, Paul

    2017-01-01

    A collaboration between clinicians at UCLH and the Dept of Computer Science at UCL is giving students of computer science the opportunity to undertake real healthcare computing projects as part of their education. This is enabling the creation of a significant research computing platform within the Trust, based on open source components and hosted in the cloud, while providing a large group of students with experience of the specific challenges of health IT.

  16. Presentation of a Swedish study program concerning recruitment, selection and training of student air traffic controllers: The MRU project phase 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haglund, Rune

    1994-01-01

    The Director of the ANS Department has set up an objective for the efficiency of screening and training procedures for air traffic controller students which implies that all students admitted 'shall be considered to have the qualification for - and be given the means of - completing the training'. As a consequence, a study project has been established. It is run by the ANS Department with members from the Swedish CAA, in close cooperation with Uppsala University.

  17. Graduate Student Project: Operations Management Product Plan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fish, Lynn

    2007-01-01

    An operations management product project is an effective instructional technique that fills a void in current operations management literature in product planning. More than 94.1% of 286 graduates favored the project as a learning tool, and results demonstrate the significant impact the project had in predicting student performance. The author…

  18. Electronic Resources Management Project Presentation 2012

    KAUST Repository

    Ramli, Rindra M.

    2012-01-01

    This presentation describes the electronic resources management project undertaken by the KAUST library. The objectives of this project is to migrate information from MS Sharepoint to Millennium ERM module. One of the advantages of this migration

  19. Curricular Goals and Personal Goals in Master's Thesis Projects: Dutch Student-Supervisor Dyads

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Kleijn, Renske A. M.; Meijer, Paulien C.; Brekelmans, Mieke; Pilot, Albert

    2013-01-01

    To be effective, feedback should be goal-related. In order to better understand goal-related feedback in Master's thesis projects, the present study explores the goals of supervisors and students in supervision dyads and similarities and differences within and between these dyads. Twelve supervisors and students were interviewed, and their goals…

  20. CERN Summer Student Project Report

    CERN Document Server

    Parton, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    My Summer Student project was divided between two areas: work on Thin Gap Chamber (TGC) Level-1 muon triggers for the ATLAS experiment, and data acquisition (DAQ) for an RPC muon detector at the Gamma Irradiation Facility (GIF++)

  1. Students' Presentations: Does the Experience Change Their Views?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sander, Paul; Sanders, Lalage

    2005-01-01

    Introduction: Research has shown that students do not like student presentations, yet a case can be made for them. This study seeks to understand the effects that presentations have on students. Method: Within an action research framework, two repeated-measures studies were completed, one with students undertaking assessed presentations the other…

  2. Watershed Watch: Using undergraduate student-driven inquiry-based research projects as a means of engaging undeclared students in the biogeosciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rock, B. N.; Hale, S.; Graham, K.; Hayden, L. B.

    2009-12-01

    Watershed Watch (NSF 0525433) engages early undergraduate students from two-year and four-year colleges in student-driven full inquiry-based instruction in the biogeosciences. Program goals for Watershed Watch are to test if inquiry-rich student-driven projects sufficiently engage undeclared students (or noncommittal STEM majors) to declare a STEM major (or remain with their STEM major). The program is a partnership between two four-year campuses - the University of New Hampshire (UNH), and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU, in North Carolina); and two two-year campuses - Great Bay Community College (GBCC, in New Hampshire) and the College of the Albemarle (COA, in North Carolina). The program focuses on two watersheds: the Merrimack Ricer Watershed in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and the Pasquotank River Watershed in Virginia and North Carolina. Both the terrestrial and aquatic components of both watersheds are evaluated using the student-driven projects. A significant component of this program is an intensive two-week Summer Research Institute (SRI), in which undeclared freshmen and sophomores investigate various aspects of their local watershed. Two Summer Research Institutes have been held on the UNH campus (2006 and 2008) and two on the ECSU campus (2007 and 2009). Students develop their own research questions and study design, collect and analyze data, and produce a scientific oral or poster presentation on the last day of the SRI. The course objectives, curriculum and schedule are presented as a model for dissemination for other institutions and programs seeking to develop inquiry-rich programs or courses designed to attract students into biogeoscience disciplines. Data from self-reported student feedback indicate the most important factors explaining high-levels of student motivation and research excellence in the program are: 1) working with committed, energetic, and enthusiastic faculty mentors, and 2) faculty mentors demonstrating high degrees of

  3. The influence of social style in evaluating academic presentations of engineering projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hector Ortiz

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available An individual’s social style is determined by behavioral patterns in the interactions with their peers. Some studies suggest that social style may influence the way in which an individual’s performance is evaluated. We studied the effects that speakers’ and evaluators’ social styles have on the marks given for end-of-term presentations in a project engineering master’s course. The participants completed a self-evaluation exercise that classified their social styles into one of four categories: Driver, expressive, analytical, or amiable. Students individually rated the content and appearance of their classmates’ presentations. A statistical analysis of these scores revealed that the speaker’s social style had a significant effect on the marks received for content and appearance. The evaluator’s social style also demonstrated a statistically significant effect on the marks given for appearance, though not for content. Students with expressive social style received the highest scores, while the analytical style received the lowest scores. These results reiterate the necessity to train students as evaluators in order to reduce bias when evaluating their classmates and co-workers during their academic and professional careers.

  4. Student and Faculty Outcomes of Undergraduate Science Research Projects by Geographically Dispersed Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Lawton; Kennepohl, Dietmar

    2013-01-01

    Senior undergraduate research projects are important components of most undergraduate science degrees. The delivery of such projects in a distance education format is challenging. Athabasca University (AU) science project courses allow distance education students to complete research project courses by working with research supervisors in their…

  5. [Implementation of the eLearning project NESTOR. A network for students in traumatology and orthopedics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Back, D A; Haberstroh, N; Hoff, E; Plener, J; Haas, N P; Perka, C; Schmidmaier, G

    2012-01-01

    Modern internet-based information technologies offer great possibilities to create and improve teaching methods for students. The eLearning tool NESTOR (Network for Students in Traumatology and Orthopedics) presented here was designed to complement the existing clinical teaching in orthopedics and traumatology at the Charité, University Medicine Berlin. Using a learning management system, videos, podcasts, X-ray diagnosis, virtual patients, tests and further tools for learning and study information were combined. After implementation the eLearning project was evaluated by students. The NESTOR project offers various possibilities for knowledge acquisition. Students using the program voluntarily showed a high acceptance whereby 82.4% were very satisfied with the contents offered and 95.3% supported the idea of a future use of NESTOR in teaching. The blended learning approach was positively evaluated by 93.5% of the students. The project received the eLearning seal of quality of the Charité University Medicine Berlin. Using complex eLearning tools, such as the NESTOR project represents a contemporary teaching approach in the teaching of traumatology and orthopedics and should be offered in a blended learning context as they are well accepted by students.

  6. Student Project and Curriculum Based on Light at Night Data Collection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Craine, Erin M.; DeBenedetti, Jennifer C.

    2012-05-01

    There is a growing movement in the educational field to promote science, technology, engineering and math studies, stemming from a concern about waning understanding and interest among K-12 students in these topics. STEM Laboratory, Inc. (STEM) has developed a Sky Brightness Meter (SBM) that can be used with ease yet produces complex information relating to light at night monitoring. STEM sees the SBM and its corresponding data archive as a means to involve students in projects that relate to scientific method exploration, makes science more accessible, and encourages a life long appreciation and understanding of scientific endeavors. In this paper we present an example of a project template that could be used by students studying effects of artificial light on sky brightness. STEM has developed several outreach lessons aligned with the National Common Core Curriculum, Systems Thinking concepts and local standards to be implemented in classrooms or independent youth organizations.

  7. Implementation of a project-based engineering school: increasing student motivation and relevant learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terrón-López, María-José; García-García, María-José; Velasco-Quintana, Paloma-Julia; Ocampo, Jared; Vigil Montaño, María-Reyes; Gaya-López, María-Cruz

    2017-11-01

    The School of Engineering at Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM) implemented, starting in the 2012-2013 period, a unified academic model based on project-based learning as the methodology used throughout the entire School. This model expects that every year, in each grade, all the students should participate in a capstone project integrating the contents and competencies of several courses. This paper presents the academic context under which this experience has been implemented, and a summary of the work done to design and implement the Project-Based Engineering School at the UEM. The steps followed, the structure used, some sample projects, as well as the difficulties and benefits of implementing the programme are discussed in this paper. The results are encouraging as students are more motivated and the initial set objectives were accomplished.

  8. Project Magnify: Increasing Reading Skills in Students with Low Vision

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farmer, Jeanie; Morse, Stephen E.

    2007-01-01

    Modeled after Project PAVE (Corn et al., 2003) in Tennessee, Project Magnify is designed to test the idea that students with low vision who use individually prescribed magnification devices for reading will perform as well as or better than students with low vision who use large-print reading materials. Sixteen students with low vision were…

  9. A Large Scale Problem Based Learning inter-European Student Satellite Construction Project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jens Frederik Dalsgaard; Alminde, Lars; Bisgaard, Morten

    2006-01-01

    that electronic communication technology was vital within the project. Additionally the SSETI EXPRESS project implied the following problems it didn’t fit to a standard semester - 18 months for the satellite project compared to 5/6 months for a “normal” semester project. difficulties in integrating the tasks......A LARGE SCALE PROBLEM BASED LEARNING INTER-EUROPEAN STUDENT SATELLITE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT This paper describes the pedagogical outcome of a large scale PBL experiment. ESA (European Space Agency) Education Office launched January 2004 an ambitious project: Let students from all over Europe build....... The satellite was successfully launched on October 27th 2005 (http://www.express.space.aau.dk). The project was a student driven project with student project responsibility adding at lot of international experiences and project management skills to the outcome of more traditional one semester, single group...

  10. Engaging students in astronomy and spectroscopy through Project SPECTRA!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, E. L.

    2011-12-01

    Computer simulations for minds-on learning with "Project Spectra!" How do we gain information about the Sun? How do we know Mars has CO2 or that Enceladus has H2O geysers? How do we use light in astronomy? These concepts are something students and educators struggle with because they are abstract. Using simulations and computer interactives (games) where students experience and manipulate the information makes concepts accessible. Visualizing lessons with multi-media solidifies understanding and retention of knowledge and is completely unlike its paper-and-pencil counterpart. Visualizations also enable teachers to forgo purchasing expensive laboratory equipment. "Project Spectra!" is a science and engineering program that uses computer-based Flash interactives to expose students to astronomical spectroscopy and actual data in a way that is not possible with traditional in-class activities. To engage students in "Project Spectra!", students are given a mission, which connects them with the research at hand. Missions range from exploring remote planetary atmospheres and surfaces, experimenting with the Sun using different filters, or analyzing the soil of a remote planet. Additionally, students have an opportunity to learn about NASA missions, view movies, and see images connected with their mission, which is something that is not practical to do during a typical paper-and-pencil activity. Since students can choose what to watch and explore, the interactives accommodate a broad range of learning styles. Students can go back and forth through the interactives if they've missed a concept or wish to view something again. In the end, students are asked critical thinking questions and conduct web-based research. These interactives complement in-class Project SPECTRA! activities exploring applications of the electromagnetic spectrum.

  11. Supporting research projects via student workshops

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marschall, Max; Schmeck, Michel; Gengnagel, Christoph

    2016-01-01

    As part of a joint research project between the Centre for Information Technology and Architecture (CITA) and te Department for Structural Design and Technology (KET), a one week student workshop was organised at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (KADK) in Copenhagen. This paper outlines...... the teaching methods applied to reach maximum insight from student interaction, despite the unfamiliarity the students had with the research matter: physical and numeric form-finding for lightweight hybrid structures. Hybrid structures are defined here as combining different components of low stiffness...

  12. Problem-Based and Project-Based Learning in Engineering and Medicine: Determinants of Students' Engagement and Persistence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bédard, Denis; Lison, Christelle; Dalle, Daniel; Côté, Daniel; Boutin, Noël

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents results of a study conducted with undergraduate students involved in either problem- or project-based curricula (Medicine and Engineering, respectively) at the Université de Sherbrooke, Canada. The objective of the present research was to measure the impact of these innovative curricula on students' engagement and persistence…

  13. Student-to-Scientist (S2S) via the PACA Project: Connecting Astronomers, Educators and Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yanamandra-Fisher, P. A.

    2015-12-01

    Student to Scientist (S2S), provides pathways for observational and research tools for K-12 and undergraduate students to improve science proficiency through conducting real scientific observations. Our approach lies in the integration of professional and amateur astronomers, educators, students, and communicators to identify multiple paths for the student to become a scientist. I report on the ensuing project, also known as the PACA Project, which is an ecosystem of various activities that take advantage of the social media and immediate connectivity amongst amateur astronomers worldwide and that can be galvanized to participate in a given observing campaign. The PACA Project has participated in organized campaigns such as NASA Comet ISON Observing Campaign in 2013; NASA Comet Integrated Observations Campaign to observe Comet Siding Spring as it flew by very close to Mars on 19 October 2014. Currently the PACA Project is involved in the Ground-based Amateur campaign to observer ESA/Rosetta mission's target, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (CG) that is en route to its perihelion on 13 August 2015 (at the time of abstract submission). The PACA Project provides access to the professional community and the student/educator and informal/public communities via various social media like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest, Vimeo, Google+. With the popularity of mobile platforms and instant connections with other peers globally, the multi-faceted social universe has become a vital part of engagement of multiple communities. The PACA project currently has initiated a Comet Tails and Disconnection Events campaign to relate to the changing solar wind conditions. Other PACA projects include Saturn Solstice 2017 and outreach projects with Astroproject (India). These and other citizen-science enabled activities and their integration with S2S project will be discussed.

  14. Project-Based Learning and Design-Focused Projects to Motivate Secondary Mathematics Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remijan, Kelly W.

    2017-01-01

    This article illustrates how mathematics teachers can develop design-focused projects, related to project-based learning, to motivate secondary mathematics students. With first-hand experience as a secondary mathematics teacher, I provide a series of steps related to the engineering design process, which are helpful to teachers in developing…

  15. Inspiring students through an authentic polar science expedition: the RESEt Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cattadori, Matteo

    2016-04-01

    RESEt (Research and Education Svalbard Experience www.resetsvalbard.it) is an ongoing educational project focusing mainly on polar and climate system topics. It started in 2014 and will end in 2017 with the high school diploma of the 22 students (16 y. o.) making the participant class. This class attend a school (Liceo Filzi, Rovereto, Trento. Italy) with a primary focus on disciplines like philosophy and education, rather then STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Nevertheless their science curricula include climate topics that are rather challenging to grasp and, at the same time, crucial for their scientific citizenship. Some questions arise: How to foster their interest in geosciences topics? How to engage them in authentic scientific knowledge? How to increase their interest in scientific university courses during their post-secondary career? RESEt project will attempt to answer these questions through the development of integrated activities distributed over the last three years of their high school cycle. The most important moment will be an educational scientific expedition at the Svalbard, an archipelago located in the Arctic. The expedition be entirely organized, planned, and directed by students. In Svalbard, students will visit the main scientific facilities devoted to climate studies including those of Italian CNR (National Research Council) and they will perform some environmental measurement using data-loggers. Students are even involved in the fundraising process to raise more than ten thousand Euros needed to for travel expenses. This work is aimed mainly at presenting some of the preliminary data collected during the RESEt project, including the fundraising aspects. The management of the RESEt project strongly relies on the experience and network gained by the abstract author during the participation to the Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program of International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2009 as well as the support of Polar

  16. Electronic Resources Management Project Presentation 2012

    KAUST Repository

    Ramli, Rindra M.

    2012-11-05

    This presentation describes the electronic resources management project undertaken by the KAUST library. The objectives of this project is to migrate information from MS Sharepoint to Millennium ERM module. One of the advantages of this migration is to consolidate all electronic resources into a single and centralized location. This would allow for better information sharing among library staff.

  17. Creating a Project-Based Learning Environment to Improve Project Management Skills of Graduate Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arantes do Amaral, Joao Alberto; Gonçalves, Paulo; Hess, Aurélio

    2015-01-01

    This article describes the project-based learning environment created to support project management graduate courses. The paper will focus on the learning context and procedures followed for 13 years, in 47 project-based learning MBA courses, involving approximately 1,400 students and 34 community partners.

  18. Graduate Student Project: Employer Operations Management Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fish, Lynn A.

    2008-01-01

    Part-time graduate students at an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited college complete a unique project by applying operations management concepts to their current employer. More than 92% of 368 graduates indicated that this experiential project was a positive learning experience, and results show a positive impact on…

  19. Debunking Myths: The B.C. Student Transitions Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaber, Devron; Heslop, Joanne

    2009-01-01

    British Colombia's Student Transitions Project (STP) is challenging long-held myths about the movement of students through the education system in that province and may become a catalyst for re-examining commonly held ideas about students' transition to post-secondary education across the country. The STP is a collaborative effort among B.C.'s…

  20. Cinemeducation: A pilot student project using movies to help students learn medical professionalism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lumlertgul, Nuttha; Kijpaisalratana, Naruchorn; Pityaratstian, Nuttorn; Wangsaturaka, Danai

    2009-07-01

    Using movies has been accepted worldwide as a tool to help students learn medical professionalism. In the second year, a group of medical students conducted the "Cinemeducation" project to promote professionalism in the "Medical Ethics and Critical Thinking" course. Five movies with professionalism issues were screened with 20-30 students attending each session. After the show, participants then were asked to reflect on what they had learned in terms of professionalism. Two students led group discussion emphasizing questioning and argumentation for 60 min. Additional learning issues emerging from each session were also explored in more depth and arranged into a report. In the Cinemeducation Project, medical students have learned five main ethical issues in each film, which were the doctor-patient relationship, informed consent and clinical trials in patients, management of genetic disorders, patient management, and brain death and organ transplantation. In addition to issues of professionalism, they also developed critical thinking and moral reasoning skills. Using a case-based scenario in movies has proven to be an effective and entertaining method of facilitating students with learning on professionalism.

  1. Students' Perceptions of Life Skill Development in Project-Based Learning Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Kimberly; Wurdinger, Scott

    2016-01-01

    This research aimed to examine students' perceptions of their life skills while attending project-based learning (PBL) schools. The study focused on three questions including: (1) What are students' perceptions of their development of life skills in project-based learning schools?; (2) In what ways, if any, do students perceive an increase in…

  2. University of Colorado CubeSat Student Projects as Successful Model for Teaching Students about Engineering Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palo, S. E.; Li, X.; Woods, T. N.; Kohnert, R.

    2014-12-01

    There is a long history of cooperation between students at the University of Colorado, Boulder and professional engineers and scientists at LASP, which has led to many successful space missions with direct student involvement. The recent student-led missions include the Student Nitric Oxide Explorer (SNOE, 1998 - 2002), the Student Dust Counter (SDC) on New Horizons (2006 - present), the Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment (CSSWE), being a very successful NSF CubeSat that launched in September 2012, and the NASA Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSat (launch will be in early 2015). Students are involved in all aspects of the design, and they experience the full scope of the mission process from concept, to fabrication and test, and mission operations. A significant part of the student involvement in the CubeSat projects is gained by using the CubeSat development as a focal point for an existing two-semester course sequence in CU's Aerospace Engineering Sciences (AES) Department: the Space Hardware Design section of Graduate Projects I & II (ASEN 5018 & ASEN 6028). The goal of these courses is to teach graduate students how to design and build systems using a requirement-based approach and fundamental systems engineering practices. The two-semester sequence takes teams of about 15 students from requirements definition and preliminary design through manufacturing, integration, and testing. In addition to the design process, students learn key professional skills such as working effectively in groups, finding solutions to open-ended problems, and actually building a system to their own set of specifications. The partnership between AES and LASP allows us to include engineering professionals in the mix, thus more effectively training science and engineering students for future roles in the civilian or commercial space industry. The mentoring process with LASP engineers helps to mitigate risk of the inexperience of the students and ensures consistent

  3. Recruiting first generation college students into the Geosciences: Alaska's EDGE project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prakash, A.; Connor, C.

    2008-12-01

    Funded in 2005-2008, by the National Science Foundation's Geoscience Education Division, the Experiential Discoveries in Geoscience Education (EDGE) project was designed to use glacier and watershed field experiences as venues for geospatial data collected by Alaska's grade 6-12 middle and high school teachers and their students. EDGE participants were trained in GIS and learned to analyze geospatial data to answer questions about the warming Alaska environment and to determine rates of ongoing glacier recession. Important emphasis of the program was the recruitment of Alaska Native students of Inupiat, Yup'ik, Athabascan, and Tlingit populations, living in both rural and urban areas around the state. Twelve of Alaska's 55 school districts have participated in the EDGE program. To engage EDGE students in the practice of scientific inquiry, each was required to carry out a semester scale research project using georeferenced data, guided by their EDGE teacher and mentor. Across Alaska students investigated several Earth systems processes including freezing conditions of lake ice; the changes in water quality in storm drains after rainfall events; movements of moose, bears, and bison across Alaskan landscapes; changes in permafrost depth in western Alaska; and the response of migrating waterfowl to these permafrost changes. Students correlated the substrate beneath their schools with known earthquake intensities; measured cutbank and coastal erosion on northern rivers and southeastern shorelines; tracked salmon infiltration of flooded logging roads; noted the changing behavior of eagles during late winter salmon runs; located good areas for the use of tidal power for energy production; tracked the extent and range of invasive plant species with warming; and the change of forests following deglaciation. Each cohort of EDGE students and teachers finished the program by attended a 3-day EDGE symposium at which students presented their research projects first in a

  4. Urban High School Student Engagement through CincySTEM iTEST Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beckett, Gulbahar H.; Hemmings, Annette; Maltbie, Catherine; Wright, Kathy; Sherman, Melissa; Sersion, Brian

    2016-01-01

    This paper focuses on the notable heightening of underrepresented students' engagement in STEM education through project-based learning CincySTEM iTEST projects. The projects, funded by an iTEST NSF grant, were designed and facilitated by teachers at a new STEM urban public high school serving low-income African-American students. Student…

  5. DOE/Project SEED student scholars partnership. Final report, June 7, 1994--April 27, 1995

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-06-13

    Project SEED is an innovative career development activity administered by ACS for economically disadvantaged high school students. SEED students spend 10 weeks during the summer in an academic, industrial, or governmental research laboratory working under the supervision of a researcher. Intent is to attempt to overcome obstacles which have excluded the economically disadvantaged from professional careers. Students are required to prepare a technical summary, give presentations to their sponsoring groups, and design and display a poster session. Each student also completed a pre- and post-program survey.

  6. Studies in Teaching 1999 Research Digest. Research Projects Presented at Annual Research Forum (Winston-Salem, North Carolina, December 1999).

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCoy, Leah P., Ed.

    This publication presents a collection of research projects presented at the Annual Research Forum at Wake Forest University: "The Use of Group Work as an Effective Teaching Technique in Lower Level Spanish Classes" (James Blackburn); "What Are the Real Factors behind Student Motivation?" (Matthew Grey Burdick); "Can…

  7. The Effects of an Experiential Service-Learning Project on Residential Interior Design Students' Attitudes toward Design and Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomez-Lanier, Lilia

    2016-01-01

    This mixed research methods study explores whether project-based service-learning projects promote greater learning than standard project-based projects and whether introduced earlier into the curriculum promotes a greater student understanding of the world issues affecting their community. The present study focused on comparing sophomore and…

  8. University-Level Research Projects for High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    McConnell, Mark L.

    2000-01-01

    The goal of this project was to provide an opportunity for high school students to participate in university-level research projects. In this case, students from Pinkerton Academy (Derry, New Hampshire) were invited to participate in efforts to catalog data from the COMPTEL experiment on NASA's Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO). These activities were part of a senior level honors course at Pinkerton. Although the success of this particular program was rather limited, we feel that the general concept is a sound one. In principle, the concept of partnerships between local schools and university researchers is one that could be especially attractive to soft money researchers. Programs can be carefully designed to benefit both the students and the research program.

  9. Microbial Murders Crime Scene Investigation: An Active Team-Based Learning Project that Enhances Student Enthusiasm and Comprehension of Clinical Microbial Pathogens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steel, J Jordan

    2017-01-01

    Microbial disease knowledge is a critical component of microbiology courses and is beneficial for many students' future careers. Microbiology courses traditionally cover core concepts through lectures and labs, but specific instruction on microbial diseases varies greatly depending on the instructor and course. A common project involves students researching and presenting a disease to the class. This method alone is not very effective, and course evaluations have consistently indicated that students felt they lacked adequate disease knowledge; therefore, a more hands-on and interactive disease project was developed called Microbial Murders. For this team-based project, a group of students chooses a pathogen, researches the disease, creates a "mugshot" of the pathogen, and develops a corresponding "crime scene," where a hypothetical patient has died from the microbe. Each group gives a presentation introducing the microbial pathogen, signs/symptoms, treatments, and overall characteristics. The students then visit each other's crime scenes to match the pathogen with the correct crime scene by critically thinking through the clues. This project has shown remarkable success. Surveys indicate that 73% of students thought the project helped them understand the material and 84% said it was worth their time. Student participation, excitement, understanding, and application of microbial disease knowledge have increased and are evident through an increase in course evaluations and in student assessment scores. This project is easy to implement and can be used in a wide variety of biology, microbiology, or health classes for any level (middle school through college).

  10. Student experiences with an international public health exchange project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Critchley, Kim A; Richardson, Eileen; Aarts, Clara; Campbell, Barbara; Hemmingway, Ann; Koskinen, Liisa; Mitchell, Maureen P; Nordstrom, Pam

    2009-01-01

    With growing interconnectivity of healthcare systems worldwide and increased immigration, inappropriate cultural and role assumptions are often seen when cultures clash within a country or when there is practice across country boundaries in times of disaster and during international travel. To increase students' multicultural awareness and work experiences abroad, the authors describe a 7-school, 5-country international student exchange project. The authors also share the students' evaluations of their experiences as they are challenged to erase boundaries and embrace nursing across countries. Participating faculty describe the process, challenges, and keys to success found in creating and living this international project. Students involved in the exchange process evaluate the learning opportunities and challenges and the joy of coming together as newfound colleagues and friends.

  11. Black and african students: individuals present, absent voices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roseane Maria de Amorim

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to describe and analyze some data from an extension project and research titled “The narratives of the self and the effects of affirmative action policies to black students who need of affirmative action and Africans." We have as central issues of our work the following questions: What do the students who need of affirmative action and not unitholders know about the quotas? What do the various African groups who are at university know about the quotas and their experience as a student in the Alagoas’ State? In methodological terms, we use some procedures and instruments of action research to raise our diagnostic procedures and social intervention. It is concluded after investigation that the affirmative action policies in college should be the subject of constant debate whether in academia or in society. There is ignorance on the part of students who need of affirmative action, not unitholders and africans student about the racial quotas, the policies of affirmative action and the collective human rights achievements and socio-historical character.

  12. Investigating Changes in Student Attitudes and Understanding of Science through Participation in Citizen Science Projects in College Coursework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardamone, Carolin; Cobb, Bethany E.

    2018-01-01

    Over the last decade, web-based “citizen science” projects such as the Zooniverse have allowed volunteers and professional scientists to work together for the advancement of science. While much attention has been paid to the benefits to science from these new projects, less attention has been paid to their impact on the participants and, in particular, to the projects’ potential to impact students who might engage in these projects through coursework. We report on a study engaging students in introductory astronomy classes at the George Washington University and Wheelock College in an assignment in which each student individually contributed to a “physics” or “space” citizen science project of their choice, and groups of students worked together to understand and articulate the scientific purpose of a citizen science project to which they all contributed. Over the course of approximately four weeks, the students kept logs of their individual contributions to the project, and recorded a brief reflection on each of their visits (noting, for example, interesting or confusing things they might encounter along the way). The project culminated with each group delivering a creative presentation that demonstrated their understanding of both the science goals of the project and the value of their own contributions to the project. In this talk, we report on the experience of the students with the project and on an assessment of the students’ attitudes toward science and knowledge of the process of science completed before the introduction of the assignment and again at its conclusion.

  13. Motivating Students for Project-based Learning for Application of Research Methodology Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiwari, Ranjana; Arya, Raj Kumar; Bansal, Manoj

    2017-12-01

    Project-based learning (PBL) is motivational for students to learn research methodology skills. It is a way to engage and give them ownership over their own learning. The aim of this study is to use PBL for application of research methodology skills for better learning by encouraging an all-inclusive approach in teaching and learning rather than an individualized tailored approach. The present study was carried out for MBBS 6 th - and 7 th -semester students of community medicine. Students and faculties were sensitized about PBL and components of research methodology skills. They worked in small groups. The students were asked to fill the student feedback Questionnaire and the faculty was also asked to fill the faculty feedback Questionnaire. Both the Questionnaires were assessed on a 5 point Likert scale. After submitted projects, document analysis was done. A total of 99 students of the 6 th and 7 th semester were participated in PBL. About 90.91% students agreed that there should be continuation of PBL in subsequent batches. 73.74% felt satisfied and motivated with PBL, whereas 76.77% felt that they would be able to use research methodology in the near future. PBL requires considerable knowledge, effort, persistence, and self-regulation on the part of the students. They need to devise plans, gather information evaluate both the findings, and their approach. Facilitator plays a critical role in helping students in the process by shaping opportunity for learning, guiding students, thinking, and helping them construct new understanding.

  14. Student Perceptions on Live-Case Projects: Undergraduate Marketing Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gundala, Raghava Rao; Singh, Mandeep; Baldwin, Andrew

    2014-01-01

    This paper is an investigation into undergraduate students' perceptions on use of live projects as a teaching pedagogy in marketing research courses. Students in undergraduate marketing research courses from fall 2009 to spring 2013 completed an online questionnaire consisting of 17 items. The results suggested that student understanding of…

  15. Introducing an Innovative Project Management Framework for First Year StudentsProject Work in a PBL Environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kofoed, Lise B.; Møller, Michael Labovic

    2010-01-01

    Students at Aalborg University (AAU) in Denmark are educated according to the Aalborg Problem Based Learning (PBL) approach which entails working in groups and completing a project each semester. In accordance with this approach students are offered a course – Co-operation, Learning and Project...... in general acknowledge the benefits of thorough project plans and schedules, they often experience difficulties developing them and abiding by them. These experienced difficulties are caused by lack of motivation and competence within this particular area of project management. This paper describes how a new...

  16. A series of student design projects for improving and modernizing safety helmets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beurden, van K.M.M. (Karin); Boer, de J. (Johannes); Stilma, M. (Margot); Teeuw, W.B. (Wouter)

    2014-01-01

    The Saxion Research Centre for Design and Technology employs many students during research projects. This paper discusses a series of student design projects on safety helmets in the Safety@Work project. At construction sites workers are required to wear personal protective equipment during their

  17. Implementation of an education development project in pathology to improve student competency-lessons learnt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negi, Gita; Harsh, Meena; Chauhan, Vijendra D; Kalra, Vinita; Agarwal, Pradeep; Kusum, Anuradha

    2015-08-01

    Basic medical sciences and clinical teachings are not coordinated in the present medical education system. They are not taught keeping in mind the outcomes required at the time of actual handling of patients in the community. An educational development project was implemented in the Department of Pathology with the aim that it will result in the student learning to link the pathophysiology of the disease to clinical scenarios and become fully competent for lifelong medical practice. The pathology teaching of the second professional batch was modified by starting with defining the desired outcomes/competencies in the student's knowledge, skills, and attitude which were then addressed by lectures, demonstrations, practical classes and small group activities where case scenarios and laboratory reports were included. The outcome was assessed by Objectively Structured Clinical/Practical Examination and multiple choice questions. Force field analysis, faculty and student interviews, and questionnaires were used to assess the factors affecting its implementation and impact. Totally 80 students of the 2(nd) Professional MBBS were exposed to a competency-based education development project. It was found that the system was appreciated by faculty and students, especially the integration with clinical scenarios. There were many factors which influenced the execution of this program, including motivation level of students and faculty, time, logistics and meticulous planning. There was a significant improvement in student's performance and satisfaction. Many factors including prior planning were a major determinant for the success of this education development project.

  18. The use of student-driven video projects as an educational and outreach tool

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bamzai, A.; Farrell, W.; Klemm, T.

    2014-12-01

    With recent technological advances, the barriers to filmmaking have been lowered, and it is now possible to record and edit video footage with a smartphone or a handheld camera and free software. Students accustomed to documenting their every-day experiences for multimedia-rich social networking sites feel excited and creatively inspired when asked to take on ownership of more complex video projects. With a small amount of guidance on shooting primary and secondary footage and an overview of basic interview skills, students are self-motivated to identify the learning themes with which they resonate most strongly and record their footage in a way that is true to their own experience. The South Central Climate Science Center (SC-CSC) is one of eight regional centers formed by the U.S. Department of the Interior in order to provide decision makers with the science, tools, and information they need to address the impacts of climate variability and change on their areas of responsibility. An important component of this mission is to innovate in the areas of translational science and science communication. This presentation will highlight how the SC-CSC used student-driven video projects to document our Early Career Researcher Workshop and our Undergraduate Internship for Underrepresented Minorities. These projects equipped the students with critical thinking and project management skills, while also providing a finished product that the SC-CSC can use for future outreach purposes.

  19. Online Lab Books for Supervision of Project Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badge, J. L.; Badge, R. M.

    2009-01-01

    In this article, the authors report a case study where Blackboard's wiki function was used to create electronic lab books for the supervision of undergraduate students completing laboratory based research projects. This successful experiment in supervision using electronic notebooks provided a searchable record of student work and a permanent…

  20. Educational Benefits From the AAU-cubesat Student Satellite Project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alminde, Lars

    2003-01-01

    In September 2001 Aalborg university started the AAU-cubesat project that reached it climax when the student built satellite was launched into space on the 30th of June 2003 on top of a former Russian ICBM. AAU-cubesat was among the first five satellites to be launched that are built within the c......-satellite designs will be given. In addition as the project has been carried through by students then the educational value will be addressed as well....

  1. Implementing a Student-Designed Green Chemistry Laboratory Project in Organic Chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Kate J.; Jones, T. Nicholas; Schaller, Chris P.; McIntee, Edward J.

    2014-01-01

    A multiweek organic chemistry laboratory project is described that emphasizes sustainable practices in experimental design. An emphasis on student-driven development of the project is meant to mirror the independent nature of research. Students propose environmentally friendly modifications of several reactions. With instructor feedback, students…

  2. A One-Year Case Study: Understanding the Rich Potential of Project-Based Learning in a Virtual Reality Class for High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales, Teresa M.; Bang, EunJin; Andre, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a qualitative case analysis of a new and unique, high school, student-directed, project-based learning (PBL), virtual reality (VR) class. In order to create projects, students learned, on an independent basis, how to program an industrial-level VR machine. A constraint was that students were required to produce at least one…

  3. Medical students' creative projects on a third year pediatrics clerkship: a qualitative analysis of patient-centeredness and emotional connection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapiro, Johanna; Ortiz, Diane; Ree, You Ye; Sarwar, Minha

    2016-03-16

    Increasingly, medical educators are incorporating reflective writing and original creative work into educational practices with the goals of stimulating student self-awareness, appreciation of multiple perspectives, and comfort with ambiguity and uncertainty. This study investigated students' creative projects to assess the extent to which they adopted a patient/relationship-centered, emotionally connected position toward patients and families. Over a 10 year period, students on a required third year pediatrics clerkship individually or in groups completed either a reflection or an education project using a creative medium. 520 projects (representing 595 students, 74.7 % of total eligible students) were qualitatively analyzed according to various thematic and emotion-based dimensions. The majority of projects were personal narrative essays and poetry. The largest number of project themes related to the importance of patient/relationship-centered medicine with patients. The next largest number of projects focused on health education of parents, patients, or classmates. In telling their stories, students were more likely to use a personal voice representing either their or the patient's perspective than an objective, impersonal one. In terms of emotional tone, projects were more likely to be serious than humorous. The largest number of students' emotions expressed an empathic tone. Students identified a large number and wide range of both negative and positive feelings in themselves and their patients. The majority of student emotions were positive, while the majority of patient and family emotions were negative. Students' preference for patient-centered, relational themes, as well as their tendency to favor the first voice, empathic tone, and willingness to express a range of positive and negative emotions in presenting their projects, suggests that they valued emotional connection with patients and families during the pediatrics clerkship experience.

  4. Project-Based Learning and Student Knowledge Construction during Asynchronous Online Discussion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koh, Joyce Hwee Ling; Herring, Susan C.; Hew, Khe Foon

    2010-01-01

    Project-based learning engages students in problem solving through artefact design. However, previous studies of online project-based learning have focused primarily on the dynamics of online collaboration; students' knowledge construction throughout this process has not been examined thoroughly. This case study analyzed the relationship between…

  5. A Project-Based Language Learning Model for Improving the Willingness to Communicate of EFL Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim Farouck

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Anxiety and inadequate motivation due to misapplication of some language teaching methodologies and learning materials have been shown to affect the Willingness to Communicate of students in EFL programs. This study used a Project-Based Language Learning to improve learning motivation and content relevance. Students were grouped into pairs to conduct fieldwork activities on their chosen topics and learned the English language that was suitable for describing their activities and outcomes. They interacted with content and peers through Web 2.0 environments. In the classroom, they engaged in communicative tasks in a jigsaw format and presented their projects where their peers used an online rubric and forum to give feedback. They also participated in a speech contest with peers outside their class or from another university in order to broaden their confidence. Findings from this study show that students were able to develop the language and evaluation skills for presentation. Additionally, they indicated a reduction in communication anxiety.

  6. The Lifestyle Project: Challenging Students to Redefine their Approach to Resource Use (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirk, K.

    2009-12-01

    The Lifestyle Project is a way for students to learn about environmental impacts by changing their own lifestyles. It is a three-week exercise during which students reduce their energy use, waste output and water use by changing the way they live from day to day. The project has fairly rigid parameters, allowing students to achieve a gradual but definitive change in their everyday habits. Students begin by taking baseline measurements of their resource use, and then they select three different areas in which they are interested in reducing their environmental impact. Within each area there are clearly defined rules that provide a structured means for achieving significant changes. Each week the project becomes more rigorous, because students will have to meet the requirements more frequently. They write about their experiences in journals, which are incredibly insightful and illustrate just how profoundly the project affects them. The Lifestyle Project has been used across several campuses and in many educational settings such as traditional courses, online courses and in informal settings. Its strength lies in allowing students to quantify and modify their own use of resources, then compare their personal reductions to what could be applied in a larger population. This helps them apply and personalize many of the concepts addressed in courses about environmental geology, climate change, or energy resources. The incremental nature of the project allows students several opportunities to practice new behaviors, so that they become adept at using far fewer resources than they thought would be possible. Results from the Lifestyle Project indicate that students save significant amounts of energy, on the order of 1 to 2 million BTUs per day. Journal reflections illustrate a corresponding shift in students’ personal awareness of their use of resources and the repercussions of their daily decisions. Although many students find the project frustrating at first, after

  7. Educational Benefits from the AAU-Cubesat Student Satellite Project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alminde, Lars

    2003-01-01

    In September 2001 Aalborg university started the AAU-cubesat project that reached it climax when the student built satellite was launched into space on the 30th of June 2003 on top of a former Russian ICBM. AAU-cubesat was among the first five satellites to be launched that are built within the c...... on pico-satellite designs will be given. In addition as the project has been carried through by students then the educational value will be addressed as well....

  8. Master's Thesis Projects: Student Perceptions of Supervisor Feedback

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Kleijn, Renske A. M.; Mainhard, M. Tim; Meijer, Paulien C.; Brekelmans, Mieke; Pilot, Albert

    2013-01-01

    A growing body of research has investigated student perceptions of written feedback in higher education coursework, but few studies have considered feedback perceptions in one-on-one and face-to-face contexts such as master's thesis projects. In this article, student perceptions of feedback are explored in the context of the supervision of…

  9. A One-year Case Study: Understanding the Rich Potential of Project-based Learning in a Virtual Reality Class for High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales, Teresa M.; Bang, EunJin; Andre, Thomas

    2013-10-01

    This paper presents a qualitative case analysis of a new and unique, high school, student-directed, project-based learning (PBL), virtual reality (VR) class. In order to create projects, students learned, on an independent basis, how to program an industrial-level VR machine. A constraint was that students were required to produce at least one educational application of VR. This study incorporated in-depth classroom observations, interviews with students, analyses of student projects, and surveys of parents and teachers to examine the social and learning processes in the class, and the nature of content learning represented in student projects. The results demonstrated that PBL can be effective even with minimal teacher guidance. The findings substantiate an educational approach rich with promise, for at least some students, that deserves considerable additional study to maximize its powerful potentials for independent and peer-mentored learning.

  10. Enhancing College Students' Life Skills through Project Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wurdinger, Scott; Qureshi, Mariam

    2015-01-01

    This study examined whether life skills could be developed in a Project Based Learning (PBL) course. The participants were students enrolled in a graduate level PBL course. The same 35-question survey was given to students at the beginning and end of the course, and students were asked to rank their life skills using a Likert scale. Additionally,…

  11. Using Contests to Provide Business Students Project-Based Learning in Humanitarian Logistics: PSAid Example

    Science.gov (United States)

    Özpolat, Koray; Chen, Yuwen; Hales, Doug; Yu, Degan; Yalcin, Mehmet G.

    2014-01-01

    Business students appreciate working on classroom projects that are both enjoyable and useful in preparing them for future careers. Promoting competition among project teams is also used as a method to motivate students. The Humanitarian Logistics Project (HLP) teaches undergraduate students the logistical implications of unsolicited material…

  12. Cognitive and Socio-Affective Outcomes of Project-Based Learning: Perceptions of Greek Second Chance School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koutrouba, Konstantina; Karageorgou, Elissavet

    2013-01-01

    The present questionnaire-based study was conducted in 2010 in order to examine 677 Greek Second Chance School (SCS) students' perceptions about the cognitive and socio-affective outcomes of project-based learning. Data elaboration, statistical and factor analysis showed that the participants found that project-based learning offered a second…

  13. Cross-disciplinary, authentic student research projects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heck, A.; Uylings, P.; Kędzierska, E.; Ellermeijer, T.

    2010-01-01

    In the Dutch secondary education system, students must carry out at the end of their school career a rather large research or design project to demonstrate their ability to apply acquired knowledge and skills while pursuing a research question or design goal in some depth. They are encouraged to

  14. Vermont EPSCoR Streams Project: Engaging High School and Undergraduate Students in Watershed Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, E.; McCabe, D.; Sheldon, S.; Jankowski, K.; Haselton, L.; Luck, M.; van Houten, J.

    2009-12-01

    The Vermont EPSCoR Streams Project engages a diverse group of undergraduates, high school students, and their teachers in hands-on water quality research and exposes them to the process of science. The project aims to (1) recruit students to science careers and (2) create a water quality database comprised of high-quality data collected by undergraduates and high school groups. The project is the training and outreach mechanism of the Complex Systems Modeling for Environmental Problem Solving research program, an NSF-funded program at the University of Vermont (UVM) that provides computational strategies and fresh approaches for understanding how natural and built environments interact. The Streams Project trains participants to collect and analyze data from streams throughout Vermont and at limited sites in Connecticut, New York, and Puerto Rico. Participants contribute their data to an online database and use it to complete individual research projects that focus on the effect of land use and precipitation patterns on selected measures of stream water quality. All undergraduates and some high school groups are paired with a mentor, who is either a graduate student or a faculty member at UVM or other college. Each year, undergraduate students and high school groups are trained to (1) collect water and macroinvertebrate samples from streams, (2) analyze water samples for total phosphorus, bacteria, and total suspended solids in an analytical laboratory, and/or (3) use geographic information systems (GIS) to assess landscape-level data for their watersheds. After training, high school groups collect samples from stream sites on a twice-monthly basis while undergraduates conduct semi-autonomous field and laboratory research. High school groups monitor sites in two watersheds with contrasting land uses. Undergraduate projects are shaped by the interests of students and their mentors. Contribution to a common database provides students with the option to expand the

  15. Export Odyssey: An Exposition and Analytical Review of Literature Concerning an Undergraduate Student Project in International Marketing on Key Teaching-Learning Dimensions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williamson, Nicholas C.

    2001-01-01

    Describes Export Odyssey (EO), a structured, Internet-intensive, team-based undergraduate student project in international marketing. Presents an analytical review of articles in the literature that relate to three key teaching-learning dimensions of student projects (experiential versus non-experiential active learning, team-based versus…

  16. High school students presenting science: An interactional sociolinguistic analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bleicher, Robert

    Presenting science is an authentic activity of practicing scientists. Thus, effective communication of science is an important skill to nurture in high school students who are learning science. This study examines strategies employed by high school students as they make science presentations; it assesses students' conceptual understandings of particular science topics through their presentations and investigates gender differences. Data are derived from science presentation given by eight high school students, three females and five males who attended a summer science program. Data sources included videotaped presentations, ethnographic fieldnotes, interviews with presenters and members of the audience, and presenter notes and overheads. Presentations were transcribed and submitted to discourse analysis from an interactional sociolinguistic perspective. This article focuses on the methodology employed and how it helps inform the above research questions. The author argues that use of this methodology leads to findings that inform important social-communicative issues in the learning of science. Practical advice for teaching students to present science, implications for use of presentations to assess conceptual learning, and indications of some possible gender differences are discussed.Received: 14 April 1993; Revised: 15 February 1994;

  17. Teaching accuracy and reliability for student projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Nick

    2002-09-01

    Physics students at Rugby School follow the Salters Horners A-level course, which involves working on a two-week practical project of their own choosing. Pupils often misunderstand the concepts of accuracy and reliability, believing, for example, that repeating readings makes them more accurate and more reliable, whereas all it does is help to check repeatability. The course emphasizes the ideas of checking anomalous points, improving accuracy and making readings more sensitive. This article describes how we teach pupils in preparation for their projects. Based on many years of running such projects, much of this material is from a short booklet that we give out to pupils, when we train them in practical project skills.

  18. The Willed Body Donor Interview Project: Medical Student and Donor Expectations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohl, Michael; Holman, Alexis; Mueller, Dean A.; Gruppen, Larry D.; Hildebrandt, Sabine

    2013-01-01

    The Anatomical Donations Program at the University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) has begun a multiphase project wherein interviews of donors will be recorded and later shown to medical students who participate in the anatomical dissection course. The first phase of this project included surveys of both current UMMS medical students and donors…

  19. Which Type of Inquiry Project Do High School Biology Students Prefer: Open or Guided?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadeh, Irit; Zion, Michal

    2012-10-01

    In teaching inquiry to high school students, educators differ on which method of teaching inquiry is more effective: Guided or open inquiry? This paper examines the influence of these two different inquiry learning approaches on the attitudes of Israeli high school biology students toward their inquiry project. The results showed significant differences between the two groups: Open inquiry students were more satisfied and felt they gained benefits from implementing the project to a greater extent than guided inquiry students. On the other hand, regarding documentation throughout the project, guided inquiry students believed that they conducted more documentation, as compared to their open inquiry peers. No significant differences were found regarding `the investment of time', but significant differences were found in the time invested and difficulties which arose concerning the different stages of the inquiry process: Open inquiry students believed they spent more time in the first stages of the project, while guided inquiry students believed they spent more time in writing the final paper. In addition, other differences were found: Open inquiry students felt more involved in their project, and felt a greater sense of cooperation with others, in comparison to guided inquiry students. These findings may help teachers who hesitate to teach open inquiry to implement this method of inquiry; or at least provide their students with the opportunity to be more involved in inquiry projects, and ultimately provide their students with more autonomy, high-order thinking, and a deeper understanding in performing science.

  20. uCollaborator: Framework for STEM Project Collaboration among Geographically-Dispersed Student/Faculty Teams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiore, Stephen M.; Rodriguez, Walter E.; Carstens, Deborah S.

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents a framework for facilitating communication among STEM project teams that are geographically dispersed in synchronous or asynchronous online courses. The framework has been developed to: (a) improve how engineering and technology students and faculty work with collocated and geographically-dispersed teams; and (b) to connect the…

  1. Science and students: Yucca Mountain project's education outreach program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gil, A.V.; Larkin, E.L.; Reilly, B.; Austin, P.

    1992-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is very concerned about the lack of understanding of basic science. Increasingly, critical decisions regarding the use of energy, technology, and the environment are being made. A well-educated and science-literate public is vital to the success of these decisions. Science education and school instruction are integral parts of the DOE's public outreach program on the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP). Project staff and scientists speak to elementary, junior high, high school, and university students, accepting all speaking invitations. The objectives of this outreach program include the following: (1) educating Nevada students about the concept of a high-level nuclear waste repository; (2) increasing awareness of energy and environmental issues; (3) helping students understand basic concepts of earth science and geology in relation to siting a potential repository; and (4) giving students information about careers in science and engineering

  2. Preparing Hispanic Students for the Real World: Benefits of Problem-Based Service Learning Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Jean Jaymes; Simmons, Donna

    2012-01-01

    Student learning is enriched by problem-based service learning (PBSL) projects. For Hispanic students, the learning that takes place in PBSL projects may be even more significant, although the research published in academic journals about client-based projects for Hispanic students is limited. This article begins to advance an understanding of how…

  3. The Acadia Learning Project: Lessons Learned from Engaging High School Teachers and Students in Citizen Science Supporting National Parks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, S. J.; Zoellick, B.; Davis, Y.; Lindsey, E.

    2009-12-01

    In 2007 the authors initiated a citizen science research project, supported with funding from the Maine Department of Education, designed to extend research at Acadia National Park to a broader geographic area while also providing high school students and teachers with an opportunity to engage in authentic research in cooperation with working scientists. The scientific focus of the work has been on providing information about the mercury burden of organisms at different trophic levels across different geographic and environmental settings. The pedagogical focus has been on providing students with immersion in a substantial, field-based project, including background research, hypothesis formulation, data collection and analysis, and presentation of research findings. Starting work with 6 teachers in two schools the first year, the project expanded to involve more than 20 teachers and 350 students in a dozen schools in its second year. In coming years, with support from NOAA and cooperation from other National Parks in the region, the project will expand to include work in other states along the coast of the Gulf of Maine. In this paper the authors describe evolution in the use of the Internet over the first two years of the project, a sharpened focus on professional development for teachers, survey results regarding student views of the nature of science, the importance of focusing on rigorous, useful data collection from an educational perspective, success in establishing that samples collected by students are useful in research, the disjuncture between scientific and pedagogical outcomes, an assessment of the value of student poster presentations, and lessons learned about preparation and use of curriculum support materials. The authors also describe future directions, which include an increased focus on professional development and student work with graphs, a narrower focus in sample collection, and increased use of the Internet to provide participating teachers

  4. Student evaluation of research projects in a first-year physics laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, Manjula D; Mendez, Alberto; Sefton, Ian M; Khachan, Joe

    2014-01-01

    We describe the evaluation by students of a scheme of open-ended, research-based group project work which has become a standard component of first-year physics courses at the University of Sydney and is now in its 19th year of operation. Data were gathered from two sources: direct observations of the classes and a written survey. A summary of the classroom observations and the results from a detailed analysis of the survey responses are presented. The feedback from the cohort of approximately 800 students is largely positive but we identify a few discrepancies between stated course goals and the results from the survey. (paper)

  5. Teaching Basic Programming Concepts to Young Primary School Students Using Tablets: Results of a Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fokides, Emmanuel

    2018-01-01

    The study presents the results of a project in which tablets and a ready-made application were used for teaching basic programming concepts to young primary school students (ages 7-9). A total of 135 students participated in the study, attending primary schools in Athens, Greece, divided into three groups. The first was taught conventionally. The…

  6. A Service-Learning Project Using Crowdfunding Strategy: Students' Experience and Reflection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mat-jizat, Jessnor Elmy; Khalid, Khalizul

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to explore students' experience and reflection in doing a Service Learning project as part of their course work. The Service Learning project allows the students to practice their knowledge of raising capital through crowdfunding, and at the same time situates them in an environment where they could learn from the…

  7. Building Bridges: Using the Office Consultation Project to Connect Students to Theory and Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wawrzynski, Korine Steinke; Jessup-Anger, Jody E.

    2014-01-01

    The Office Consultation Project is an innovative capstone project that partners graduate students in student affairs preparation programs with academic and student affairs practitioners. It provides an opportunity for students to apply research and scholarship to practical settings, while giving practitioners new insight into their units,…

  8. INTEGRATION OF ECONOMIC AND COMPUTER SKILLS AT IMPLEMENTATION OF STUDENTS PROJECT «BUSINESS PLAN PRODUCING IN MICROSOFT WORD»

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y.B. Samchinska

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available In the article expedience at implementation of economic specialities by complex students project on Informatics and Computer Sciences is grounded on creation of business plan by modern information technologies, and also methodical recommendations are presented on implementation of this project.

  9. Project families: A new concept for student thesis activities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Goltermann, Per; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Schmidt, Jacob Wittrup

    2017-01-01

    The students’ activities during their final thesis work have been organised in project families, i.e. a group of individual student project organized in a shared learning environment. The aim is more efficient supervision and support, simultaneously to improved learning. DTU Byg have now tested...

  10. Role and future subjects of support project 'research activity on radiation etc. by high school students'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iimoto, Takeshi; Fujimoto, Noboru; Nakamura, Takashi

    2014-01-01

    This is a report of the project of MEXT(The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) to support high school students researching radiation etc. This subject research consists of an exchange meeting, independence research, and a presentation meeting of the results. Media introduced the project and this was a very reputable project. However, regrettably this support project was broken off in the business year of 2012. In this document, the outline of the support project for seven years is introduced and the possibility of future deployment is discussed. (author)

  11. Speeding up development activities in student projects with time boxing and scrum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ovesen, Nis; Eriksen, Kaare; Tollestrup, Christian

    2011-01-01

    This research project investigates how procedures from agile software development can be of benefit to development activities in projects of design engineering students. The agile methods Scrum and Time boxing are evaluated through a student workshop focusing on near-future concepts for design...... competitions. Scrum meetings within the student design teams are conducted and video documented each hour throughout the workshop activities as a structured process evaluation tool. Based on a subsequent student survey it is argued that scrum and time boxing are strengthening the focus, communication...

  12. Student and Staff Perceptions of Key Aspects of Computer Science Engineering Capstone Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olarte, Juan José; Dominguez, César; Jaime, Arturo; Garcia-Izquierdo, Francisco José

    2016-01-01

    In carrying out their capstone projects, students use knowledge and skills acquired throughout their degree program to create a product or provide a technical service. An assigned advisor guides the students and supervises the work, and a committee assesses the projects. This study compares student and staff perceptions of key aspects of…

  13. Project SAIL: A Summer Program Brings History Alive for Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollingsworth, Patricia

    2001-01-01

    This project describes Project SAIL (Schools for Active Interdisciplinary Learning), a federally funded project providing in-depth staff development during a 3-week summer program for teachers, parents, and their gifted/talented economically disadvantaged students. The program theme, "Searching for Patterns in History," has been used with students…

  14. A Student Project to use Geant4 Simulations for a TMS-PET combination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Altamirano, A.; Chamorro, A.; Hurtado, K.; Romero, C.; Wahl, D.; Zamudio, A.; Rueda, A.; Solano Salinas, C. J.

    2007-01-01

    Geant4 is one of the most powerful tools for MC simulation of detectors and their applications. We present a student project to simulate a combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation-Positron Emission Tomography (TMS-PET) system using Geant4. This project aims to study PET-TMS systems by implementing a model for the brain response to the TMS pulse and studying the simulated PET response. In order to increase the speed of the simulations we parallelise our programs and investigate the possibility of using GRID computing

  15. A Student Project to use Geant4 Simulations for a TMS-PET combination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altamirano, A.; Chamorro, A.; Hurtado, K.; Romero, C.; Rueda, A.; Solano Salinas, C. J.; Wahl, D.; Zamudio, A.

    2007-10-01

    Geant4 is one of the most powerful tools for MC simulation of detectors and their applications. We present a student project to simulate a combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation-Positron Emission Tomography (TMS-PET) system using Geant4. This project aims to study PET-TMS systems by implementing a model for the brain response to the TMS pulse and studying the simulated PET response. In order to increase the speed of the simulations we parallelise our programs and investigate the possibility of using GRID computing.

  16. Student projects in medicine: a lesson in science and ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Sarah J L

    2009-11-01

    Regulation of biomedical research is the subject of considerable debate in the bioethics and health policy worlds. The ethics and governance of medical student projects is becoming an increasingly important topic in its own right, especially in the U.K., where there are periodic calls to change it. My main claim is that there seems to be no good reason for treating student projects differently from projects led by qualified and more experienced scientists and hence no good grounds for changing the current system of ethics review. I first suggest that the educational objectives cannot be met without laying down standards of good science, whatever they may be. Weak science is unnecessary for educational purposes, and it is, in any case, unlikely to produce good researchers in the future. Furthermore, it is curious to want to change the system of ethics review specifically for students when it is the science that is at stake, and when the science now falls largely outside the ethics remit. I further show that ethics review is nevertheless important since students carry a new potential conflict of interests that warrants independent oversight which supervisory support does not offer. This potential conflict may become more morally troublesome the greater the risks to the subjects of the research, and students may impose greater risks on their subjects (relative to professional researchers) by virtue of being inexperienced, whatever the nature of the project. Pragmatic concerns may finally be allayed by organizing the current system more efficiently at critical times of the university calendar.

  17. Nonstandard Topics for Student Presentations in Differential Equations

    Science.gov (United States)

    LeMasurier, Michelle

    2006-01-01

    An interesting and effective way to showcase the wide variety of fields to which differential equations can be applied is to have students give short oral presentations on a specific application. These talks, which have been presented by 30-40 students per year in our differential equations classes, provide exposure to a diverse array of topics…

  18. The Empty Shops Project: Developing Rural Students' Sociological Insight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willis, Evan; Burns, Edgar

    2011-01-01

    An informal research project with high local relevance was developed for a first-year sociology course at an Australian rural university campus. The project developed students' sociological insight by challenging them to investigate "truths" about their own region, rather than immediately pushing them to comprehend new and different…

  19. Health Advocacy Project: Evaluating the Benefits of Service Learning to Nursing Students and Low Income Individuals Involved in a Community-Based Mental Health Promotion Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuels-Dennis, Joan; Xia, Liudi; Secord, Sandra; Raiger, Amelia

    2016-10-08

    Poverty, along with other factors such as unemployment, work and life stressors, interpersonal violence, and lack of access to high quality health and/or social services all play a role in determining who develops a mental illness and for whom those symptoms persist or worsen. Senior nursing student preparing to enter the field and working in a service learning capacity may be able to influence early recovery and symptom abatement among those most vulnerable to mental illness. A consortium of community stakeholders and researchers collaboratively designed a 10-week mental health promotion project called the Health Advocacy Project (HAP). The project combines case management and system navigation support delivered by trained and highly supervised nursing students to individuals experiencing major depressive disorder (MDD) and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this article, we present the findings of a qualitative fidelity evaluation that examines the effectiveness of nursing students in delivering the health advocacy intervention at the level and with the intensity originally intended. The findings demonstrate how the services of senior nursing students may be optimized to benefit our healthcare system and populations most at risk for developing MDD and PTSD.

  20. Authentic research projects: Students' perspectives on the process, ownership, and benefits of doing research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, Warren

    2005-11-01

    Authentic research projects are one type of inquiry activity as defined by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1993) and are a core component in science education reform movements. The purpose of this study was to examine high school students' perspectives of an authentic research project. The context for this study was a local Science and Engineering Fair (SEF) that involved students from a Metro-Atlanta public high school. This study provided information about this type of activity from the student's perspective, an emic viewpoint. In this qualitative study, demographic information was used for the purposeful selection of fourteen students making up the study sample. In this descriptive ethnography, data were collected via an open-ended survey, three individual interviews, a web log, and a group interview. Interviews were audio taped and conducted according to the protocol established by Lincoln and Guba (1998). Transcripts of the interviews, web logs, and survey responses were coded and analyzed by the constant comparative method as described by Glaser and Strauss (1965). Reliability and validity were achieved through member checks and triangulation. Using Gowin's Vee diagram (1981) as a theoretical framework for analysis, themes emerged describing the students' research experience. The themes included the students' initial reactions, difficulty getting started, accepting ownership of their project, growing interest, acknowledged benefits of the research experience, and a reflective look back at their experience. Overall, students described the authentic research experience as a worthwhile activity. The implications of the study are two-fold. At the practitioner level, teachers should engage students in research, but should do so in a manner that maximizes authenticity. Examples may include having students present a formal prospectus and work with a scientist mentor. For Science Educators in teacher preparation programs, there should be an

  1. Teaching American Politics through Student Projects: Electoral Reform Issues and Political Change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alper, Donald K.; Hogan, Eugene

    1979-01-01

    Describes two projects which involve college students in political science courses on American politics in doing research and giving class reports on proposals for reforming the electoral college and the electoral process. Findings indicate that students participating in the projects become more aware of political realities and learn how to use…

  2. The Critical Purchase of Genealogy: Critiquing Student Participation Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Anna

    2015-01-01

    Until recently the dominant critique of "student participation" projects was one based on the theoretical assumptions of critical theory in the form of critical pedagogy. Over the last decade, we have witnessed the emergence of a critical education discourse that theorises and critically analyses such projects using Foucault's notion of…

  3. Cultivation of students' engineering designing ability based on optoelectronic system course project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Danhua; Wu, Yubin; Li, Jingping

    2017-08-01

    We carry out teaching based on optoelectronic related course group, aiming at junior students majored in Optoelectronic Information Science and Engineering. " Optoelectronic System Course Project " is product-designing-oriented and lasts for a whole semester. It provides a chance for students to experience the whole process of product designing, and improve their abilities to search literature, proof schemes, design and implement their schemes. In teaching process, each project topic is carefully selected and repeatedly refined to guarantee the projects with the knowledge integrity, engineering meanings and enjoyment. Moreover, we set up a top team with professional and experienced teachers, and build up learning community. Meanwhile, the communication between students and teachers as well as the interaction among students are taken seriously in order to improve their team-work ability and communicational skills. Therefore, students are not only able to have a chance to review the knowledge hierarchy of optics, electronics, and computer sciences, but also are able to improve their engineering mindset and innovation consciousness.

  4. Soil and its selected properties on the example of an individual project for the grade 1 students of upper secondary school

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krzeczkowska, Małgorzata

    2014-05-01

    which students formulate a research goal, verify the hypothesis experimentally based on their own plan in relation to the research problem, b) Time duration: 7 days c) Type of project: individual project During special meetings students present their own projects (giving the teacher a complete project documentation), participate in surveys and participate in the revision meeting. The poster will be presented to show the most interesting pieces of students' work with photographic documentation, analysis of the final survey, and analysis of student records. 1. http://www.reformaprogramowa.men.gov.pl 2. Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning (2006/962/EC). OJ L 394, 30.12.2006, p 10.

  5. Assessment of Students Projects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kofoed, Lise B.; Stachowicz, Marian S.

    2012-01-01

    The evaluation and assessment of engineering programmes is a big issue, and there exist many concepts and methods. This paper deals with the assessment methods which can be used when assessing the knowledge, skills and competences developed in projects using PBL (problem based and project organized...... learning) pedagogical approaches. The experience of assessing first year projects from the Medialogy education at Aalborg University and third year projects from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at University of Minnesota, Duluth are presented, and the different methods discussed....... The conclusion is that process as well as product has to be assessed in a way which evaluates all aspects of students’ learning outcomes....

  6. Undergraduate Research Involving Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in Interdisciplinary Science Projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Todd Pagano

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Scientific undergraduate research in higher education often yields positive outcomes for student and faculty member participants alike, with underrepresented students often showing even more substantial gains (academic, professional, and personal as a result of the experience. Significant success can be realized when involving deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh undergraduate students, who are also vastly underrepresented in the sciences, in interdisciplinary research projects. Even d/hh Associate degree level students and those in the first two years of their postsecondary careers can contribute to, and benefit from, the research process when faculty mentors properly plan/design projects. We discuss strategies, including the dissemination/communication of research results, for involving these students in research groups with different communication dynamics and share both findings of our research program and examples of successful chemical and biological research projects that have involved d/hh undergraduate students. We hope to stimulate a renewed interest in encouraging diversity and involving students with disabilities into higher education research experiences globally and across multiple scientific disciplines, thus strengthening the education and career pipeline of these students.

  7. Measuring Student Career Interest within the Context of Technology-Enhanced STEM Projects: A Cross-Project Comparison Study Based on the Career Interest Questionnaire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterman, Karen; Kermish-Allen, Ruth; Knezek, Gerald; Christensen, Rhonda; Tyler-Wood, Tandra

    2016-12-01

    This article describes Energy for ME and Going Green! Middle Schoolers Out to Save the World, two Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education programs with the common goal of improving students' attitudes about scientific careers. The authors represent two project teams, each with funding from the National Science Foundation's ITEST program. Using different approaches and technology, both projects challenged students to use electricity monitoring system data to create action plans for conserving energy in their homes and communities. The impact of each project on students' career interests was assessed via a multi-method evaluation that included the Career Interest Questionnaire (CIQ), a measure that was validated within the context of ITEST projects and has since become one of the instruments used most commonly across the ITEST community. This article explores the extent to which the CIQ can be used to document the effects of technology-enhanced STEM educational experiences on students' career attitudes and intentions in different environments. The results indicate that the CIQ, and the Intent subscale in particular, served as significant predictors of students' self-reported STEM career aspirations across project context. Results from each project also demonstrated content gains by students and demonstrated the impact of project participation and gender on student outcomes. The authors conclude that the CIQ is a useful tool for providing empirical evidence to document the impact of technology-enhanced science education programs, particularly with regard to Intent to purse a STEM career. The need for additional cross-project comparison studies is also discussed.

  8. The Development of an Instrument to Measure the Project Competences of College Students in Online Project-Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chien-Liang

    2018-02-01

    This study sought to develop a self-report instrument to be used in the assessment of the project competences of college students engaged in online project-based learning. Three scales of the KIPSSE instrument developed for this study, namely, the knowledge integration, project skills, and self-efficacy scales, were based on related theories and the analysis results of three project advisor interviews. Those items of knowledge integration and project skill scales focused on the integration of different disciplines and technological skills separately. Two samples of data were collected from information technology-related courses taught with an online project-based learning strategy over different semesters at a college in southern Taiwan. The validity and reliability of the KIPSSE instrument were confirmed through item analysis and confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling of two samples of students' online response sets separately. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient for the entire instrument was 0.931; for each scale, the alpha ranged from 0.832 to 0.907. There was also a significant correlation ( r = 0.55, p < 0.01) between the KIPSSE instrument results and the students' product evaluation scores. The findings of this study confirmed the validity and reliability of the KIPSSE instrument. The confirmation process and related implications are also discussed.

  9. Using "Petites Projects" to Further Engage Students in Geography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katz, Richard

    2013-01-01

    The challenge of teaching AP Human Geography to high school students is to make geography relevant, engaging and "real world." Often the pace of teaching AP classes constrains the ability of teachers to do creative projects and truly engage students until after the exam is over in May. In this lesson plan, the author suggests using "Petites…

  10. Student Perceptions of Writing Projects in a University Differential-Equations Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latulippe, Christine; Latulippe, Joe

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study surveyed 102 differential-equations students in order to investigate how students participating in writing projects in university-level mathematics courses perceive the benefits of writing in the mathematics classroom. Based on previous literature on writing in mathematics, students were asked specifically about the benefits…

  11. A school and inquiry based project with Nordic student teachers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stougaard, Birgitte

    Álka is a framework involving teacher education institutions in the Nordic counties. This study describes the design of a module aiming at the establishment of a stronger nexus between research (theory) and teaching of science (practice) and to explore an issue relevant for the student teachers...... future professional life. The theme that was used for the research based project was: Nordic Children’s ideas about living things in the sea. Oral presentation at The 10th Nordic Research Symposium on Science Education (NFSUN), Linköbing, Sweden, June 2011....

  12. Using Sales Management Students to Manage Professional Selling Students in an Innovative Active Learning Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Joyce A.; Hawes, Jon M.

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes an application of active learning within two different courses: professional selling and sales management. Students assumed the roles of sales representatives and sales managers for an actual fund-raiser--a golf outing--sponsored by a student chapter of the American Marketing Association. The sales project encompassed an…

  13. Engaging the audience: developing presentation skills in science students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stuart, Ann E

    2013-01-01

    This article describes a graduate class in presentation skills ("PClass") as a model for how a class with similar objectives, expectations and culture might be mounted for undergraduates. The required class is given for students in neuroscience and physiology programs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; I describe the class in the years I led it, from 2003-2012. The class structure centered on peer rehearsal, critiquing of PowerPoint, and chalk talks by the students; video-recording of student talks for later review by the student with the instructor; and presentation of polished talks in a formal setting. A different faculty visitor to the class each week gave the students a variety of perspectives. The students also gained insight into their own evolving skills by discussing the strengths and weaknesses of seminars given by visitors to the campus. A unique feature of the class was collaboration with a professional actor from the University's Department of Dramatic Arts, who helped the students develop techniques for keeping the attention of an audience, for speaking with confidence, and for controlling nervousness. The undergraduate campus would be expected to lend itself to this sort of interdisciplinary faculty cooperation. In addition, students worked on becoming adept at designing and presenting posters, introducing speakers graciously and taking charge of the speaker's question session, and speaking to a lay audience.

  14. Student ownership of projects in an upper-division optics laboratory course: A multiple case study of successful experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dounas-Frazer, Dimitri R.; Stanley, Jacob T.; Lewandowski, H. J.

    2017-12-01

    We investigate students' sense of ownership of multiweek final projects in an upper-division optics lab course. Using a multiple case study approach, we describe three student projects in detail. Within-case analyses focused on identifying key issues in each project, and constructing chronological descriptions of those events. Cross-case analysis focused on identifying emergent themes with respect to five dimensions of project ownership: student agency, instructor mentorship, peer collaboration, interest and value, and affective responses. Our within- and cross-case analyses yielded three major findings. First, coupling division of labor with collective brainstorming can help balance student agency, instructor mentorship, and peer collaboration. Second, students' interest in the project and perceptions of its value can increase over time; initial student interest in the project topic is not a necessary condition for student ownership of the project. Third, student ownership is characterized by a wide range of emotions that fluctuate as students alternate between extended periods of struggle and moments of success while working on their projects. These findings not only extend the literature on student ownership into a new educational domain—namely, upper-division physics labs—they also have concrete implications for the design of experimental physics projects in courses for which student ownership is a desired learning outcome. We describe the course and projects in sufficient detail that others can adapt our results to their particular contexts.

  15. The CAREM project: Present status and development activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boado Magan, H.J.; Ordonez, J.P.; Hey, A.

    1997-01-01

    The CAREM Project is a low power NPP of 25 Mwe, with an integrated self pressurized primary system. The cooling of the primary system is of the natural circulation type and several passive safety systems are included. The owner of the Project is Argentina's CNEA (Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica) and its associated company, INVAP, is the main contractor. The present status of the CAREM Project is presented. The possible evolution of the CAREM project is mentioned in relation with a new containment design. A short description of the Experimental Facilities, listed below, already in operation and under construction are also included: CAPCN High Pressure Loop. Natural convection loop to verify dynamic response and critical heat flux; RA-8. Critical Facility, designed and constructed for the CAREM Project (that may be used as a general uses facility); RPV lnternals. The whole assembly of absorbent rods, connecting rods and the rode guides are being constructed in a 1:1 scale. The aims of this experimental facility are vibration analysis and manufacturing parameters definitions. Control Drive Mechanisms. A series of verification and tests are being carried out on these within RPV Hydraulically driven mechanisms. Other development activities are mentioned in relation with the thermalhydraulics, Steam Generators and Control. (author)

  16. NASA rocket launches student project into space

    OpenAIRE

    Crumbley, Liz

    2005-01-01

    A project that began in 2002 will culminate at sunrise on Tuesday, March 15, when a team of Virginia Tech engineering students watch a payload section they designed lift off aboard a sounding rocket from a launch pad at NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility and travel 59 miles into space.

  17. Mathematical Modeling Projects: Success for All Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shelton, Therese

    2018-01-01

    Mathematical modeling allows flexibility for a project-based experience. We share details of our regular capstone course, successful for virtually 100% of our math majors for almost two decades. Our research-like approach in this course accommodates a variety of student backgrounds and interests, and has produced some award-winning student…

  18. Fundraising Strategies Developed by MBA students in Project-Based Learning Courses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joao Alberto Arantes do Amaral

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The ability to raise funds is a skill that most modern project managers need. While a good deal of literature exists on the strategies NGOs employ to raise funds for their operations, less attention has been paid to the strategies used by students involved in Project-Based Learning courses that often partner with NGOs. Fundraising is an important skill that not only provides students with opportunities for creativity, but also helps them develop the communication skills they will need in the work they do after they graduate.In this paper, we discuss the fundraising strategies developed by MBA students in 204 social projects completed between 2002 and 2014. The projects were done in partnership with 39 community partners in Sao Paulo, Brazil (NGOs and Public Institutions. In our study, we followed quantitative and qualitative research methods, analyzing data and documents from the projects’ databases. We identified six different fundraising strategies: organizing raffles, soliciting donations from private corporations, organizing paying events, utilizing online social networks developing crowdfunding, and soliciting individual donations.

  19. Present status of the SRRC Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, C.; Cheng, K.C.; Liu, Y.C.; Tseng, P.K.

    1985-01-01

    Upon the recommendation of the overseas Chinese scholars and the feasibility study group organized by the National Science Council, the government approved the establishment of the Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (SRRC) on July 9, 1983. The main goal of the SRRC project is to construct and operate an up-to-date 1 GeV synchrotron radiation source, with three beam lines for general experiments, in five to six years; to provide local scientists and returned scientists from abroad a facility to carry out frontier researches in both basic and applied science; and to elevate the technological capabilities of the related industries, universities, and research institutes through the construction of the machine. The background and present status of the project are discussed

  20. Development of a student engagement approach to alcohol prevention: the Pragmatics Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buettner, Cynthia K; Andrews, David W; Glassman, Michael

    2009-01-01

    Significant involvement of students in the development and implementation of college alcohol prevention strategies is largely untested, despite recommendations by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and others. The purpose of the Pragmatics Project was to test a student engagement model for developing and implementing alcohol intervention strategies. The Pragmatics Project involved 89 undergraduate students on a large Midwestern university campus in the design and implementation of projects focused on reducing harm associated with high-risk drinking and off-campus parties. The engagement model used an innovative course piloted in the Human Development and Family Science department. The course successfully involved both students and the community in addressing local alcohol issues. The course design described would fit well into a Master of Public Health, Community Psychology, Health Psychology, or interdisciplinary curricula as well as the service learning model, and it is applicable in addressing other health risk behaviors.

  1. Student-Teacher Collaboration: A Skateboard Project that Really Rocks!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Tim

    2005-01-01

    As a teacher, the author gets his biggest charge from seeing students' eyes light up when he asks them a question related to a topic on which they are the experts and he is the novice. Skateboarding provides a prime example. Since most of his students have a personal interest and involvement in skateboarding, he introduced a skateboard project to…

  2. Education projects: an opportunity for student fieldwork in global health academic programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fyfe, Molly V

    2012-01-01

    Universities, especially in higher-income countries, increasingly offer programs in global health. These programs provide different types of fieldwork projects, at home and abroad, including: epidemiological research, community health, and clinical electives. I illustrate how and why education projects offer distinct learning opportunities for global health program fieldwork. As University of California students, we partnered in Tanzania with students from Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science (MUHAS) to assist MUHAS faculty with a curricular project. We attended classes, clinical rounds, and community outreach sessions together, where we observed teaching, materials used, and the learning environment; and interviewed and gathered data from current students, alumni, and health professionals during a nationwide survey. We learned together about education of health professionals and health systems in our respective institutions. On the basis of this experience, I suggest some factors that contribute to the productivity of educational projects as global health fieldwork.

  3. [Characteristics present in secondary school students who do not smoke and who have no intention to smoke].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima-Serrano, Marta; Martínez-Montilla, José Manuel; Vargas-Martínez, Ana Magdalena; Zafra-Agea, José Antonio; Lima-Rodríguez, Joaquín Salvador

    2018-02-27

    To know the variables present in primary and secondary school students who do not smoke or intend to smoke from a positive health model. Cross-sectional study with 482 students from Andalusia and Catalonia using a validated questionnaire (ESFA and PASE project). Binary logistic regression analysis was performed. Those who did not intend to smoke viewed smoking unfavourably and had high self-efficacy (p <0.001). In non-consumers, the most associated variables were attitude, social model (p <0.001), and self-efficacy (p =0.005). The results show motivational factors present in students who do not smoke and do not intend to do so. Attitude and self-efficacy are strongly associated with intention and behaviour. This information might be useful for developing positive health promotion strategies from a salutogenesis approach. Copyright © 2018 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  4. Interdisciplinary Service-Learning: Building Student Competencies through the Cross-Cultural Parent Groups Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michele Belliveau

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Changing demographics and an emphasis on competency-based social work education call for innovative approaches to the delivery of curricular content. In an effort to introduce BSW students to the socio-political issues facing the local Latino immigrant community, a service-learning project was developed in collaboration with the Spanish Language Department and a local middle school. An analysis of outcomes from social work student evaluations showed that students engaged with the community and issues in new and unexpected ways. Through their engagement in a cross-cultural group project, students developed greater cultural competency, honed their group practice skills in an unfamiliar context, provided a needed service to the community, and raised their awareness about the working conditions of new immigrants as part of a developing framework for social action. Details and implications of the project as a means to build student competencies are described.

  5. Undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of service-learning through a school-based community project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bassi, Sherry

    2011-01-01

    Service-learning (SL) is an experiential teaching method that combines instruction with community service, with the aim of enriching students' academic learning, interpersonal skills and sense of responsibility while making meaningful contributions to the community. However, measuring outcomes of service-learning projects is difficult. This article reports on the perceptions of 18 third-year undergraduate nursing students who took part in a pilot service-learning project targeting tobacco use in a local elementary school. Faculty members evaluated the program's outcomes by engaging students in structured reflection on the program about its relevance to their future careers as practicing professionals, especially in community-based settings. The students' perceptions were elicited through three sets of reflective assignments following the project. Findings from the reflective assignments suggest that the pilot program was successful in enhancing the students' academic, social, and personal development while building a partnership between the school of nursing and key players in the community, including school-based nurses, teachers, administrators, families, and community leaders. The author suggests that service-learning projects can help nursing students accomplish key developmental tasks of the college years (such as building their competence, autonomy, and integrity), while helping impart the skills and values they will need as they graduate and seek professional nursing roles.

  6. Bilingual Academic and Career Education Services for Hispanic High School Students (Project BACES). Final Evaluation Report, 1992-93. OER Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Candice

    This report presents an evaluation of the Bilingual Academic and Career Education Services for Hispanic High School Students (Project BACES), an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its third year of operation at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx and George Washington High School in Manhattan. The project served…

  7. Increasing Prediction the Original Final Year Project of Student Using Genetic Algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saragih, Rijois Iboy Erwin; Turnip, Mardi; Sitanggang, Delima; Aritonang, Mendarissan; Harianja, Eva

    2018-04-01

    Final year project is very important forgraduation study of a student. Unfortunately, many students are not seriouslydidtheir final projects. Many of studentsask for someone to do it for them. In this paper, an application of genetic algorithms to predict the original final year project of a studentis proposed. In the simulation, the data of the final project for the last 5 years is collected. The genetic algorithm has several operators namely population, selection, crossover, and mutation. The result suggest that genetic algorithm can do better prediction than other comparable model. Experimental results of predicting showed that 70% was more accurate than the previous researched.

  8. Using technology-enhanced, cooperative, group-project learning for student comprehension and academic performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tlhoaele, Malefyane; Suhre, Cor; Hofman, Adriaan

    2016-05-01

    Cooperative learning may improve students' motivation, understanding of course concepts, and academic performance. This study therefore enhanced a cooperative, group-project learning technique with technology resources to determine whether doing so improved students' deep learning and performance. A sample of 118 engineering students, randomly divided into two groups, participated in this study and provided data through questionnaires issued before and after the experiment. The results, obtained through analyses of variance and structural equation modelling, reveal that technology-enhanced, cooperative, group-project learning improves students' comprehension and academic performance.

  9. Motivating Students to Develop Satellites in a Problem and Project-Based Learning Environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Jesper Abildgaard; Nielsen, Jens Frederik Dalsgaard; Zhou, Chunfang

    2013-01-01

    During the last decade, a total of three student satellites have been developed by engineering students in a Problem and Project-Based Learning (PBL) environment at Aalborg University (AAU), Denmark. As solving such a complex project, we emphasize that a high level of motivation is needed for the...

  10. Students' perceptions of a community-based service-learning project related to aging in place.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oakes, Claudia E; Sheehan, Nancy W

    2014-01-01

    This article describes a service-learning project that was designed to help undergraduate health professions students understand the complexities related to aging in place. The service-learning project also incorporated a research component to expose the students to the research process. Students' reflections regarding the benefits that they derived from the experience suggest that they value learning about older adults through one-on-one interactions more than they value the opportunity to participate in the research project. Implications for undergraduate health professional education are discussed.

  11. NORSTAR Project: Norfolk public schools student team for acoustical research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortunato, Ronald C.

    1987-01-01

    Development of the NORSTAR (Norfolk Public Student Team for Acoustical Research) Project includes the definition, design, fabrication, testing, analysis, and publishing the results of an acoustical experiment. The student-run program is based on a space flight organization similar to the Viking Project. The experiment will measure the scattering transfer of momentum from a sound field to spheres in a liquid medium. It is hoped that the experimental results will shed light on a difficult physics problem - the difference in scattering cross section (the overall effect of the sound wave scattering) for solid spheres and hollow spheres of differing wall thicknesses.

  12. The Lunar Phases Project: A Mental Model-Based Observational Project for Undergraduate Nonscience Majors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Angela Osterman; Mon, Manuel J.; Hibbard, Susan T.

    2011-01-01

    We present our Lunar Phases Project, an ongoing effort utilizing students' actual observations within a mental model building framework to improve student understanding of the causes and process of the lunar phases. We implement this project with a sample of undergraduate, nonscience major students enrolled in a midsized public university located…

  13. Relationship between Students' Scores on Research Methods and Statistics, and Undergraduate Project Scores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ossai, Peter Agbadobi Uloku

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between students' scores on Research Methods and statistics, and undergraduate project at the final year. The purpose was to find out whether students matched knowledge of research with project-writing skill. The study adopted an expost facto correlational design. Scores on Research Methods and Statistics for…

  14. Enhancing the Student Learning Experience in Software Engineering Project Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marques, Maira; Ochoa, Sergio F.; Bastarrica, Maria Cecilia; Gutierrez, Francisco J.

    2018-01-01

    Carrying out real-world software projects in their academic studies helps students to understand what they will face in industry, and to experience first-hand the challenges involved when working collaboratively. Most of the instructional strategies used to help students take advantage of these activities focus on supporting agile programming,…

  15. On Student Motivation in a Problem and Project-Based Satellite Development and Learning Environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Jesper Abildgaard; Nielsen, Jens Frederik Dalsgaard; Zhou, Chunfang

    2013-01-01

    During the past decade, students at Aalborg University have had the possibility to participate in the cross disciplinary, and cross semester project of building and launching a cubesat. However, as such a project easily can last from three to five years, from the initial development to the launch...... of the satellite, it is important to consider how to keep the different student groups, who have participated in the project motivated in further developing of their respective subsystems, as well as engage actively in knowledge transfer to new student groups....

  16. Teaching Introductory Oceanography through Case Studies: Project based approach for general education students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farnsworth, K. L.; House, M.; Hovan, S. A.

    2013-12-01

    A recent workshop sponsored by SERC-On the Cutting Edge brought together science educators from a range of schools across the country to discuss new approaches in teaching oceanography. In discussing student interest in our classes, we were struck by the fact that students are drawn to emotional or controversial topics such as whale hunting and tsunami hazard and that these kinds of topics are a great vehicle for introducing more complex concepts such as wave propagation, ocean upwelling and marine chemistry. Thus, we have developed an approach to introductory oceanography that presents students with real-world issues in the ocean sciences and requires them to explore the science behind them in order to improve overall ocean science literacy among non-majors and majors at 2 and 4 year colleges. We have designed a project-based curriculum built around topics that include, but are not limited to: tsunami hazard, whale migration, ocean fertilization, ocean territorial claims, rapid climate change, the pacific trash patch, overfishing, and ocean acidification. Each case study or project consists of three weeks of class time and is structured around three elements: 1) a media analysis; 2) the role of ocean science in addressing the issue; 3) human impact/response. Content resources range from textbook readings, popular or current print news, documentary film and television, and data available on the world wide web from a range of sources. We employ a variety of formative assessments for each case study in order to monitor student access and understanding of content and include a significant component of in-class student discussion and brainstorming guided by faculty input to develop the case study. Each study culminates in summative assessments ranging from exams to student posters to presentations, depending on the class size and environment. We envision this approach for a range of classroom environments including large group face-to-face instruction as well as hybrid

  17. A Discussion Project on High School Adolescents' Perceptions of the Relationship between Students and Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Ronald J.

    1976-01-01

    Describes a small group discussion project involving students and teachers in two large white suburban high schools. The project's intention was to focus discussion on the social quality of the relationship between students and teachers, and to assess the impact of the discussions on student perceptions. (Author/RK)

  18. The Eurodif program. Present status of the project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Besse, G.

    1975-01-01

    The reasons which led Eurodif to decide for the gaseous diffusion process and the benefits which such process offers for the present time are presented. The realization of the Eurodif project (description of the plant, time schedule of the realization, electric power supply, production time-schedule) is discussed. The Eurodif marketing policy, present and future, is reported [fr

  19. The Development of an Instrument to Measure the Project Competences of College Students in Online Project-Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chien-Liang

    2018-01-01

    This study sought to develop a self-report instrument to be used in the assessment of the project competences of college students engaged in online project-based learning. Three scales of the KIPSSE instrument developed for this study, namely, the knowledge integration, project skills, and self-efficacy scales, were based on related theories and…

  20. Improving patient care through student leadership in team quality improvement projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tschannen, Dana; Aebersold, Michelle; Kocan, Mary Jo; Lundy, Francene; Potempa, Kathleen

    2015-01-01

    In partnership with a major medical center, senior-level nursing students completed a root cause analysis and implementation plan to address a unit-specific quality issue. To evaluate the project, unit leaders were asked their perceptions of the value of the projects and impact on patient care, as well as to provide exemplars depicting how the student root cause analysis work resulted in improved patient outcome and/or unit processes. Liaisons noted benefits of having an RCA team, with positive impact on patient outcomes and care processes.

  1. L2 Quality as a Competitive Edge - Project Presentation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ditlevsen, Marianne Grove; Kastberg, Peter

    2000-01-01

    In our paper we would like to present an interdisciplinary project "L2 as a Competitive Edge". We'll be doing this by first giving you a project overview in section 0. The overview will then in the section 1 and 2 be followed by a presentation of two of the most interesting themes, serving as point...... of departure for further discussion. The two themes are "The evaluation of language quality" and "Method - an Integrated Approach"....

  2. Student ownership of projects in an upper-division optics laboratory course: A multiple case study of successful experiences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dimitri R. Dounas-Frazer

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available We investigate students’ sense of ownership of multiweek final projects in an upper-division optics lab course. Using a multiple case study approach, we describe three student projects in detail. Within-case analyses focused on identifying key issues in each project, and constructing chronological descriptions of those events. Cross-case analysis focused on identifying emergent themes with respect to five dimensions of project ownership: student agency, instructor mentorship, peer collaboration, interest and value, and affective responses. Our within- and cross-case analyses yielded three major findings. First, coupling division of labor with collective brainstorming can help balance student agency, instructor mentorship, and peer collaboration. Second, students’ interest in the project and perceptions of its value can increase over time; initial student interest in the project topic is not a necessary condition for student ownership of the project. Third, student ownership is characterized by a wide range of emotions that fluctuate as students alternate between extended periods of struggle and moments of success while working on their projects. These findings not only extend the literature on student ownership into a new educational domain—namely, upper-division physics labs—they also have concrete implications for the design of experimental physics projects in courses for which student ownership is a desired learning outcome. We describe the course and projects in sufficient detail that others can adapt our results to their particular contexts.

  3. Solidarity Projects in Norwegian Schools: Students' Motivation and School Leaders' Rationale

    OpenAIRE

    Brustad, Maja Rosvold

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Each year thousands of Norwegian students spend one day of their education to collect money for different aid projects. These projects aim at giving youth in developing countries the opportunity to education and are referred to as Solidarity Projects. The projects are organized by different NGO s. The first organizations that started offering solidarity projects were Operation Day´s Work. This organization was founded in 1964, and is run for, by and with youth. Participation in solid...

  4. Enhancement of students’ creative thinking skills on mixture separation topic using project based student worksheet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nurisalfah, R.; Fadiawati, N.; Jalmo, T.

    2018-05-01

    The aim of this study is to describe the effectiveness of project based student worksheet in improving students' creative thinking skills. The research method is using quasi experiment with the matching only pre-test post-test control group design. The population in this research is all students of class VII SMP N 2 Belitang Madang Raya with class VII1 as control class and class VII4 as experiment class. The sample of this research is obtaining by purposive sampling technique. The effectiveness of project based student worksheet is based on significant post-test differences between the control class and the experiment class as well as the effect size. The results show that the using of project based student worksheet is effective in improving students' creative thinking skills on mixture separation topic.

  5. Teaching as Improvisational Experience: Student Music Teachers' Reflections on Learning during an Intercultural Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westerlund, Heidi; Partti, Heidi; Karlsen, Sidsel

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative instrumental case study explores Finnish student music teachers' experiences of teaching and learning as participants in an intercultural project in Cambodia. The Multicultural Music University project aimed at increasing master's level music education students' intercultural competencies by providing experiences of teaching and…

  6. Improving Student Group Marketing Presentations: A Modified Pecha Kucha Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliver, Jason; Kowalczyk, Christine

    2013-01-01

    Student presentations can often seem like a formality rather than a lesson in representing oneself or group in a professional manner. To improve the quality of group presentations, the authors modified the popular presentation style of Pecha Kucha (20 slides, 20 seconds per slide) for marketing courses to help students prepare and deliver…

  7. Educational Designs Supporting Student Engagement Through Network Project Studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jørgen Lerche

    2016-01-01

    Internationally, new pedagogical approaches emphasizing collaboration or learning in networks have been developed following the introduction of new technologies, especially the spread of social media. It is interesting to see such pedagogical developments in relation to similar approaches......, developed from the traditions of organizing university studies through student-driven project work and problem-driven learning approaches, which have been developed at the Danish universities of Roskilde and Aalborg as early as from the beginning of the 1970s. Specific educational designs integrating...... digital media are discussed, especially focusing on student engagement and the implications of organizing the pedagogical practice as networked project work. The discussions are based on the author’s experiences during 16 years of teaching and supervising at the Danish Master’s Program of ICT and Learning...

  8. The evolution of a doctor of nursing practice capstone process: programmatic revisions to improve the quality of student projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Joan M; Cook, Paul F; Raterink, Ginger

    2013-01-01

    The past several years have seen explosive growth in the number of doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree programs offered by colleges of nursing in the United States. Through a process of trial and error since 2005, the faculty at the University of Colorado, College of Nursing, have revised the course structure and procedures related to the DNP capstone project to improve the quality and usefulness of these student projects. Efforts have focused on educating and involving all nursing faculty in the DNP capstone process, distinguishing between competencies for our PhD and DNP projects, clearly aligning the DNP capstone project with quality improvement methods rather than with research, working with our campus institutional review board to clarify regulatory review requirements for quality improvement studies, developing a review committee to oversee DNP students' projects, and structuring our sequential course requirements to encourage students' professional presentations and publications. Our current capstone process reflects 7 years of iterative work, which we summarize in this article in hopes that it will help institutions currently in the process of developing a DNP program. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Extending the Pathway: Building on a National Science Foundation Workforce Development Project for Underserved k-12 Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slattery, W.; Smith, T.

    2014-12-01

    With new career openings in the geosciences expected and a large number of presently employed geoscientists retiring in the next decade there is a critical need for a new cadre of geoscientists to fill these positions. A project funded by the National Science Foundation titled K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators and Higher Education Faculty: Partners Helping Rural Disadvantaged Students Stay on the Pathway to a Geoscience Career involving Wright State University and the Ripley, Lewis, Union, Huntington k-12 school district in Appalachian Ohio took led to dozens of seventh and eighth grade students traveling to Sandy Hook, New Jersey for a one week field experience to study oceanography with staff of the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium. Teachers, parent chaperones, administrators and university faculty accompanied the students in the field. Teachers worked alongside their students in targeted professional development during the weeklong field experience. During the two academic years of the project, both middle school and high school teachers received professional development in Earth system science so that all students, not just those that were on the summer field experience could receive enhanced science learning. All ninth grade high school students were given the opportunity to take a high school/college dual credit Earth system science course. Community outreach provided widespread knowledge of the project and interest among parents to have their children participate. In addition, ninth grade students raised money themselves to fund a trip to the International Field Studies Forfar Field Station on Andros Island, Bahamas to study a tropical aquatic system. Students who before this project had never traveled outside of Ohio are currently discussing ways that they can continue on the pathway to a geoscience career by applying for internships for the summer between their junior and senior years. These are positive steps towards taking charge of their

  10. Insights into the use and affordances of social and collaborative applications for student projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omolola Ola Bankole

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The use of social and collaborative computing has the potential of assisting learning and improving the ability to work together as part of a team. Team work is a graduate attribute that students need to acquire before transitioning from university into the workplace. The aim of this exploratory research was to provide insights into the use of social and collaborative applications by Computer Science students, and the emergent affordances student project teams have created with the use of these applications. It answers the questions: What elearning platforms or applications do students use to collaborate for team projects? What technology affordance draws students to use these applications? This study adopts affordance theory as the theoretical framework. Two types of content analysis: conventional content analysis and summative content analysis were used to analyse the data. Data was gathered using a pre-designed questionnaire with the teams during the first semester of 2016. Findings show that the university’s elearning platform is utilised for some of their courses; however students seem to prefer free and open source platforms. Student project teams used applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Docs, as well as email messages, to work jointly, and were successfully able to complete their team projects. Four types of technology affordances: communicative-affordance, document share-affordance, course resource-affordance, and integrity-affordance, were identified as being relevant.

  11. Sparking Passion: Engaging Student Voice through Project-Based Learning in Learning Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ball, Christy L.

    2016-01-01

    How do we confront entrenched educational practices in higher education that lead to student demotivation, poor retention, and low persistence? This article argues that project-based learning that situates student voice and capacity at the center of culturally-responsive curriculum has the potential to spark student passion for problem-solving…

  12. Teachers' tendencies to promote student-led science projects: Associations with their views about science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bencze, J. Lawrence; Bowen, G. Michael; Alsop, Steve

    2006-05-01

    School science students can benefit greatly from participation in student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry projects. For various possible reasons, however, students tend not to be engaged in such inquiries. Among factors that may limit their opportunities to engage in open-ended inquiries of their design are teachers' conceptions about science. To explore possible relationships between teachers' conceptions about science and the types of inquiry activities in which they engage students, instrumental case studies of five secondary science teachers were developed, using field notes, repertory grids, samples of lesson plans and student activities, and semistructured interviews. Based on constructivist grounded theory analysis, participating teachers' tendencies to promote student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry projects seemed to correspond with positions about the nature of science to which they indicated adherence. A tendency to encourage and enable students to carry out student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry projects appeared to be associated with adherence to social constructivist views about science. Teachers who opposed social constructivist views tended to prefer tight control of student knowledge building procedures and conclusions. We suggest that these results can be explained with reference to human psychological factors, including those associated with teachers' self-esteem and their relationships with knowledge-building processes in the discipline of their teaching.

  13. Conceptualizing the role of multidisciplinarity and student perceptions of university-industry collaboration in project-based learning

    OpenAIRE

    Heikkinen, Juho

    2017-01-01

    Project-based learning has a long history, especially in the disciplines of computer science and engineering. This approach is used to offer students a realistic view of their discipline, and this experience can be enhanced with industrial involvement as companies bring their real world problems to projects. One recent trend in project-based learning is utilizing multidisciplinary teams, enabling students to contrast their skills and experience with students from other discipli...

  14. Croatian repository construction project - present status and main obstacles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kucar Dragicevic, S.; Subasic, D.; Schaller, A.; Lokner, V.; Cerskov Klika, M.

    1999-01-01

    Croatia has been preparing backgrounds for the construction of the repository for low and intermediate radioactive waste on its territory, almost for a decade, now. In the name of Hrvtaska elektroprivreda, the co-owner of the NE Krsko, APO has been co-ordinating and organising numerous activities and projects during that time period. Siting process, safety assessment, disposal technology and repository design and public acceptance issues are the main fields of activities. The overall status of the project at the moment, including the overview of the present status of the main four aspects of activities, will be presented. Relatively, big and important progress made on the project work out during the last two years, as well as the main obstacles we were faced with during that time period, will be discussed.(author)

  15. ORGANIZATION OF INDEPENDENT WORK STUDENTS OF MASTER OF TELECOMMUNICATION TRAINING PROJECT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Perminova

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The article explains the need to implement active learning of students in the practice of the organization їh homework. In particular, the author proved the rationality of the use of telecommunications projects and use the web in quest of independent study students graduate.

  16. The effects of topic choice in project-based instruction on undergraduate physical science students' interest, ownership, and motivation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milner-Bolotin, Marina

    2001-07-01

    Motivating nonscience majors in science and mathematics studies became one of the most interesting and important challenges in contemporary science and mathematics education. Therefore, designing and studying a learning environment, which enhances students' motivation, is an important task. This experimental study sought to explore the implications of student autonomy in topic choice in a project-based Physical Science Course for nonscience majors' on students' motivational orientation. It also suggested and tested a model explaining motivational outcomes of project-based learning environment through increased student ownership of science projects. A project, How Things Work, was designed and implemented in this study. The focus of the project was application of physical science concepts learned in the classroom to everyday life situations. Participants of the study (N = 59) were students enrolled in three selected sections of a Physical Science Course, designed to fulfill science requirements for nonscience majors. These sections were taught by the same instructor over a period of an entire 16-week semester at a large public research university. The study focused on four main variables: student autonomy in choosing a project topic, their motivational orientation, student ownership of the project, and the interest in the project topic. Achievement Goal Orientation theory became the theoretical framework for the study. Student motivational orientation, defined as mastery or performance goal orientation, was measured by an Achievement Goal Orientation Questionnaire. Student ownership was measured using an original instrument, Ownership Measurement Questionnaire, designed and tested by the researchers. Repeated measures yoked design, ANOVA, ANCOVA, and multivariate regression analysis were implemented in the study. Qualitative analysis was used to complement and verify quantitative results. It has been found that student autonomy in the project choice did not make a

  17. Understanding Algorithms in Different Presentations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Csernoch, Mária; Biró, Piroska; Abari, Kálmán; Máth, János

    2015-01-01

    Within the framework of the Testing Algorithmic and Application Skills project we tested first year students of Informatics at the beginning of their tertiary education. We were focusing on the students' level of understanding in different programming environments. In the present paper we provide the results from the University of Debrecen, the…

  18. The Role of Learning- and Presentation- Portfolios in Design Educations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Bente Dahl; Ovesen, Nis

    2014-01-01

    Students that primarily study design through team-based projects often struggle to develop presentation portfolios that differentiate from the ones of other students. In the industry, design managers experience this as a problem, as they often receive job applications with presentation portfolios...... resources from other activities, which is why the templates have to be carefully balanced in order to achieve the desired effect. The portfolio method proved to be especially good at illustrating process related competencies.......Students that primarily study design through team-based projects often struggle to develop presentation portfolios that differentiate from the ones of other students. In the industry, design managers experience this as a problem, as they often receive job applications with presentation portfolios...... of the portfolio method in engineering design educations, this research project has investigated the method as part of a course programme. The preliminary experiments and results show that learning portfolio templates are effective in strengthening certain activities. On the other hand, the method risks draining...

  19. Research and Development Projects with ICT and students as learning designers in Primary Schools

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Levinsen, Karin; Sørensen, Birgitte Holm; Tosca, Susana

    2014-01-01

    In this paper we present some methodological challenges that emerged during the process of shaping the research design for the comprehensive and complex research project Children as learning designers in a digital school. The project is the realization of our proposal to a research call from...... to the need to strengthen the populations’ digital literacy and 21st century competencies. The call’s scope was research and development projects as pilot school experiments in relation to five selected areas. The selected projects should contribute with new generalizable and practice oriented knowledge...... of how: • ICT supports students learning, • ICT release time for more teaching, and • teachers digital literacy impact on the role of ICT in the educational practice. Further the call required collaboration between universities and university colleges in order to disseminate knowledge and new practices...

  20. Effect of Varied Computer Based Presentation Sequences on Facilitating Student Achievement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noonen, Ann; Dwyer, Francis M.

    1994-01-01

    Examines the effectiveness of visual illustrations in computer-based education, the effect of order of visual presentation, and whether screen design affects students' use of graphics and text. Results indicate that order of presentation and choice of review did not influence student achievement; however, when given a choice, students selected the…

  1. 20% Research & Design Science Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spear, Beth A.

    2015-04-01

    A project allowing employees to use 15 % of their time on independent projects was established at 3M in the 1950's. The result of this project included products like post it notes and masking tape. Google allows its employees to use 20% of their time on independently pursued projects. The company values creativity and innovation. Employees are allowed to explore projects of interest to them one day out of the week, 20 % of their work week. Products like AdSense, Gmail, Google Transit, Google News, and Google Talk are the result of this 20 % program. My school is implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as part of our regularly scheduled curriculum review. These new standards focus on the process of learning by doing and designing. The NGSS are very hands on and active. The new standards emphasize learning how to define, understand and solve problems in science and technology. In today's society everyone needs to be familiar with science and technology. This project allows students to develop and practice skills to help them be more comfortable and confident with science and technology while exploring something of interest to them. This project includes three major parts: research, design, and presentation. Students will spend approximately 2-4 weeks defining a project proposal and educating themselves by researching a science and technology topic that is of interest to them. In the next phase, 2-4 weeks, students design a product or plan to collect data for something related to their topic. The time spent on research and design will be dependant on the topic students select. Projects should be ambitious enough to encompass about six weeks. Lastly a presentation or demonstration incorporating the research and design of the project is created, peer reviewed and presented to the class. There are some problems anticipated or already experienced with this project. It is difficult for all students to choose a unique topic when you have large class sizes

  2. The AAU-cubesat Student Satellite Project: Architectual Overview and Lessons Learnt

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Kasper Zinck; Alminde, Lars; Bisgaard, Morten

    satellite like the AAU-cubesat. Results from the operation phase will be stated, and recommendations on further work on pico-satellite designs will be given. In addition as the project has been carried through by students, the educational value of the project will be addressed as well....

  3. The students' voice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Frances

    2004-01-01

    The article presents data collected from interviews with students at Aalborg University in relation to their experiences working with the problem-based and project-organized (PBL) approach.......The article presents data collected from interviews with students at Aalborg University in relation to their experiences working with the problem-based and project-organized (PBL) approach....

  4. Scrum as a Platform to Manage Students in Projects of Technological Development and Scientific Initiation: A Study Case Realized at UNIT/SE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larissa Freitas Santana

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the Scrum methodology as an alternative to pedagogical practices and managing of the software projects, presenting an investigation with the students of scientific initiation of an university from the Brazil's northeast. It was seeking to analyze the accomplishment of the students with the Scrum practices, as well the perception of the learning of the methodology, showing the positive aspects and the negative ones through this experience. As a conclusion, the Scrum methodology is indicated to manage projects even when the team has limited or none experience promoting the learning, adding value and satisfaction to the student.

  5. Cooperative Learning in Graduate Student Projects: Comparing Synchronous versus Asynchronous Collaboration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strang, Kenneth

    2013-01-01

    Cooperative learning was applied in a graduate project management course to compare the effectiveness of asynchronous versus synchronous online team meetings. An experiment was constructed to allocate students to project teams while ensuring there was a balance of requisite skills, namely systems analysis and design along with HTML/Javascript…

  6. Students Development of Food and Health-Related Action Competence - Upscaling LOMA Project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ruge, Dorte; Nielsen, Morten Kromann; Jensen, Kirsten

    , based on preliminary results from LOMA I project, there are indications, that students at the whole school develop healthier eating habits and experience comensality, Sense of Coherence and QOL, when they participate in LOMA educational activities. The evaluation of LOMA II will apply a mixed methods......, that encompass participation from both teachers, pedagogs and students (8-15 years) and teacher-students.The evaluation of LOMA II will apply a mixed methods design, that facilitates a 'realist' (Pawson and Tilley 1998; Carlsson and Simovska 2012) approach to data collection and analysis. Apart from more...... mainstream methods of measurement, action research strategies (Checkland 2000) will be applied at certain stages of the evaluation, e.g. during pilot-projets and in relation to students participation in the 'mid-term-seminar' of the project in 2016. Expected Outcomes It is expected, that LOMA II...

  7. Particulate Air Contamination in Puerto Rico: A Student Involvement Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckert, Richard R.

    1979-01-01

    Describes a research project undertaken by physics undergraduate students to monitor particulate air contamination in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and to determine the meteorological factors which contribute to it. (GA)

  8. An Opportunity to Lead Sustainably: The Benefits and Considerations of Student-Led Green Revolving Fund Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kononenko, Kevin

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, energy- and resource-reduction projects have compelled student leaders to create sustainability projects on campuses across the country. This paper examines the role that students play in green revolving funds, including identification, approval, and management. After speaking with numerous students on a variety of campuses, it is…

  9. Students' and teachers' perceptions: initial achievements of a Project-Based Engineering School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terrón-López, María-José; Velasco-Quintana, Paloma-Julia; García-García, María-José; Ocampo, Jared R.

    2017-11-01

    A unified academic model based on the project-based learning (PBL) methodology was implemented, in the 2012-2013 period, in the School of Engineering at Universidad Europea de Madrid. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether teachers and students participating in the capstone projects feel that the objectives for which this methodology was designed for are being achieved. The data were collected through interviews to participants at the end of the PBL experience. The results are encouraging, as students seem to be more motivated, and they say that they are experiencing deeper learning, and have developed key competitive skills required for their professional lives. Findings also suggest that teachers face positively the PBL as a learning approach since they perceive that students obtain a deeper learning, develop transversal skills with the projects and are more engaged with their studies. Implications and recommendations for the future of the model are also discussed.

  10. The Presentation Assignment: Creating Learning Opportunities for Diverse Student Populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Brenda H.; Bartle-Angus, Kathryn

    2000-01-01

    Finds the presentation assignment to be an effective method of providing students with the opportunity to apply the literacy skills they are learning in ways that are personally meaningful. Describes the presentation assignment framework and provides an example of an assignment that required students to analyze and interpret works of literature…

  11. UNH Project SMART 2017: Space Science for High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, C. W.; Broad, L.; Goelzer, S.; Levergood, R.; Lugaz, N.; Moebius, E.

    2017-12-01

    Every summer for the past 26 years the University of New Hampshire (UNH) has run a month-long, residential outreach program for high school students considering careers in mathematics, science, or engineering. Space science is one of the modules. Students work directly with UNH faculty performing original work with real spacecraft data and hardware and present the results of that effort at the end of the program. This year the student research projects used data from the Messenger, STEREO, and Triana missions. In addition, the students build and fly a high-altitude balloon payload with instruments of their own construction. Students learn circuit design and construction, microcontroller programming, and core atmospheric and space science along with fundamental concepts in space physics and engineering. Our payload design has evolved significantly since the first flight of a simple rectangular box and now involves a stable descent vehicle that does not require a parachute. Our flight hardware includes an on-board flight control computer, in-flight autonomous control and data acquisition of multiple student-built instruments, and real-time camera images sent to ground. This year we developed, built and flew a successful line cutter based on GPS location information that prevents our payload from falling into the ocean while also separating the payload from the balloon remains for a cleaner descent. We will describe that new line cutter design and implementation along with the shielded Geiger counters that we flew as part of our cosmic ray air shower experiment. This is a program that can be used as a model for other schools to follow and that high schools can initiate. More information can be found at .

  12. Student-Led Presentations "in Situ": The Challenges to Presenting on the Edge of a Volcano

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marvell, Alan

    2008-01-01

    Student-led seminars are commonplace within higher education but few are allowed the opportunity of being delivered in situ. Presentations in situ widen the experience of students and develop a range of transferable skills, encouraging a greater sense of place and facilitating reflective learning. This case study describes the experiences of a…

  13. Students in a School Environment: A Project Focused on Family Involvement of At-Risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denney, Pat

    2011-01-01

    This project examined family involvement of at risk students in mid-west communities. The purpose of this project was to study the affect of family involvement on at-risk student achievement. The redefining of the perception of America has resulted in a crisis of academic performance in the traditionally slow-changing education systems. This topic…

  14. A project-based geoscience curriculum: select examples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, L. M.; Kelso, P. R.; White, R. J.; Rexroad, C. B.

    2007-12-01

    Principles of constructivist educational philosophy serve as a foundation for the recently completed National Science Foundation sponsored undergraduate curricular revision undertaken by the Geology Department of Lake Superior State University. We integrate lecture and laboratory sessions utilizing active learning strategies that focus on real-world geoscience experiences and problems. In this presentation, we discuss details of three research-like projects that require students to access original data, process and model the data using appropriate geological software, interpret and defend results, and disseminate results in reports, posters, and class presentations. The projects are from three upper division courses, Carbonate Systems, Sequence Stratigraphy, and Geophysical Systems, where teams of two to four students are presented with defined problems of durations ranging from a few weeks to an entire semester. Project goals and location, some background information, and specified dates and expectations for interim and final written and oral reports are provided to students. Some projects require the entire class to work on one data set, some require each team to be initially responsible for a portion of the project with teams ultimately merging data for interpretation and to arrive at final conclusions. Some projects require students to utilize data from appropriate geological web sites such as state geological surveys. Others require students to design surveys and utilize appropriate instruments of their choice for field data collection. Students learn usage and applications of appropriate geological software in compiling, processing, modeling, and interpreting data and preparing formal reports and presentations. Students uniformly report heightened interest and motivation when engaged in these projects. Our new curriculum has resulted in an increase in students" quantitative and interpretive skills along with dramatic improvement in communication and

  15. Using Technology-Enhanced, Cooperative, Group-Project Learning for Student Comprehension and Academic Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tlhoaele, Malefyane; Suhre, Cor; Hofman, Adriaan

    2016-01-01

    Cooperative learning may improve students' motivation, understanding of course concepts, and academic performance. This study therefore enhanced a cooperative, group-project learning technique with technology resources to determine whether doing so improved students' deep learning and performance. A sample of 118 engineering students, randomly…

  16. Site identification presentation: Basalt Waste Isolation Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-11-01

    The final step in the site identification process for the Basalt Waste Isolation Project is described. The candidate sites are identified. The site identification methodology is presented. The general objectives which must be met in selecting the final site are listed. Considerations used in the screening process are also listed. Summary tables of the guidelines used are included

  17. Empowering Students through Project-Based Learning: Perceptions of Instructors and Students in Vocational Education Institutes in Thailand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tongsakul, Anuvat; Jitgarun, Kalayanee; Chaokumnerd, Weerachai

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify and compare instructors' and students' perceptions of factors that contribute to the effective use of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in Thailand. The sample for the study consisted of 247 electrical technology instructors from Thai vocational education institutes and 161 students who were electrical power…

  18. Research and Mapping for MCEECDYA Project: Student Academic Engagement. Report 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ure, Christine; Gray, Jan

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the Research and Mapping for MCEECDYA Project: Student Academic Engagement was to examine the characteristics of schools with a low Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) from all jurisdictions that were identified to be making a difference to student academic and to identify the key drivers and characteristics of…

  19. Student cognition and motivation during the Classroom BirdWatch citizen science project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomasek, Terry Morton

    The purpose of this study was to examine and describe the ways various stakeholders (CBW project developer/coordinator, elementary and middle school teachers, and 5th through 8th grade students) envisioned, implemented and engaged in the citizen science project, eBird/Classroom BirdWatch. A multiple case study mixed-methods research design was used to examine student engagement in the cognitive processes associated with scientific inquiry as part of citizen science participation. Student engagement was described based on a sense of autonomy, competence, relatedness and intrinsic motivation. A goal of this study was to expand the taxonomy of differences between authentic scientific inquiry and simple inquiry to include those inquiry tasks associated with participation in citizen science by describing how students engaged in this type of science. This research study built upon the existing framework of cognitive processes associated with scientific inquiry described by Chinn and Malhotra (2002). This research provides a systematic analysis of the scientific processes and related reasoning tasks associated with the citizen science project eBird and the corresponding curriculum Classroom BirdWatch . Data consisted of responses to surveys, focus group interviews, document analysis and individual interviews. I suggest that citizen science could be an additional form of classroom-based science inquiry that can promote more authentic features of scientific inquiry and engage students in meaningful ways.

  20. A Project-Based Course on Newton's Laws for Talented Junior High-School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langbeheim, Elon

    2015-01-01

    Research has shown that project-based learning promotes student interest in science and improves understanding of scientific content. Fostering student motivation is particularly important in accelerated science and technology programmes for talented students, which are often demanding and time-consuming. Current texts provide little guidance on…

  1. Using Medical Student Quality Improvement Projects to Promote Evidence-Based Care in the Emergency Department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manning, Michael W; Bean, Eric W; Miller, Andrew C; Templer, Suzanne J; Mackenzie, Richard S; Richardson, David M; Bresnan, Kristin A; Greenberg, Marna R

    2018-01-01

    The Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC) initiative for Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Entering Residency includes as an element of Entrustable Professional Activity 13 to "identify system failures and contribute to a culture of safety and improvement." We set out to determine the feasibility of using medical students' action learning projects (ALPs) to expedite implementation of evidence-based pathways for three common patient diagnoses in the emergency department (ED) setting (Atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and pulmonary embolism). These prospective quality improvement (QI) initiatives were performed over six months in three Northeastern PA hospitals. Emergency physician mentors were recruited to facilitate a QI experience for third-year medical students for each project. Six students were assigned to each mentor and given class time and network infrastructure support (information technology, consultant experts in lean management) to work on their projects. Students had access to background network data that revealed potential for improvement in disposition (home) for patients. Under the leadership of their mentors, students accomplished standard QI processes such as performing the background literature search and assessing key stakeholders' positions that were involved in the respective patient's care. Students effectively developed flow diagrams, computer aids for clinicians and educational programs, and participated in recruiting champions for the new practice standard. They met with other departmental clinicians to determine barriers to implementation and used this feedback to help set specific parameters to make clinicians more comfortable with the changes in practice that were recommended. All three clinical practice guidelines were initiated at consummation of the students' projects. After implementation, 86% (38/44) of queried ED providers felt comfortable with medical students being a part of future ED QI

  2. Students Can Give Psychology Away: Oral Presentations on YouTube

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malouff, John M.; Emmerton, Ashley J.

    2014-01-01

    This article describes a novel assignment involving students giving a presentation on YouTube about how to apply behavior-modification principles to change a specific type of behavior, chosen by each student. The presentations covered topics such as how to end nail biting and how to reduce anxiety about public speaking. Giving an oral presentation…

  3. The Power Plant Mapping Student Project: Bringing Citizen Science to Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tayne, K.; Oda, T.; Gurney, K. R.; O'Keeffe, D.; Petron, G.; Tans, P. P.; Frost, G. J.

    2014-12-01

    An emission inventory (EI) is a conventional tool to quantify and monitor anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants into the atmosphere. Gridded EI can visually show geographical patterns of emissions and their changes over time. These patterns, when available, are often determined using location data collected by regional governments, industries, and researchers. Datasets such as Carbon Monitoring and Action (CARMA, www.carma.org) are particularly useful for mapping emissions from large point sources and have been widely used in the EI community. The EI community is aware of potentially significant errors in the geographical locations of point sources, including power plants. The big challenge, however, is to review tens of thousands of power plant locations around the world and correct them where needed. The Power Plant Mapping Student Project (PPMSP) is a platform designed for students in 4th through 12th grade to improve the geographical location of power plants indicated in existing datasets to benefit international EI research. In PPMSP, we use VENTUS, a web-based platform (http://ventus.project.asu.edu/) that invites citizens to contribute power plant location data. Using VENTUS, students view scenes in the vicinity of reported power plant coordinates on Google Maps. Students either verify the location of a power plant or search for it within a designated radius using various indicators, an e-guide, and a power plant photo gallery for assistance. If the power plant cannot be found, students mark the plant as unverified. To assure quality for research use, the project contains multiple checkpoints and levels of review. While participating in meaningful research that directly benefits the EI research community, students are engaged in relevant science curricula designed to meet each grade level's Next Generation Science Standards. Students study energy, climate change, the atmosphere, and geographical information systems. The curricula is

  4. Student-Identified Strengths and Challenges of Using Blackboard for Group Projects in a Social Work Course

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa B. Littlefield

    2002-05-01

    Full Text Available Blackboard (TM provides social work educators integrated online communication tools that they can employ to facilitate student learning through features such as e-mail, discussion forums, file exchange, virtual classroom, and links to online resources. This study describes students’ experiences using Blackboard (TM to support a group project assignment. The majority of students found it easy to use and useful for the project, and indicated that they would like to use it in other courses. In addition, students gained technical skills as a result of the group project. Students’ group project grades and final course grades were comparable to those in other sections of the same course taught by this investigator. The findings of this study suggest that online technology can be used to facilitate group assignments for MSW students. The benefits include increased efficiency of group functioning and increased accountability of group members. The challenges include technical problems and student resistance to using the technology.

  5. Group marking and peer assessment during a group poster presentation: the experiences and views of midwifery students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohaja, Magdalena; Dunlea, Margaret; Muldoon, Kathryn

    2013-09-01

    Traditionally, written examination and clinical practice assessments are the main ways of deeming midwifery students fit and competent for practice. Contemporary academics in an effort to engage the students in the learning process have employed alternative teaching and assessment strategies. Among the alternative strategies are group projects after which members of the group are awarded the same grade, and peer assessment. With the purpose of informing the midwifery curricular, we utilised a qualitative descriptive approach to explore midwifery students' experiences and views on the use of group poster presentation for learning and assessment. The participants consisted of a purposive sample of 14 higher diploma midwifery students who were registered in a third level institution in Ireland. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted following the completion of the poster presentation assessment. Permission to undertake the study was obtained from the college ethics committee. In this paper, we focus on the participants' views of group marking and peer assessment which are among the key elements that emerged in this study. While awarding a group mark was overall accepted, peer assessment proved a more contentious issue. Most of the participants found it challenging marking their friends. Reactions to group marks were very much influenced by the group dynamics. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Collaborations between Multicultural Educators and Archivists: Engaging Students with Multicultural History through Archival Research Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández, Natalia

    2016-01-01

    When multicultural educators and archivists collaborate to design projects that engage students with multicultural history through archival research, students can learn in-depth research skills with primary source documents, creatively share their knowledge, and, on a broader level, engage with their local community history. The projects shared in…

  7. Influence of Personality and Motivation on Oral Presentation Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Hsin-Yi; Kelsen, Brent

    2018-01-19

    Personality and motivation have been identified as influential variables associated with foreign language learning; however, few studies have investigated their effect on oral presentations. This study addresses the importance of both personality and motivation in students' collaborative oral presentation performance. A Big Five personality trait questionnaire measuring Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism and Openness to Experience, together with the Collaborative Inquiry-based Project Questionnaire measuring Task, Project Work, Reinforcement, Social Learning and Social Pressure motivational constructs were employed to evaluate 257 university students. In general, the results showed that Extraversion, Project Work and Social Pressure were significant correlates of oral presentation scores. The first result suggests that extraverts possess superiority in situations where oral language production is central to communication. This was particularly true for lower-level students, inferring that extraverted personalities can compensate for a lower English language ability. The second indicates that the inquiry-based nature of the assignments was an intrinsic motivator especially valued by extraverts. The third implies that extrinsic motivation was a factor influencing student performance. These findings extend previous research by highlighting the contextual relationships between these affective variables and performance in collaborative oral presentation contexts.

  8. The INCA project: present status and outlook

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aleksandrov, K.V.; Ammosov, V.V.; Chechin, V.A.; Chubenko, A.P.; Erlykin, A.D.; Ladygin, E.A.; Merzon, G.I.; Mukhamedshin, R.A.; Murashov, V.N.; Pavlyuchenko, V.P.; Ryabov, V.A.; Ryazhskaya, O.G.; Saito, T.; Sobolevskii, N.M.; Shchepetov, A.L.; Starkov, N.I.; Trostin, I.S.; Tsarev, V.A.; Wolfendale, A.; Zatsepin, G.T.; Zhdanov, G.B.; Zhukov, A.P.

    2002-01-01

    Scientific objectives, foundations, status, and outlook of the INCA Project are presented. Fundamentally new technique based on the ionization-neutron calorimeter (INCA) and designed to study local nearby sources of high-energy cosmic rays by direct measuring the spectrum and composition of the nuclear component in the 'knee' region and the spectrum of primary electrons in the energy range 0.1-10 TeV with the proton-background suppression factor up to 10 7 is discussed. Experimental data on exposition of the INCA prototypes to electron, pion, and proton beams at various energies and corresponding simulation results are presented. Prospects are considered

  9. Peer assessment of individual contributions to a group project: Student perceptions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kench, Peter L.; Field, Nikki; Agudera, Maila; Gill, Margo

    2009-01-01

    Group work has many benefits for a student's professional development but it is difficult to determine the individual contributions to the group assessment tasks. Peer assessment of an individual's contribution to group work can be used to encourage student participation. It is important that the method of peer assessment is fair and that the students' submissions be treated confidentially. A model for peer assessment of individual contributions to the group assessment is described. Students who did not participate adequately in the group were penalised resulting in a reduced individual grade. Perceptions of the peer assessment method are reported for students enrolled (n = 169) in the subject 'Medical Radiations Project'. The questionnaire showed a positive student response towards the peer assessment model.

  10. A Review of High School Level Astronomy Student Research Projects Over the Last Two Decades

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzgerald, M. T.; Hollow, R.; Rebull, L. M.; Danaia, L.; McKinnon, D. H.

    2014-09-01

    Since the early 1990s with the arrival of a variety of new technologies, the capacity for authentic astronomical research at the high school level has skyrocketed. This potential, however, has not realised the bright-eyed hopes and dreams of the early pioneers who expected to revolutionise science education through the use of telescopes and other astronomical instrumentation in the classroom. In this paper, a general history and analysis of these attempts is presented. We define what we classify as an Astronomy Research in the Classroom (ARiC) project and note the major dimensions on which these projects differ before describing the 22 major student research projects active since the early 1990s. This is followed by a discussion of the major issues identified that affected the success of these projects and provide suggestions for similar attempts in the future.

  11. The Senegal Project: A Cultural Foods Unit for Middle School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Diane

    2011-01-01

    The Senegal Project is the culminating project in a unit on cultural foods in an 8th grade family and consumer sciences (FCS) course. Initially, students take a quick world tour by studying and cooking foods from Mexico, Italy, China, and India followed by a "more depth and less breadth" study of Senegal, a country with a culture vastly…

  12. Fundraising Strategies Developed by MBA Students in Project-Based Learning Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arantes do Amaral, Joao Alberto; Petroni, Liége Mariel; Hess, Aurélio

    2016-01-01

    The ability to raise funds is a skill that most modern project managers need. While a good deal of literature exists on the strategies NGOs employ to raise funds for their operations, less attention has been paid to the strategies used by students involved in Project-Based Learning courses that often partner with NGOs. Fundraising is an important…

  13. High School Students' Reasons for Their Science Dispositions: Community-Based Innovative Technology-Embedded Environmental Research Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebenezer, Jazlin; Kaya, Osman Nafiz; Kasab, Dimma

    2018-05-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to qualitatively describe high school students' reasons for their science dispositions (attitude, perception, and self-confidence) based on their long-term experience with innovative technology-embedded environmental research projects. Students in small groups conducted research projects in and out of school with the help of their teachers and community experts (scientists and engineers). During the 3-year period of this nationally funded project, a total of 135 students from five schools in a mid-west State participated in research activities. Of the 135 students, 53 students were individually interviewed to explore reasons for their science dispositions. Students' reasons for each disposition were grouped into categories, and corresponding frequency was converted to a percentage. The categories of reasons were not only attributed to the use of innovative technologies in environmental research but also the contexts and events that surrounded it. The reasons that influenced students' science dispositions positively were because engaging in environmental research projects with technology contributed to easing fear and difficulty, building a research team, disseminating findings, communicating with the community, researching with scientists, training by teachers, and acknowledging teachers' knowledge. These results advanced how and why students develop science dispositions in the positive direction, which are as follows: building science teacher capacity, developing a community of inquirers, and committing to improve pedagogical practices.

  14. Students' construction of a simple steam distillation apparatus and development of creative thinking skills: A project-based learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diawati, Chansyanah; Liliasari, Setiabudi, Agus; Buchari

    2017-05-01

    This project-based learning combined the chemistry of separation process using steam distillation with engineering design process in an undergraduate chemistry course. Students built upon their knowledge of phase changes, immiscible mixture, and the relationship between vapor pressure and boiling point to complete a project of modifications steam distillation apparatus. The research method is a qualitative case study, which aims to describe how (1) the creative thinking skills of students emerged during six weeks of theproject, (2) students built steam distillation apparatus characteristics as the project product and (3) students response to the project-based learning model. The results showed that the students had successfully constructed a steam distillation apparatus using plastic kettle as steam generator and distillation flask. A Plastic tubewas used to drain water vapor from steam generator to distillation flask and to drain steam containing essential oil to the condenser. A biscuit tin filled with ice was used as a condenser. The time required until resulting distillate was fifteen minutes. The production of essential was conductive qualitatively by a very strong smell typical of essential oil and two phases of distillate. Throughout the project, students formulated the relevant and varied problem, formulated the goals, proposed the ideas of the apparatus and materials, draw apparatus design, constructed apparatus, tested apparatus, evaluated, and reported the project. Student response was generally positive. They were pleased, interested, more understanding the concepts and work apparatus principles, also implemented new ideas. These results indicate that project-based learning can develop students' creative thinking skills. Based on these results, it is necessary to conduct research and implemented project-based learning to other concepts.

  15. Ten Projects to Involve Your Students Directly in French.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Lent, Peter C.

    1981-01-01

    Proposes 10 activities to provide French classes of all levels with a broad spectrum of language projects involving direct and active use of French including students polling each other, skits based on television commercials, geographical "show and tell," cooking French dishes, writing a monthly newspaper, and field trips. (BK)

  16. Identifying College Students Likely to Participate in a Travel Abroad Volunteer Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nonis, Sarath A.; Relyea, Clint

    2014-01-01

    Foreign travel provides excellent opportunities for college students to broaden their global mindset. While empirical research focusing on variables that influence student participation in study abroad programs are available, there is a paucity of research that focuses on travel abroad programs relating to participating in volunteer projects.…

  17. The Voices Project: Reducing White Students' Racism in Introduction to Psychology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nordstrom, Alicia H.

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the impact of an assignment involving intergroup contact (The Voices Project [TVP]) on student racism toward Muslims, African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics in Introduction to Psychology. TVP students interviewed members from racial groups and wrote autobiographical memoirs of their lives. A faculty-writing team integrated…

  18. Biotechnology by Design: An Introductory Level, Project-Based, Synthetic Biology Laboratory Program for Undergraduate Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beach, Dale L; Alvarez, Consuelo J

    2015-12-01

    Synthetic biology offers an ideal opportunity to promote undergraduate laboratory courses with research-style projects, immersing students in an inquiry-based program that enhances the experience of the scientific process. We designed a semester-long, project-based laboratory curriculum using synthetic biology principles to develop a novel sensory device. Students develop subject matter knowledge of molecular genetics and practical skills relevant to molecular biology, recombinant DNA techniques, and information literacy. During the spring semesters of 2014 and 2015, the Synthetic Biology Laboratory Project was delivered to sophomore genetics courses. Using a cloning strategy based on standardized BioBrick genetic "parts," students construct a "reporter plasmid" expressing a reporter gene (GFP) controlled by a hybrid promoter regulated by the lac-repressor protein (lacI). In combination with a "sensor plasmid," the production of the reporter phenotype is inhibited in the presence of a target environmental agent, arabinose. When arabinose is absent, constitutive GFP expression makes cells glow green. But the presence of arabinose activates a second promoter (pBAD) to produce a lac-repressor protein that will inhibit GFP production. Student learning was assessed relative to five learning objectives, using a student survey administered at the beginning (pre-survey) and end (post-survey) of the course, and an additional 15 open-ended questions from five graded Progress Report assignments collected throughout the course. Students demonstrated significant learning gains (p Biology Laboratory Project enhanced their understanding of molecular genetics. The laboratory project is highly adaptable for both introductory and advanced courses.

  19. Evaluating Students' Perceptions and Attitudes toward Computer-Mediated Project-Based Learning Environment: A Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seet, Ling Ying Britta; Quek, Choon Lang

    2010-01-01

    This research investigated 68 secondary school students' perceptions of their computer-mediated project-based learning environment and their attitudes towards Project Work (PW) using two instruments--Project Work Classroom Learning Environment Questionnaire (PWCLEQ) and Project Work Related Attitudes Instrument (PWRAI). In this project-based…

  20. Enhancing student perspectives of humanism in medicine: reflections from the Kalaupapa service learning project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Winona K; Harris, Chessa C D; Mortensen, Kawika A; Long, Linsey M; Sugimoto-Matsuda, Jeanelle

    2016-05-09

    Service learning is endorsed by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) as an integral part of U.S. medical school curricula for future physicians. Service learning has been shown to help physicians in training rediscover the altruistic reasons for pursuing medicine and has the potential to enhance students' perspectives of humanism in medicine. The Kalaupapa service learning project is a unique collaboration between disadvantaged post-baccalaureate students with an underserved rural community. This study was conducted to determine whether the Kalaupapa service learning curricula enhanced student perspectives of humanism in medicine at an early stage of their medical training. Program participants between 2008 and 2014 (n = 41) completed written reflections following the conclusion of the service learning project. Four prompts guided student responses. Reflections were thematically analyzed. Once all essays were read, team members compared their findings to condense or expand themes and assess levels of agreement. Emerging themes of resilience and unity were prominent throughout the student reflections. Students expressed respect and empathy for the patients' struggles and strengths, as well as those of their peers. The experience also reinforced students' commitment to service, particularly to populations in rural and underserved communities. Students also gained a deeper understanding of the patient experience and also of themselves as future physicians. To identify and address underserved and rural patients' health care needs, training programs must prepare an altruistic health care workforce that embraces the humanistic element of medicine. The Kalaupapa service learning project is a potential curricular model that can be used to enhance students' awareness and perspectives of humanism in medicine.

  1. Jules Horowitz reactor - presentation of the project and progress report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ballagny, A.; Frachet, S.; Rommens, M.; Guigon, B.; Minguet, J.L.; Dupuy, J.P.; Leydier, C.

    2001-01-01

    The RJH project was launched by CEA some years ago, with the objective to replace, after 2010, the material testing reactors of the previous generation. The objectives are also: to realise a significant step in term of performances, to ensure a high flexibility of the design, in order to host in the future new experiments, which are not completely defined at the project stage, to reach a high level of safety, according to the best current practice. After a summary of the main experimental objectives of the facility, the present paper deals with a detailed technical presentation of the project, resulting from preliminary design studies. The following topics are covered successively: the main functionalities, the resulting design options and technical solutions, the layout of the nuclear facility. (orig.)

  2. How Undergraduate Students Use Social Media Technologies to Support Group Project Work

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAliney, Peter J.

    2013-01-01

    Technology continues to evolve and become accessible to students in higher education. Concurrently, teamwork has become an important skill in academia and the workplace and students have adopted established technologies to support their learning in both individual and team project work. Given the emergence of social media technologies, I examined…

  3. Creative capstone computer projects for post-graduate students of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    With this in mind, the English Department at the University of Stellenbosch has designed a module in its Honours course that allows post-graduate students the opportunity to develop additional skills in the design and development of multimedia projects that effectively combine the knowledge they have gained during the ...

  4. An Empirical Study of Hospitality Management Student Attitudes toward Group Projects: Instructional Factors and Team Problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Youngsoo; Ro, Heejung

    2012-01-01

    The development of positive attitudes in team-based work is important in management education. This study investigates hospitality students' attitudes toward group projects by examining instructional factors and team problems. Specifically, we examine how the students' perceptions of project appropriateness, instructors' support, and evaluation…

  5. Evaluating Types of Students' Interactions in a Wiki-Based Collaborative Learning Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prokofieva, Maria

    2013-01-01

    Wiki technology has been promoted as a collaborative software platform. This study investigates interactions that occur in a wiki-based collaborative learning project. The study draws on interaction literature and investigates the types of interactions with which students are engaged in wiki-based group projects, clusters that reflect online…

  6. Students Upgrading through Computer and Career Education System Services (Project SUCCESS). Final Evaluation Report 1993-94. OER Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greene, Judy

    Students Upgrading through Computer and Career Education System Services (Project SUCCESS) was an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its fourth year of operation. The project operated at two high schools in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan (New York). In the 1993-94 school year, the project served 393 students of…

  7. Creating a BYOD Tour Around Poznan, Poland – A Location-based Project for Teenage Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Agnieszka Brzezinska

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on a project that encompasses place-based learning, location-based learning and problem-based learning in teaching of English as a foreign language. It shows how a project of this type can increase student motivation and help teenagers embrace local culture. It originated when the author of this paper was introduced to the Wandering platform and the Experiencity platform by one of the co-creators of the former, Ms. Talila Yehiel, a museum expert and a designer of tailor-made sites for museum visits. After examining the various options of the Experiencity platform on her own, and upon developing two walks: The Past and the Present: Jewish Heritage Walk in Bielsko-Biala and Karl Korn Walk, the author undertook to test it with her teenage students, designing a completely new location-based activity: Be Active and Explore Poznan. As recommended by Piaget, the author challenged her students and was a guide and facilitator rather than a lecturer. She made the students work together and find answers and solutions to the problems posed. She also trusted Vygotsky and Dewey in assuming that learners are social individuals and place-based education helps “students connect with their particular corners of the world” (Woodhouse and Knapp, [9]. The walk demonstrates interaction of teenagers with and in space: it inspects the particular characteristics of a place, it is cross-curricular and intrinsically empirical, and it forms a relation between place, self and community (Woodhouse and Knapp, [9]. It also uses local environment to make students active citizens, contributing to the society (compare [7], p.7.

  8. The Educational Work and Life Project Professional college student. A necessary relationship in Higher Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noraida Garbizo Flores Montes de Oca

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The new tendencies of the superior Cuban education, require of an educational renewing practice after contributing to the integral formation of the graduate future university, by achieving it harmonize the formation of sk ills and attitudes habits knowledges and the construction of a project of professional life sustained in values. In this sense the academic year constitutes the cell of the educational work to this level. Therefore at present it works try to get evaluate the necessary question between the educational labor and the project of professional life of the university student, with emphasis in the |protagónico| role of the social actors of the educational process.

  9. Project-Based Learning in a STEM Academy: Student Engagement and Interest in STEM Careers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misher, Pamela Henry

    This case study explored the utilization of project-based learning (PBL) and how it affected student engagement and interest in STEM careers. Sixty-seven students and nine teachers participated in this case study. Three research questions addressed student engagement, perceptions, and challenges during PBL implementation. This study was designed to understand the experiences teachers and students had when they participated in a PBL environment. This research investigated how to develop a globally skilled workforce utilizing a PBL approach and the challenges teachers encountered during implementation. The survey data and informal focus-group sessions with staff and students were utilized, analyzed, and summarized in order to obtain insight on perceptions, challenges, and implementation of PBL. PBL is an instructional approach that was designed to encourage more engaged learning. This approach was built upon realistic learning activities that stimulated student interest and motivation. This research discovered that PBL did teach content and 21st century skills as students worked collaboratively toward a common goal while responding to a question or problem. This study revealed that rigorous projects were carefully planned to aid students in learning important academic content. This study displayed how PBL allowed students to reflect on their projects and ideas with the opportunity to voice their decisions and findings. This instructional approach provided opportunities for students to investigate and strengthen interest in future STEM careers. The driving force of America's future economy and maintaining the competitive edge will be through more innovation, mainly derived from advances in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) careers. As business and industry leaders stressed the importance of improving STEM education, there continued to be a need to better prepare students to fill STEM-related careers. This research adds to the current body of research

  10. Group Projects in Social Work Education: The Influence of Group Characteristics and Moderators on Undergraduate Student Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Postlethwait, Ariana E.

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the impact of group size, group formation, group conflict, and division of labor on student outcomes in a group project for a sample of 112 BSW research seminar students at a large university in the Midwest. Students completed surveys on their experiences with the group project at the end of the semester. Multiple regression…

  11. Students' Research Experiences during Consulting Projects: Three Themes Emerging from Case Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Carissa M. Holler

    2010-01-01

    Student consulting projects, an advanced form of problem-based learning, allow students to apply the skills developed in their classes on behalf of client organizations. A review of selected case studies in business education and other management education literature shows that research is an integral part of this consulting process. More than…

  12. Project Career: An individualized postsecondary approach to promoting independence, functioning, and employment success among students with traumatic brain injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minton, Deborah; Elias, Eileen; Rumrill, Phillip; Hendricks, Deborah J; Jacobs, Karen; Leopold, Anne; Nardone, Amanda; Sampson, Elaine; Scherer, Marcia; Gee Cormier, Aundrea; Taylor, Aiyana; DeLatte, Caitlin

    2017-09-14

    Project Career is a five-year interdisciplinary demonstration project funded by NIDILRR. It provides technology-driven supports, merging Cognitive Support Technology (CST) evidence-based practices and rehabilitation counseling, to improve postsecondary and employment outcomes for veteran and civilian undergraduate students with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Provide a technology-driven individualized support program to improve career and employment outcomes for students with TBI. Project staff provide assessments of students' needs relative to assistive technology, academic achievement, and career preparation; provide CST training to 150 students; match students with mentors; provide vocational case management; deliver job development and placement assistance; and maintain an electronic portal regarding accommodation and career resources. Participating students receive cognitive support technology training, academic enrichment, and career preparatory assistance from trained professionals at three implementation sites. Staff address cognitive challenges using the 'Matching Person with Technology' assessment to accommodate CST use (iPad and selected applications (apps)). JBS International (JBS) provides the project's evaluation. To date, 117 students participate with 63% report improved life quality and 75% report improved academic performance. Project Career provides a national model based on best practices for enabling postsecondary students with TBI to attain academic, employment, and career goals.

  13. Assessing student understanding of sound waves and trigonometric reasoning in a technology-rich, project-enhanced environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilhelm, Jennifer Anne

    This case study examined what student content understanding could occur in an inner city Industrial Electronics classroom located at Tree High School where project-based instruction, enhanced with technology, was implemented for the first time. Students participated in a project implementation unit involving sound waves and trigonometric reasoning. The unit was designed to foster common content learning (via benchmark lessons) by all students in the class, and to help students gain a deeper conceptual understanding of a sub-set of the larger content unit (via group project research). The objective goal of the implementation design unit was to have students gain conceptual understanding of sound waves, such as what actually waves in a wave, how waves interfere with one another, and what affects the speed of a wave. This design unit also intended for students to develop trigonometric reasoning associated with sinusoidal curves and superposition of sinusoidal waves. Project criteria within this design included implementation features, such as the need for the student to have a driving research question and focus, the need for benchmark lessons to help foster and scaffold content knowledge and understanding, and the need for project milestones to complete throughout the implementation unit to allow students the time for feedback and revision. The Industrial Electronics class at Tree High School consisted of nine students who met daily during double class periods giving 100 minutes of class time per day. The class teacher had been teaching for 18 years (mathematics, physics, and computer science). He had a background in engineering and experience teaching at the college level. Benchmark activities during implementation were used to scaffold fundamental ideas and terminology needed to investigate characteristics of sound and waves. Students participating in benchmark activities analyzed motion and musical waveforms using probeware, and explored wave phenomena using waves

  14. A Pre-Mobility eTandem Project for Incoming International Students at the University of Padua

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griggio, Lisa; Rózsavölgyi, Edit

    2016-01-01

    This study focuses on a strategic partnership with students from the University of Padua and international students coming to Padua mainly in the setting of Erasmus student mobility and exchange programs. The project is designed specifically for incoming international students to facilitate their integration into the Italian higher educational…

  15. Relationship of creative projects in anatomy to medical student professionalism, test performance and stress: an exploratory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapiro, Johanna; Nguyen, Vincent P; Mourra, Sarah; Boker, John R; Ross, Marianne; Thai, Trung M; Leonard, Robert J

    2009-11-03

    The anatomy course offers important opportunities to develop professionalism at an early stage in medical education. It is an academically significant course that also engenders stress in some students. Over a three-year period, 115 of 297 students completed creative projects. Thirty-four project completers and 47 non-completers consented to participate in the study. Projects were analyzed for professionalism themes using grounded theory. A subset of project completers and non-completers were interviewed to determine their views about the stress of anatomy and medical school, as well as the value of the creative projects. We also compared test performance of project completers and non-completers. Projects completed early in the course often expressed ambivalence about anatomy, whereas later projects showed more gratitude and sense of awe. Project completers tended to report greater stress than noncompleters, but stated that doing projects reduced stress and caused them to develop a richer appreciation for anatomy and medicine. Project completers performed significantly lower than non-completers on the first written exam (pre-project). Differences between groups on individual exams after both the first and second creative project were nonsignificant. For some students, creative projects may offer a useful way of reflecting on various aspects of professionalism while helping them to manage stress.

  16. General presentation of projects mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-01-01

    This guide provides recommendations and tools to implement projects mechanisms, in the framework of the kyoto protocol. It precises the place of the projects mechanisms in the display of tools involved in the climatic change fight policies, at the national as international scale. It recalls the main characteristics and the rules of utilization and illustrates the corresponding interests. (A.L.B.)

  17. DNA Fingerprinting of Trout Lilies: A High School Student Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vann, Carolyn N.; Saxon, Herbert L.; Brblic, Tom; Elliades, Stacie; Lambert, Scott; Shaw, Jake; Smith, Ryan; Inman, Megan

    1998-01-01

    Reports on a student's research project on the degree of genetic diversity within the trout lily species. Enables a rough prediction of the continuance of the species and provides insight into how to manage plants that might be endangered. Contains 16 references. (DDR)

  18. Using the Student Research Project to Integrate Macroeconomics and Statistics in an Advanced Cost Accounting Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassan, Mahamood M.; Schwartz, Bill N.

    2014-01-01

    This paper discusses a student research project that is part of an advanced cost accounting class. The project emphasizes active learning, integrates cost accounting with macroeconomics and statistics by "learning by doing" using real world data. Students analyze sales data for a publicly listed company by focusing on the company's…

  19. A Project-Based Learning Approach to Teaching Physics for Pre-Service Elementary School Teacher Education Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldstein, Olzan

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes the impact of the project-based learning (PBL) approach on learning and teaching physics from the perspective of pre-service elementary school teacher education students and an instructor. This approach promoted meaningful learning (mainly in the scope of projects), higher motivation, and active involvement of students in…

  20. Interprofessional practice in health care: an educational project with four learning sequences for students from six study programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nowak, Anna Christina; Klimke-Jung, Kathrin; Schäfer, Thorsten; Reif, Karl

    2016-01-01

    In response to demographic changes and the growing complexity of healthcare demands, national and international organizations are requiring greater cooperation among the health professions. Implementation of interprofessional learning programs within study programs in medicine, midwifery, nursing, and therapy is still rare. The first projects are currently underway in Germany. This paper presents the experience gathered by the organizers as interprofessional courses for six study programs were implemented. As part of the collaborative project "Interprofessional Practice in Health Care" between the Medical School at the Ruhr University in Bochum and the Department for Applied Health Sciences at the Hochschule für Gesundheit, interprofessional curricular units were developed, taught and evaluated with the aim of establishing permanent and joint curricular structures at the two German universities. Imparting communication skills, knowledge of and appreciation for the work performed by the other health professions, as well as having students reflect on their own professional roles and responsibilities, were the focus of four curricular units. Students worked together in small interprofessional groups. A total of 220 students enrolled in occupational therapy, midwifery, speech therapy, medicine, nursing, and physiotherapy participated in small-group seminars. When conducting and implementing the seminars, administrative and methodological challenges became apparent, and this should be taken into consideration in regard to any future development of interprofessional courses. Integration into existing curricula, along with finding time in the various schedules and appropriate classroom space for small groups, were among the challenges faced. For over 86% of the students it was important that students from all six of the degree programs involved participated in the project. A detailed analysis of the content and evaluation will follow. The value of the project's aim to

  1. What do medical students understand by research and research skills? Identifying research opportunities within undergraduate projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murdoch-Eaton, Deborah; Drewery, Sarah; Elton, Sarah; Emmerson, Catherine; Marshall, Michelle; Smith, John A; Stark, Patsy; Whittle, Sue

    2010-01-01

    Undergraduate research exposure leads to increased recruitment into academic medicine, enhanced employability and improved postgraduate research productivity. Uptake of undergraduate research opportunities is reported to be disappointing, and little is known about how students perceive research. To investigate opportunities for undergraduate participation in research, recognition of such opportunities, and associated skills development. A mixed method approach, incorporating student focus and study groups, and documentary analysis at five UK medical schools. Undergraduates recognised the benefits of acquiring research skills, but identified practical difficulties and disadvantages of participating. Analysis of 905 projects in four main research skill areas - (1) research methods; (2) information gathering; (3) critical analysis and review; (4) data processing - indicated 52% of projects provided opportunities for students to develop one or more skills, only 13% offered development in all areas. In 17%, project descriptions provided insufficient information to determine opportunities. Supplied with information from a representative sample of projects (n = 80), there was little consensus in identifying skills among students or between students and researchers. Consensus improved dramatically following guidance on how to identify skills. Undergraduates recognise the benefits of research experience but need a realistic understanding of the research process. Opportunities for research skill development may not be obvious. Undergraduates require training to recognise the skills required for research and enhanced transparency in potential project outcomes.

  2. Using Medical Student Quality Improvement Projects to Promote Evidence-Based Care in the Emergency Department

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael W. Manning

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction The Association of American Medical Colleges’ (AAMC initiative for Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Entering Residency includes as an element of Entrustable Professional Activity 13 to “identify system failures and contribute to a culture of safety and improvement.” We set out to determine the feasibility of using medical students’ action learning projects (ALPs to expedite implementation of evidence-based pathways for three common patient diagnoses in the emergency department (ED setting (Atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and pulmonary embolism. Methods These prospective quality improvement (QI initiatives were performed over six months in three Northeastern PA hospitals. Emergency physician mentors were recruited to facilitate a QI experience for third-year medical students for each project. Six students were assigned to each mentor and given class time and network infrastructure support (information technology, consultant experts in lean management to work on their projects. Students had access to background network data that revealed potential for improvement in disposition (home for patients. Results Under the leadership of their mentors, students accomplished standard QI processes such as performing the background literature search and assessing key stakeholders’ positions that were involved in the respective patient’s care. Students effectively developed flow diagrams, computer aids for clinicians and educational programs, and participated in recruiting champions for the new practice standard. They met with other departmental clinicians to determine barriers to implementation and used this feedback to help set specific parameters to make clinicians more comfortable with the changes in practice that were recommended. All three clinical practice guidelines were initiated at consummation of the students’ projects. After implementation, 86% (38/44 of queried ED providers felt comfortable

  3. Student Teachers’ Perceptions on Educational Technologies’ Past, Present and Future

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Derya ORHAN GOKSUN

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to reveal Computer Education and Instructional Technologies student teachers’, who are in a distance teacher education program, perceptions on past, present and educational technologies of future via infographics. In this study, 54 infographics, which were created by student teachers who were enrolled in Special Teaching Methods II course at spring semester of 2013-2014 academic years, were analyzed. The infographics were analyzed via document review technique. These themes are “Educational technologies of past” (f=241, “Educational technologies of present” (f=240 and “Educational technologies of future” (f=158. Student teachers mentioned the most frequently “CD” (f=34 and “Television” (f=32 oriented to educational technologies of past. The most frequent views on educational technologies of present were “Smartboard” (f=24 and “Online Courses” (f=23. The most frequent opinion of student teachers about the educational technologies of future is “Holograms” (f=26 and “Virtual classroom” (f=22.

  4. Project-Based Learning in Undergraduate Environmental Chemistry Laboratory: Using EPA Methods to Guide Student Method Development for Pesticide Quantitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Eric J.; Pauls, Steve; Dick, Jonathan

    2017-01-01

    Presented is a project-based learning (PBL) laboratory approach for an upper-division environmental chemistry or quantitative analysis course. In this work, a combined laboratory class of 11 environmental chemistry students developed a method based on published EPA methods for the extraction of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its…

  5. A Study on the Evaluation of Science Projects of Primary School Students Based on Scientific Criteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gungor, Sema Nur; Ozer, Dilek Zeren; Ozkan, Muhlis

    2013-01-01

    This study re-evaluated 454 science projects that were prepared by primary school students between 2007 and 2011 within the scope of Science Projects Event for Primary School Students. Also, submitted to TUBITAK BIDEB Bursa regional science board by MNE regional work groups in accordance with scientific research methods and techniques, including…

  6. Literacy and students' interest on Geosciences - Findings and results of GEOschools project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fermeli, Georgia; Steininger, Fritz; Dermitzakis, Michael; Meléndez, Guillermo; Page, Kevin

    2014-05-01

    GEOschools is a European project supported by the Lifelong Learning Programme. Among the main aims of the project were to investigate the interest secondary school students have on geosciences and the teaching strategies used. Also, the development of a guide for Geosciences Literacy at a European level (Fermeli et al., 2011). GEOschools' literacy framework proposal is based on a comparative analysis of geoscience curricula in the partner countries (Austria, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal). Results of an "Interest Research" survey involved around 1750 students and 60 teachers from partner countries, combined with specific proposals by the project partners (Calonge et al., 2011). Results of the GEOschools "Interest research" survey evidence students show a higher interest in those topics which have a potentially higher social impact, such as mass extinctions, dinosaurs, geological hazards and disasters and origin and evolution of life (including human evolution). These results provide an evidence base to justify why curriculum content and teaching strategies can be made more effective through focusing mainly on such "interest topics", instead of trying to follow an excessively rigid, or academic, development of teaching programs (Fermeli et al., 2013). GEOschools literacy framework is summarized in 14 separate chapters, each including a brief description of the main themes of each subject, the intended learning outcomes as well as keywords and a bibliography. More particularly, the chapters of the framework describe what students should know and do, and how they should relate, as European citizens, to the geosciences. To face the challenges of the present and the future, modern citizens should be literate in natural sciences and, within the context of the geosciences, be able to: • Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of basic principles, models, laws and terminology of Geosciences. • Know how and where to find and access scientifically reliable

  7. Contextual Student Learning through Authentic Asteroid Research Projects using a Robotic Telescope Network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoette, Vivian L.; Puckett, Andrew W.; Linder, Tyler R.; Heatherly, Sue Ann; Rector, Travis A.; Haislip, Joshua B.; Meredith, Kate; Caughey, Austin L.; Brown, Johnny E.; McCarty, Cameron B.; Whitmore, Kevin T.

    2015-11-01

    Skynet is a worldwide robotic telescope network operated by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with active observing sites on 3 continents. The queue-based observation request system is simple enough to be used by middle school students, but powerful enough to supply data for research scientists. The Skynet Junior Scholars program, funded by the NSF, has teamed up with professional astronomers to engage students from middle school to undergraduates in authentic research projects, from target selection through image analysis and publication of results. Asteroid research is a particularly fruitful area for youth collaboration that reinforces STEM education standards and can allow students to make real contributions to scientific knowledge, e.g., orbit refinement through astrometric submissions to the Minor Planet Center. We have created a set of projects for youth to: 1. Image an asteroid, make a movie, and post it to a gallery; 2. Measure the asteroid’s apparent motion using the Afterglow online image processor; and 3. Image asteroids from two or more telescopes simultaneously to demonstrate parallax. The apparent motion and parallax projects allow students to estimate the distance to their asteroid, as if they were the discoverer of a brand new object in the solar system. Older students may take on advanced projects, such as analyzing uncertainties in asteroid orbital parameters; studying impact probabilities of known objects; observing time-sensitive targets such as Near Earth Asteroids; and even discovering brand new objects in the solar system.Images are acquired from among seven Skynet telescopes in North Carolina, California, Wisconsin, Canada, Australia, and Chile, as well as collaborating observatories such as WestRock in Columbus, Georgia; Stone Edge in El Verano, California; and Astronomical Research Institute in Westfield, Illinois.

  8. Social Loafing on Group Projects: Structural Antecedents and Effect on Student Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aggarwal, Praveen; O'Brien, Connie L.

    2008-01-01

    To respond to the expectations of the industry and business school accreditation bodies, marketing faculty have been making extensive use of group projects in their curricula. A common problem with the use of student groups, however, is that of social loafing. In this study, we identify some easy-to-implement project set-up factors and examine…

  9. Comparison between project-based learning and discovery learning toward students' metacognitive strategies on global warming concept

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tumewu, Widya Anjelia; Wulan, Ana Ratna; Sanjaya, Yayan

    2017-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to know comparing the effectiveness of learning using Project-based learning (PjBL) and Discovery Learning (DL) toward students metacognitive strategies on global warming concept. A quasi-experimental research design with a The Matching-Only Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design was used in this study. The subjects were students of two classes 7th grade of one of junior high school in Bandung City, West Java of 2015/2016 academic year. The study was conducted on two experimental class, that were project-based learning treatment on the experimental class I and discovery learning treatment was done on the experimental class II. The data was collected through questionnaire to know students metacognitive strategies. The statistical analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in students metacognitive strategies between project-based learning and discovery learning.

  10. Students Upgrading through Computer and Career Education System Services (Project SUCCESS). Final Evaluation Report 1992-93. OER Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Educational Research.

    Student Upgrading through Computer and Career Education System Services (Project SUCCESS) was an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its third year of operation. Project SUCCESS served 460 students of limited English proficiency at two high schools in Brooklyn and one high school in Manhattan (New York City).…

  11. Students' Views of Assessment in Project-Led Engineering Education: Findings from a Case Study in Portugal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes, Sandra; Flores, Maria Assuncao; Lima, Rui Manuel

    2012-01-01

    According to the demands of the Bologna process, new educational methods and strategies are needed in order to enhance student-centred learning. Project work is one of those approaches. This paper aims to evaluate the impact of project-led education (PLE) on students' learning processes and outcomes, within the context of a first-year engineering…

  12. An O-"fish"-ial Research Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newman, James; Krustchinsky, Rick; Vanek, Karen; Nguyen, Kim-Thoa

    2009-01-01

    In this "O-"fish"-ial" research project, third-grade students use multiple resources to research several fish species, write a research paper and develop a PowerPoint presentation to communicate their findings. In addition, students actually examine these species up close with samples from the local market, and then conclude the project with a…

  13. "Know Your Well" A Groundwater Quality Project to Inform Students and Well-Owners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, C.; Snow, D.; Samal, A.; Ray, C.; Kreifels, M.

    2017-12-01

    Over 15 million U.S. households rely on private, household wells for drinking water, and these sources are not protected under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Data on private well water quality is slowly being collected and evaluated from a number of different agencies, sources and projects. A new project is designed both for training high school students and to help assess the quality of water from rural domestic wells in Nebraska. This "crowd sourced" program engaging high school agricultural education programs, FFA chapters, and science classes with students sampling and testing water sampling from rural domestic wells from 12 districts across the state. Students and teachers from selected school were trained through multiple school visits, both in the classroom and in the field. Classroom visits were used to introduce topics such as water quality and groundwater, and testing methods for specific analytes. During the field visit, students were exposed to field techniques, the importance of accuracy in data collection, and what factors might influence the water in sampled wells. High school students learn to sample and test water independently. Leadership and initiative is developed through the program, and many experience the enlightenment that comes with citizen science. A customized mobile app was developed for ease of data entry and visualization, and data uploaded to a secure website where information was stored and compared to laboratory tests of the same measurements. General water quality parameters, including pH, electrical conductivity, major anions are tested in the field and laboratory, as well as environmental contaminants such as arsenic, uranium, pesticides, bacteria. Test kits provided to each class were used by the students to measure selected parameters, and then duplicate water samples were analyzed at a university laboratory. Five high schools are involved in the project during its first year. Nitrate, bacteria and pesticides represent major

  14. Authentic student research projects on physics and the human body

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heck, A.; Ellermeijer, T.; Kędzierska, E.

    2010-01-01

    Students in Dutch senior secondary education are obliged to perform their own research project of approximately 80 hours. They are stimulated to choose the topic themselves (preferably with relations to two subjects, like physics and mathematics) and have a lot of freedom in the design of the

  15. Relationship of creative projects in anatomy to medical student professionalism, test performance and stress: an exploratory study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thai Trung M

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The anatomy course offers important opportunities to develop professionalism at an early stage in medical education. It is an academically significant course that also engenders stress in some students. Methods Over a three-year period, 115 of 297 students completed creative projects. Thirty-four project completers and 47 non-completers consented to participate in the study. Projects were analyzed for professionalism themes using grounded theory. A subset of project completers and non-completers were interviewed to determine their views about the stress of anatomy and medical school, as well as the value of the creative projects. We also compared test performance of project completers and non-completers. Results Projects completed early in the course often expressed ambivalence about anatomy, whereas later projects showed more gratitude and sense of awe. Project completers tended to report greater stress than noncompleters, but stated that doing projects reduced stress and caused them to develop a richer appreciation for anatomy and medicine. Project completers performed significantly lower than non-completers on the first written exam (pre-project. Differences between groups on individual exams after both the first and second creative project were nonsignificant. Conclusion For some students, creative projects may offer a useful way of reflecting on various aspects of professionalism while helping them to manage stress.

  16. Improvements of present radioactive beam facilities and new projects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mueller, A.C.

    1995-01-01

    A short overview is given over scheduled improvements of present radioactive beam facilities and of new projects. In order to put these into a coherent context the paper starts with a general section about the making of radioactive beams. (author)

  17. Experiences with Designing a Team Project Module for Teaching Teamwork to Students

    OpenAIRE

    Bieliková, Mária

    2005-01-01

    Team projects play an important role in the education of engineers. This paper describes a team project module (called Team project) that is part of a postgraduate course in Informatics. Its main objective is to give students a hands-on experience with different aspects of working in team on a problem. We discuss several aspects that should be considered in designing such module as a part of a curriculum: team formation, team communication, team assessment, problem statement and assignment, d...

  18. Exploring Students' Computational Thinking Skills in Modeling and Simulation Projects: : A Pilot Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grgurina, Natasa; van Veen, Klaas; Barendsen, Erik; Zwaneveld, Bert; Suhre, Cor; Gal-Ezer, Judith; Sentance, Sue; Vahrenhold, Jan

    2015-01-01

    Computational Thinking (CT) is gaining a lot of attention in education. We explored how to discern the occurrences of CT in the projects of 12th grade high school students in the computer science (CS) course. Within the projects, they constructed models and ran simulations of phenomena from other

  19. Helping Students Understand Intersectionality: Reflections from a Dialogue Project in Residential Life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claros, Sharon Chia; Garcia, Gina A.; Johnston-Guerrero, Marc P.; Mata, Christine

    2017-01-01

    In this chapter, the authors share insights from a dialogue project focused on intersectionality within a residential life setting and discuss additional strategies for helping students understand intersectionality.

  20. Students as resurrectionists--A multimodal humanities project in anatomy putting ethics and professionalism in historical context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammer, Rachel R; Jones, Trahern W; Hussain, Fareeda Taher Nazer; Bringe, Kariline; Harvey, Ronee E; Person-Rennell, Nicole H; Newman, James S

    2010-01-01

    Because medical students have many different learning styles, the authors, medical students at Mayo Clinic, College of Medicine researched the history of anatomical specimen procurement, reviewing topic-related film, academic literature, and novels, to write, direct, and perform a dramatization based on Robert Louis Stevenson's The Body-Snatcher. Into this performance, they incorporated dance, painting, instrumental and vocal performance, and creative writing. In preparation for the performance, each actor researched an aspect of the history of anatomy. These micro-research projects were presented in a lecture before the play. Not intended to be a research study, this descriptive article discusses how student research and ethics discussions became a theatrical production. This addition to classroom and laboratory learning addresses the deep emotional response experienced by some students and provides an avenue to understand and express these feelings. This enhanced multimodal approach to"holistic learning" could be applied to any topic in the medical school curriculum, thoroughly adding to the didactics with history, humanities, and team dynamics.

  1. CBI students: target hit!

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Bulletin

    2015-01-01

    The students on the third Challenge Based Innovation (CBI) @CERN course have been working on their society-oriented projects since September. Last Thursday, 10 December, they finally presented all their proofs-of-concept and prototypes to a packed audience at IdeaSquare.   CBI students presenting their projects at IdeaSquare (Image: Carlos Yarza/IED Barcelona). Twenty-seven students from four universities and over ten countries have been working on the CERN CBI course since last September. Labour mobility, food safety, literacy and water safety are the four projects that the students have been working on. Thanks to help and inspiration from a wide range of people working at CERN, especially in the Knowledge Transfer group, the students have redefined and focused their original challenges and have developed four concepts to solve societal challenges: * Team Bohr developed a concept for encouraging labour mobility and talent exchange in Europe, combining data analysis and existing online ...

  2. The Missing Link: The Lack of Citations and Copyright Notices in Multimedia Presentations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huffman, Stephanie

    2010-01-01

    Many of the projects and assignments we have our students complete for our classes include a multimedia presentation. Why are we not teaching our students how to cite their sources for these presentations? Writing style (APA, MLA, or Chicago) does not matter. Regardless of whether it is a paper or multimedia presentation students should always…

  3. Project Reptile!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diffily, Deborah

    2001-01-01

    Integrating curriculum is important in helping children make connections within and among areas. Presents a class project for kindergarten children which came out of the students' interests and desire to build a reptile exhibit. (ASK)

  4. Novice Supervisors' Practices and Dilemmatic Space in Supervision of Student Research Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vereijken, Mayke W. C.; van der Rijst, Roeland M.; van Driel, Jan H.; Dekker, Friedo W.

    2018-01-01

    Growing interest in student research projects in higher education has led to an emphasis on research supervision. We focus in this study on novice supervisors' approaches to research supervision as they explore their practices and experience difficulties supervising medical-students. Teacher noticing was used as a sensitising concept and relations…

  5. Teachers’ Stories of Engaging Students in Controversial Action Projects on the Island of Ireland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Majella McSharry

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE in the Republic of Ireland and Local and Global Citizenship (LGC in Northern Ireland keenly promote students’ active participation in society. However, the purpose of this participation is not necessarily to encourage students to campaign for change in the present but rather that ‘students are given opportunities to engage in actions and develop skills that will contribute to their becoming active participatory citizens in later life’ (NCCA (2005 CSPE Guidelines for Teachers, p. 59. This often gives rise to a culture of passive citizenship and a tendency to focus on ‘action projects’ that are safe and self-contained. This paper focuses on a five action projects carried out by a sample of teachers and students that may be considered ‘controversial’. In each case students actively campaign for equality and social justice, on local or global human rights issues and in ways that may be deemed controversial. It examines how the mainstream curriculum and school structures facilitate or impede this type of controversial action and explores the potential opportunities for greater engagement in such action through proposed curriculum reform.

  6. Students as Learning Designers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Levinsen, Karin; Sørensen, Birgitte Holm

    2013-01-01

    This paper focuses on students in the youngest classes at primary school as learning designers of ICT-integrated productions. It is based on the project Netbook 1:1 (2009-2012) funded by the municipality of Gentofte and Microsoft Denmark. The paper presents a model for designing ICT-integrated st......This paper focuses on students in the youngest classes at primary school as learning designers of ICT-integrated productions. It is based on the project Netbook 1:1 (2009-2012) funded by the municipality of Gentofte and Microsoft Denmark. The paper presents a model for designing ICT......-integrated student productions which was developed during the project in relation to different subjects. Ownership, iteration and feedforward are the central concepts in this model. Two exemplary cases are presented illustrating the students’ and teachers’ roles as learning designers in relation to the model...

  7. Analysis of Students' Participation Patterns and Learning Presence in a Wiki-Based Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roussinos, Dimitrios; Jimoyiannis, Athanassios

    2013-01-01

    The educational applications of wikis are becoming very popular among instructors and researchers and they have captured their attention and imagination. This paper reports on the investigation of a wiki project designed to support university students' collaborative authoring and learning. The design framework of the wiki-based project is outlined…

  8. Implementing Problem Based Learning through Engineers without Borders Student Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittig, Ann

    2013-01-01

    Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB) is a nonprofit organization that partners student chapters with communities in fundamental need of potable water, clean air, sanitation, irrigation, energy, basic structures for schools and clinics, roads and bridges, etc. While EWB projects may vary in complexity, they are all realistic, ill-structured and…

  9. The EEE Project: cosmic rays, multigap resistive plate chambers and high school students

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abbrescia, M; Aiola, S; Antolini, R; Coccia, E; Giovanni, A Di; D'Incecco, M; Avanzini, C; Bossini, E; Ferroli, R Baldini; Bressan, E; Bencivenni, G; Dreucci, M; Fabbri, F L; Chiavassa, A; Frolov, V; Cicalo, C; Cifarelli, L; Gruttula, D De; Pasquale, S De; Doroud, K

    2012-01-01

    The Extreme Energy Events Project has been designed to join the scientific interest of a cosmic rays physics experiment with the enormous didactic potentiality deriving from letting it be carried out by high school students and teachers. After the initial phase, the experiment is starting to take data continuously, and the first interesting physics results have been obtained, demonstrating the validity of the idea of running a real physics investigation in these peculiar conditions. Here an overview of its structure and status is presented, together with some studies about detector performance and first physics results. (technical report)

  10. Bringing the Maker Movement to School. Fourth Grade Students Create Projects to Illustrate the Transfer and Transformation of Energy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Wendy; Smith, Brian C.

    2016-01-01

    The Maker Movement allows students to strengthen humanistic values through projects and experiences that require the use of their heads, hearts, and hands. Students are introduced to creative technologies that bridge the digital and physical worlds. Through whimsical projects, students take an interest in the concepts and ideas that might normally…

  11. Implementation of Service Learning and Civic Engagement for Computer Information Systems Students through a Course Project at the Hashemite University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Khasawneh, Ahmad; Hammad, Bashar K.

    2013-01-01

    Service learning methodologies provide information systems students with the opportunity to create and implement systems in real-world, public service-oriented social contexts. This paper presents a case study of integrating a service learning project into an undergraduate Computer Information Systems course titled "Information Systems"…

  12. The Co-mentoring Project: Overview and Outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renée A. Zucchero, PhD

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available The Co-mentoring Project matched developmental psychology students with older adult volunteers for an intergenerational learning experience. Students conducted a biopsychosocial life review to increase understanding of older adult development and the continuity in lifespan development. Each student developed a summary paper containing the older adult’s life history, a developmental analysis, and personal reflection. A project description, including the scholarship of teaching and learning, and an overview of its outcomes are presented. The project goal was accomplished; students positively evaluated learning outcomes and displayed a significant increase in knowledge about older adults and aging. Implications for college instructors are discussed.

  13. Entrepreneurship and Student Motivation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vorholt, Julie; Harris, Erica

    2014-01-01

    This article describes a three-week project-based unit on entrepreneurship conducted with students in communications classes in an Academic English context. A detailed road map of the project is given, starting with an introduction and ending with final presentations and poster sessions. Students were motivated by their own interests in business…

  14. The Effect of Environmental Science Projects on Students' Environmental Knowledge and Science Attitudes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Balushi, Sulaiman M.; Al-Aamri, Shamsa S.

    2014-01-01

    The current study explores the effectiveness of involving students in environmental science projects for their environmental knowledge and attitudes towards science. The study design is a quasi-experimental pre-post control group design. The sample was 62 11th-grade female students studying at a public school in Oman. The sample was divided into…

  15. Using Student Learning and Development Outcomes to Evaluate a First-Year Undergraduate Group Video Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, Murray; Mattheis, Allison; Johnson, Brady

    2012-01-01

    Students in an interdisciplinary undergraduate introductory course were required to complete a group video project focused on nutrition and healthy eating. A mixed-methods approach to data collection involved observing and rating video footage of group work sessions and individual and focus group interviews. These data were analyzed and used to evaluate the effectiveness of the assignment in light of two student learning outcomes and two student development outcomes at the University of Minnesota. Positive results support the continued inclusion of the project within the course, and recommend the assignment to other programs as a viable means of promoting both content learning and affective behavioral objectives. PMID:22383619

  16. Effect of project work on secondary school students science process ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study investigated the effect of students' project work on secondary school science process skills acquisition in Biology. The study was carried out in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. Three research questions guided the study and three null hypotheses were postulated and tested at 0.05 level of ...

  17. Virginia Demonstration Project Encouraging Middle School Students in Pursuing STEM Careers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachman, Jane T.; Kota, Dena H.; Kota, Aaron J.

    2011-01-01

    Encouraging students at all grade levels to consider pursuing a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields i s a national focus. In 2005, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), a Department of Defense laboratory located in Da hlgren, Virginia, began work on the Virginia Demonstration Project (VDP) with the goal of increasing more student interest in STEM educatio n and pursuing STEM careers. This goal continues as the program enters its sixth year. This project has been successful through the partici pation of NSWCDD's scientists and engineers who are trained as mentor s to work in local middle school classrooms throughout the school year, As an extension of the in-class activities, several STEM summer aca demies have been conducted at NSWCDD, These academies are supported by the Navy through the VDP and the STEM Learning Module Project. These projects are part of more extensive outreach efforts offered by the National Defense Education Program (NDEP), sponsored by the Director, Defense Research and Engineering. The focus of this paper is on the types of activities conducted at the summer academy, an overview of the academy planning process, and recommendations to help support a nati onal plan of integrating modeling and simulation-based engineering and science into all grade levels. based upon the lessons learned

  18. Project- Based Learning and Problem-Based Learning: Are They Effective to Improve Student's Thinking Skills?

    OpenAIRE

    Anazifa, R. D; Djukri, D

    2017-01-01

    The study aims at finding (1) the effect of project-based learning and problem-based learning on student's creativity and critical thinking and (2) the difference effect of project-based learning and problem-based learning on student's creativity and critical thinking. This study is quasi experiment using non-equivalent control-group design. Research population of this study was all classes in eleventh grade of mathematics and natural science program of SMA N 1 Temanggung. The participants we...

  19. The Effect of STEM Learning through the Project of Designing Boat Model toward Student STEM Literacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tati, T.; Firman, H.; Riandi, R.

    2017-09-01

    STEM Learning focusses on development of STEM-literate society, the research about implementation of STEM learning to develope students’ STEM literacy is still limited. This study is aimed to examine the effect of implementation STEM learning through the project of designing boat model on students STEM literacy in energy topic. The method of this study was a quasi-experiment with non-randomized pretest-posttest control group design. There were two classes involved, the experiment class used Project Based Learning with STEM approach and control class used Project-Based Learning without STEM approach. A STEM Literacy test instrument was developed to measure students STEM literacy which consists of science literacy, mathematics literacy, and technology-engineering literacy. The analysis showed that there were significant differences on improvement science literacy, mathematics technology-engineering between experiment class and control class with effect size more than 0.8 (large effect). The difference of improvement of STEM literacy between experiment class and control class is caused by the existence of design engineering activity which required students to apply the knowledge from every field of STEM. The challenge that was faced in STEM learning through design engineering activity was how to give the students practice to integrate STEM field in solving the problems. In additional, most of the students gave positive response toward implementation of STEM learning through design boat model project.

  20. Implementation of a Project-Based Engineering School: Increasing Student Motivation and Relevant Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terrón-López, María-José; García-García, María-José; Velasco-Quintana, Paloma-Julia; Ocampo, Jared; Vigil Montaño, María-Reyes; Gaya-López, María-Cruz

    2017-01-01

    The School of Engineering at Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM) implemented, starting in the 2012-2013 period, a unified academic model based on project-based learning as the methodology used throughout the entire School. This model expects that every year, in each grade, all the students should participate in a capstone project integrating the…

  1. Present status of the KISS project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyatake, H.; Wada, M.; Watanabe, X. Y.; Hirayama, Y.; Schury, P.; Ahmed, M.; Ishiyama, H.; Jeong, S. C.; Kakiguchi, Y.; Kimura, S.; Moon, J. Y.; Mukai, M.; Oyaizu, M.; Park, J. H.

    2018-04-01

    KISS project aims at finding an astrophysical condition for synthesizing r-process heavy element isotopes, which are characterized as the third peak in the solar abundance pattern. This is an experimental challenge in nuclear physics to measure ground and isomeric state properties of unknown nuclei around the region of N=126 isotones. So far we have constructed and developed new type of mass separation system, KISS (KEK Isotope Separation System) and performed measurements of lifetimes and hyperfine structures of some platinum and iridium neutron-rich radioactive isotopes by applying multi-nucleon transfer reactions and in-gas laser ionization and spectroscopy (IGLIS) methods. In this report, recent physics results, updated KISS performance, and future's research plan including a challenge of a systematic mass measurement with MRTOF (Multi-Reflection Time-Of-Flight mass spectrograph) are presented.

  2. A Framework to Manage through Control and Automation a semester long student Project assignment in e-Learning Environment

    OpenAIRE

    Chaumun, Mamade Ajmal

    2013-01-01

    Managing semester-long project assignments is not always an easy task since teachers need to keep track of many elements of the project that will reflect in a proper assessment of the students’ work. Integrating an LMS into the educational process and therefore to assign, track, and assess the project may add to the complication, this can be very challenging and especially when students work in groups. Students expect support and guidance from teachers in all stages of the project...

  3. Students' Perceptions of a Project-Based Organic Chemistry Laboratory Environment: A Phenomenographic Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burrows, Nikita L.; Nowak, Montana K.; Mooring, Suazette R.

    2017-01-01

    Students can perceive the laboratory environment in a variety of ways that can affect what they take away from the laboratory course. This qualitative study characterizes undergraduate students' perspectives of a project-based Organic Chemistry laboratory using the theoretical framework of phenomenography. Eighteen participants were interviewed in…

  4. Present status of the Zavratec remediation project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeleznik, N.; Stepisnik, M.; Mele, I.

    1997-01-01

    In 1992 the responsibility for the remediation of the temporary storage of radioactive waste near Zavratec was assigned to the Agency for Radwaste Management. The project was divided into two phases. First, in a study, different options for remediation were considered. In the second phase, performed in 1996, the measurements, inventorying and repacking of radioactive waste were carried out. Simultaneously with these activities a programme for covering public relations was prepared. One of the results of the public relation campaign is also a 15-minute video film, which was prepared from documentary material recorded during remedial activities, and will be presented here. (author)

  5. Why 3D Print? The 21st-Century Skills Students Develop While Engaging in 3D Printing Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trust, Torrey; Maloy, Robert W.

    2017-01-01

    The emergence of 3D printing has raised hopes and concerns about how it can be used effectively as an educational technology in school classrooms. This paper presents the results of a survey asking teachers from multiple grade levels and subject fields about the impact of 3D projects on student learning. Teachers were asked about the kinds of 3D…

  6. The Impact an Oratory Project generates to Primary School Students who live in Rural Areas of Cartago

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Gabriela Amador-Solano

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This article aims at showing the development and relevance of an extension project in seven rural schools located in “circuito 05” in the central area of Cartago. The main goal is to enhance oral commu­nication in elementary school students. The project was designed as a training workshop for the teach­ers in the chosen schools in order to be taught to students by implementing an oratory club. In each student´s dissertation, the researchers observed the enthusiasm that the project caused in the schools. Objectives, contents, activities, assessment and observations were designed in a didactic plan to be used upon needs of institutions.

  7. SIHTI 2. Energy and environmental technology. Yearbook 1995. Project presentations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korhonen, M.; Thun, R.

    1997-01-01

    Detrimental impacts of various energy production forms, their prevention and costs to enterprises and to the society are studied in the National Research Programme on Energy and Environmental Technology - SIHTI 2. For this evaluation work databases on Finland's energy production, fuels and boilers and emissions of various production forms are needed. This is one of the main subtasks of the SIHTI Programme. Development of methods and tools required for environmental decision making and for the assessment of environmental costs and testing of their usability and reliability are equally important. Emission measurements are a problem field that continuously sets new challenges. In addition to energy production and its environmental impacts, environmental issues of the woodprocessing industries form another important research field of SIHTI 2 programme. A common aim of both fields is to reduce emissions of detrimental substances, to recycle raw materials, and to minimise and reuse wastes. Research and development projects are being carried out by a number of universities of different fields of science and technology, by research organisations and enterprises, and many projects are realised in close co-operation. In 1995, the programme comprised 28 R and D projects by universities and 22 enterprise-led projects. Results of these projects are presented in this yearbook. Part of the research projects continued from the preceding year and part were new projects continuing in 1996

  8. The effect of project-based learning on students' statistical literacy levels for data representation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koparan, Timur; Güven, Bülent

    2015-07-01

    The point of this study is to define the effect of project-based learning approach on 8th Grade secondary-school students' statistical literacy levels for data representation. To achieve this goal, a test which consists of 12 open-ended questions in accordance with the views of experts was developed. Seventy 8th grade secondary-school students, 35 in the experimental group and 35 in the control group, took this test twice, one before the application and one after the application. All the raw scores were turned into linear points by using the Winsteps 3.72 modelling program that makes the Rasch analysis and t-tests, and an ANCOVA analysis was carried out with the linear points. Depending on the findings, it was concluded that the project-based learning approach increases students' level of statistical literacy for data representation. Students' levels of statistical literacy before and after the application were shown through the obtained person-item maps.

  9. The Lichen-GIS Project, Teaching Students How to Use Bioindicator Species to Assess Environmental Quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen Wagner

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available A content-driven biology course for preservice, K-8 teachers has been developed. This course uses the constructivist approach, where instructors engage students by organizing information around concept-based problems. To this end a semester-long inquiry-based project was introduced where students studied lichen populations on trees located on their campus to monitor air quality. Data were incorporated into a geographical information systems (GIS database to demonstrate how it can be used to map communities. Student teams counted the number of each lichen type within a grid placed on each tree trunk sampled and entered this information into a GIS database. The students constructed maps of lichen populations at each sample site and wrote abstracts about their research. Student performance was assessed by preparation of these abstracts as well as scores on pre- and posttests of key content measures. Students also completed a survey to determine whether the project aided in their comprehension as well as their interest in incorporating this activity into their own curricula. The students’ pre- and posttest results showed an eightfold improvement in the total score after the semester project. Additionally, correct responses to each individual content measure increased by at least 35%. Total scores for the abstract ranged from 12 to 20 points out of 20 total points possible (60% to 100% with a mean score of 15.8 points (78%. These results indicate that this exercise provided an excellent vehicle to teach students about lichens and their use as bioindicators and the application of geospatial technologies to map environmental data.

  10. Implementation of Service Learning and Civic Engagement for Students of Computer Information Systems through a Course Project at the Hashemite University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Khasawneh, Ahmad; Hammad, Bashar K.

    2015-01-01

    Service learning methodologies provide students of information systems with the opportunity to create and implement systems in real-world, public service-oriented social contexts. This paper presents a case study which involves integrating a service learning project into an undergraduate Computer Information Systems course entitled…

  11. Reflections by a student and a faculty member on student-faculty collaborative geophysical field research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bank, C.; Rotzien, J.

    2007-12-01

    More and more students and faculty engage in collaborative research. Field geophysics provides a fascinating venue, as it always contributes to interpersonal relations, usually involves off-campus work, and often allows us to meet new people and explore a different culture. Tackling an authentic research problem keeps a faculty member excited about her/his discipline, while allowing a student to engage in the process of science, follow a researcher's thoughts and contribute to a real project. The exchange of ideas and the generation of new knowledge is rewarding to the student as it facilitates her/his academic growth. Despite the obvious advantages of including students in field-based research, few students are allowed such an opportunity because of the institutional commitment in time and money that is necessary for success. Other challenges in field-based geophysical research include steep learning curves related to the use of equipment, unknown outcomes (data that is often difficult to interpret), and a true commitment to the project on the student's part. The faculty member on the other hand faces additional challenges because of the responsibility for students in the field, scheduling constraints, limited funding, and students' diverse academic goals. This presentation will be given by a faculty member and a student who have engaged in various authentic research projects. Projects ranged from afternoon lab exercises on campus (eg, microgravity survey over a tunnel on campus), course projects connected to field trips (eg, magnetic study and subsequent potential field analysis), summer research projects (eg, georadar survey of Deboullie Lake rock glacier), to year-long undergraduate thesis projects (eg, potential field studies at igneous centres of the Navajo Volcanic Field). We will present highlights of these projects, examine their pedagogical merits, and discuss the advantages and rewards we earned as well as the challenges we faced. Despite all challenges

  12. Speechline - a method for teaching oral presentation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juel, Henrik

    2015-01-01

    The Speech-line method aims at improving the active rhetorical skills of students, i.e. their ability to present academic subjects in a clear and convincing manner. This is relevant not only for everyday classroom work, but also for oral exams, for presenting research projects, and for addressing...

  13. Organization of BSc and MSc projects in project families

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Goltermann, Per; Jensen, Pernille Erland

    2014-01-01

    This work reports organization of student thesis projects in project families, with the benefit to both teaching and learning. The project organization went from student projects broadly distributed on topics related to different research issues and individual supervision to project families with...

  14. Focusing Information Systems Post-Graduate Research Projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gail Ridley

    1996-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports on an investigation of mechanisms that assist Information Systems post-graduate research students to focus their projects. An evaluation is presented of the experiences of Information Systems research students in focussing their research projects based on a survey conducted of students who participated in two of the first three Information Systems doctoral consortia to be held in Australia. The survey sought to determine whether a doctoral consortium or 'systematic expert review' is the most valuable mechanism for focussing a research proposal. Systematic expert review was considered by the students to be more effective than the doctoral consortium process for the purpose of focussing their research project proposals.

  15. Features of adaptation of first-year students who participated in the project «Proryv»

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grishina A.V.

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available this article deals with the problem of adaptation of students to the university. Particular attention is drawn to the results of a pilot study to identify important psychological qualities of the person of the student who contributed to the effective adaptation of students in the framework of participation in All-Russian innovation project «Breakthrough».

  16. [The supervisor has a crucial role in the medical student's degree projects. Experiences from seven semesters at Karolinska Institutet].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Möller, Riitta; Shoshan, Maria; Ponzer, Sari

    2015-01-13

    In Sweden degree projects have a central role in evaluation of higher education, wherefore significant resources are spent on developing students' research competence. The undergraduate medical program at Karolinska Institutet introduced its degree project course in 2010. This paper gives an overview of the course and summarizes experiences from the first seven terms. In order to finalize their projects within one term, most students need substantial support. A highly structured course and frequent progress monitoring are advantageous. Other crucial factors are the quality of the supervision and students' verbal skills as well as support in scientific writing. In addition, increased awareness of the learning outcomes already at the beginning of the course may help students to achieve the expected results. Finally, students need to recognize their own responsibility for learning. 

  17. Investigating the Linkage between Intrinsic Motivation and Project Team Satisfaction in Undergraduate Agricultural Leadership Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamm, Kevan W.; Carter, Hannah S.; Melendez, Marcus W.

    2014-01-01

    Organizations have increased the amount of work that is completed by project teams over the past several decades. This trend is projected to continue into the foreseeable future. In response to this trend, the academic community has increased the number of project team based learning experiences for students in classes. The challenge has been that…

  18. A Tri-Country Marketing Project--Preparing Students for the Realities of a Global Marketplace

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeman, Ina; Knight, Peter; Butt, Irfan

    2011-01-01

    With rapidly increasing globalization, business students are required to understand complex global markets and adapt to the rapid changes in the global landscape. This paper discusses a project where students from International Marketing courses in Pakistan, the United States, and France used an interactive platform as a base to jointly explore…

  19. Which Type of Inquiry Project Do High School Biology Students Prefer: Open or Guided?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadeh, Irit; Zion, Michal

    2012-01-01

    In teaching inquiry to high school students, educators differ on which method of teaching inquiry is more effective: Guided or open inquiry? This paper examines the influence of these two different inquiry learning approaches on the attitudes of Israeli high school biology students toward their inquiry project. The results showed significant…

  20. Clinical Application Projects (CAPs) for Health Science Students in Introductory Microbiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halyard, Rebecca A.

    Clinical Application Projects (CAPs) have been developed that allow dental hygiene and nursing students to apply introductory microbiology principles and skills learned in lecture and laboratory to a problem in an appropriate clinical situation. CAPs therefore substitute for the traditional study of "unknowns". Principles and processes emphasized…

  1. The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beichner, Robert J.

    2011-04-01

    How do you keep a classroom of 100 undergraduates actively learning? Can students practice communication and teamwork skills in a large class? How do you boost the performance of underrepresented groups? The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project has addressed these concerns. Because of their inclusion in a leading introductory physics textbook, project materials are used by more than 1/3 of all science, math, and engineering majors nationwide. The room design and pedagogy have been adopted at more than 100 leading institutions across the country. Physics, chemistry, math, astronomy, biology, engineering, earth sciences, and even literature classes are currently being taught this way. Educational research indicates that students should collaborate on interesting tasks and be deeply involved with the material they are studying. We promote active learning in a redesigned classroom for 100 students or more. (Of course, smaller classes can also benefit.) Class time is spent primarily on "tangibles" and "ponderables"--hands-on activities, simulations, and interesting questions. Nine students sit in three teams at round tables. Instructors circulate and engage in Socratic dialogues. The setting looks like a banquet hall, with lively interactions nearly all the time. Hundreds of hours of classroom video and audio recordings, transcripts of numerous interviews and focus groups, data from conceptual learning assessments (using widely-recognized instruments in a pretest/posttest protocol), and collected portfolios of student work are part of our rigorous assessment effort. Our findings (based on data from over 16,000 students collected over five years as well as replications at adopting sites) can be summarized as the following: 1) Female failure rate is 1/5 of previous levels, even though more is demanded of students. 2) Minority failure rate is 1/4 that seen in traditionally taught courses. 3) At-risk students are more

  2. An Apparatus For Student Projects Using External-Beam PIXE And PIGE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Correll, Francis D.; Edsall, Douglas W.; DePooter, Katherine A.; Maskell, Nicholas D.; Vanhoy, Jeffrey R.

    2011-01-01

    We recently installed a simple endstation at the Naval Academy Tandem Accelerator Laboratory to support student projects using external-beam PIXE and PIGE. It consists of a short, graphite-lined beamline extension with a thin window, an interlocked box that surrounds the target, detectors for x- and gamma rays, provision for flooding the target with helium gas, easily changed x-ray absorbers, and a compact video camera for monitoring the position of the beam spot. We used this system to measure the elemental composition of colonial-era architectural materials, principally bricks and mortar, from James Madison's Montpelier, the reconstructed Virginia estate of the fourth President of the United States. We describe the design and construction of the system, relate some of our experiences using it, and present some preliminary data from our investigations.

  3. Developing Process Competencies in Co-orperation, Learning and Project Management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolmos, Anette; Kofoed, Lise Busk

    2002-01-01

    The paper presents an analysis of the course, " Co-operation, Learning, and Project Management" for first year students in the Department of Engineering and Science at Aalborg University, Denmark.......The paper presents an analysis of the course, " Co-operation, Learning, and Project Management" for first year students in the Department of Engineering and Science at Aalborg University, Denmark....

  4. Improving student learning via mobile phone video content: Evidence from the BridgeIT India project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wennersten, Matthew; Quraishy, Zubeeda Banu; Velamuri, Malathi

    2015-08-01

    Past efforts invested in computer-based education technology interventions have generated little evidence of affordable success at scale. This paper presents the results of a mobile phone-based intervention conducted in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in 2012-13. The BridgeIT project provided a pool of audio-visual learning materials organised in accordance with a system of syllabi pacing charts. Teachers of Standard 5 and 6 English and Science classes were notified of the availability of new videos via text messages (SMS), which they downloaded onto their phones using an open-source application and showed, with suggested activities, to students on a TV screen using a TV-out cable. In their evaluation of this project, the authors of this paper found that the test scores of children who experienced the intervention improved by 0.36 standard deviations in English and 0.98 standard deviations in Science in Andhra Pradesh, relative to students in similar classrooms who did not experience the intervention. Differences between treatment and control schools in Tamil Nadu were less marked. The intervention was also cost-effective, relative to other computer-based interventions. Based on these results, the authors argue that is possible to use mobile phones to produce a strong positive and statistically significant effect in terms of teaching and learning quality across a large number of classrooms in India at a lower cost per student than past computer-based interventions.

  5. Wind Power Project Repowering: History, Economics, and Demand (Presentation)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lantz, E.

    2015-01-01

    This presentation summarizes a related NREL technical report and seeks to capture the current status of wind power project repowering in the U.S. and globally, analyze the economic and financial decision drivers that surround repowering, and to quantify the level and timing of demand for new turbine equipment to supply the repowering market.

  6. Poster project to emphasize public health in the pharmacy curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelsch, Michael P; Werremeyer, Amy B

    2011-02-10

    To implement and assess a required public health poster project in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Third-year PharmD students collaborated in pairs to research a public health topic relating to pharmacy practice. Each student group prepared an informational poster, while receiving feedback from a faculty mentor at each stage of the project. The students presented their completed posters at a statewide pharmacy conference. Faculty members evaluated the posters with a grading rubric, and students completed a survey instrument that assessed the overall experience. In general, faculty members rated the class highly across all domains of the grading rubric. The class generally agreed that the poster project increased their awareness of public health issues related to pharmacy practice, overall knowledge of public health, and presentation skills. The implementation of a poster project was well received by students and faculty members as an effective method for enhancing public health instruction in the PharmD program at North Dakota State University.

  7. Evaluating the impact of a PBL-course for first-year engineering students learning through PBL-projects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mosgaard, Mette; Spliid, Claus Monrad

    2011-01-01

    The PBL-course for engineering students at Aalborg University provides support for student-groups' project-work and collaborative learning when planning and conducting scientific problem-based project with societal relevance. The results of a survey among some of the groups indicate that the limi...... that the limited experience with the Aalborg PBL Model clearly affects groups' perception of importance of using different PBL-tools. Development of process-competencies depends upon facilitation of reflection and experimentation....

  8. The History Research Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estes, Matt; Brady, Ann

    2005-01-01

    Matt Estes, a social studies teacher, mentions the main instructional goals for his students like understanding the importance of proper citation and attribution presenting the Machiavelli project that deals with the skills he wants his students to develop and the course material that must be covered. In addition, Ann Brady, a library media…

  9. "Does Hope Change? Testing a Project-Based Health Intervention among Urban Students of Color"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zusevics, Kaija L.; Johnson, Sheri

    2014-01-01

    Hope is positively correlated with educational attainment and health. Interventions based on project-based learning (PBL) may increase youth hope. This study examined how a PBL intervention affected hope among urban students of color. Students in health classes were invited to participate. A PBL health class was implemented in four classrooms. The…

  10. Effects of Implementing STEM-I Project-Based Learning Activities for Female High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lou, Shi-Jer; Tsai, Huei-Yin; Tseng, Kuo-Hung; Shih, Ru-Chu

    2014-01-01

    This study aims to explore the application of STEM-I (STEM-Imagination) project-based learning activities and its effects on the effectiveness, processes, and characteristics of STEM integrative knowledge learning and imagination development for female high school students. A total of 72 female high school students were divided into 18 teams.…

  11. Project work on wellbeing in multidisciplinary student teams : A triple testimonial on eps at artesis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rohaert, S.; Baelus, C.; Lacko, D.

    2012-01-01

    The European Project Semester (EPS) programme offers an educational framework to support students to practice problem-and project-based cross-disciplinary product innovation and research, in small multidisciplinary and international teams. To explore the potential and the restrictions of this

  12. Project-Based Social Justice Mathematics: A Case Study of Five 6th Grade Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    McHugh, Maighread L.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore how five sixth grade female students navigated the process of project-based learning as they designed and implemented their own project centered on mathematics while using a social justice lens. The theoretical frameworks of Authentic Intellectual Work and Social Justice…

  13. Extra! Extra! Read All about It! How to Construct a Newsletter: A Student Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renard, Monika; Tracy, Kay

    2011-01-01

    This article discusses a student project that highlights the value of printed employee newsletters as an internal communication tool for organizations. The project provides specific information and directions on how to develop an employee newsletter on human resource topics. Microsoft Word 2007 is used for newsletter formatting. The article also…

  14. Secret Message Decryption: Group Consulting Projects Using Matrices and Linear Programming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurski, Katharine F.

    2009-01-01

    We describe two short group projects for finite mathematics students that incorporate matrices and linear programming into fictional consulting requests presented as a letter to the students. The students are required to use mathematics to decrypt secret messages in one project involving matrix multiplication and inversion. The second project…

  15. Student Team Projects in Information Systems Development: Measuring Collective Creative Efficacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Hsiu-Hua; Yang, Heng-Li

    2011-01-01

    For information systems development project student teams, learning how to improve software development processes is an important training. Software process improvement is an outcome of a number of creative behaviours. Social cognitive theory states that the efficacy of judgment influences behaviours. This study explores the impact of three types…

  16. Increase Student Engagement through Project-Based Learning. Best Practices Newsletter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), 2015

    2015-01-01

    We learn by doing. This simple philosophy is at the heart of project-based learning in the 21st-century classroom. It is grounded in the belief that the stand and lecture approach to teaching, worksheets and rote memorization are not enough to move students down a path to the deep learning necessary for success in college and careers. Essential…

  17. Teaching/Research Project "Wheelmap"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gollenstede, Andreas

    2018-05-01

    In recent years new didactic concepts and approaches have been developed and evaluated at the universities. The concept for cartography lectures presented in this article is based on the close link of research and teaching/learning. The students are involved in all essential steps of a scientific project taking place during a series of lectures - beginning with the development of the scientific issues, followed by the choice and execution of the research methods and finally the presentation of the achieved outcomes. The specific project introduced here is based on self-experiments in which students took the perspective of wheelchair users entrusted with the task to map places, which are accessible for people with impairments. Among others, the goal set for the students was to develop an appropriate concept for the mobile acquisition of data and to visualise the final results by different methods of cartography.

  18. Present status and future directions of the Mayo/IBM PACS project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morin, Richard L.; Forbes, Glenn S.; Gehring, Dale G.; Salutz, James R.; Pavlicek, William

    1991-07-01

    This joint project began in 1988 and was motivated by the need to develop an alternative to the archival process in place at that time (magnetic tape) for magnetic resonance imaging and neurological computed tomography. In addition, this project was felt to be an important step in gaining the necessary clinical experience for the future implementation of various aspects of electronic imaging. The initial phase of the project was conceived and developed to prove the concept, test the fundamental components, and produce performance measurements for future work. The key functions of this phase centered on attachment of imaging equipment (GE Signa) and archival processes using a non-dedicated (institutionally supplied) local area network (LAN). Attachment of imaging equipment to the LAN was performed using commercially available devices (Ethernet, PS/2, Token Ring). Image data were converted to ACR/NEMA format with retention of the vendor specific header information. Performance measurements were encouraging and led to the design of following projects. The second phase has recently been concluded. The major features of this phase have been to greatly expand the network, put the network into clinical use, establish an efficient and useful viewing station, include diagnostic reports in the archive data, provide wide area network (WAN) capability via ISDN, and establish two-way real-time video between remote sites. This phase has heightened both departmental and institutional thought regarding various issues raised by electronic imaging. Much discussion regarding both present as well as future archival processes has occurred. The use of institutional LAN resources has proven to be adequate for the archival function examined thus far. Experiments to date have shown that use of dedicated resources will be necessary for retrieval activities at even a basic level. This report presents an overview of the background present status and future directions of the project.

  19. Using the Microcomputer for Advertising Research Presentations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larkin, Ernest F.

    A midwestern university is testing a program that uses the Apple II computer to help students in an advertising research course develop their skills in preparing and presenting research reports using computer generated graphics for both oral and written presentations. One of the course requirements is the preparation of a final project, including…

  20. Watershed Watch: The Importance of Mentors in Student-driven Full Inquiry Undergraduate Research Projects as the Foundation for an Introductory Course in Biogeoscience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rock, B. N.; Hale, S. R.; Graham, K. J.; Hayden, L.; Barber, L.; Perry, C.; Schloss, J.; Sullivan, E.; Yuan, J.; Abebe, E.; Mitchell, L.; Abrams, E.; Gagnon, M.

    2008-12-01

    Watershed Watch (NSF 0525433) engages early undergraduate students from two-year and four-year colleges in student-driven full inquiry-based instruction in the biogeosciences. Program goals for Watershed Watch are to test if inquiry-rich student-driven projects sufficiently engage undeclared students (or noncommittal STEM majors) to declare a STEM major (or remain with their STEM major). A significant component of this program is an intensive two-week Summer course, in which undeclared freshmen research various aspects of a local watershed. Students develop their own research questions and study design, collect and analyze data, and produce a scientific or an oral poster presentation. The course objectives, curriculum and schedule are presented as a model for dissemination for other institutions and programs seeking to develop inquiry-rich courses designed to attract students into biogeoscience disciplines. Data from self-reported student feedback indicated the most important factors explaining high-levels of student motivation and research excellence in the course are 1) working with committed, energetic, and enthusiastic faculty mentors; and 2) faculty mentors demonstrating high degrees of teamwork and coordination.

  1. The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Minority Student Achievement: Implications for School Redesign

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cervantes, Bernadine; Hemmer, Lynn; Kouzekanani, Kamiar

    2015-01-01

    Project-Based Learning (PBL) serves as an instructional approach to classroom teaching and learning that is designed to engage students in the investigation of real-world problems to create meaningful and relevant educational experiences. The causal-comparative study compared 7th and 8th students who had utilized the PBL with a comparison group in…

  2. A practical tablet-based hearing aid configuration as an exemplar project for students of instrumentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Simeoni

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the configuration and digital signal processing details of a tablet-based hearing aid transmitting wirelessly to standard earphones, whereby the tablet performs full sound processing rather than solely providing a means of setting adjustment by streaming to conventional digital hearing aids. The presented device confirms the recognized advantages of this tablet-based approach (e.g., in relation to cost, frequency domain processing, amplification range, versatility of functionality, component battery rechargeability, and flags the future wider-spread availability of such hearing solutions within mainstream healthcare. The use of a relatively high sampling frequency was found to be beneficial for device performance, while the use of optional off-the-shelf add-on components (e.g., data acquisition device, high fidelity microphone, compact wireless transmitter/ receiver, wired headphones are also discussed in relation to performance optimization. The easy-to-follow configuration utilized is well suited to student learning/research instrumentation projects within the health and biomedical sciences. In this latter regard, the presented device was pedagogically integrated into a flipped classroom approach for the teaching of bioinstrumentation within an Allied Health Sciences School, with the subsequent establishment of positive student engagement outcomes.

  3. A Practical Tablet-Based Hearing Aid Configuration as an Exemplar Project for Students of Instrumentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simeoni, Ricardo

    2015-06-11

    This paper presents the configuration and digital signal processing details of a tablet-based hearing aid transmitting wirelessly to standard earphones, whereby the tablet performs full sound processing rather than solely providing a means of setting adjustment by streaming to conventional digital hearing aids. The presented device confirms the recognized advantages of this tablet-based approach (e.g., in relation to cost, frequency domain processing, amplification range, versatility of functionality, component battery rechargeability), and flags the future wider-spread availability of such hearing solutions within mainstream healthcare. The use of a relatively high sampling frequency was found to be beneficial for device performance, while the use of optional off-the-shelf add-on components (e.g., data acquisition device, high fidelity microphone, compact wireless transmitter/receiver, wired headphones) are also discussed in relation to performance optimization. The easy-to-follow configuration utilized is well suited to student learning/research instrumentation projects within the health and biomedical sciences. In this latter regard, the presented device was pedagogically integrated into a flipped classroom approach for the teaching of bioinstrumentation within an Allied Health Sciences School, with the subsequent establishment of positive student engagement outcomes.

  4. Web Based Projects Enhancing English Language and Generic Skills Development for Asian Hospitality Industry Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Mei-jung

    2009-01-01

    This study investigated hospitality students' responses toward their learning experiences from undertaking group projects based upon a College web platform, the "Ubiquitous Hospitality English Learning Platform" (U-HELP). Twenty-six students in the Department of Applied Foreign Languages participated in this study. Their attitudes toward…

  5. Examining student conceptions of the nature of science from two project-based classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, David M.

    The purpose of this research was to develop descriptive accounts of precollege students' conceptions of the nature of science from two project-based classrooms, and track those conceptions over the course of an academic year. A model of the nature of science was developed and served as the criterion by which students' beliefs were evaluated. The model distinguishes between two major categories of science, the nature of the scientific enterprise and the nature of scientific knowledge. Five students were selected from each class and interviewed individually for 30-45 minutes each, six times over the year. Data from semi-structured, formal interviewing consisted of audio-recorded interviews which were transcribed verbatim. All passages were coded using codes which corresponded to the premises of the model of the nature of science. Passages in the transcripts were interpreted to develop a summary of the students' conceptions over the year. Qualitative methodologies, especially formal interviewing in conjunction with participant observation, were effective for uncovering students' conceptions of the nature of science, adding to the knowledge base in this field. The research design of the current study was a significant factor in explaining the inconsistencies seen between findings from this study and the literature. This study finds that participants at both classroom sites held fully formed conceptions of the nature of science for approximately 40 percent of the premises across the model. For two-thirds of the elements which comprise the premises, participants held full understandings. Participants held more complete understandings of the nature of scientific knowledge than the nature of the scientific enterprise. Most participants had difficulty distinguishing between science and non-science and held poor understandings of the role of questions in science. Students' beliefs generally remained unchanged over the year. When their conceptions did evolve, project

  6. Students as agents – connecting faculty with industry and creating collaborative projects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Lotte Bjerregaard

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative projects between partners in the building industry and students constitute important means for addressing more advanced parts of the CDIO Syllabus 4. In this paper an existing internship program is revised in order to enhance collaboration between industry and faculty...

  7. Research and Development Projects with ICT and students as learning designers in Primary Schools: A methodological challenge

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Levinsen, Karin Ellen Tweddell; Sørensen, Birgitte Holm; Tosca, Susana

    of how: • ICT supports students learning, • ICT release time for more teaching, and • teachers digital literacy impact on the role of ICT in the educational practice. Further the call required collaboration between universities and university colleges in order to disseminate knowledge and new practices......In this paper we present some methodological challenges that emerged during the process of shaping the research design for the comprehensive and complex research project Children as learning designers in a digital school. The project is the realization of our proposal to a research call from...... the Danish Ministry of Education named Development projects and pilot school experiments (Udviklingsprojekter med demonstrationsskoleforsøg vedr. it i folkeskolen – see Undervisningsministeriet 2013) in the spring 2013. The call was based on a governmental decision to allocate 500 million DKR to increase...

  8. [How to understand and facilitate return to school of high school students treated for cancer: analysis of a sociology research-action project].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rollin, Zoé

    2015-01-01

    Based on a sociology research-action project, this article analyses the specific issue of return to school of high school students with cancer. Three detailed cases, illustrating the global results of the study, are presented to highlight the academic trajectories of these students. This situation has a particular impact on juvenile sociability. Moreover, the education of these students does not comply with French educational standards and is very complex for professionals. Finally, social inequalities in education are reinforced by the experience of serious illness, as pedagogical negotiations are even more complex due to the fact that families are not familiar with school practices.

  9. COSEE-AK Ocean Science Fairs: A Science Fair Model That Grounds Student Projects in Both Western Science and Traditional Native Knowledge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dublin, Robin; Sigman, Marilyn; Anderson, Andrea; Barnhardt, Ray; Topkok, Sean Asiqluq

    2014-01-01

    We have developed the traditional science fair format into an ocean science fair model that promoted the integration of Western science and Alaska Native traditional knowledge in student projects focused on the ocean, aquatic environments, and climate change. The typical science fair judging criteria for the validity and presentation of the…

  10. Challenge Based Innovation @ mediterranean - final presentations & prototype expo

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2016-01-01

    Challenge Based Innovation @ mediterranean - Final presentations & prototype expo Note - presentation location has been changed to the council chamber (503-1-001) due to the large amount of signups. External participants are guided from the main reception (building 33), more information over email on Wednesday. Prototype presentations are still at IdeaSquare (3179) 18.00 - 19.30, guided walking from the presentations.  Challenge Based Innovation (CBI) is a four month project course, where multidisciplinary student teams and their instructors collaborate with researchers at CERN to discover novel solutions for the future of humankind. The projects are an elaborate mixture, where societal, human-driven needs meet research at CERN. More info about CBI from the course website, cbi-course.com The Gala on 1.12. will introduce the proof-of concept prototypes the five student teams have developed to answer a wide range of societal challenges, inspired by people and r...

  11. The Effect of Project-Based Learning on Students' Statistical Literacy Levels for Data Representation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koparan, Timur; Güven, Bülent

    2015-01-01

    The point of this study is to define the effect of project-based learning approach on 8th Grade secondary-school students' statistical literacy levels for data representation. To achieve this goal, a test which consists of 12 open-ended questions in accordance with the views of experts was developed. Seventy 8th grade secondary-school students, 35…

  12. Learning Physics through Project-Based Learning Game Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baran, Medine; Maskan, Abdulkadir; Yasar, Seyma

    2018-01-01

    The aim of the present study, in which Project and game techniques are used together, is to examine the impact of project-based learning games on students' physics achievement. Participants of the study consist of 34 9th grade students (N = 34). The data were collected using achievement tests and a questionnaire. Throughout the applications, the…

  13. Exploring the experiences of female students in introductory project-based engineering courses at two- and four-year institutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swan, Amy K.

    2011-12-01

    This qualitative study explored the experiential and contextual factors that shaped female students' pathways into introductory project-based engineering classes at two community colleges and one four-year institution, as well as female students' experiences within and outside of these classes. The study was framed by Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) (Lent, Brown & Hackett, 1996) and Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory. Findings were based on analyses of data gathered through multiple methods: observations; individual interviews with female students; focus group interviews with project teams; and document collection. The findings of this study revealed that while positive experiences with math or science were a likely pre-cursor to engineering interest, experiential learning appeared to be a more powerful force in fostering students' engineering interest. Specifically, participants developed an interest in engineering through academic, professional, and extracurricular engineering- and design-related activities that familiarized them with the tasks and skills involved in engineering work and helped them develop a sense of selfefficacy with regard to this work. Interest and self-efficacy, in turn, played a role in students' postsecondary educational decision-making processes, as did contextual factors including families and finances. This study's findings also showed that participants' project teams were a critically important microsystem within participants' ecological environments. Within this sometimes "chilly" microsystem, female students negotiated intrateam processes, which were in some cases affected by gender norms. Intrateam processes that influenced female students' project-based learning experiences included: interpersonal dynamics; leadership; and division of labor. This study also identified several ways in which the lived experiences of participants at the community colleges were different from, or similar to, those of participants

  14. A Project-Based Engineering and Leadership Workshop for High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryder, Linda Sue; Pegg, Jerine; Wood, Nathan

    2012-01-01

    Summer outreach programs provide pre-college participants an introduction to college life and exposure to engineering in an effort to raise the level of interest and bring more students into engineering fields. The Junior Engineering, Mathematics, and Science (JEMS) program is a project-based summer workshop in which teams of high school students…

  15. Treatment-seeking college students with disabilities: Presenting concerns, protective factors, and academic distress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleming, Allison R; Edwin, Mary; Hayes, Jeffrey A; Locke, Benjamin D; Lockard, Allison J

    2018-02-01

    Students with disabilities are a growing population on college campuses and have unique challenges that put them at risk for early departure, creating complexity in efforts to address their personal and academic needs. The purpose was to explore academic and other sources of distress among college students with disabilities to identify possible areas where enhanced supports might benefit this population. Research Method and Design: Researchers analyzed cross-sectional data from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health to compare subsamples of students with (n = 1,774) and without disabilities (n = 1,774) on presenting concerns, and to determine significant predictors of academic distress among students with disabilities. Results indicated that students with disabilities have many similar treatment concerns with their peers, but showed greater concerns in depression and self-harm; academic performance; anxiety and obsessions/compulsions; and fewer concerns in relationship problems. Significant predictors of academic distress for students with disabilities included attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression and self-harm, trauma or victimization, stress and academic performance, and social support from family and peers. These results suggest the importance of several factors in understanding the presenting concerns of treatment-seeking students with disabilities and mitigating academic distress for this population. Additional areas for research are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  16. The Small Helm Project: an academic activity addressing international corruption for undergraduate civil engineering and construction management students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benzley, Steven E

    2006-04-01

    This paper presents an academic project that addresses the issue of international corruption in the engineering and construction industry, in a manner that effectively incorporates several learning experiences. The major objectives of the project are to provide the students a learning activity that will 1) make a meaningful contribution within the disciplines being studied; 2) teach by experience a significant principle that can be valuable in numerous situations during an individual's career, and 3) engage the minds, experiences, and enthusiasm of the participants in a real ethical challenge that is prevalent in all of their chosen professional fields. The paper describes the full details of the project, the actual implementation of it during Winter Semester 2005, the experiences gained during the initial trial, and the modifications and improvements incorporated for future implementation.

  17. Project SAIL: An Evaluation of a Dropout Prevention Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, John L.; And Others

    Project SAIL (Student Advocates Inspire Learning) is a Title IV-C Project located in Hopkins, Minnesota, designed to prevent students from dropping out of school by keeping them successfully involved in the mainstream environment. This study presents a review of other dropout prevention approaches, describes the intervention strategies involved in…

  18. Project Boomerang

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Allen L.

    1975-01-01

    Describes an experimental project on boomerangs designed for an undergraduate course in classical mechanics. The students designed and made their own boomerangs, devised their own procedures, and carried out suitable measurements. Presents some of their data and a simple analysis for the two-bladed boomerang. (Author/MLH)

  19. The structure and functions of an automated project management system for the centers of scientific and technical creativity of students

    OpenAIRE

    Dmitriev, V. M.; Gandzha, T. V.; Gandzha, V. V.; Panov, S. A.

    2013-01-01

    This article discusses the possibility of automating of the student's projecting through the use of automated project management system. There are described the purpose, structure and formalism of automated workplace of student-designer (AWSD), and shown its structural-functional diagram.

  20. National Writing Project's Multimodal Literacies and Teacher Collaboration: Enhanced Student Learning on Global Social Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iyengar, Kalpana; Hood, Caleb

    2016-01-01

    Iyengar and Hood, both teacher consultants with the San Antonio Writing Project (SAWP), and instructors of an undergraduate society and social issues class, collaborated to enhance their undergraduate students' writing experiences using the National Writing Project model (Lieberman & Wood, 2003). Iyengar and Hood used strategies such as…

  1. Teaching with Soap: Examples of Project-Based Units for Students and Future Educators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farrell, Ivan; Hamed, Kastro M.

    2016-01-01

    This article describes the use of project-based instruction in activities and labs intended to develop higher-order thinking skills with high school students and pre-service teachers through the use of soap making.

  2. From innovation to implementation - SME collaboration in student projects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bridgwood, Ian

    The Center for Bachelor of Engineering Studies at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Diplom) [1] provides B.Eng. programs with the Conceive Design Implement and Operate framework [2] as a central element. Courses are designed to be a source of innovation, particularly in relation to small a...... and medium sized enterprises (SME) in the region. The project based courses teach students to undertake the analysis, design and implementation of systems which are relevant to and in cooperation with SMEs....

  3. Exploring Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations to Participate in a Crowdsourcing Project to Support Blind and Partially Sighted Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Layas, Fatma; Petrie, Helen

    2016-01-01

    There have been a number of crowdsourcing projects to support people with disabilities. However, there is little exploration of what motivates people to participate in such crowdsourcing projects. In this study we investigated how different motivational factors can affect the participation of people in a crowdsourcing project to support visually disabled students. We are developing "DescribeIT", a crowdsourcing project to support blind and partially students by having sighted people describe images in digital learning resources. We investigated participants' behavior of the DescribeIT project using three conditions: one intrinsic motivation condition and two extrinsic motivation conditions. The results showed that participants were significantly intrinsically motivated to participate in the DescribeIT project. In addition, participants' intrinsic motivation dominated the effect of the two extrinsic motivational factors in the extrinsic conditions.

  4. Experience and Methodology gained from 4 years of Student Satellite Projects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alminde, Lars; Bisgaard, Morten; Bhanderi, Dan

    2005-01-01

    The AAU Cubesat student satellite project at Aalborg University was initiated in September 2001 and led to the launch of the satellite on the 30th of June 2003 with a “Rockot” rocket from Plesetsk in Russia. The satellite survived three months in orbit and based on the experiences gained the next...

  5. Effect of 3D animation videos over 2D video projections in periodontal health education among dental students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhulipalla, Ravindranath; Marella, Yamuna; Katuri, Kishore Kumar; Nagamani, Penupothu; Talada, Kishore; Kakarlapudi, Anusha

    2015-01-01

    There is limited evidence about the distinguished effect of 3D oral health education videos over conventional 2 dimensional projections in improving oral health knowledge. This randomized controlled trial was done to test the effect of 3 dimensional oral health educational videos among first year dental students. 80 first year dental students were enrolled and divided into two groups (test and control). In the test group, 3D animation and in the control group, regular 2D video projections pertaining to periodontal anatomy, etiology, presenting conditions, preventive measures and treatment of periodontal problems were shown. Effect of 3D animation was evaluated by using a questionnaire consisting of 10 multiple choice questions given to all participants at baseline, immediately after and 1month after the intervention. Clinical parameters like Plaque Index (PI), Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI), and Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHI-S) were measured at baseline and 1 month follow up. A significant difference in the post intervention knowledge scores was found between the groups as assessed by unpaired t-test (p3D animation videos are more effective over 2D videos in periodontal disease education and knowledge recall. The application of 3D animation results also demonstrate a better visual comprehension for students and greater health care outcomes.

  6. Integrating Project-Based Service-Learning into an Advanced Environmental Chemistry Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Draper, Alison J.

    2004-02-01

    In an advanced environmental chemistry course, the inclusion of semester-long scientific service projects successfully integrated the research process with course content. Each project involved a unique community-based environmental analysis in which students assessed an aspect of environmental health. The projects were due in small pieces at even intervals, and students worked independently or in pairs. Initially, students wrote a project proposal in which they chose and justified a project. Following a literature review of their topic, they drafted sampling and analysis plans using methods in the literature. Samples were collected and analyzed, and all students assembled scientific posters describing the results of their study. In the last week of the semester, the class traveled to a regional professional meeting to present the posters. In all, students found the experience valuable. They learned to be professional environmental chemists and learned the value of the discipline to community health. Students not only learned about their own project in depth, but they were inspired to learn textbook material, not for an exam, but because it helped them understand their own project. Finally, having a community to answer to at the end of the project motivated students to do careful work.

  7. University of Houston Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bering, E. A., III; Talbot, R. W.; Hampton, D. L.; Molders, N.; Millan, R. M.; Halford, A. J.; Dunbar, B.; Morris, G. A.; Prince, J.; Gamblin, R.; Ehteshami, A.; Lehnen, J. N.; Greer, M.; Porat, I.; Alozie, M.; Behrend, C. C.; Bias, C.; Fenton, A.; Gunawan, B.; Harrison, W.; Martinez, A.; Mathur, S.; Medillin, M.; Nguyen, T.; Nguyen, T. V.; Nowling, M.; Perez, D.; Pham, M.; Pina, M.; Thomas, G.; Velasquez, B.; Victor, L.

    2017-12-01

    The Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) is a NASA program to engage undergraduate students in rigorous scientific research, for the purposes of innovation and developing the next generation of professionals for an array of fields. The program is student led and executed from initial ideation to research to the design and deployment of scientific payloads. The University of Houston has been selected twice to participate in the USIP programs. The first program (USIP_UH I) ran from 2013 to 2016. USIP_UH II started in January of 2016, with funding starting at the end of May. USIP_UH I (USIP_UH II) at the University of Houston was (is) composed of eight (seven) research teams developing six (seven), distinct, balloon-based scientific instruments. These instruments will contribute to a broad range of geophysical sciences from Very Low Frequency recording and Total Electron Content to exobiology and ozone profiling. USIP_UH I had 12 successful launches with 9 recoveries from Fairbanks, AK in March 2015, and 4 piggyback flights with BARREL 3 from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden in August, 2015. USIP_UH II had 8 successful launches with 5 recoveries from Fairbanks, AK in March 2017, 3 piggyback flights with BARREL 4 from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden in August, 2016, and 1 flight each from CSBF and UH. The great opportunity of this program is capitalizing on the proliferation of electronics miniaturization to create new generations of scientific instruments that are smaller and lighter than ever before. This situation allows experiments to be done more cheaply which ultimately allows many more experiments to be done.

  8. Analyzing the Impact of the 2012 Ford Focus Target Hunt: Can Student Managed Projects Accomplish Both Academic and Corporate Objectives?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aurand, Timothy W.; St. Clair, Jordan; Sullivan, Ursula

    2012-01-01

    Student-managed business projects offer students the opportunity to garner valuable real world experience while businesses can fulfill corporate responsibilities utilizing relatively inexpensive manpower. This paper describes an event marketing/social media marketing project completed in conjunction with Jackson-Dawson Communications, representing…

  9. Presentations of scientific research results as a strategy to increase the interest of students in physiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline Dalla Colletta Altermann

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available In the search for strategies to arouse the interest of undergraduate students in science, it was proposed the project "Colloquiums in Physiology" in order to disseminate and discuss scientific discoveries and improve the students’ interest in Physiology. This work aimed to verify the perception of participants about the impact of this activity. The activity included lectures throughout the semester and at the end of each lecture, a questionnaire was applied to listeners. Among the 171 students who answered the questionnaire, 81% (n=139 considers that this proposal increased their interest in physiology, 96% (n=164 believes that it is an important activity and achieved its goal of promote science disclosure, and 83% (n=142 stated that the project promotes interaction between research, teaching and outreach activities. Thus, it highlights the importance of this type of event for the academic formation.

  10. A real CDIO mechanical engineering project in 4th semester

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauritsen, Aage Birkkjær

    In the past 6 years at the mechanical engineering study at the Engineering College of Aarhus we have been practicing project work on 4th Semester in the design of energy technology systems. In my presentation, I will give a description of the project, and the thoughts behind; pedagogic......-6 students, and will partly support the general theory being taught in the courses, but will also provide students with skills in teamwork, project work and system building. The pedagogical considerations behind the development of the project are quite simply that students learn best through active work...

  11. Poster presented at Research Bazaar 2015 - project and digital tools overview

    OpenAIRE

    Strack, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Poster presented at the Research Bazaar 2015 at Melbourne University, Australia. Conference attendees were asked to share an overview of their project and the digital platforms they used in their research.

  12. Improving Technological Competency in Nursing Students: The Passport Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Julie; O'Connor, Patricia A.

    2011-01-01

    Integration of informatics competency into a nursing curriculum is important to ensure success throughout the education and career of contemporary nursing students. As enrollment in nursing programs increases, the diverse population of students from many different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds presents a challenge for faculty in…

  13. Seminar for Master's Thesis Projects: Promoting Students' Self-Regulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miedijensky, Shirley; Lichtinger, Einat

    2016-01-01

    This study presents a thesis seminar model aimed at promoting students' self-regulation. Students' perceptions regarding the contribution of the seminar to their learning process were characterized and the seminar's effect upon their self-regulation expressions was examined. Data was collected using questionnaires and analyzed thematically. The…

  14. The Grammar Movie Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreutner, Edith

    2015-01-01

    In this case study, I will show how directing a movie on grammar can help students improve their oral skills as well as their language competency, team working and planning skills, and also teach them about learning itself. I will present an innovative teaching project that uses the medium of film to get students engaged with grammar and that aims…

  15. Three Ways to Improve Student Presentations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metcalf, Amy; Layton, Margaret V.; Goslin, Trina L.

    2016-01-01

    Twenty-first-century students are adept at using technology, which means that incorporating appropriate technology into the classroom can excite and engage students and improve oral production and fluency, which Rossiter, Derwing, Manimtim, and Thomson (2010) have identified as missing from many language classrooms. Therefore, academic…

  16. Project management for engineers

    CERN Document Server

    Bennett, Michael J

    2014-01-01

    Project Management for Engineers, as the title suggests, is a direct attempt at addressing the ever-increasing and specific needs for better project management of engineering students, practicing engineers and managers in the industry. It aims not only to present the principles and techniques of Project Management, but also to discuss project management standards, processes and requirements, such as PMBOK, IEEE and PRINCE. Each chapter begins with the basics of the theme being developed at a level understandable to an undergraduate, before more complex topics are introduced at the end of each section that are suitable for graduate students. For the practicing professionals or managers in the industry, the book also provides many real illustrations of practical application of the principles of Project Management. Through a realistic blend of theory and practical examples, as well as an integration of the engineering technical issues with business issues, this book seeks to remove the veil of mystery that has...

  17. Optical projects in the Clinic program at Harvey Mudd College

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Q.

    2017-08-01

    Clinic program is the senior capstone program at Harvey Mudd College (HMC). Multidisciplinary and industry-sponsored projects allow a team of students to solve a real-world problem over one academic year. Over its 50 plus years, Clinic program has completed numerous optics related projects. This report gives an overview of the Clinic program, reviews recent optical projects and discusses how this program supports the learning of the HMC engineering students. A few sample optical projects with more details are presented to provide an insight of what challenges that undergraduates can overcome. Students achieve learning within the optics discipline and the related engineering disciplines. The experiences in these optical projects indicate the great potential to bringing optical hands-on projects into the undergraduate level. Because of the general engineering curriculum at HMC, these projects often work the best with a multidisciplinary nature even if the core of the project is optically focused. Students gain leadership training, oral and written communication skills and experiences in team work. Close relationship with the sponsor liaisons allows for the students to gain skills in professional conduct, management of tight schedule and a specified budget, and it well prepares the students to their engineering practice. Optical projects have their own sets of specific challenges, so it needs to be chosen properly to match the undergraduate skill sets such as those of HMC engineering students.

  18. Students Dig Deep in the Mystery Soil Lab: A Playful, Inquiry-Based Soil Laboratory Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thiet, Rachel K.

    2014-01-01

    The Mystery Soil Lab, a playful, inquiry-based laboratory project, is designed to develop students' skills of inquiry, soil analysis, and synthesis of foundational concepts in soil science and soil ecology. Student groups are given the charge to explore and identify a "Mystery Soil" collected from a unique landscape within a 10-mile…

  19. Service and the Millennial Business Student: The Motivating Influence of an E-Book Class Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnold, William W.

    2017-01-01

    A commitment to voluntary service that benefits others was reinforced for students who authored an e-book on service as a class project in a senior business course. The immersive experience of writing short essays that focused on service shifted students' motivations toward service and solidified their intentions to continue with service after…

  20. The SOURCE Demonstration Project: Helping Disadvantaged High School Students Enroll in College

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bos, Johannes; Berman, Jacqueline

    2009-01-01

    The primary research question for this project was whether a streamlined, relatively inexpensive, counseling-based program that assists low-income high school students with the college and financial application processes can significantly increase college enrollment rates. The intervention was designed to test the hypothesis that lack of…

  1. The Web Lecture Archive Project: Archiving ATLAS Presentations and Tutorials

    CERN Multimedia

    Herr, J

    2004-01-01

    The geographical diversity of the ATLAS Collaboration presents constant challenges in the communication between and training of its members. One important example is the need for training of new collaboration members and/or current members on new developments. The Web Lecture Archive Project (WLAP), a joint project between the University of Michigan and CERN Technical Training, has addressed this challenge by recording ATLAS tutorials in the form of streamed "Web Lectures," consisting of synchronized audio, video and high-resolution slides, available on demand to anyone in the world with a Web browser. ATLAS software tutorials recorded by WLAP include ATHENA, ATLANTIS, Monte Carlo event generators, Object Oriented Analysis and Design, GEANT4, and Physics EDM and tools. All ATLAS talks, including both tutorials and meetings are available at http://www.wlap.org/browser.php?ID=atlas. Members of the University of Michigan Physics Department and Media Union, under the framework of the ATLAS Collaboratory Project ...

  2. Project Based Learning in Literature: The Teacher's New Role and the Development of Student's Social Skills in Upper Secondary Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Styla, Despoina; Michalopoulou, Aikaterini

    2016-01-01

    The present research examines the project method, as it is met at the new curriculum of literature in the first Grade of Greek high schools and the effectiveness of it and of the teacher's role at the development of social skills, of students with low level. At first it is made an effort to measure that level at the beginning of the literature…

  3. Improvement of Student Critical Thinking Skills with the Natural Product Mini Project Laboratory Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aliefman Hakim

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to investigate effect of learning using natural product mini project laboratory on students’ critical thinking skills. The research was conducted on sixth semester of 59 students of chemistry and chemistry education program from one of the state universities in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia in 2012/2013. This research revealed class where the student learn using natural product mini project laboratory had more critical thinking skills than those using verification laboratory. The average n-gain of critical thinking skills for experiment class was 0.58 while for the control class was 0.37. The highest n-gain in the experiment class was 0.70 for “deciding on an action (selecting criteria to judge possible solutions indicators”, while the smallest n-gain was 0.47 for “the making and judging value of judgments (balancing, weighing, and deciding indicators. We concluded that the natural product mini project laboratory was better than verification laboratory in improving the students’ critical thinking skills.

  4. Pathway to Graduation: A Pilot Reading Project for Middle School Students during the Summer Months

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hilsmier, Amanda Strong; Wood, Patricia F.; Wirt, Susan; McTamney, Diane; Malone, Mary Beth; Milstead, Becky

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to outline the implementation of a summer reading project targeted at middle school students with identified reading deficits and behavioral concerns called Pathway to Graduation (PTG). The project was a collaborative process between a school district, local university, and department of mental health. The students…

  5. Sustainable Seas Student Intertidal Monitoring Project, Duxbury Reef, Bolinas, CA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soave, K.; Dean, A.; Prescutti, K.; Ball, O.; Chang, E.; Darakananda, K.; Jessup, K.; Poutian, J.; Schwalbe, H.; Storm, E.

    2008-12-01

    The Sustainable Seas Student Monitoring Project at the Branson School in Ross, CA has monitored Duxbury Reef in Bolinas, CA since 1999, in cooperation with the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association and the Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Goals of the project include: 1) To monitor the rocky intertidal habitat and develop a baseline database of invertebrates and algal density and abundance; 2) To contribute to the conservation of the rocky intertidal habitat through education of students and visitors about intertidal species and requirements for maintaining a healthy, diverse intertidal ecosystem; 3) To increase stewardship in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary; and 4) To contribute abundance and population data on key algae and invertebrate species to the national database, LiMPETS (Long Term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training for Students). Student volunteers complete an intensive training course on the natural history of intertidal invertebrates and algae, identification of key species, rocky intertidal ecology, interpretation and monitoring techniques, and history of the sanctuary. Students identify and count key invertebrate and algae species along two permanent transects (A and B), and using randomly determined points within a permanent 100 m2 area, three times per year (fall, winter, and late spring). Using the data collected since 2004, we will analyze the population densities of aggregating anemones, Anthopleura elegantissima, for seasonal abundance variations as well as long-term population trends. We will also follow the seasonal and long-term population fluctuations of red algal turf, Endocladia muricata and Gelidium coulteri, and black turban snails, Tegula funebralis. Comparing populations of turf algae and the herbivorous black turban snails gathered before and after the November 7, 2007 San Francisco Bay oil spill shows very little impact on the Duxbury Reef intertidal inhabitants. Future analyses will

  6. The Virtual Poster Showcase: Opportunities for students to present their research from anywhere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asher, P. M.; Furukawa, H.; Williams, B. M.; Holm Adamec, B.

    2015-12-01

    Although many students conduct research with faculty in organized summer programs or as part of their course work or their degree work, they often face barriers to traveling to present that research, especially at national or international conferences. This is especially true for students who are members of underrepresented minority populations and students studying outside of the United States. A new and exciting opportunity for undergraduate as well as graduate students to showcase their work is now available. AGU piloted three opportunities for an undergraduate and graduate virtual poster showcase in the fall of 2015. Student participants were recruited from a diverse array of groups including minority-serving organizations, two-year colleges, and internship programs at federal agencies and national laboratories. Students uploaded an abstract, poster, and short video explain their research, and then participated in Q&A sessions with peers as well as expert judges. This presentation will share characteristics of participating groups, lessons learned from this new program, and preliminary evaluation findings as well as plans for the future.

  7. Social Utility versus Social Desirability of Students' Attributional Self-Presentation Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matteucci, Maria Cristina

    2014-01-01

    Research on impression management has shown that students can manage their social images by providing attributional self-presentation strategies (ASPSs). Based on the distinction between social desirability judgments and social utility judgments, two studies were conducted to examine the students' understanding of the impact of ASPSs both on…

  8. The cost and value of pre-registration clinical placements for Project 2000 students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, M L; Akehurst, R

    1999-07-01

    The research outlined in this article was commissioned by the Sheffield and North Trent College of Nursing and Midwifery to explore the cost implications of pre-registration clinical placements in the context of Project 2000. The authors outline the methodology and findings of an exercise designed to collect relevant cost information which was not readily available. On the basis of these findings, they suggest that: at 1995/1996 pay and prices, clinical placements cost the education provider approximately pound 890 per student per annum; in terms of real resources, the value to service providers of the service contribution made by second- and third-year nursing and midwifery students on ward-based placements outweighs the value of the time spent by qualified staff on their supervision and education. Once the funding assumptions underlying the introduction of Project 2000 have been taken into account, second- and third-year nursing and midwifery students benefit the service provider by on average pound 3.46 for every hour they spend in an unrostered ward-based placement. The service contribution made by students in community-based clinical placements cannot free staff time in the same way as on the wards and, because qualified staff in these areas are generally more highly graded, the value of the time they spend on the supervision and education of students on placement is higher than in ward-based placements. Second- and third-year students therefore appear to cost the service provider on average pound 0.48 for each hour they spend in a community-based placement. It was not possible to determine whether this cost translates into a reduction in patient contacts.

  9. Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum: Case Presentation to a College Student Health Clinic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spotts, P. Hunter

    2017-01-01

    The author describes a case of spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) in a 19-year-old man presenting to a college student health clinic. The author also provides a review on SPM, including clinical manifestations, diagnostic evaluation, and management.

  10. Sun light European Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soubielle, Marie-Laure

    2015-04-01

    2015 has been declared the year of light. Sunlight plays a major role in the world. From the sunbeams that heat our planet and feed our plants to the optical analysis of the sun or the modern use of sun particles in technologies, sunlight is everywhere and it is vital. This project aims to understand better the light of the Sun in a variety of fields. The experiments are carried out by students aged 15 to 20 in order to share their discoveries with Italian students from primary and secondary schools. The experiments will also be presented to a group of Danish students visiting our school in January. All experiments are carried out in English and involve teams of teachers. This project is 3 folds: part 1: Biological project = what are the mechanisms of photosynthesis? part 2: Optical project= what are the components of sunlight and how to use it? part 3: Technical project= how to use the energy of sunlight for modern devices? Photosynthesis project Biology and English Context:Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy, normally from the Sun, into chemical energy that can later fuel the organisms' activities. This chemical energy is stored in molecules which are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water. In most cases, oxygen is released as a waste product. Most plants perform photosynthesis. Photosynthesis maintains atmospheric oxygen levels and supplies all of the organic compounds and most of the energy necessary for life on Earth. Outcome: Our project consists in understanding the various steps of photosynthesis. Students will shoot a DVD of the experiments presenting the equipments required, the steps of the experiments and the results they have obtained for a better understanding of photosynthesis Digital pen project Electricity, Optics and English Context: Sunlight is a complex source of light based on white light that can be decomposed to explain light radiations or colours. This light is a precious source to create

  11. Randomized trials of alcohol-use interventions with college students and their parents: lessons from the Transitions Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez, A C; Wood, M D; Laforge, R; Black, J T

    2011-04-01

    Matriculation from high school to college is typified by an increase in alcohol use and related harm for many students. Therefore, this transition period is an ideal time for preventive interventions to target alcohol use and related problems. The purpose of this report is to describe the design and methods used in the Transitions Project, a randomized controlled trial of two interventions designed to prevent and reduce heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences among incoming college students. This study used a 2 × 2 factorial design to investigate the effects of a two-session brief motivational intervention delivered to students and a handbook-based parent intervention. Interventions were administered to students and parents. Follow-up assessment took place at 10- and 22-months post-baseline. The Transitions Project successfully recruited and retained participants across a major transition period (i.e., entering college), administered and compared two distinct but complementary interventions, and collected and analyzed highly skewed data. The application of a factorial design and two-part latent growth curve modeling allowed us to examine main and interactive intervention effects in terms of both initiation and growth in heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems. While we conducted successful tests of our primary and secondary study hypotheses over a lengthy follow-up period, our study design did not permit full interpretation of null findings. We suggest that researchers carefully consider assessment timing, tests of assessment reactivity, and ensure objective tests of intervention efficacy when conducting clinical trials of motivational interventions. The lessons we learned while conducting this trial have the potential to assist other researchers designing and conducting future preventive interventions targeting parents and college students. The data analytic procedures presented can also help guide trials that plan to analyze

  12. Enhancing Students' Communication Skills through Problem Posing and Presentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugito; E. S., Sri Mulyani; Hartono; Supartono

    2017-01-01

    This study was to explore how enhance communication skill through problem posing and presentation method. The subjects of this research were the seven grade students Junior High School, including 20 male and 14 female. This research was conducted in two cycles and each cycle consisted of four steps, they were: planning, action, observation, and…

  13. Comenius Project: Are e-Learning Collaborations of High School Students across Europe in Maths Possible?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonovits, Reinhard; McElroy, Jim; O'Loughlin, James; Townsend, Colin

    2013-01-01

    The overall aim of the project is to allow for the collaboration of high school students of different European countries on small, selected maths topics. This involves the use of technology, student mobility and English language competency. Benefits are also expected to accrue to teachers of mathematics by providing the opportunity to work with…

  14. Student Teachers' Perceptions on Educational Technologies' Past, Present and Future

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orhan Goksun, Derya; Filiz, Ozan; Kurt, Adile Askim

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to reveal Computer Education and Instructional Technologies student teachers', who are in a distance teacher education program, perceptions on past, present and educational technologies of future via infographics. In this study, 54 infographics, which were created by student teachers who were enrolled in Special Teaching…

  15. Affordances of students' using the World Wide Web as a publishing medium in project-based learning environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bos, Nathan Daniel

    This dissertation investigates the emerging affordance of the World Wide Web as a place for high school students to become authors and publishers of information. Two empirical studies lay groundwork for student publishing by examining learning issues related to audience adaptation in writing, motivation and engagement with hypermedia, design, problem-solving, and critical evaluation. Two models of student publishing on the World Wide Web were investigated over the course of two 11spth grade project-based science curriculums. In the first curricular model, students worked in pairs to design informative hypermedia projects about infectious diseases that were published on the Web. Four case studies were written, drawing on both product- and process-related data sources. Four theoretically important findings are illustrated through these cases: (1) multimedia, especially graphics, seemed to catalyze some students' design processes by affecting the sequence of their design process and by providing a connection between the science content and their personal interest areas, (2) hypermedia design can demand high levels of analysis and synthesis of science content, (3) students can learn to think about science content representation through engagement with challenging design tasks, and (4) students' consideration of an outside audience can be facilitated by teacher-given design principles. The second Web-publishing model examines how students critically evaluate scientific resources on the Web, and how students can contribute to the Web's organization and usability by publishing critical reviews. Students critically evaluated Web resources using a four-part scheme: summarization of content, content, evaluation of credibility, evaluation of organizational structure, and evaluation of appearance. Content analyses comparing students' reviews and reviewed Web documents showed that students were proficient at summarizing content of Web documents, identifying their publishing

  16. Peculiarities of organization of project and research activity of students in computer science, physics and technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolyarov, I. V.

    2017-01-01

    The author of this article manages a project and research activity of students in the areas of computer science, physics, engineering and biology, basing on the acquired experience in these fields. Pupils constantly become winners of competitions and conferences of different levels, for example, three of the finalists of Intel ISEF in 2013 in Phoenix (Arizona, USA) and in 2014 in Los Angeles (California, USA). In 2013 A. Makarychev received the "Small Nobel prize" in Computer Science section and special award sponsors - the company's CAST. Scientific themes and methods suggested by the author and developed in joint publications of students from Russia, Germany and Austria are the patents for invention and certificates for registration in the ROSPATENT. The article presents the results of the implementation of specific software and hardware systems in physics, engineering and medicine.

  17. [Doctoral thesis projects for medical students? Retrospective estimation of the fraction of successfully completed medical doctoral thesis projects at Witten/Herdecke University].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scharfenberg, Janna; Schaper, Katharina; Krummenauer, Frank

    2014-01-01

    The German "Dr med" plays a specific role in doctoral thesis settings since students may start the underlying doctoral project during their studies at medical school. If a Medical Faculty principally encourages this approach, then it should support the students in performing the respective projects as efficiently as possible. Consequently, it must be ensured that students are able to implement and complete a doctoral project in parallel to their studies. As a characteristic efficiency feature of these "Dr med" initiatives, the proportion of doctoral projects successfully completed shortly after graduating from medical school is proposed and illustrated. The proposed characteristic can be estimated by the time period between the state examination (date of completion of the qualifying medical examination) and the doctoral examination. Completion of the doctoral project "during their medical studies" was then characterised by a doctoral examination no later than 12 months after the qualifying medical state examination. To illustrate the estimation and interpretation of this characteristic, it was retrospectively estimated on the basis of the full sample of all doctorates successfully completed between July 2009 and June 2012 at the Department of Human Medicine at the Faculty of Health of the University of Witten/Herdecke. During the period of investigation defined, a total number of 56 doctoral examinations were documented, 30 % of which were completed within 12 months after the qualifying medical state examination (95% confidence interval 19 to 44 %). The median duration between state and doctoral examination was 27 months. The proportion of doctoral projects completed parallel to the medical studies increased during the investigation period from 14 % in the first year (July 2009 till June 2010) to 40 % in the third year (July 2011 till June 2012). Only about a third of all "Dr med" projects at the Witten/Herdecke Faculty of Health were completed during or close to

  18. Researching with undergraduate students

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wulf-Andersen, Trine Østergaard; Mogensen, Kevin; Hjort-Madsen, Peder

    2013-01-01

    The article presents a particular case of undergraduate students working on subprojects within the framework of their supervisors' (the authors') research project during Autumn Semester 2012 and Spring Semester 2013. The article's purpose is to show that an institutionalized focus on students...... as "research learners" rather than merely curriculum learners proves productive for both research and teaching. We describe the specific university learning context and the particular organization of undergraduate students' supervision and assistantships. The case builds on and further enhances a well......-established and proven university model of participant-directed, problem-oriented project work. We explore students' and researchers' experiences of being part of the collaboration, focusing on learning potentials and dilemmas associated with the multiple roles of researcher and student that characterized...

  19. ITEAMS: An Out-Of-School Time Project to Promote Gain in Fundamental Science Content and Enhance Interest in STEM Careers for Middle School Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaimie L. Miller

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available We report preliminarily on the efficacy of an innovative, STEM education project for middle-school youth participating in outof- school-time programs, targeting girls and students from underrepresented communities. Participating students attend urban schools in Eastern Massachusetts. The two main goals for the technology-based project are to inspire the participants to consider STEM careers and increase the student mastery of fundamental STEM subject matter. The students control robotic telescopes – either from school or home – to acquire and then process images of solar system and deep space objects. Project teachers attend workshops to become adept at using the robotic telescopes, meet weekly with the students, pilot project curricula, collaborate with staff to plan and supervise field trips and star parties, and assist in all project evaluation. There are both academic and non-academic partners; the latter include amateur astronomers and retired engineers. We use an online system to evaluate teacher and student subject matter knowledge and survey students and parents about STEM careers.

  20. Industrially-Situated Project-Based Learning: A Study of Feedback and Diffusion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbuena, Debra M.

    The Virtual Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) Process Development Project provides the context for the two areas of the research presented in this dissertation. The first area, generally referred to as feedback in this dissertation, focuses on student learning and the interactions of students and instructors that take place in the project, specifically focused on characterizing feedback and determining the influence of feedback as student teams progress towards completing the project. The characteristics of feedback found in this project are presented within a situative perspective using the analytical framework of episodes. The characteristics include: a list and categorization of episode themes, the structure and flow of episodes during the coaching session, the sub-structure present within individual episodes, and the types of feedback present. This dissertation shows how these characteristics frame participation in a community of practice and can be used as tools to scaffold instructor feedback in project-based learning. Episodes analysis is also used to investigate how feedback on professional skills can help to enculturate students into a community of practice and influence their fluency with professional skills and engagement in more technical activities. The second area examines the spread of this innovative project from its home institution to other institutions. In this area an analysis of the spread of the Virtual CVD Process Development Project in the high school setting is presented. The project was found to provide versatility for instructors and afford student learning in the areas of motivation, cognition, and epistemological beliefs. These two areas inform each other. As the project is assessed at different institutions, it is continually improved and the sensitivity of different aspects of the project is explored, e.g., the aspects of the project that are crucial to maintain effectiveness are identified. One of these aspects is the feedback that

  1. DOE/PSU Graduate Student Fellowship Program for Hydropower

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cimbala, John M. [Pennsylvania State Univ., State College, PA (United States)

    2014-03-30

    The primary objective of this project is to stimulate academic interest in the conventional hydropower field by supplying research support for at least eight individual Master of Science (MS) or Doctoral (PhD) level research projects, each consisting of a graduate student supervised by a faculty member. We have completed many of the individual student research projects: 2 PhD students have finished, and 4 are still working towards their PhD degree. 4 MS students have finished, and 2 are still working towards their MS degree, one of which is due to finish this April. In addition, 4 undergraduate student projects have been completed, and one is to be completed this April. These projects were supervised by 7 faculty members and an Advisory/Review Panel. Our students and faculty have presented their work at national or international conferences and have submitted several journal publications. Three of our graduate students (Keith Martin, Dan Leonard and Hosein Foroutan) have received HRF Fellowships during the course of this project. All of the remaining students are anticipated to be graduated by the end of Fall Semester 2014. All of the tasks for this project will have been completed once all the students have been graduated, although it will be another year or two until all the journal publications have been finalized based on the work performed as part of this DOE Hydropower project.

  2. Raising the Bar: Challenging Students in a Capstone Project Course with an Android and Mobile Web Parallel Development Team Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Wilson; Pepe, James; Englander, Irv

    2017-01-01

    Information systems capstone projects aim to prepare students for what they will encounter in the industry after graduation. Corporate application development is often a complex endeavor that requires coordination between related products. For example, software development in the mobile application sector may require a coordinated parallel…

  3. The Effect of Project Based Learning on Seventh Grade Students' Academic Achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kizkapan, Oktay; Bektas, Oktay

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there is a significant effect of project based learning approach on seventh grade students' academic achievement in the structure and properties of matter. In the study, according to the characteristics of quantitative research methods, pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design was…

  4. Impact of International Collaborative Project on Cultural Competence among Occupational Therapy Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Divya Sood OTD, OTR/L

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Occupational therapy (OT educators recognize a need to ensure that OT students are culturally competent. The researchers developed the International Collaborative Project on Cultural Competence (ICPCC to help students understand the impact of cultural context on client care. Entry-level MOT students from a university in the US (N = 18 collaborated with BOT students (N = 4 and advanced MOT students (N = 9 from two universities in India using an online course management system WebCT. The study explored the impact of the ICPCC on OT students’ cultural competence and discusses students’ perceptions of culture on the OT process. The Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Health Care Professionals Revised© measured students’ cultural competence at baseline and immediately after participation in the ICPCC. Qualitative data was collected using a Self-Reflection Form. There was an increase in the cultural competence scores among all three groups of students after participating in the ICPCC at p value < .05. Three themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis: meaning of the term culture, impact of cultural on client- centered practice, and impact of cultural on OT outcomes. OT students recognized the role that cultural differences play in OT evaluation and intervention.

  5. The enhancement of environmental literacy of High School students within the Sparkling Science project "Traisen w3"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poppe, Michaela; Zitek, Andreas; Böck, Kerstin; Scheikl, Sigrid; Heidenreich, Andrea; Kurz-Aigner, Roman; Schrittwieser, Martin; Muhar, Susanne

    2015-04-01

    Environmental literacy is the knowledge necessary to understand the environment as an ecological system. It comprises the insight in the impact of human behaviour on the natural world and the disposition and motivation to apply ones knowledge, skills and insight in order to make environmentally beneficial decisions as rational citizen. The United Nations Environmental Programme states that young people will face major challenges in providing sufficient water and food, generating energy and adapting to climate change in future. Dealing with these challenges will require a major contribution from science and technology. But even more important, it is an issue of education to transfer the required system understanding as a basis to take informed decisions. In this way an education towards environmental literacy contributes significantly to the personal, social, and professional lives of young people, plays therefore a central role in young person`s "preparedness for life", and is a major prerequisite for sustainable development. For the purpose of developing new and engaging forms of learning, "Sparkling Science" projects are funded by the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy in Austria. These projects target at integrating science with school learning by involving young people into scientific research. Within the Sparkling Science Projects "FlussAu:WOW" and" "Traisen.w3" scientists work together with 15-18-year-old students of an Austrian High School over four years. The projects aim to assess and evaluate crucial functions and processes of riverine landscapes particularly considering the floodplain area in near natural and anthropogenically changed landscapes. Within the first project "FlussAu:WOW" (2012-2014), students and scientists elaborated on indicators for assessing and evaluating the ecological functionality of floodplains and rivers. In a case study in the "Traisen.w3" project (2014-2016), scientists and students will focus at the catchment

  6. The Impact of Socio-environmental Projects of Jewish and Bedouin Youth in Israel on Students' Local Knowledge and Views of Each Other

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alkaher, Iris; Tal, Tali

    2014-02-01

    This study is part of a first study of collaborative socio-environmental projects that engage Jewish and Arab students in Israel in learning about their local environment and about each other through outdoor learning and environmental action. We used ideas of social learning and environmental citizenship to frame our research. We investigated students' knowledge regarding their local environment and their knowledge of each other's community. We also studied the participants' views regarding their project-partners'environmental knowledge, awareness and behaviour in comparison to their own. Initially, differences were found regarding various aspects of the students' socio-environmental knowledge and in students' views of their counterparts' environmentalism. At the end of the projects, students showed better understanding of local socio-environmental issues and demonstrated changes in their original views towards the environmental awareness and behaviour of their counterparts. These findings suggest that projects which involve students from segregated communities not only promote environmental awareness but contribute to a reduction in mutual prejudices. We suggest that the differences we found are not related to ethnicity, but rather to students' socioeconomic status and experience in environmental education programmes.

  7. Designing and Developing an Effective Safety Program for a Student Project Team

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Catton

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In the workplace, safety must be the first priority of all employers and employees alike. In order to maintain the safety and well-being of their employees, employers must demonstrate due diligence and provide the appropriate safety training to familiarize employees with the hazards within the workplace. Although, a studentproject team” is not a business, the work done by students for their respective teams is synonymous with the work done in a place of business and thus requires that similar safety precautions and training be administered to students by their team leads and faculty advisors. They take on the role of supervisors within the team dynamic. Student teams often utilize the guidelines and policies that their universities or colleges have developed in order to build a set of standard operating procedures and safety training modules. These guidelines aid in providing a base for training for the team, however, they are no substitute for training specific to the safety risks associated with the work the team is doing. In order to comply with these requirements, a full analysis of the workplace is required to be completed. A variety of safety analysis techniques need to be applied to define the hazards within the workplace and institute appropriate measures to mitigate them. In this work, a process is developed for establishing a safety training program for a student project team, utilizing systems safety management techniques and the aspect of gamification to produce incentives for students to continue developing their skills. Although, systems safety management is typically applied to the design of active safety components or systems, the techniques for identifying and mitigating hazards can be applied in the same fashion to the workplace. They allow one to analyze their workplace and determine the hazards their employees might encounter, assign appropriate hazard ratings and segregate each respective hazard by their risks. In so

  8. Statistical Literacy: High School Students in Reading, Interpreting and Presenting Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hafiyusholeh, M.; Budayasa, K.; Siswono, T. Y. E.

    2018-01-01

    One of the foundations for high school students in statistics is to be able to read data; presents data in the form of tables and diagrams and its interpretation. The purpose of this study is to describe high school students’ competencies in reading, interpreting and presenting data. Subjects were consisted of male and female students who had high levels of mathematical ability. Collecting data was done in form of task formulation which is analyzed by reducing, presenting and verifying data. Results showed that the students read the data based on explicit explanations on the diagram, such as explaining the points in the diagram as the relation between the x and y axis and determining the simple trend of a graph, including the maximum and minimum point. In interpreting and summarizing the data, both subjects pay attention to general data trends and use them to predict increases or decreases in data. The male estimates the value of the (n+1) of weight data by using the modus of the data, while the females estimate the weigth by using the average. The male tend to do not consider the characteristics of the data, while the female more carefully consider the characteristics of data.

  9. Assessing Teacher and Student Effects of the Research Goes to School Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kararo, Alex T.

    There have been calls by the Federal government and policymakers for improvements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education through the development of excellent teachers with the content knowledge and skills to teach and motivate students. A shared goal among teacher professional development (PD) programs is to improve students' learning outcomes through changes in teachers' classroom practices. One way to address classroom practice is by studying pedagogical content knowledge and skill (PCK&S), which is the way teachers incorporate both subject matter and teaching strategies to transform the way they teach content to support student learning. PCK&S includes the knowledge and planning as well as the act of teaching. The NSF-funded Research Goes to School (RGS) project sought to impact teachers' PCK&S through the introduction of a current scientific research topic simultaneously with an evidence-based teaching strategy. As part of the RGS project, high-school STEM teachers from Indiana applied to attend summer PD workshops. At these workshops, aspects of nanoscience taken from the Big Ideas of Nanoscale Science and Engineering book and project-based learning (PjBL) were taught. Nanoscience was chosen due to the rapid growth of this field and the call by scientists and policymakers for the development of standards and curricula focused on nanoscience within K-12 education. Introduction of fundamental nanoscience concepts can expose students to current research within what is considered the next industrial revolution. PjBL was chosen since within this teaching strategy, scientific processes are used to address unstructured authentic problems. As part of PjBL, the students are required to synthesize ideas, collect and analyze data, and work with peers to develop an answer to the authentic question. Teachers who attended the workshops developed a nanoscience-based PjBL unit that aligned with Indiana state standards and implemented these units

  10. Using "Big Data" in a Classroom Setting for Student-Developed Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayes-Gehrke, Melissa; Vogel, Stuart N.

    2018-01-01

    The advances in exploration of the optical transient sky anticipated with major facilities such as the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) provide an opportunity to integrate large public research datasets into the undergraduate classroom. As a step in this direction, the NSF PIRE-funded GROWTH (Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen) collaboration provided funding for curriculum development using data from the precursor to ZTF, the Intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF). One of the iPTF portals, the PTF Variable Marshal, was used by 56 Astronomy majors in the fall 2016 and 2017 semesters of the required Observational Astronomy course at the University of Maryland. Student teams learned about the iPTF survey and how to use the PTF Variable Marshal and then developed their own hypotheses about variable stars to test using data they gathered from the Variable Marshal. Through this project, students gained experience in how to develop scientific questions that can be explored using large datasets and became aware of the limitations and difficulties of such projects. This work was supported in part by NSF award OISE-1545949.

  11. Google Classroom and Open Clusters: An Authentic Science Research Project for High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Chelen H.; Linahan, Marcella; Cuba, Allison Frances; Dickmann, Samantha Rose; Hogan, Eleanor B.; Karos, Demetra N.; Kozikowski, Kendall G.; Kozikowski, Lauren Paige; Nelson, Samantha Brooks; O'Hara, Kevin Thomas; Ropinski, Brandi Lucia; Scarpa, Gabriella; Garmany, Catharine D.

    2016-01-01

    STEM education is about offering unique opportunities to our students. For the past three years, students from two high schools (Breck School in Minneapolis, MN, and Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, IL) have collaborated on authentic astronomy research projects. This past year they surveyed archival data of open clusters to determine if a clear turnoff point could be unequivocally determined. Age and distance to each open cluster were calculated. Additionally, students requested time on several telescopes to obtain original data to compare to the archival data. Students from each school worked in collaborative teams, sharing and verifying results through regular online hangouts and chats. Work papers were stored in a shared drive and on a student-designed Google site to facilitate dissemination of documents between the two schools.

  12. Research Skills Development in Higher Education Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergamini, Tiziana Priede; Navarro, Cristina Lopez-Cozar

    2014-01-01

    This case study presents the development of a research project in a third-year undergraduate course, Family Business Administration. The research project aimed at promoting research skills in students. The authors formed working groups of no more than six students, and each group had to select an original research topic after conducting a…

  13. Implementing a Virtual Exchange Project for student nurses in Queensland and Nottingham.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todhunter, Fern; Hallawell, Bob; Pittaway, Debbie

    2013-09-01

    This paper discusses the design and initial progress made with a virtual learning environment to help student nurses develop an understanding of cultural awareness and globalization. Using a Web-based application the Virtual Exchange Project was designed to facilitate study-elsewhere experiences located in the student's own setting. Promotion of the United Nations' Millennium Development goals provided an opportunity for student nurses to explore changes in global health and disease patterns, nursing education and systems of nurse regulation in the United Kingdom and Australia. A pedagogical framework created for this activity acknowledges the social and academic identities that learners often use, when working together in a virtual environment. The architecture of the Virtual Exchange supports local conversations about nurse education and health and social issues across hemispheres. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Outdoor Class Project: The Potential Benefits to Foster EFL Students' Language Proficiency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fajaria, Indah

    2013-01-01

    There are such myriad ideas upon English teaching-learning process. Everybody can share each fabulous idea through various media. One of fun English learnings that can motivate EFL students' eagerness to practice English easily is an outdoor class activity. This project could sometimes deals with an outbound activities which provide the numerous…

  15. Student Acceptance and Application of Peer Assessment in a Final Year Genetics Undergraduate Oral Presentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verkade, Heather; Bryson-Richardson, Robert J.

    2013-01-01

    Undergraduate students benefit from observation of each other's oral presentations through both exposure to content and observation of presentation style. In order to increase the engagement and reflection of final year students in an oral presentation task, a peer assessment component was introduced using a rubric that emphasised scientific…

  16. Project Oriented Immersion Learning: Method and Results

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Icaza, José I.; Heredia, Yolanda; Borch, Ole M.

    2005-01-01

    A pedagogical approach called “project oriented immersion learning” is presented and tested on a graduate online course. The approach combines the Project Oriented Learning method with immersion learning in a virtual enterprise. Students assumed the role of authors hired by a fictitious publishing...... house that develops digital products including e-books, tutorials, web sites and so on. The students defined the problem that their product was to solve; choose the type of product and the content; and built the product following a strict project methodology. A wiki server was used as a platform to hold...

  17. Air quality and students' health in Shanghai (China): an educational and scientific project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bigot-Cormier, Florence; Nicolaï, Marie-Pierre; Martinez, Claire-Marie; Bethmont, Valérie; Guinot, Benjamin

    2014-05-01

    The quality of our environment and especially air quality is a hot topic in any urban environment. Hourly air quality data tend to be easily available to the populations either in the news or on mobile phones. Studies underlining the relationship between environment and health exist in developed countries, but the results cannot be used in such different environmental and sociological contexts as the ones we have in China. In collaboration with the CNRS, students from the Lycée Français de Shanghai (LFS- 5th and 2nd grade) undertake a study in order to obtain an empiric relationship between the atmospheric pollutants they are exposed to in and out the classrooms, and their own health. This study is a part of a scientific and educational project including Beijing, and possibly other foreign schools in Asia later on. The atmospheric pollution in China is essentially caused by particles from different sizes mainly coming from coal combustion. First, in order to quantify the pollution at Shanghai, the students are recording information regarding fine particles as PM2.5 and PM1.0, NO2, SO2, and O3 using active and passive sensors indoors and outdoors, within the school campus. CO2, temperature and relative humidity are used to qualify the confinement rate indoors. In parallel, approximately 100 students (chosen regarding their age, health records, residence time in China…) and some teachers are going to complete a monthly survey regarding their health. Moreover, they will perform some specific measurements to obtain their breathing performances by spirometry, and an indication of the inflammation of their lower airways by exhaled NO measurements. The protocol of these experimentations and the first results will be presented in the poster. At the end of the project, these results will allow us to get a better knowledge about the air pollution we are exposed to, within the school campus, which will help us to adopt an optimized risk management protocol when pollution

  18. Student use of a Learning Management System for group projects: A case study investigating interaction, collaboration, and knowledge construction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lonn, Steven D.

    Web-based Learning Management Systems (LMS) allow instructors and students to share instructional materials, make class announcements, submit and return course assignments, and communicate with each other online. Previous LMS-related research has focused on how these systems deliver and manage instructional content with little concern for how students' constructivist learning can be encouraged and facilitated. This study investigated how students use LMS to interact, collaborate, and construct knowledge within the context of a group project but without mediation by the instructor. The setting for this case study was students' use in one upper-level biology course of the local LMS within the context of a course-related group project, a mock National Institutes of Health grant proposal. Twenty-one groups (82 students) voluntarily elected to use the LMS, representing two-thirds of all students in the course. Students' peer-to-peer messages within the LMS, event logs, online surveys, focus group interviews, and instructor interviews were used in order to answer the study's overarching research question. The results indicate that students successfully used the LMS to interact and, to a significant extent, collaborate, but there was very little evidence of knowledge construction using the LMS technology. It is possible that the ease and availability of face-to-face meetings as well as problems and limitations with the technology were factors that influenced whether students' online basic interaction could be further distinguished as collaboration or knowledge construction. Despite these limitations, students found several tools and functions of the LMS useful for their online peer interaction and completion of their course project. Additionally, LMS designers and implementers are urged to consider previous literature on computer-supported collaborative learning environments in order to better facilitate independent group projects within these systems. Further research is

  19. Lessons Learned from Client Projects in an Undergraduate Project Management Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollard, Carol E.

    2012-01-01

    This work proposes that a subtle combination of three learning methods offering "just in time" project management knowledge, coupled with hands-on project management experience can be particularly effective in producing project management students with employable skills. Students were required to apply formal project management knowledge to gain…

  20. The community health worker cultural mentoring project: preparing professional students for team work with health workers from urban communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherwen, Laurie N; Schwolsky-Fitch, Elena; Rodriquez, Romelia; Horta, Greg; Lopez, Ivanna

    2007-01-01

    Community Health Workers or CHWs (also known by a variety of alternative titles) are health workers drawn from communities to provide access to care for members of their communities. CHWs have been documented as effective in delivering a variety of services in a culturally-sensitive manner, and in providing a bridge between health professionals and underserved or minority communities. Yet, CHWs have not been well incorporated into interdisciplinary health care teams. The majority of health professionals are not even aware of the possible role and skills of CHWs. Believing that the best time to educate professionals about this valuable health worker and ensure that CHWs become part of interdisciplinary health care teams is during the student years, the Hunter College Schools of the Health Professions, and the Community Health Worker Network of New York City developed a pilot project, the Community Health Worker Cultural Mentoring Project. Community Health Workers, who were members of the Network, served as "community mentors" for health professions students drawn from the programs of community health education, nursing, and nutrition. CHWs worked with faculty of selected courses in each of the professional programs, and served as panelists in these courses, presenting information about health beliefs and alternative health practices of diverse cultural groups in communities of New York City. Class sessions were first held in the fall of 2004; subsequent sessions were held in following semesters. Approximately 40 students participated in 7 classes, with 6 CHWs serving as mentors - two per class. At the end of the classroom presentations, students wrote reflections relating to their understanding of the CHW role and relevance for their future interdisciplinary practice. The majority of reflections met the goal of increasing professional students' understanding of the CHW role and skills. At this point, quantitative and qualitative data will need to be collected to

  1. Wrong capital? Problems with recognition of knowledge presented by non-native students in international education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wilken, Lisanne

    This paper presents research on problems of knowledge recognition among students of various nationalities at an international organisation......This paper presents research on problems of knowledge recognition among students of various nationalities at an international organisation...

  2. Poster Development and Presentation to Improve Scientific Inquiry and Broaden Effective Scientific Communication Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauschenbach, Ines; Keddis, Ramaydalis; Davis, Diane

    2018-01-01

    We have redesigned a tried-and-true laboratory exercise into an inquiry-based team activity exploring microbial growth control, and implemented this activity as the basis for preparing a scientific poster in a large, multi-section laboratory course. Spanning most of the semester, this project culminates in a poster presentation of data generated from a student-designed experiment. Students use and apply the scientific method and improve written and verbal communication skills. The guided inquiry format of this exercise provides the opportunity for student collaboration through cooperative learning. For each learning objective, a percentage score was tabulated (learning objective score = points awarded/total possible points). A score of 80% was our benchmark for achieving each objective. At least 76% of the student groups participating in this project over two semesters achieved each learning goal. Student perceptions of the project were evaluated using a survey. Nearly 90% of participating students felt they had learned a great deal in the areas of formulating a hypothesis, experimental design, and collecting and analyzing data; 72% of students felt this project had improved their scientific writing skills. In a separate survey, 84% of students who responded felt that peer review was valuable in improving their final poster submission. We designed this inquiry-based poster project to improve student scientific communication skills. This exercise is appropriate for any microbiology laboratory course whose learning outcomes include the development of scientific inquiry and literacy.

  3. Science in Action: How Middle School Students Are Changing Their World through STEM Service-Learning Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newman, Jane L.; Dantzler, John; Coleman, April N.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of Science in Action (SIA) was to examine the relationship between implementing quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) service-learning (SL) projects and the effect on students' academic engagement in middle school science, civic responsibility, and resilience to at-risk behaviors. The innovative project funded by…

  4. Teaching Engineering Students Team Work

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levi, Daniel

    1998-01-01

    The purpose of this manual is to provide professor's in engineering classes which the background necessary to use student team projects effectively. This manual describes some of the characteristics of student teams and how to use them in class. It provides a set of class activities and films which can be used to introduce and support student teams. Finally, a set of teaching modules used in freshmen, sophomore, and senior aeronautical engineering classes are presented. This manual was developed as part of a NASA sponsored project to improve the undergraduate education of aeronautical engineers. The project has helped to purchase a set of team work films which can be checked out from Cal Poly's Learning Resources Center in the Kennedy Library. Research for this project has included literature reviews on team work and cooperative learning; interviews, observations, and surveys of Cal Poly students from Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering and Psychology; participation in the Aeronautical Engineering senior design lab; and interviews with engineering faculty. In addition to this faculty manual, there is a student team work manual which has been designed to help engineering students work better in teams.

  5. Utilization of case presentations in medical microbiology to enhance relevance of basic science for medical students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Neal R; Stuart, Melissa K; Singh, Vineet K; Sargentini, Neil J

    2012-01-01

    Small-group case presentation exercises (CPs) were created to increase course relevance for medical students taking Medical Microbiology (MM) and Infectious Diseases (ID) METHODS: Each student received a unique paper case and had 10 minutes to review patient history, physical exam data, and laboratory data. Students then had three minutes to orally present their case and defend why they ruled in or out each of the answer choices provided, followed by an additional three minutes to answer questions. Exam scores differed significantly between students who received the traditional lecture-laboratory curriculum (Group I) and students who participated in the CPs (Group II). In MM, median unit exam and final exam scores for Group I students were 84.4% and 77.8%, compared to 86.0% and 82.2% for Group II students (P<0.018; P<0.001; Mann-Whitney Rank Sum Test). Median unit and final ID exam scores for Group I students were 84.0% and 80.0%, compared to 88.0% and 86.7% for Group II students (P<0.001; P<0.001). Students felt that the CPs improved their critical thinking and presentation skills and helped to prepare them as future physicians.

  6. Innovation in Health Policy Education: Project-Based Service Learning at a Distance for Graduate Midwifery Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Hoover, Cheri

    2015-01-01

    Core competencies for midwifery practice include an understanding of systems of health care delivery and advocacy for legislation and policy initiatives that promote quality in health care. Today's rapidly changing health care environment, due in part to the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, mandates that midwives possess greater literacy in health policy and comfort with political action than ever before. Frequently disinterested in politics and intimidated by the policymaking process, student midwives lack the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed to meet this professional obligation. The Midwifery Institute of Philadelphia University graduate program educates both student nurse-midwives and student midwives in health policy using an innovative, project-based service-learning approach featuring real-world collaborative experiences. This novel teaching style is ideally suited for instruction at a distance because of the diversity of experience brought to the virtual classroom by students in widely disparate geopolitical locations. As students accomplish measurable objectives within their individually developed projects and reflect with classmates about their experiences, they feel empowered to effect change and report lower perceived barriers to future political engagement. © 2015 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

  7. Tropics in Antarctica? Crustal Evaluation Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  8. Project-Based Learning: A Promising Approach to Improving Student Outcomes. Issue Focus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quint, Janet; Condliffe, Barbara

    2018-01-01

    The concept of project-based learning (PBL) has garnered wide support among a number of K-12 education policy advocates and funders. PBL is viewed as an approach that enables students to develop the "21st century competencies"--cognitive and socioemotional skills--needed for success in college and careers. This issue focus, pulling from…

  9. High-school software development project helps increasing students' awareness of geo-hydrological hazards and their risks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchesini, Ivan; Rossi, Mauro; Balducci, Vinicio; Salvati, Paola; Guzzetti, Fausto; Bianchini, Andrea; Grzeleswki, Emanuell; Canonico, Andrea; Coccia, Rita; Fiorucci, Gianni Mario; Gobbi, Francesca; Ciuchetti, Monica

    2015-04-01

    In Italy, inundation and landslides are widespread phenomena that impact the population and cause significant economic damage to private and public properties. The perception of the risk posed by these natural geo-hydrological hazards varies geographically and in time. The variation in the perception of the risks has negative consequences on risk management, and limits the adoption of effective risk reduction strategies. We maintain that targeted education can foster the understanding of geo-hydrological hazards, improving their perception and the awareness of the associated risk. Collaboration of a research center experienced in geo-hydrological hazards and risks (CNR IRPI, Perugia) and a high school (ITIS Alessandro Volta, Perugia) has resulted in the design and execution of a project aimed at improving the perception of geo-hydrological risks in high school students and teachers through software development. In the two-year project, students, high school teachers and research scientists have jointly developed software broadly related to landslide and flood hazards. User requirements and system specifications were decided to facilitate the distribution and use of the software among students and their peers. This allowed a wider distribution of the project results. We discuss two prototype software developed by the high school students, including an application of augmented reality for improved dissemination of information of landslides and floods with human consequences in Italy, and a crowd science application to allow students (and others, including their families and friends) to collect information on landslide and flood occurrence exploiting modern mobile devices. This information can prove important e.g., for the validation of landslide forecasting models.

  10. Voices from the Field: Developing Employability Skills for Archaeological Students Using a Project Based Learning Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Gaynor

    2016-01-01

    Graduate employment statistics are receiving considerable attention in UK universities. This paper looks at how a wide range of employability attributes can be developed with students, through the innovative use of the Project Based Learning (PjBL) approach. The case study discussed here involves a group of archaeology students from the University…

  11. Art for the Smart: Paper and oral presentation assignments for an Earth Materials course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wetzel, L. R.

    2011-12-01

    A letter from the fictional Art for the Smart company addresses students in the Earth Materials course: "You might be wondering why an artist needs a geology consultant. I am creating a sculpture garden filled with mythical beings. I would like each student to recommend two unique minerals for one of these sculptures..." For this project students randomly select a mythical being, two mineral groups, and a mineral characteristic. For example, a student might be assigned the goddess Freya, a sulfate, a vanadate, and twinning. Students then choose a specific mineral from each group, describe their physical and chemical characteristics, and recommend how the minerals could be incorporated into the sculpture. Reports are presented in short oral presentations and two-page business letters with accompanying bibliography and illustrations. The letter format provides a concise way to communicate results to the Art for the Smart "client" while preparing students for their job-hunting days ahead. The oral presentations are structured as features for a news program. Talks are limited to three to five minutes and four slides: title page, mineral #1, mineral #2, and mythical being. The strict limits help students concentrate on scientific content and smooth delivery rather than flashy visual aids. The student audience and the professor evaluate each in-class presentation. This has become a popular assignment because it engages student imaginations to relate minerals to mythical beings and creatively design a sculpture. Each project is unique and therefore more interesting for both students and faculty to evaluate. The projects are nearly impossible to plagiarize from previous years or from internet sources. Earth Materials is a sophomore level course for Geoscience and Marine Science majors at Eckerd College. The Art for the Smart project leads into an assignment for the second half of the semester featuring building stones. A new "client" sends a letter to the class explaining

  12. Battery Electric Vehicles: characteristics and research projects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Besselink, I.J.M.

    2010-01-01

    This presentation discusses briefly the history of the electric car and its main characteristics. Two projects introduced: the battery electric VW Lupo EL and URE05e electric Formula Student racecar. Presentation slides.

  13. Role of Hydrogeology in Professional Environmental Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    The purpose of this presentation is to acquaint hydrogeology students how hydrogeological principles are applied in environmental engineering projects. This presentation outlines EPA's Superfund processes of site characterization, feasibility studies, and remediation processes.

  14. An Attempt to Improve Students' Presentation Skills via Course of Graduation Research and its Educational Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Kenji; Ohtuka, Sigeru; Morita, Shinichi; Matsumoto, Itaru; Yakabe, Masaki; Hayamizu, Yasutaka; Ohtuka, Kouichi

    The importance of presentation skills rapidly increases in engineering education in Japan. The authors have applied various teaching-method of presentation skills to the course of graduation research for the fifth-grade students of the mechanical engineering program in Yonago National College of Technology. The lectures including teachers' demonstration and basic skills in presentation have resulted in improvement of students' skills. The meeting for announcing the results of graduation research has been opened to the public in cooperation with the Yonago Chamber of Commerce and Industry to give the students incentives to graduation research as well as presentation. The students have mutually evaluated their presentation to get good opportunities for even self-evaluation. This paper discusses the effects and problems of our educational practice.

  15. "Klebsiella Pneumonia" Liver Abscess Syndrome: Case Presentation to a College Student Health Clinic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woll, Christopher; Spotts, P. Hunter

    2016-01-01

    The authors describe a case of "Klebsiella pneumoniae" liver abscess (KPLA) in a student presenting to a university student health center. The authors also provide a review of KPLA and invasive "Klebsiella pneumoniae" liver abscess syndrome (IKPLAS), including epidemiology, common clinical manifestations, standard diagnostic…

  16. Project Administration Techniques for Successful Classroom Collaborative Writing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kryder, LeeAnne Giannone

    1991-01-01

    Focuses on the collaborative writing done for a large report or proposal over a period of several weeks or months in a business writing course. Discusses short-term writing projects and nonwriting tasks for project administration, meeting management, student/instructor conference, project planning and time estimates, and oral presentations. (PRA)

  17. Improving student midwives’ practice learning in Uganda through action research: the MOMENTUM project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joy Kemp

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Background and context: The Royal College of Midwives is engaged in a long-term twinning partnership with the Uganda Private Midwives Association. Uganda is one of the poorest countries in the world and only 27% of women and newborns have their needs met (UNFPA, 2014. A well-skilled, competent midwifery workforce is required to meet these needs yet Ugandan student midwives often receive poor-quality clinical education. The Ugandan Nurses and Midwives Council approached the Royal College of Midwives for assistance in designing a system of mentorship for Ugandan midwifery to address this gap. The project was funded by UK-Aid through the Tropical Health and Education Trust. Aims of the project: MOMENTUM was a 20-month action research project that aimed to develop and pilot a model of mentorship for student midwives in Uganda. This article focuses on one workstream relating to practice development, a twinning project that used workbased learning and appreciative inquiry, embedded in an action research approach, to facilitate practice development. Conclusions: This project added to the body of knowledge about midwifery twinning for building capacity in mentorship, research, and cross-cultural competence. MOMENTUM created a powerful community of practice that was enabling, fulfilling and transformative. Replication of this would require funding, management capacity and sufficient lead time for participatory planning and piloting. MOMENTUM’s audit tool was a bespoke design for this pilot project and so may not be transferable to other settings without further development, testing and validation. Implications for practice: •\tTwinning, action research, appreciative enquiry and workbased learning can be effective in enabling practice development •\tThe impact of midwifery twinning on leadership development requires further investigation, together with greater evidence on the reciprocal impact of twinning on the sending country

  18. A biotic game design project for integrated life science and engineering education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cira, Nate J; Chung, Alice M; Denisin, Aleksandra K; Rensi, Stefano; Sanchez, Gabriel N; Quake, Stephen R; Riedel-Kruse, Ingmar H

    2015-03-01

    Engaging, hands-on design experiences are key for formal and informal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Robotic and video game design challenges have been particularly effective in stimulating student interest, but equivalent experiences for the life sciences are not as developed. Here we present the concept of a "biotic game design project" to motivate student learning at the interface of life sciences and device engineering (as part of a cornerstone bioengineering devices course). We provide all course material and also present efforts in adapting the project's complexity to serve other time frames, age groups, learning focuses, and budgets. Students self-reported that they found the biotic game project fun and motivating, resulting in increased effort. Hence this type of design project could generate excitement and educational impact similar to robotics and video games.

  19. Multivariate Analysis of Students Perception on Teaching with Client Based and Non-Client Based Team Projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philip Appiah-Kubi

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The classroom experience has evolved from traditional lecture, PowerPoint and whiteboards to a more active environment where students and instructors work together more on hands-on activities to achieve the course objectives. Various names have been given to this pedagogy; experiential learning, project-based learning, active learning, problem-based learning are a handful of names used to describe this evolving pedagogy. The main challenge faced by educators in educating undergraduate students to be independent thinkers and problem solvers, has been the driving force fueling the shift in pedagogy. The skill sets needed to be successful in the workforce has also evolved over the years. Today’s employees are not only expected to demonstrate proficiency in green skills in their field of study, but must also possess soft skills required to be competitive in the industry. Gone are the days where engineers worked in silos applying their green skills to create for the common good. To be productive, employers expect today’s engineer to demonstrate the ability to work in teams, communicate effectively, while applying the technical and analytical know-how needed to achieve a desired goal. To ensure that undergraduate students have these desired skills, most engineering educators have shifted away from the traditional all lecture classes and are applying active learning pedagogies. This research looks into student’s perception on project-based learning with client based and non-client based projects in terms of: the project as a learning device, contribution to research knowledge, motivation to learn, contribution to skills and personal benefits, and their effects on student evaluation of teaching and motivation to learn.

  20. DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS STUDENTS WITH PROJECT BASED LEARNING MODEL- BASED TRAINING IN LEARNING PHYSICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ratna Malawati

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to improve the physics Science Process Skills Students on cognitive and psychomotor aspects by using model based Project Based Learning training.The object of this study is the Project Based Learning model used in the learning process of Computationa Physics.The method used is classroom action research through two learning cycles, each cycle consisting of the stages of planning, implementation, observation and reflection. In the first cycle of treatment with their emphasis given training in the first phase up to third in the model Project Based Learning, while the second cycle is given additional treatment with emphasis discussion is collaboration in achieving the best results for each group of products. The results of data analysis showed increased ability to think Students on cognitive and Science Process Skills in the psychomotor.

  1. Professor Eric Can't See: A Project-Based Learning Case for Neurobiology Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogilvie, Judith Mosinger; Ribbens, Eric

    2016-01-01

    "Professor Eric Can't See" is a semi-biographical case study written for an upper level undergraduate Neurobiology of Disease course. The case is integrated into a unit using a project-based learning approach to investigate the retinal degenerative disorder Retinitis pigmentosa and the visual system. Some case study scenes provide specific questions for student discussion and problem-based learning, while others provide background for student inquiry and related active learning exercises. The case was adapted from "'Chemical Eric' Can't See," and could be adapted for courses in general neuroscience or sensory neuroscience.

  2. Engaging Diverse Students in Statistical Inquiry: A Comparison of Learning Experiences and Outcomes of Under-Represented and Non-Underrepresented Students Enrolled in a Multidisciplinary Project-Based Statistics Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dierker, Lisa; Alexander, Jalen; Cooper, Jennifer L.; Selya, Arielle; Rose, Jennifer; Dasgupta, Nilanjana

    2016-01-01

    Introductory statistics needs innovative, evidence-based teaching practices that support and engage diverse students. To evaluate the success of a multidisciplinary, project-based course, we compared experiences of under-represented (URM) and non-underrepresented students in 4 years of the course. While URM students considered the material more…

  3. Scenario Based Education as a Framework for Understanding Students Engagement and Learning in a Project Management Simulation Game

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Misfeldt, Morten

    2015-01-01

    In this paper I describe s how students use a project management simulation game based on an attack‑defense mechanism where two teams of players compete by challenging each other⠒s projects. The project management simulation game is intended to be playe d by pre‑service construction workers and e...

  4. Management Strategies for Curbing the Prevalence of Plagiarism in Project Writing amongst Students of Imo State University Oweeri

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emenalo, Florence Chizoba

    2016-01-01

    Many undergraduate students copy a lot from other people's research project reports and many graduate students lack the capacity to carry out and report the research work required of them for graduation. This research ascertained the views of Science and Arts Education students on the causes of the problem, types, and the strategies the university…

  5. Clinical presentation of (subclinical) jaundice - The Euricterus project in The Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reisman, Y; Gips, CH; Lavelle, SM; Wilson, JHP

    1996-01-01

    Background: From a primary clinical database, rue wanted to obtain insight in disease distribution and clinical presentation of adult jaundiced patients in a Western country. Materials and Methods: As part of the Euricterus project, 24 Dutch general and academic hospitals in a period of 2 years

  6. Utilization of case presentations in medical microbiology to enhance relevance of basic science for medical students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neal R. Chamberlain

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Background : Small-group case presentation exercises (CPs were created to increase course relevance for medical students taking Medical Microbiology (MM and Infectious Diseases (ID Methods : Each student received a unique paper case and had 10 minutes to review patient history, physical exam data, and laboratory data. Students then had three minutes to orally present their case and defend why they ruled in or out each of the answer choices provided, followed by an additional three minutes to answer questions. Results : Exam scores differed significantly between students who received the traditional lecture-laboratory curriculum (Group I and students who participated in the CPs (Group II. In MM, median unit exam and final exam scores for Group I students were 84.4% and 77.8%, compared to 86.0% and 82.2% for Group II students (P < 0.018; P < 0.001; Mann-Whitney Rank Sum Test. Median unit and final ID exam scores for Group I students were 84.0% and 80.0%, compared to 88.0% and 86.7% for Group II students (P < 0.001; P < 0.001. Conclusion : Students felt that the CPs improved their critical thinking and presentation skills and helped to prepare them as future physicians.

  7. Utilization of case presentations in medical microbiology to enhance relevance of basic science for medical students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Neal R.; Stuart, Melissa K.; Singh, Vineet K.; Sargentini, Neil J.

    2012-01-01

    Background Small-group case presentation exercises (CPs) were created to increase course relevance for medical students taking Medical Microbiology (MM) and Infectious Diseases (ID) Methods Each student received a unique paper case and had 10 minutes to review patient history, physical exam data, and laboratory data. Students then had three minutes to orally present their case and defend why they ruled in or out each of the answer choices provided, followed by an additional three minutes to answer questions. Results Exam scores differed significantly between students who received the traditional lecture-laboratory curriculum (Group I) and students who participated in the CPs (Group II). In MM, median unit exam and final exam scores for Group I students were 84.4% and 77.8%, compared to 86.0% and 82.2% for Group II students (P<0.018; P<0.001; Mann-Whitney Rank Sum Test). Median unit and final ID exam scores for Group I students were 84.0% and 80.0%, compared to 88.0% and 86.7% for Group II students (P<0.001; P<0.001). Conclusion Students felt that the CPs improved their critical thinking and presentation skills and helped to prepare them as future physicians. PMID:22435014

  8. Status of Project Management Education in Pakistan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arain, Faisal Manzoor; Tipu, Syed Awais Ahmad

    2009-01-01

    Emerging contractual delivery systems, collaborative partnerships, new management initiatives, and global product markets require professionals and students to have a broader awareness of construction methods and project management issues. This paper presents the state of the project management education in Pakistan. The analysis is based on…

  9. Profile of Students' Creative Thinking Skills on Quantitative Project-Based Protein Testing using Local Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. K. Sari

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to obtain a profile of students’ creative thinking skills on quantitative project-based protein testing using local materials. Implementation of the research is using quasi-experimental method pre-test post-test control group design with 40 students involved in Biochemistry lab. The research instrument is pre-test and post-test using creative thinking skills in the form of description and students’ questionnaire. The analysis was performed with SPSS 22.0 program to see the significance normality, U Mann-Whitney test for nonparametric statistics, N-Gain score, and the percentage of student responses to the practicum performed. The research result shows that the pretest rate in the experimental group is 8.25 while in the control group is 6.90. After attending a project-based practicum with local materials, the experimental group obtained the mean of posttest is 37.55 while in control class is 11.18. The students’ improvement on creative thinking skills can be seen from the average of N-Gain in the experimental class with 0.32 (medium category and in the control category with 0.05 (low category. The experimental and control class have different creative thinking skills significantly different fluency, flexibility, novelty, and detail. It can be concluded that quantitative project-based protein testing using local materials can improve students’ creative thinking skills. 71% of total students feel that quantitative project-based protein testing using local materials make them more creative in doing a practicum in the laboratory.

  10. System design projects for undergraduate design education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batill, S. M.; Pinkelman, J.

    1993-01-01

    Design education has received considerable in the recent past. This paper is intended to address one aspect of undergraduate design education and that is the selection and development of the design project for a capstone design course. Specific goals for a capstone design course are presented and their influence on the project selection are discussed. The evolution of a series of projects based upon the design of remotely piloted aircraft is presented along with students' perspective on the capstone experience.

  11. Endangered Species & Biodiversity: A Classroom Project & Theme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lauro, Brook

    2012-01-01

    Students discover the factors contributing to species losses worldwide by conducting a project about endangered species as a component of a larger classroom theme of biodiversity. Groups conduct research using online endangered- species databases and present results to the class using PowerPoint. Students will improve computer research abilities…

  12. Managing complex, high risk projects a guide to basic and advanced project management

    CERN Document Server

    Marle, Franck

    2016-01-01

    Maximizing reader insights into project management and handling complexity-driven risks, this book explores propagation effects, non-linear consequences, loops, and the emergence of positive properties that may occur over the course of a project. This book presents an introduction to project management and analysis of traditional project management approaches and their limits regarding complexity. It also includes overviews of recent research works about project complexity modelling and management as well as project complexity-driven issues. Moreover, the authors propose their own new approaches, new methodologies and new tools which may be used by project managers and/or researchers and/or students in the management of their projects. These new elements include project complexity definitions and frameworks, multi-criteria approaches for project complexity measurement, advanced methodologies for project management (propagation studies to anticipate potential behaviour of the project, and clustering approaches...

  13. Student Employee Handbook. EP-2008-09-136-MSFC

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 2007

    2007-01-01

    This student employee handbook offers tips on planning, design process, and presentation of a student Lunar Nautics project. Each section includes mission, task, challenge, and guide questions. With the activities presented, students will learn to design a Lunar Lander, Lunar Miner, and Lunar Base; investigate the geography and geology of the moon…

  14. Incorporating Gaming in Software Engineering Projects: Case of RMU Monopoly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sushil Acharya

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available A major challenge in engineering education is retaining student interest in the engineering discipline. Active student involvement in engineering projects is one way of retaining student interest. Such involvement can only be realized if project inception comes entirely from the student. This paper presents a software game, RMU Monopoly, developed as a project requirement for a software engineering course and describes the challenges and gains of implementing such a project. The RMU Monopoly was proposed by three junior software engineering students. The game is a multi-platform software program that allows up to eight players and implements the rules of the Monopoly board game. To ensure agility the game was developed using the spiral software development model. The Software Requirements Specification (SRS document was finalized through an iterative procedure. Standard Unified Modeling Language (UML diagrams were used for product design. A Risk Mitigation, Monitoring, and Management Plan (RMMM was developed to ensure proactive risk management. Gantt chart, weekly progress meetings and weekly scrum meetings were used to track project progress. C# and Sub- Version were used in a client-server architecture to develop the software. The project was successful in retaining student interest in the software engineering discipline

  15. A Semester-Long Project-Oriented Biochemistry Laboratory Based on "Helicobacter pylori" Urease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farnham, Kate R.; Dube, Danielle H.

    2015-01-01

    Here we present the development of a 13 week project-oriented biochemistry laboratory designed to introduce students to foundational biochemical techniques and then enable students to perform original research projects once they have mastered these techniques. In particular, we describe a semester-long laboratory that focuses on a biomedically…

  16. Challenge Based Innovation @ mediterranean - final presentations & prototype expo

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2015-01-01

    Challenge Based Innovation @ mediterranean - Final presentations & prototype expo Challenge Based Innovation (CBI) is a six-month project course, where multidisciplinary student teams and their instructors collaborate with researchers at CERN to discover novel solutions for the future of humankind. The projects are an elaborate mixture, where societal, human-driven needs meet research at CERN. More info about CBI from the course website, cbi-course.com The Gala on 10.12. will introduce the proof-of concept prototypes the four student teams have developed to answer a wide range of societal challenges, inspired by people and research at CERN.   Dress code: a suit / dress  is not required - come as you are! Register for live attendance & CERN access for external visitors. Webcast and/or recorded presentations will be available here in the Indico page for anyone interested.  The space is limited to 50 participants, so act quickly! &...

  17. The Facebook-in-Action: Challenging, Harnessing and Enhancing Students Class Assignments and Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saifudin, Adam Mohd; Yacob, Aizan; Saad, Rohaizah

    2016-01-01

    Issues of universities students harnessing and capitalizing the usage of Facebook for their own learning capabilities and effective thinking is always the focus of education scholars, in assessing the quality class assignments and projects produced by them. Therefore, Facebook is now becoming unbearable influence since the internet activation in…

  18. The Alcohol Dehydrogenase Kinetics Laboratory: Enhanced Data Analysis and Student-Designed Mini-Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silverstein, Todd P.

    2016-01-01

    A highly instructive, wide-ranging laboratory project in which students study the effects of various parameters on the enzymatic activity of alcohol dehydrogenase has been adapted for the upper-division biochemistry and physical biochemistry laboratory. Our two main goals were to provide enhanced data analysis, featuring nonlinear regression, and…

  19. The Effect of Project Based Learning on the Statistical Literacy Levels of Student 8th Grade

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koparan, Timur; Güven, Bülent

    2014-01-01

    This study examines the effect of project based learning on 8th grade students' statistical literacy levels. A performance test was developed for this aim. Quasi-experimental research model was used in this article. In this context, the statistics were taught with traditional method in the control group and it was taught using project based…

  20. Development of an Industrial Engineering Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno, Lorenzo; Gonzalez, Evelio; Acosta, Leopoldo; Toledo, Jonay; Marichal, Nicolas; Hamilton, Alberto; Sigut, Marta; Mendez, J. Albino; Hernandez, Sergio; Torres, Santiago

    2005-01-01

    This paper presents a teaching strategy of the scheduling and developmental phase of an Industrial Engineering computer project. It is based on a real project which has been carried out by our department in collaboration with a local company. The classroom setting provides an environment where students can experience firsthand all phases of the…

  1. Poster Development and Presentation to Improve Scientific Inquiry and Broaden Effective Scientific Communication Skills †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauschenbach, Ines; Keddis, Ramaydalis; Davis, Diane

    2018-01-01

    We have redesigned a tried-and-true laboratory exercise into an inquiry-based team activity exploring microbial growth control, and implemented this activity as the basis for preparing a scientific poster in a large, multi-section laboratory course. Spanning most of the semester, this project culminates in a poster presentation of data generated from a student-designed experiment. Students use and apply the scientific method and improve written and verbal communication skills. The guided inquiry format of this exercise provides the opportunity for student collaboration through cooperative learning. For each learning objective, a percentage score was tabulated (learning objective score = points awarded/total possible points). A score of 80% was our benchmark for achieving each objective. At least 76% of the student groups participating in this project over two semesters achieved each learning goal. Student perceptions of the project were evaluated using a survey. Nearly 90% of participating students felt they had learned a great deal in the areas of formulating a hypothesis, experimental design, and collecting and analyzing data; 72% of students felt this project had improved their scientific writing skills. In a separate survey, 84% of students who responded felt that peer review was valuable in improving their final poster submission. We designed this inquiry-based poster project to improve student scientific communication skills. This exercise is appropriate for any microbiology laboratory course whose learning outcomes include the development of scientific inquiry and literacy. PMID:29904518

  2. Science Students Creating Hybrid Spaces when Engaging in an Expo Investigation Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramnarain, Umesh; de Beer, Josef

    2013-02-01

    In this paper, we report on the experiences of three 9th-grade South African students (13-14 years) in doing open science investigation projects for a science expo. A particular focus of this study was the manner in which these students merge the world of school science with their social world to create a hybrid space by appropriating knowledge and resources of the school and home. Within this hybrid space they experienced a deeper, more meaningful and authentic engagement in science practical work. This hybrid space redefined the landscape of the science learning experience for these students, as they could derive the twofold benefit of appropriating support when necessary and at the same time maintain their autonomy over the investigation. For South Africa and quite probably other countries; these findings serve as a guideline as to how opportunities can be created for students to do open science investigations, against prevailing school factors such as large classes, a lack of physical resources, the lack of time for practical work and the demands of syllabus coverage.

  3. Progress update on a 2015 USIP interdisciplinary undergraduate student microgravity experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dove, A.; Colwell, J. E.; Brisset, J.; Kirstein, J.; Brightwell, K.; Hayden, R.; Jorges, J.; Schwartzberg, D.; Strange, J.; Yates, A.

    2016-12-01

    Our team was selected by the 2016 USIP program to build, fly, and analyze the results from a granular dynamics experiment that will fly in 2017 on a suborbital flight. The experiment will be designed to test technology and enable science relevant to low-gravity planetary objects, such as asteroids, comets, and small moons. Following on the success of previous NASA Flight Opportunities Program (FOP) and Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) projects, however, the primary driver of the project is to enable undergraduate student participation in the entire lifetime of a science and technology development project. Our mentoring team consists of faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students, who have experience with the past USIP program and similar projects, as well as with mentoring undergraduate students. The undergraduate team includes a diversity of major disciplines, including physics, mechanical/aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, business (accounting), and marketing. Each team member has specific project tasks, as outlined in the proposal, and all members will also help develop and participate in outreach events. In additional to their project roles, students will also be responsible for presentations and milestones, such as design reviews. Through these reviews and the outreach events, all team members have the chance to develop their technical and non-technical communication skills. Previous experience with the NASA USIP program demonstrated that students achieve significant growth through these projects -gaining a better understanding of the entire lifecycle of a project, and, likely more importantly, how to work with a diverse team. In this talk, we will discuss the status of the project, and present student impressions and thoughts on the project thus far.

  4. Building Bridges between Science Courses Using Honors Organic Chemistry Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hickey, Timothy; Pontrello, Jason

    2016-01-01

    Introductory undergraduate science courses are traditionally offered as distinct units without formalized student interaction between classes. To bridge science courses, the authors used three Honors Organic Chemistry projects paired with other science courses. The honors students delivered presentations to mainstream organic course students and…

  5. Increasing student success in STEM through geosciences based GIS curriculum, interdisciplinary project based learning, and specialized STEM student services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, W.

    2012-12-01

    Under the auspices of the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education Grant and the Department of Education's Title V/HSI Grant, Palomar College students from a variety of disciplines have not only been exposed to the high growth field of geospatial technologies, but have also been exposed to the geosciences and regional environmental issues in their GIS courses. By integrating introductory Physical Geography topics such as liquefaction, subsidence, ozone depletion, plate tectonics, and coastal processes in the introductory GIS curriculum, GIS students from fields ranging from Archaeology to Zoology were exposed to basic geosciences theories in a series of hands-on interactive exercises, while gaining competency in geospatial technologies. Additionally, as students undertake interdisciplinary service learning projects under the supervision of experts in the private, governmental, and nonprofit sectors, students were introduced to the STEM workplace, forged invaluable professional connections, applied their classroom knowledge to advance research (e.g. analyzing migration patterns of cephalopod), and analyzed regional environmental issues (e.g. distribution of invasive plants in state natural preserves). In order to further the retention and completion of students in GIS, Earth Science, and other STEM courses, a STEM Student Learning Center was constructed, whereby students can receive services such as supplemental instruction, walk-in tutoring, STEM counseling and transfer advising, as well as faculty and peer mentoring.

  6. Project-based physics labs using low-cost open-source hardware

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouquet, F.; Bobroff, J.; Fuchs-Gallezot, M.; Maurines, L.

    2017-03-01

    We describe a project-based physics lab, which we proposed to third-year university students. These labs are based on new open-source low-cost equipment (Arduino microcontrollers and compatible sensors). Students are given complete autonomy: they develop their own experimental setup and study the physics topic of their choice. The goal of these projects is to let students to discover the reality of experimental physics. Technical specifications of the acquisition material and case studies are presented for practical implementation in other universities.

  7. Problem-based and project-oriented learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blaabjerg, Frede; Teodorescu, Remus; Chen, Zhe

    2005-01-01

    . Generally, the content of the curriculum should be more expanded without extra study time. This paper presents a teaching approach, which makes it possible very fast for the students to obtain in-depth skills into new research areas, and this method is the problem-oriented and project-based learning....... In this paper the necessary skills for power electronic engineers are outlined that is followed up by a description on how the problem-oriented and project-based learning are implemented. A complete curriculum in power electronics and drives at Aalborg University is presented where different power electronics...... related projects at different study levels also are presented....

  8. Evaluation of a Coaching Experiential Learning Project on OT Student Abilities and Perceptions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erin A. Phillips

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Innovative teaching methods to address emerging practice needs are critical components of effective occupational therapy education. Experiential learning strategies can enhance skill development and translation of knowledge into OT clinical practice. In addition, skills such as coaching may provide important links to health promotion practices. Thirty-two occupational therapy students took part in an experiential project to connect occupational engagement and health for a community of older adults. A pretest/posttest design was used to evaluate program outcomes in student perceived abilities, and narrative reflection papers provided postexperience qualitative information. The students improved in all 10 areas of abilities selfassessment with mean total scores from pretest (M = 42 improving significantly at posttest (M = 58. Themes from reflection papers indicated a positive response to experiential learning and a desire for more opportunities to prepare for clinical practice, including the use of interprofessional training. The students improved in their abilities to use coaching and health promotion strategies through the use of experiential learning methods. Outcomes suggest that experiential learning opportunities are an effective way to enhance student competencies in coaching, improve readiness for wellness programming, and increase student confidence in application of skills in future clinical practice.

  9. A biotic game design project for integrated life science and engineering education.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nate J Cira

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Engaging, hands-on design experiences are key for formal and informal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM education. Robotic and video game design challenges have been particularly effective in stimulating student interest, but equivalent experiences for the life sciences are not as developed. Here we present the concept of a "biotic game design project" to motivate student learning at the interface of life sciences and device engineering (as part of a cornerstone bioengineering devices course. We provide all course material and also present efforts in adapting the project's complexity to serve other time frames, age groups, learning focuses, and budgets. Students self-reported that they found the biotic game project fun and motivating, resulting in increased effort. Hence this type of design project could generate excitement and educational impact similar to robotics and video games.

  10. Bringing Technology to Students' Proximity: A Sociocultural Account of Technology-Based Learning Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukama, Evode

    2014-01-01

    This paper depicts a study carried out in Rwanda concerning university students who participated in a contest to produce short documentary films. The purpose of this research is to conceptualize these kinds of technology-based learning projects (TBLPs) through a sociocultural perspective. The methodology included focus group discussions and field…

  11. Evaluation of Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong: Utilization of Student Weekly Diary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel T. L. Shek

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Four schools participating in the experimental implementation phase of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes (Secondary 1 level were randomly selected and invited to join this research study. After completion of the Tier 1 Program, Secondary 1 students in the participating schools were invited to write a reflective journal in the form of a weekly diary in order to reveal their perceptions and feelings regarding the Tier 1 Program and the related benefits. Results of the qualitative data analyses showed that most of the respondents (a had positive views on the program, (b had positive views on the instructors, and (c stated that they had acquired competencies at societal, familial, interpersonal, and personal levels after joining the program. The present qualitative findings based on students' weekly diaries provide additional support for the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong.

  12. The Africa Yoga Project and Well-Being: A Concept Map of Students' Perceptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giambrone, Carla A; Cook-Cottone, Catherine P; Klein, Jessalyn E

    2018-03-01

    Concept mapping methodology was used to explore the perceived impact of practicing yoga with the Africa Yoga Project (AYP)-an organisation created to increase health and well-being by providing community-based yoga classes throughout Kenya. AYP's mission fit with theoretical models of well-being is discussed. Anecdotal evidence and initial qualitative research suggested the AYP meaningfully impacted adult students. Of the hundreds of AYP's adult students, 56 and 82 students participated in Phases I and II, respectively. Phase I brainstorming resulted in 94 student-generated statements about their perceived change. Phase II participants sorted and rated statements in terms of importance. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis of sort data was utilised to map and group statements into clusters. Based on statistical and interpretive criteria, a five-cluster solution with the following concepts was identified as the best model of students' change: Personal Growth; Interpersonal Effectiveness (lowest importance); Physical and Social Benefits; Emotional Resiliency; and Improved Self-Concept (highest importance). Overall, students reported positive perceptions of the AYP. Additional research is needed to quantify students' change, and to compare the AYP outcomes to those of other programs aimed at poverty-related stress reduction and well-being. © 2018 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

  13. Medical student case presentation performance and perception when using mobile learning technology in the emergency department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tews, Matthew; Brennan, Kimberly; Begaz, Tomer; Treat, Robert

    2011-01-01

    Hand-held mobile learning technology provides opportunities for clinically relevant self-instructional modules to augment traditional bedside teaching. Using this technology as a teaching tool has not been well studied. We sought to evaluate medical students' case presentation performance and perception when viewing short, just-in-time mobile learning videos using the iPod touch prior to patient encounters. Twenty-two fourth-year medical students were randomized to receive or not to receive instruction by video, using the iPod Touch, prior to patient encounters. After seeing a patient, they presented the case to their faculty, who completed a standard data collection sheet. Students were surveyed on their perceived confidence and effectiveness after using these videos. Twenty-two students completed a total of 67 patient encounters. There was a statistically significant improvement in presentations when the videos were viewed for the first time (p=0.032). There was no difference when the presentations were summed for the entire rotation (p=0.671). The reliable (alpha=0.97) survey indicated that the videos were a useful teaching tool and gave students more confidence in their presentations. Medical student patient presentations were improved with the use of mobile instructional videos following first time use, suggesting mobile learning videos may be useful in medical student education. Clinical educators should consider whether, in an instance where live bedside or direct interactive teaching is unavailable, using just-in-time educational videos on a handheld device might be useful as a supplemental instructional strategy.

  14. Increasing Students’ Interest by Encouraging them to Create Original Lab Projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petre Lucian Ogrutan

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Sometimes traditional lab projects based on standard kits and modules fail to stimulate students’ interest and creativity. This paper presents a novel laboratory concept which allows students to develop their own lab projects using open-source resources. The lab experiment includes competition aspects allowing every student to come up with ideas of which the best are selected. The lab projects include both hard and software components using Arduino-compatible systems and interfaces. Before starting the practical activities as well as after the completion of the lab session, the students were asked to fill in an anonymous questionnaire.

  15. Renewing the teaching by using the students contributions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Goltermann, Per

    2011-01-01

    obtained form students CDIO- bachelor- or master-projects as well as experimental courses, where e.g. the stduents own digital cameras record the testing and the resulting phenomena. This simple approach have lead to better projects work, better reports and presentations and also to a substantial amount...... of material for the basic courses in concrete structures. Students experimental data are also used in the courses, both improving the understanding and the students motivations....

  16. Scenario Based Education as a Framework for Understanding Students Engagement and Learning in a Project Management Simulation Game

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misfeldt, Morten

    2015-01-01

    In this paper I describe how students use a project management simulation game based on an attack-defense mechanism where two teams of players compete by challenging each other's projects. The project management simulation game is intended to be played by pre-service construction workers and engineers. The gameplay has two parts: a planning part,…

  17. Student teaching and research laboratory focusing on brain-computer interface paradigms--A creative environment for computer science students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rutkowski, Tomasz M

    2015-08-01

    This paper presents an applied concept of a brain-computer interface (BCI) student research laboratory (BCI-LAB) at the Life Science Center of TARA, University of Tsukuba, Japan. Several successful case studies of the student projects are reviewed together with the BCI Research Award 2014 winner case. The BCI-LAB design and project-based teaching philosophy is also explained. Future teaching and research directions summarize the review.

  18. An Examination of the Performance Gains of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students on a Mathematics Performance Assessment within the QUASAR Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, Suzanne; And Others

    The performance of students from different racial or ethnic subgroups and of students receiving bilingual (Spanish and English) or monolingual (English only) instruction in mathematics was studied using students from schools in the QUASAR (Qualitative Understanding Amplifying Student Achievement and Reasoning) project, a mathematics education…

  19. Modelling human behaviour in a bumper car ride using molecular dynamics tools: a student project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buendía, Jorge J.; Lopez, Hector; Sanchis, Guillem; Pardo, Luis Carlos

    2017-05-01

    Amusement parks are excellent laboratories of physics, not only to check physical laws, but also to investigate if those physical laws might also be applied to human behaviour. A group of Physics Engineering students from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya has investigated if human behaviour, when driving bumper cars, can be modelled using tools borrowed from the analysis of molecular dynamics simulations, such as the radial and angular distribution functions. After acquiring several clips and obtaining the coordinates of the cars, those magnitudes are computed and analysed. Additionally, an analogous hard disks system is simulated to compare its distribution functions to those obtained from the cars’ coordinates. Despite the clear difference between bumper cars and a hard disk-like particle system, the obtained distribution functions are very similar. This suggests that there is no important effect of the individuals in the collective behaviour of the system in terms of structure. The research, performed by the students, has been undertaken in the frame of a motivational project designed to approach the scientific method for university students named FISIDABO. This project offers both the logistical and technical support to undertake the experiments designed by students at the amusement park of Barcelona TIBIDABO and accompanies them all along the scientific process.

  20. Project based learning for reactor engineering education

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Narabayashi, Tadashi; Tsuji, Masashi; Shimazu, Yoichiro

    2009-01-01

    Trial in education of nuclear engineering in Hokkaido University has proved to be quite attractive for students. It is an education system called Project Based Learning (PBL), which is not based on education by lecture only but based mostly on practice of students in the classroom. The system was adopted four years ago. In the actual class, we separated the student into several groups of the size about 6 students. In the beginning of each class room time, a brief explanations of the related theory or technical bases. Then the students discuss in their own group how to precede their design calculations and do the required calculation and evaluation. The target reactor type of each group was selected by the group members for themselves at the beginning of the semester as the first step of the project. The reactor types range from a small in house type to that for a nuclear ship. At the end of the semester, each group presents the final design. The presentation experience gives students a kind of fresh sensation. Nowadays the evaluation results of the subject by the students rank in the highest in the faculty of engineering. Based on the considerations above, we designed the framework of our PBL for reactor engineering. In this paper, we will present some lessons learned in this PBL education system from the educational points of view. The PBL education program is supported by IAE/METI in Japan for Nuclear Engineering Education. (author)

  1. "Applying anatomy to something I care about": Authentic inquiry learning and student experiences of an inquiry project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anstey, Lauren M

    2017-11-01

    Despite advances to move anatomy education away from its didactic history, there is a continued need for students to contextualize their studies to make learning more meaningful. This article investigates authentic learning in the context of an inquiry-based approach to learning human gross anatomy. Utilizing a case-study design with three groups of students (n = 18) and their facilitators (n = 3), methods of classroom observations, interviews, and artifact collection were utilized to investigate students' experiences of learning through an inquiry project. Qualitative data analysis through open and selective coding produced common meaningful themes of group and student experiences. Overall results demonstrate how the project served as a unique learning experience where learners engaged in the opportunity to make sense of anatomy in context of their interests and wider interdisciplinary considerations through collaborative, group-based investigation. Results were further considered in context of theoretical frameworks of inquiry-based and authentic learning. Results from this study demonstrate how students can engage anatomical understandings to inquire and apply disciplinary considerations to their personal lives and the world around them. Anat Sci Educ 10: 538-548. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

  2. Heat Mining or Replenishable Geothermal Energy? A Project for Advanced-Level Physics Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dugdale, Pam

    2014-01-01

    There is growing interest in the use of low enthalpy geothermal (LEG) energy schemes, whereby heated water is extracted from sandstone aquifers for civic heating projects. While prevalent in countries with volcanic activity, a recently proposed scheme for Manchester offered the perfect opportunity to engage students in the viability of this form…

  3. The Student's Scientific Attitude and Creativity of Product in Environmental Issues Through Project Based Learning

    OpenAIRE

    Yustina, Yustina; Suwondo, Suwondo

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to got the information about student's scientific attitude and creativity of product and correlation both of it in enviromental issues through project based learning. This research was conducted from January to June 2015. Sample in this research were 34 students of 2014 grade in FKIP Biologi UR used parameters were (1) scientific attitude with 4 indicators (curiosity, cooperative, carefulness and discipline); (2) creativity of product. Observation instrument m...

  4. Flyover Modeling of Planetary Pits - Undergraduate Student Instrument Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhasin, N.; Whittaker, W.

    2015-12-01

    On the surface of the moon and Mars there are hundreds of skylights, which are collapsed holes that are believed to lead to underground caves. This research uses Vision, Inertial, and LIDAR sensors to build a high resolution model of a skylight as a landing vehicle flies overhead. We design and fabricate a pit modeling instrument to accomplish this task, implement software, and demonstrate sensing and modeling capability on a suborbital reusable launch vehicle flying over a simulated pit. Future missions on other planets and moons will explore pits and caves, led by the technology developed by this research. Sensor software utilizes modern graph-based optimization techniques to build 3D models using camera, LIDAR, and inertial data. The modeling performance was validated with a test flyover of a planetary skylight analog structure on the Masten Xombie sRLV. The trajectory profile closely follows that of autonomous planetary powered descent, including translational and rotational dynamics as well as shock and vibration. A hexagonal structure made of shipping containers provides a terrain feature that serves as an appropriate analog for the rim and upper walls of a cylindrical planetary skylight. The skylight analog floor, walls, and rim are modeled in elevation with a 96% coverage rate at 0.25m2 resolution. The inner skylight walls have 5.9cm2 color image resolution and the rims are 6.7cm2 with measurement precision superior to 1m. The multidisciplinary student team included students of all experience levels, with backgrounds in robotics, physics, computer science, systems, mechanical and electrical engineering. The team was commited to authentic scientific experimentation, and defined specific instrument requirements and measurable experiment objectives to verify successful completion.This work was made possible by the NASA Undergraduate Student Instrument Project Educational Flight Opportunity 2013 program. Additional support was provided by the sponsorship of an

  5. Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon: A Classroom Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nijman, Jan; Hill, A. David

    1991-01-01

    Presents a classroom project dealing with tropical deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Addresses environmental consequences and economic, social, and political causes. Involves both lectures and individual research and reports by student groups on deforestation causes. Includes a note-playing activity in which students make recommendations for…

  6. The Impact of an Interdisciplinary Space Program on Computer Science Student Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Straub, Jeremy; Marsh, Ronald; Whalen, David

    2015-01-01

    Project-based learning and interdisciplinary projects present an opportunity for students to learn both technical skills and other skills which are relevant to their workplace success. This paper presents an assessment of the educational impact of the OpenOrbiter program, a student-run, interdisciplinary CubeSat (a type of small satellite with…

  7. Project-Based Learning Courses: The Relationship Between Faculty-Intended Course Implementation and Students' Perceptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonovich, Jennifer A.; Towers, Emily; Zastavker, Yevgeniya V.

    2012-02-01

    Project-based learning (PjBL) has been shown to improve students' performance and satisfaction with their coursework, particularly in science and engineering courses. Specific aspects of PjBL that contribute to this improvement are student autonomy, course scaffolding, and instructor support. This study investigates two PjBL courses required for engineering majors at a small technical school, Introductory Mechanics Laboratory and Introductory Engineering Design. The three data sources used in this work are classroom observations (one laboratory and four design sessions) and semi-structured in-depth interviews with twelve students and six faculty. Grounded theory approach is used in a two-step fashion by (1) analyzing each data set individually and (2) performing full triangulation of all three data sets. In this talk, we demonstrate the relationship between faculty intentions and student perceptions regarding the three PjBL aspects -- student autonomy, course scaffolding, and instructor support -- within the context of these two courses. We further discuss implications for the course design and professional development of faculty.

  8. Promoting Information Literacy of Pre-Medical Students through Project-Based Learning: A Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reya Saliba

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This study describes the implementation of information literacy (IL skills through the use of the project-based learning (PjBL method in an English for Academic Purposes (EAP course. Participants were Arabic speaking students enrolled in the Foundation Program that prepares them for the premedical curriculum in a U.S. medical   college in the State of Qatar. A mixed methods approach consisting of a survey, three focus groups, and instructors' observations was used to gather the needed data. The results showed a significant increase in students' advanced research skills. This study emphasizes the benefit of using the PjBL method to develop students' IL skills. It also reinforces the vital role of faculty-librarian partnership in designing learning activities that engage students, foster their critical thinking, and develop their metacognitive skills.

  9. Nature-inspired design strategies in sustainable product development : A case study of student projects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De Pauw, I.C.; Karana, E.; Kandachar, P.V.

    2012-01-01

    In design practice, Nature-Inspired Design Strategies (NIDS) can be applied when developing sustainable products. However, knowledge on how this actually helps designers is lacking. This study explores the effects of applying Cradle to Cradle and Biomimicry in student projects, as compared to using

  10. Projective methodical system of students training to the course «History of computer science»

    OpenAIRE

    С А Виденин

    2008-01-01

    Components of teachers readiness to professional activity are described in the item. The projective methods of training to a course « History of computer science « in favour to improve professional grounding of students' are considered.

  11. The novice and the expert: How gender and experience influence student participation, interest and learning in an Internet-based science project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mistler-Jackson, Megan Elizabeth

    The purpose of this study is to examine how gender issues influence middle school students' participation, interest and learning in an Internet-based science curriculum project. One central question is whether using the Internet for communication and collaboration might serve as an entree into science and computer technology for those who are otherwise disinterested. Five students and their teacher were observed for five weeks and interviewed at the end of their participation in the Journey North Internet-based science project. Other methods of data collection included field notes, journal writing, and document review. Data were analyzed using ethnographic and case study methodology. Results revealed that boys were viewed as science and computer experts by themselves and by their peers more often than girls, both when they were and were not more knowledgeable. Data also showed that the teacher's inexperience with computers and the Journey North project was a more significant factor in student learning than gender. Findings with two students support the notion that using the Internet for communication and collaboration may encourage participation in computer technology by students like them. These results add to literatures that document the gender gap in science and computing and complement research on the incorporation of the Internet in the classroom. This study examines participation and interest from students' points of view, confirms the central role teachers play in enacting network science projects effectively and identifies several challenges this teacher faced in learning to utilize new technologies.

  12. Volcanoes: Where and Why? Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  13. Applied Linguistics Project: Student-Led Computer Assisted Research in High School EAL/EAP

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohát, Róbert; Rödlingová, Beata; Horáková, Nina

    2015-01-01

    The Applied Linguistics Project (ALP) started at the International School of Prague (ISP) in 2013. Every year, Grade 9 English as an Additional Language (EAL) students identify an area of learning in need of improvement and design a research method followed by data collection and analysis using basic computer software tools or online corpora.…

  14. The Effects of Project Based Learning on Undergraduate Students' Achievement and Self-Efficacy Beliefs towards Science Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilgin, Ibrahim; Karakuyu, Yunus; Ay, Yusuf

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the Project-Based Learning (PBL) method on undergraduate students' achievement and its association with these students' self-efficacy beliefs about science teaching and pinions about PBL. The sample of the study consisted of two randomly chosen classes from a set of seven classes enrolled…

  15. Reflections on a Post September 11 Student-Led Project: Teaching Strategies that Foster Tolerance and Emotional Coping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilliard, Jennifer L.

    2004-01-01

    Sixteen preservice teachers participated in a service-learning project to build tolerance in the community as a result of their desire to do something or to make a difference after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Student reflection papers revealed an increase in student tolerance and feelings of competence after participating in the…

  16. A Semester-Long Project for Teaching Basic Techniques in Molecular Biology Such as Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis to Undergraduate and Graduate Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiBartolomeis, Susan M.

    2011-01-01

    Several reports on science education suggest that students at all levels learn better if they are immersed in a project that is long term, yielding results that require analysis and interpretation. I describe a 12-wk laboratory project suitable for upper-level undergraduates and first-year graduate students, in which the students molecularly locate and map a gene from Drosophila melanogaster called dusky and one of dusky's mutant alleles. The mapping strategy uses restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis; hence, students perform most of the basic techniques of molecular biology (DNA isolation, restriction enzyme digestion and mapping, plasmid vector subcloning, agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, DNA labeling, and Southern hybridization) toward the single goal of characterizing dusky and the mutant allele dusky73. Students work as individuals, pairs, or in groups of up to four students. Some exercises require multitasking and collaboration between groups. Finally, results from everyone in the class are required for the final analysis. Results of pre- and postquizzes and surveys indicate that student knowledge of appropriate topics and skills increased significantly, students felt more confident in the laboratory, and students found the laboratory project interesting and challenging. Former students report that the lab was useful in their careers. PMID:21364104

  17. Mathematics for secondary education project (Matem-UNA: perception of students about of the courses received and the profesional careers they selected for higher education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Lucía Alfaro Arce

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper summarizes the opinions of students who have enrolled in the Precalculus course offered by the MATEM project. The aim is to systematize the views expressed by the students enrolled in MATEM, which are related to general aspects of the project, and also to know the professional areas these students select when entering to the university. The information for this study was collected through two questionnaires administered to the participating students during 2005-2009. The most relevant results are the following: the students listed benefits from MATEM such as the opportunity to practice for their Mathematics test (Ministry of Education exam, obtaining new knowledge and developing mathematical and reasoning skills. Most students would recommend others to participate in the project. Regarding the careers that students pursue, it was found a preference for higher studies in public universities at Costa Rica; these majors include mathematics courses in their curriculum (Engineering, Economics, Statistics, Medicine, among others.

  18. Students in Action: Engaging Students with Destination Stakeholders

    OpenAIRE

    Craggs, Ruth; Gorman, Catherine; Griffin, Kevin; mottiar, ziene; Quinn, Deirdre; Quinn, Bernadette; Ryan, Theresa

    2015-01-01

    The Students in Action Project in the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism was established in 2012 as a way of engaging students and working with stakeholders in a destination. The overall aim of the project was to immerse students in an active collaborative learning environment within the destination to identify ways in which tourism could be enhanced. In the 2014/2015 academic year the project involved over 300 students from a variety of programmes and modules working with local sta...

  19. Management of a science and technology popularization project in the nuclear area

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soares, Wellington Antonio; Maretti Junior, Fausto [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)]. E-mail: soaresw@cdtn.br; fmj@cdtn.br

    2007-07-01

    The goal of this paper is to show the management results of the 2005-2007 project 'Nuclear energy: itinerant expositions' sponsored by the Foundation for Research Support of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG), a state agency, in a science and technology popularization program. The project coordinated by the Nuclear Technology Development Center (CDTN/CNEN) in partnership with the Minas Commerce Association (ACMinas) was designed to students from public high school of the Belo Horizonte metropolitan region. It consisted of an exposition and a previous talk motivating the audience to the nuclear technology in connection with subjects taught at schools, like physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, history, etc. Small scale models of nuclear and radioactive installations, irradiated food and fruits samples and colored gems by gamma rays were presented at the stand exposition. Designing, performing and evaluating the project required the following activities: searching of information on the target public, infrastructure mounting, team training, multimedia material elaboration, strategy for dealing with the students, talk presentation, distribution of booklet on nuclear themes, reception at the exposition, interviews with students and teachers by journalists, evaluation of the project by the schools, evaluation of the project by some students three months after the event and also reporting the project to the media. About forty people of CDTN took part in the project that reached thirty high schools and encompassed about 11,000 students. About five hundred state high school teachers of chemistry, physics and biology were reached by the experience of the project in a specialization course given by a local university. Only high approval was received by the project in the returned questionnaires. (author)

  20. Management of a science and technology popularization project in the nuclear area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soares, Wellington Antonio; Maretti Junior, Fausto

    2007-01-01

    The goal of this paper is to show the management results of the 2005-2007 project 'Nuclear energy: itinerant expositions' sponsored by the Foundation for Research Support of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG), a state agency, in a science and technology popularization program. The project coordinated by the Nuclear Technology Development Center (CDTN/CNEN) in partnership with the Minas Commerce Association (ACMinas) was designed to students from public high school of the Belo Horizonte metropolitan region. It consisted of an exposition and a previous talk motivating the audience to the nuclear technology in connection with subjects taught at schools, like physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, history, etc. Small scale models of nuclear and radioactive installations, irradiated food and fruits samples and colored gems by gamma rays were presented at the stand exposition. Designing, performing and evaluating the project required the following activities: searching of information on the target public, infrastructure mounting, team training, multimedia material elaboration, strategy for dealing with the students, talk presentation, distribution of booklet on nuclear themes, reception at the exposition, interviews with students and teachers by journalists, evaluation of the project by the schools, evaluation of the project by some students three months after the event and also reporting the project to the media. About forty people of CDTN took part in the project that reached thirty high schools and encompassed about 11,000 students. About five hundred state high school teachers of chemistry, physics and biology were reached by the experience of the project in a specialization course given by a local university. Only high approval was received by the project in the returned questionnaires. (author)