{"title":"Arts & Bots: Techniques for distributing a STEAM robotics program through K-12 classrooms","authors":"Emily Hamner, Jennifer L. Cross","doi":"10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525207","url":null,"abstract":"Arts & Bots is a craft-based robotics program focused on expression and creativity in the service of improving K-12 student technological fluency. In this paper, we describe how we transitioned Arts & Bots from an out-of-school program to a successful classroom tool applicable to many school subjects. We focus specifically on partnerships with teachers and professional development strategies.","PeriodicalId":162124,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)","volume":"52 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129421116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development and description of an interdisciplinary course on the science of terrorism","authors":"E. Page, L. Allen, J. Gray, S. Bateman","doi":"10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525224","url":null,"abstract":"The development and description of an interdisciplinary, team taught course on the Science of Terrorism is presented. Faculty members from Physics, Chemistry, and Marine and Environmental Sciences collaborated to design a course introducing students to the science behind bioterrorism, chemical and toxicological terrorism, nuclear and radiological terrorism and cyberterrorism as well as epidemiological and GIS models. The course concludes with a simulated terror attack for which students need to use their knowledge of the science of terrorism to defuse.","PeriodicalId":162124,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)","volume":"22 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126424067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Kulturel-Konak, A. Konak, I. Esparragoza, G. Kremer
{"title":"Assessing professional skills in STEM disciplines","authors":"S. Kulturel-Konak, A. Konak, I. Esparragoza, G. Kremer","doi":"10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525216","url":null,"abstract":"This paper puts forward a novel assessment framework, based on the Model of Domain Learning (MDL), to assess student development in various professional skills across Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. New graduates are not only required to have good technical skills but also excel in professional skills to be successful in their career choices. As a response, academic programs have integrated professional skills such as teamwork/communication, ethics, global awareness, creative problem solving, and leadership, into their curricula. However, there are challenges in the assessment of learning outcomes related to professional skills. By designing a uniform assessment framework for all professional skills and developing a set of coherent assessment instruments that can be tailored according to the learning objectives and student level, the proposed assessment framework aims to facilitate the integration of professional skills assessment into an overall program assessment plan. The proposed framework will be tested in various course levels (i.e., first year to senior) from STEM majors at various institutions.","PeriodicalId":162124,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)","volume":"27 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115583414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Integrating science and policy: The case of an alternative energy course","authors":"Sara Hooshangi","doi":"10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525209","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525209","url":null,"abstract":"The future of the energy industry has become the centerpiece of many technical, social and political debates in recent years and yet there is no comprehensive plan to include energy as a core requirement in undergraduate STEM programs. Since the current and future state of the energy industry has a direct effect on the daily lives of individuals, we believe that some degree of familiarity with this industry is of great value to our students; especially to those who major in engineering, sciences or other STEM related fields. As more natural resources are depleted and as the pursuit for alternative sources of energy to replace fossil fuels continues, it is important to prepare the next generation of students for the many challenges that lie ahead. In accordance with the efforts to provide our undergraduate students with an interdisciplinary curriculum, we have designed and implemented an energy course that focuses on the science and technology aspects of the energy industry and also it examines the important role that policies, policy makers and the government play in shaping the future of the energy industry. This paper presents some of the highlights of this cross-disciplinary course, which is an example of a possible synergy between STEM disciplines and the social science fields.","PeriodicalId":162124,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)","volume":"69 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124498176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eric J. Page, Lorraine. A. Allen, Royce W. James, B. Jewczyn, S. Jones, Richard. N. Paolino, Lorraine. A. Allen, S. Jones, Richard. N. Paolino, Brooke. S. Stutzman
{"title":"A fully revised introductory physics sequence","authors":"Eric J. Page, Lorraine. A. Allen, Royce W. James, B. Jewczyn, S. Jones, Richard. N. Paolino, Lorraine. A. Allen, S. Jones, Richard. N. Paolino, Brooke. S. Stutzman","doi":"10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525223","url":null,"abstract":"The Physics program at the United States Coast Guard Academy has implemented a completely revised introductory physics sequence utilizing state-of-the-art techniques in physics education. With active student engagement based on socio-cultural constructivism at its core, techniques such as Just-in-Time Teaching and Peer Instruction along with the testing effect are paramount to this new model. Here, the design and initial implementation are presented along with faculty analysis of the new model.","PeriodicalId":162124,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129761050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Air-powered soft robots for K-12 classrooms","authors":"B. Finio, R. Shepherd, Hod Lipson","doi":"10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525198","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525198","url":null,"abstract":"This paper outlines the development of an affordable, sustainable K-12 outreach program based pneumatically-powered soft robots. Recent advances in low-cost 3D printers have helped make these robots available to hobbyists and K-12 classrooms. This paper is intended to serve as a reference for interested students, parents and educators, and a model for other researchers to develop similar outreach programs.","PeriodicalId":162124,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)","volume":"79 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127440486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"History and technology: Integrating STEM content into elementary classrooms through history-based themes","authors":"J. Manwell, C. Sullivan","doi":"10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525221","url":null,"abstract":"Children learn best when they are immersed in and invested in a topic of study. While some skills need to be taught in isolation and in a particular sequence, there is a great value to teaching at the elementary level using integrated thematic units. Themes provide a context for information, helping children see how content is inter-related. Using an inquiry approach engages students even more as they seek answers to their own questions. This is true for the sciences, but it is equally true for social studies. Having students work directly with primary sources supports them to draw their own informed conclusions and be more engaged in the learning process.","PeriodicalId":162124,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130009857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The role of mothers and parents in driving innovation in the American STEM pipeline","authors":"A. Knowles","doi":"10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525214","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525214","url":null,"abstract":"We continue to hear daily that America is losing it's leadership and innovative edge in technology and science to European and Asian countries. One reason often cited is the lack of diversity of students and professionals in STEM careers, since diversity often leads to creativity and innovation. Many studies and research provide reasons for the small numbers of minority students pursuing STEM careers and cures for reversing this trend. The solutions range from highlighting diverse role models, to investing more in math and science in inner city schools, to including stories and examples relevant to the various ethnic groups and females in the STEM curricula, to inserting more STEM activities in the early education curriculum. This paper will focus on what the author believes to be the most important solution to rebuilding the STEM pipeline with minority students to infuse creativity and innovation: re-focusing mothers and parents of minority students to embrace their role in making education, particularly excellence in math, a top priority for their children in kindergarten through high school.","PeriodicalId":162124,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122389638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An interdisciplinary approach to STEM education through reconsideration of a classic on education","authors":"Robert Christie, Wieslaw Marszalek","doi":"10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525194","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525194","url":null,"abstract":"Our paper addresses the issue of STEM education within the larger context of interdisciplinary education. We ask: Is an interdisciplinary approach to education, in particular to engineering education, superior, in some sense, to one that is narrower but deeper in content, a specialized education wherein a person learns about and studies the cutting edge recent discoveries or theories that are understood by only a handful of people in this world? Our thesis is that such an interdisciplinary approach can indeed be superior to, and enhance, a field-specific education. We pose several major questions in regard to STEM education, and then suggest an approach to address these issues from the perspective of a major classic in the field of education. We apply the insights of that classic to these questions, concluding with references to parallel insights from others who have engaged these same issues both in education as well as in the application of our suggested approach in the realm of scientific research.","PeriodicalId":162124,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131280719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Low-cost approaches to UAV design using advanced manufacturing techniques","authors":"E. P. Flynn","doi":"10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525199","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECON.2013.6525199","url":null,"abstract":"Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms are of major interest to Defense, Government, and commercial industries. The ability to remotely control an aerial vehicle capable of surveillance, offensive and defensive maneuvering, reconnaissance, or numerous other applications without the need to put a human life in jeopardy is a major attraction to their use. Furthermore, there exists opportunities to make these airborne vehicles largely autonomous, further reducing the need for even remote human operators. However, for all of the significant advantages of UAVs, there is a significant negative: the cost of manufacture, and the cost of design. Due in part to the substantial amount of complex electronic equipment on board, UAVs become not only a design of aeronautics, but an experiment in energy conservation through optimization. A limited range of UAV power becomes a limiting factor of UAV application. The challenge becomes to optimize the size, weight, and aerodynamics of the UAV based on the application. Along with a NASA faculty research grant, the project has been given seven college engineering students with the singular goal of investigating UAV design techniques using advanced manufacturing techniques and STEM principles. In this paper, it will be shown how a college manufacturing lab, paired with a team of student engineers, and guided by an engineering faculty member, will seek to provide tangible, industry-quality results.","PeriodicalId":162124,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)","volume":"189 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117314850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}