{"title":"New challenges in teaching introductory programming courses: a case study","authors":"I. Huet, O. Pacheco, J. Tavares, G. Weir","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408514","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408514","url":null,"abstract":"The Department of Educational Sciences and the Department of Electronic & Telecommunications at the University of Aveiro (Portugal) have been working together with the Department of Computer & Information Sciences at the University of Strathclyde (UK), with the aim of improving the teaching quality of introductory programming courses and, indirectly, the academic success of their students. Over the past two years, data has been collected through interviews and questionnaires, to better understand the organization of the different courses and approaches to teaching. The present paper discusses how the organization of introductory programming courses in each institution reflects the teaching philosophy of the members of staff and also how course organization and teaching strategy relate to the students' attitudes to learning and their motivation for course involvement.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130979020","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":"Work in progress - integration of new tools and technologies in electronics teaching","authors":"M. Castro, G. Díaz, C. M. Mediano, E.L. Aldea","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408451","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408451","url":null,"abstract":"Nowadays the methods to learn electronics are changing, improving and adapting to new tools and possibilities that offer us new technologies like Internet. Simulation in electronics improves the activities in design of electronic circuits. Students can learn and design their own circuits. They can carry out, check, analyze and make their practices of the course in electronics applying several simulators with computer. Languages like VHDL present us a new form of designing and simulating digital electronics like a description language. New forms of adapting distance education like multimedia courses in Internet, new educational platforms like IPSS/spl I.bar/EE (Internet-based performance system support with educational elements) are configuring new methods of learning based in task instead of classic study's methods. The DIEEC (Electrical and Computer Engineering Department) and MIDE (methods of investigation and diagnosis in the education) of UNED (Spanish University for Distance Education) in Spain are working to adapt all new methods and possibilities of electronics in learning and to evaluate the quality of the new methods.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"63 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124732169","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":"Applying lessons learned from software process assessments to ABET accreditation","authors":"J. Collofello","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408548","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408548","url":null,"abstract":"The Software Engineering Institute capability maturity model (CMM) has been widely utilized in the software development community as a means of assessing the maturity of a software development organization and providing a framework for improvement ABET 2000 is also now being utilizing as a means for assessing engineering education programs and providing a framework for improvement. In addition to sharing the same general objectives of assessment and process improvement there are other similarities in both approaches and their application within organizations and universities respectively. Due to these similarities academic organizations embarking on ABET accreditation activities can learn from the numerous lessons from organizations which have undergone CMM activities. This approach was followed at Arizona State University. Since several ASU faculty have been heavily involved in CMM activities over the last decade, it was easy for them to recognize the similarities between accreditation and CMM assessment They utilized their knowledge of lessons learned from CMM assessments and integrated them into the ASU accreditation effort. The results of this activity are described in this paper. The paper begins with a discussion of the similarities of CMM and ABET. Both technical and nontechnical similarities such as the impact of employee / faculty buy-in and management / administrative support was addressed. A review of lessons learned from organizations engaging in CMM activities was presented in the context of how they might help academic organizations in their ABET activities and how ASU applied each lesson.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"42 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125116127","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":"RMI: observing the distributed pattern","authors":"Dan-Adrian German","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408619","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408619","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents a software design pattern that capitalizes on the object-oriented patterns already representing the foundation of Java RMI. Providing complete separation between the design and deployment stages, the pattern (not to be confused with an API) allows its user to write code that can run either locally on a single virtual machine, or over the network across several virtual machines, without any modification. The only restrictions placed on the user's code are those specified by Java RMI.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"91 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122094485","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 active learning, student-centered approach to training graduate teaching assistants","authors":"M. Pavelich, R. Streveler","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408571","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408571","url":null,"abstract":"For over a decade, new graduate teaching assistants (TAs) from four departments at the Colorado School of Mines have been part of a three-day training program prior to the start of the fall semester. The unique feature of this training program is the strong emphasis on active learning philosophy and methods. Our goal is to teach new TAs how to employ active learning methods in their laboratory and recitation teaching. We do this by having TAs experience most of their training as students in active learning classes and then having them discuss the activities for form, student involvement, and purpose. The TAs spend half their time together focusing on general aspects of effective teaching and the other half with their respective department faculty focusing on the specific course they will teach. This paper will present specifics of activities, logistics, teaching sound bites, and feedback on this TA training program. We feel that it is a model adaptable to other institutions.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117214792","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":"Using peer evaluations and teams in online classes","authors":"J. L. Colwell, C. Jenks","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408450","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408450","url":null,"abstract":"Students should have the ability to work together in teams, plan effective strategies for identifying appropriate issues within specific problem situations, research the answers to the associated technical questions presented by those situations, and develop the ability to review and comment on the solutions of others working on the same types of problems. Structuring online classes to address these issues effectively can be challenging for the instructor. This paper will discuss the use of peer evaluations and teams in online classes. The paper involves two upper-level undergraduate courses, using a combination of teams and peer evaluations. The paper discusses the pros and cons of administering a team-based case-study course via the Internet. The innovative aspect of this case study method is the unique use of teams to analyze and critique other team members before the instructor ever participates. The paper also discusses the pros and cons of peer evaluations online.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"423 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132361165","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":"Evolution of an e-learning environment based on desktop computer to ubiquitous computing: GUI design issues","authors":"A. Díaz, M. Duque, M. O. Cantero","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408463","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408463","url":null,"abstract":"Using the new wireless technologies, mobile devices with small displays (handhelds, personal digital assistants, mobile phones) are present in many environments. We are interested in the effective use of such mobile computing devices for supporting collaborative learning. We want to show its application in a study case: the teaching of Domotics. To reach this goal, we analyze the tasks, which are susceptible of improvement through mobile computing. We will take as starting point a collaborative e-learning environment of domotical design, based on the desktop metaphor, and called Domosim-TPC. We pretend to adapt this tool to the characteristics of mobile devices. This evolution is based in a task-based analysis. In this paper we describe some learned lessons in the semi-automatic generation of users interfaces for a PDA-type devices. This generation process is carried out starting from the user interface for desktop devices.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"8 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130311303","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":"Creating corporate world experience in capstone courses","authors":"R. Bruhn, J. Camp","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408507","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408507","url":null,"abstract":"Many engineering capstone courses require senior design projects involving teamwork. The curricula at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Donaghey CyberCollege engages local industries in providing meaningful design projects for student teams in real world settings. Both St.Vincent Health System and Heifer International sponsored capstone design teams in yearlong projects. These projects resulted in the students gaining professional skills, the industries gaining products that saved money and won awards, and the CyberCollege faculty gaining understanding and experience for developing its engineering curricula. Engineering educators who want to provide real-world experience to graduating seniors may benefit from learning how we obtained corporate sponsors for the projects, created student-consulting teams, and developed a capstone course incorporating system design theory. They may also gain insight from discussions about our methods for student evaluations and about the lessons we learned from our experimental capstone course.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"29 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125740052","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}
D. Huang, H. Diefes‐Dux, P. Imbrie, B. Daku, J. G. Kallimani
{"title":"Learning motivation evaluation for a computer-based instructional tutorial using ARCS model of motivational design","authors":"D. Huang, H. Diefes‐Dux, P. Imbrie, B. Daku, J. G. Kallimani","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408466","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408466","url":null,"abstract":"This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing instructional theories, specifically on learning motivation, to evaluate a computer-based tutorial for the purpose of proposing effective instructional interventions. Keller's ARCS model of motivational design provides the conceptual framework to address motivational issues while developing instruction. The ARCS model has four dimensions: attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. Keller's instructional material motivation survey measures student motivation along the ARCS dimensions and was modified for this study to evaluate students' motivation while using a computer-based tutorial. This study was conducted in an engineering problem-solving and computer tools course for first-year students. The studied computer-based instructional tutorial, M-Tutor/spl trade/, is designed for learning MATLAB/sup /spl reg// syntactical structures. A pre-post evaluation research design was employed. A coding system was developed to categorize qualitative responses into corresponding instructional components. Qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated for instructional intervention development.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"93 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116372711","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}
Jun-Ming Su, S. Tseng, Wei Wang, Jui-Feng Weng, Jin-Tan Yang, Wen-Nung Tsai
{"title":"Learning portfolio analysis and mining in SCORM compliant environment","authors":"Jun-Ming Su, S. Tseng, Wei Wang, Jui-Feng Weng, Jin-Tan Yang, Wen-Nung Tsai","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408490","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408490","url":null,"abstract":"With vigorous development of the Internet, e-learning system has become more and more popular. Sharable content object reference model (SCORM) 1.3 provides the sequencing and navigation to define the course sequencing behavior, control the sequencing, select and deliver of course, and organize the content into a hierarchical structure, namely activity tree. Therefore, how to provide customized course according to individual learning characteristics and capability, and how to create, represent and maintain the activity tree with appropriate associated sequencing definition for different learners become two important issues. However, it is almost impossible to design personalized learning activities trees for each learner manually. The information of learning behavior, called learning portfolio, can help teacher understand the reason why a learner got high or low grade. Thus, in this paper, we propose a learning portfolio mining (LPM) Approach including four phase: 1) user model definition phase: define the learner profile based upon pedagogical theory. 2) Learning pattern extraction phase: apply sequential pattern mining technique to extract the maximal frequent learning patterns from the learning sequence, transform original learning sequence into a bit vector, and then use distance based clustering approach to group learners with good learning performance into several clusters. 3) Decision tree construction phase: use two third of the learner profiles with corresponding cluster labels as training data to create a decision tree, and the remaining are the testing data. 4) Activity tree generation phase: use each created cluster including several learning patterns as sequencing rules to generate personalized activity tree with associated sequencing rules of SN. Finally, for evaluating our proposed approach of learning portfolio analysis, several experiments have been done and the results show that generated personalized activity trees with sequencing rules are workable for learners.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"47 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115206268","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}