Utilizing Robotics To Facilitate Project Based Learning: A Student Perspective

Reed, Anthony; Creekbaum, Taylor; Elliott, Matthew; Hall, David; Harbour, Davis

doi:10.18260/1-2--4292

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…In its 'Living with the Lab' initiative, Louisiana Tech's engineering students complete a project-based curriculum based on the Parallax® BOE Bot. 3,13 Here students build robots to move around a track or follow a light, and use a microprocessor to control servos and read data, allowing students to quickly develop skills in programming and even electrical circuit prototyping. Student engineers purchase the kits in lieu of a textbook and the component inventories for the projects are managed by faculty members.…”

Section: Some Of the Other Hands-on Computing Initiativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Programming is Invisible – or is it? How to Bring a First-year Programming Course to Life

Jaeger¹,

Freeman²,

Whalen³

2012 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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Our engineering students have often asked why they need to learn computer programming and at times they miss the association that many aspects of our daily existence are dependent upon software running hardware. It is not enough to tell students that some of the required attributes to becoming a good engineer involve being proficient in the application of algorithmic thinking and problem solving. Therefore, our program at Northeastern University decided to implement a hands-on, low-cost, easily integrated component in the first-year programming course to emphasize the importance of understanding how software and hardware are interlaced, and to engage the students meaningfully in their first college programming class. The hardware-application approach that was initiated at Northeastern University contrasts some of the more traditional methods used to teach algorithmic thinking and problem-solving skills to first-year engineering students, yet follows an emerging trend. Computing projects that are used to control physical hardware were added to the Engineering Problem Solving and Computation course in order to make strong connections to the many embedded computing applications used in students' everyday experience and in society in general. Moreover, witnessing computer instructions produce light, sound, and motion engages the students' senses and provides the sort of immediate feedback essential for constructive and memorable learning.In order to accomplish the goal of introducing hands-on laboratory experiences to over 600 students, Northeastern University teamed with the not-for-profit company Machine Science Incorporated to conduct a pilot study using a custom kit of electronic components in the Spring semester of 2010. The kits were comprised of inexpensive, highly functional -and in many cases reusable-components combined for the purposes of demonstrating the capabilities of programming to generate tangible and observable results from programs created by the students. This was supplemented by online tutorials, instructions, and projects provided by Machine Science Inc. to guide the learning process. The success and lessons of the pilot study resulted in a full rollout to all first-year engineering students enrolled in the programming course in the following spring.To assess this initiative, students were surveyed prior to implementation of the full iteration of the 'machine science' module to provide a baseline of their impressions of what was to come. Later, they also provided feedback on several aspects of the module including the learning outcomes related to this part of the course. Results strongly showed that student participants find that these labs demonstrate the capabilities and value of programming for any engineering major. They reported that it was engaging and that they learned more than just programming, and the course and its material gained credibility with the majority of the student population -an improvement over previous years' feedback.

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Section: Some Of the Other Hands-on Computing Initiativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Programming is Invisible – or is it? How to Bring a First-year Programming Course to Life

Jaeger¹,

Freeman²,

Whalen³

2012 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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“…NASA-Threads is a partnership with school systems to design and implement a physics/pre-engineering curriculum patterned after Louisiana Tech University's Integrated Engineering Curriculum (NSF funded -Living with the Lab) (LWTL) [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] . The Living with the Lab curriculum includes a sequence of hands-on courses spanning the freshman year using a multi-course project to provide seamless integration of mathematics, science, and engineering topics.…”

Section: Project Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Poster, Nasa Threads: A Hands On, Context Based Approach To A High School Stem Course

Tims¹,

Corbett²,

Turner³

et al.

2010 Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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NASA-Threads is a hands-on, contextual approach to a high school STEM course. Teachers from three regional high schools and university faculty from STEM disciplines have developed a new, challenging, interdisciplinary junior/senior-level high school physics/pre-engineering curriculum.NASA-Threads integrates fundamental science and mathematics courses taught with engineering applications and the appropriate use of technology into a physics/pre-engineering curriculum targeting the junior/senior year of high school. The threads of this curriculum include Fundamentals, Technology, Communication, and NASA Applications. The fundamentals, which are grouped into blocks of similar topics, provide the backbone of the educational experience. NASA applications are strategically introduced to provide timely, hands-on reinforcement of fundamentals, and the progressive development of technical knowledge and skills.The rigorous curriculum is designed to guide students through a systems-level understanding of real-world applications of science and engineering. This project provides a hands-on, contextual approach to student learning, as well as teacher professional development. As part of the curriculum, data is being collected on student outcomes that quantify high school students' academic self-efficacy, real world problem solving, critical thinking skills, achievement in mathematics and the sciences, motivational and goal orientation, and vocational or career interests in STEM fields. Additionally, teacher outcomes, including self-efficacy, are being measured. This poster/paper will present the curriculum developed through the collaborative partnership between K12 schools systems and university.

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“…The college leadership is reasonably familiar with gender issues as they relate to undergraduate education, faculty retention and success. The college has been successful in securing federal funding for and implementing a number of relevant programs, employing for approximately a dozen years an integrated model for the first two years of undergraduate engineering education 3,4,5,6,7,8 . This has reaped significant rewards in student success, retention, and satisfaction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mentoring Women Faculty in STEM: A Multi-pronged Approach

Carpenter¹,

O’Neal²,

Bakken³

2012 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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Prior to moving to academia in 2005, he led several industrial nanomedicine-based development projects as PI on NSF (SBIR), NIH (STTR), and NIST (ATP) grants. With a research focus in biomedical optics, he has published peer-reviewed articles in basic cancer research, biomedical electro-optic instrumentation, clinical cancer therapies, and mathematical techniques for dealing with complex biological systems. Based on experiences instructing courses like Biomedical Engineering Senior Design and his previous experience in the medical device industry, he has developed a strong interest in optimizing gender interactions and productivity in engineering projects and is serving as co-PI on a five-year NSF ADVANCE project.

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Utilizing Robotics To Facilitate Project Based Learning: A Student Perspective

Abstract: majoring in biomedical engineering. He graduated from the same residential high school as Anthony Reed, and he has a special interest in computer applications.

Cited by 6 publications

References 1 publication

Programming is Invisible – or is it? How to Bring a First-year Programming Course to Life

Programming is Invisible – or is it? How to Bring a First-year Programming Course to Life

Poster, Nasa Threads: A Hands On, Context Based Approach To A High School Stem Course

Mentoring Women Faculty in STEM: A Multi-pronged Approach

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