Project Summary Women and URMs in Engineering Statics at Georgia Tech · 2013-04-10 · Project...
1
Preliminary Assessment Framework Women and URMs in Engineering File formats Loading, Saving, Printing Exercise Selection Standalone Application Web-based Applet Exercise (Data side) Application (System side) Rendering Physics Simulation User Interface Hint System Others... Exercise World: Basic Diagram, Observation Root Interface Exercise Interface FBD World: Constructing, isolating FBD FBD Interface: building tools Equation World: Solvability, find unknowns Equation Interface FBD Tutorial: Identify what goes in FBD FBD Tutorial Interface Objects Representations Manipulators Supersystem Logic System / Main Logic Modes Components World: Object Management Interface: Controls, Interaction Editor Mode for Instructor Editor World: Makes savable exercise Editor Interface: Tools, editors Statics, a foundational engineering course, introduces a unique approach to problem solving, which is characterized by model-based reasoning. The major intended course out- come is for students to develop the ability to create and utilize free body diagrams as a mechanism for describing and constraining a problem. This ability to abstract and define an idealized problem from complex objects in the world or textual descriptions ratchets the engineer's ability to solve the problem. Sadly, however, students routinely leave this course having learned to "plug and chug" or jump to a mathematical equation without first defining the prob- lem in a diagrammatic form that articulates the underlying principles. This can lead to serious problems in future courses as the fundamental approach to engineering prob- lem solving has not been understood or embraced. As a foundational course, difficulties here can impact student academic confidence resulting in a diminished sense of self-efficacy that is particularly problematic when amplified by gender and under-represented (URM) minorities issues. And such faltering so early in the major can cause a student to leave engineering. While difficulties in the course arise for several reasons, our project seeks to address the problem of context. Our hypothesis is that women and minorities particularly, and students generally, are more likely to do well in statics when the problems are placed in the context of real world useful- ness. An approach to teaching that effectively scaffolds stu- dents' efforts at model building and connects abstract principles/concepts to real world, every day applications will benefit all students while promoting diversity in engi- neering. Towards that end, we are developing InTEL (Interactive Toolkit for Engineering Education), a computer-based ma- nipulable environment that supports teaching and learning in statics by mapping images from real-world environments to abstract diagrams for 2D and 3D equilibrium problems. With such digital technology, statics professors will be able to offer students important scaffolding for developing model-based reasoning by contextualizing abstract con- cepts and principles in lifelike models. Interacting with and manipulating these models will help students develop the kind of intuition that characterizes engineering reasoning and problem solving. Project Summary InTEL: Interactive Toolkit for Engineering Learning College of Engineering Ivan Allen College in collaboration with the PI: Calvin Ashmore, Sneha Veeragoudar Harrell, Bo Yeon Lee, Brian Schrank, Geoff Thomas Sue Rosser, Dean of Ivan Allen College, Georgia Tech Co PIs/Affiliated Georgia Tech Faculty: Research Assistants: Laurence Jacobs, Janet Murray, Wendy Newstetter; Christine Valle Difficulty in model-building can cause a lack of confidence and a dimin- ished sense of self-efficacy that is particularly problematic when ampli- fied by gender and underrepresented minority (URM) issues. Women and minorities are also more likely to do well when problems are placed in a context of real world usefulness. An approach to teaching and learning Statics that effectively scaffolds students' efforts at model building and connects abstract problems with multiple real world appli- cations will benefit all students and particularly help to promote diver- sity in engineering. Our assessment will focus on how well the system supports 1) the development of concep- tual understanding in statics 2) the ability to use concepts in problem solving and 3) student perception of self-efficacy and confidence regarding the course material. Initially we will develop comprehensive construct maps of course material guided by the extensive work of Wilson (2005) in chemistry. These constructs will then guide the development of measures and items that reflect developing sophistication in statics understanding. Development of these constructs and measures will go hand in hand with the development of the InTEL system itself in a reflexive interplay of assessment design and system design. Research Questions Statics at Georgia Tech Can software environments be designed and used to support the devel- opment of diagrammatic reasoning in introductory statics courses? Can software environments be designed to support the development 2D to 3D reasoning and manipulation? Can software environments afford the kinds of contextualization that clarify real world usefulness? Can using these environments foster and sustain disciplinary engagement among women and URMS? Can integrating interactive learning tools into a foundational statics course increase representation of women and URMs in engineering majors? 5. Integrating 4. Predicting 3. Relating 1. Describing 2. Representing Wilson, M. (2005). Constructing measures: An item response modeling approach. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum: 8. The InTEL system will be tested in the context of Georgia Tech’s COE 2001 Statics course, which was instituted by the College of Engineering in the summer semester, 2005 with the aim of unifying the teaching of Statics across the College. COE 2001 is part of the required curriculum for eight engineering majors (Aerospace, Biomedical, Civil, Environmental, Materials, Mechanical, Nuclear and Textiles) and is taken as an elective by a large per- centage of the other engineering majors (especially Computer, Electrical and Industrial). In fall semester 2007, there are fifteen sections of COE 2001 being offered with an average class size of fifty students, meeting two hours per week in traditional lecture format, and taught by faculty from across the College of Engineering. NSF Program: Engineering Education and Centers Project: EEC 0647915 Dates: 2007-2010 InTEL System Diagram Building Free Body Diagrams Basic Diagrams InTEL System Design This traffic light can have a similar basic diagram as the arm and purse. Views Views Mode Mode 1) Identify 2) Select and Build 3) Equations File File Real World Image Basic Diagram Free Body Diagram Save Load Quit Example #1: Holding a Purse Example #1: Holding a Purse Example #1: Holding a Purse Real World Problems Generalizing Knowledge Generalizing Knowledge Views Views Mode Mode 1) Identify 2) Select and Build 3) Equations File File Real World Image Basic Diagram Free Body Diagram Save Load Quit This leg and shoe can have a similar basic diagram as the arm and purse. Example #1: Holding a Purse Solving Equations Socially Relevant Examples: The Minneapolis Bridge Collapse
Transcript of Project Summary Women and URMs in Engineering Statics at Georgia Tech · 2013-04-10 · Project...
Preliminary Assessment Framework
Women and URMs in Engineering
File formatsLoading, Saving, PrintingExercise Selection
StandaloneApplication
Web-basedApplet
Exercise(Data side)
Application(System side) Rendering
PhysicsSimulation
UserInterface
HintSystem
Others...
Exercise World:Basic Diagram,Observation
Root Interface ExerciseInterface
FBD World:Constructing,isolating FBD
FBD Interface:building tools
Equation World:Solvability,find unknowns
EquationInterface
FBD Tutorial:Identify whatgoes in FBD
FBD TutorialInterface
Objects Representations Manipulators
SupersystemLogic
System / MainLogic
Modes
Components
World:Object
Management
Interface:Controls,
Interaction
Editor Modefor Instructor
Editor World:Makes savableexercise
Editor Interface:Tools, editors
Statics, a foundational engineering course, introduces a unique approach to problem solving, which is characterized by model-based reasoning. The major intended course out-come is for students to develop the ability to create and utilize free body diagrams as a mechanism for describing and constraining a problem. This ability to abstract and define an idealized problem from complex objects in the world or textual descriptions ratchets the engineer's ability to solve the problem. Sadly, however, students routinely leave this course having learned to "plug and chug" or jump to a mathematical equation without first defining the prob-lem in a diagrammatic form that articulates the underlying principles. This can lead to serious problems in future courses as the fundamental approach to engineering prob-lem solving has not been understood or embraced. As a foundational course, difficulties here can impact student academic confidence resulting in a diminished sense of self-efficacy that is particularly problematic when amplified by gender and under-represented (URM) minorities issues. And such faltering so early in the major can cause a student to leave engineering.
While difficulties in the course arise for several reasons, our project seeks to address the problem of context. Our hypothesis is that women and minorities particularly, and students generally, are more likely to do well in statics when the problems are placed in the context of real world useful-ness. An approach to teaching that effectively scaffolds stu-dents' efforts at model building and connects abstract principles/concepts to real world, every day applications will benefit all students while promoting diversity in engi-neering.
Towards that end, we are developing InTEL (Interactive Toolkit for Engineering Education), a computer-based ma-nipulable environment that supports teaching and learning in statics by mapping images from real-world environments to abstract diagrams for 2D and 3D equilibrium problems. With such digital technology, statics professors will be able to offer students important scaffolding for developing model-based reasoning by contextualizing abstract con-cepts and principles in lifelike models. Interacting with and manipulating these models will help students develop the kind of intuition that characterizes engineering reasoning and problem solving.
Project Summary
InTEL: Interactive Toolkit for Engineering Learning
College of EngineeringIvan Allen College in collaboration with the
PI:
Calvin Ashmore, Sneha Veeragoudar Harrell, Bo Yeon Lee, Brian Schrank, Geoff Thomas
Sue Rosser, Dean of Ivan Allen College, Georgia Tech
Co PIs/Affiliated Georgia Tech Faculty:
Research Assistants:
Laurence Jacobs, Janet Murray, Wendy Newstetter; Christine Valle
Difficulty in model-building can cause a lack of confidence and a dimin-ished sense of self-efficacy that is particularly problematic when ampli-fied by gender and underrepresented minority (URM) issues. Women and minorities are also more likely to do well when problems are placed in a context of real world usefulness. An approach to teaching and learning Statics that effectively scaffolds students' efforts at model building and connects abstract problems with multiple real world appli-cations will benefit all students and particularly help to promote diver-sity in engineering.
Our assessment will focus on how well the system supports 1) the development of concep-tual understanding in statics 2) the ability to use concepts in problem solving and 3) student perception of self-efficacy and confidence regarding the course material. Initially we will develop comprehensive construct maps of course material guided by the extensive work of Wilson (2005) in chemistry. These constructs will then guide the development of measures and items that reflect developing sophistication in statics understanding. Development of these constructs and measures will go hand in hand with the development of the InTEL system itself in a reflexive interplay of assessment design and system design.
Research Questions
Statics at Georgia Tech
Can software environments be designed and used to support the devel-opment of diagrammatic reasoning in introductory statics courses?Can software environments be designed to support the development 2D to 3D reasoning and manipulation? Can software environments afford the kinds of contextualization that clarify real world usefulness?
Can using these environments foster and sustain disciplinary engagement among women and URMS? Can integrating interactive learning tools into a foundational statics course increase representation of women and URMs in engineering majors?
5. Integrating
4. Predicting
3. Relating
1. Describing
2. Representing
Wilson, M. (2005). Constructing measures: An itemresponse modeling approach. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum: 8.
The InTEL system will be tested in the context of Georgia Tech’s COE 2001 Statics course, which was instituted by the College of Engineering in the summer semester, 2005 with the aim of unifying the teaching of Statics across the College. COE 2001 is part of the required curriculum for eight engineering majors (Aerospace, Biomedical, Civil, Environmental, Materials, Mechanical, Nuclear and Textiles) and is taken as an elective by a large per-centage of the other engineering majors (especially Computer, Electrical and Industrial). In fall semester 2007, there are fifteen sections of COE 2001 being offered with an average class size of fifty students, meeting two hours per week in traditional lecture format, and taught by faculty from across the College of Engineering.
NSF Program: EngineeringEducation and CentersProject: EEC 0647915Dates: 2007-2010
InTEL System Diagram
Building Free Body Diagrams
Basic Diagrams
InTEL System DesignThis traffic light can have a similar basic diagramas the arm and purse.
ViewsViews1) Real World Image2) Basic Diagram3) Free Body Diagram
ModeMode1) Identify2) Select and Build3) Equations
ViewsViews
ModeMode1) Identify2) Select and Build3) Equations
FileFile
Real World ImageBasic DiagramFree Body Diagram
SaveLoadQuit
Example #1: Holding a PurseExample #1: Holding a PurseExample #1: Holding a Purse
Real World Problems Generalizing Knowledge
Generalizing Knowledge
ViewsViews1) Real World Image2) Basic Diagram3) Free Body Diagram
ModeMode1) Identify2) Select and Build3) Equations
ViewsViews
ModeMode1) Identify2) Select and Build3) Equations
FileFile
Real World ImageBasic DiagramFree Body Diagram
SaveLoadQuit
Example #1: Holding a PurseExample #1: Holding a PurseThis leg and shoe can have a similar basic diagramas the arm and purse.
Example #1: Holding a Purse
Solving Equations
Socially Relevant Examples: The Minneapolis Bridge Collapse
