DISASSEMBLE/ANALYZE/ASSEMBLE: HOW A HANDS-ON ENGINEERING PROJECT AFFECTS HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS\u27 SCIENCE/ENGINEERING SELF-EFFICACY, INTEREST AND CAREER CONSIDERATIONS

Engineering education as part of the K-12 curriculum can be an effective instructional tool and its benefits include improved science and mathematical achievement as well as an increased interest and understanding of the engineering field, especially for female students. However, there is a serious lack of research-based engineering curriculum being used at the middle and high school levels and lessons most often rely on building or construction competitions. Over the past decade or two, many well-known colleges have implemented a reverse engineering instructional unit known as Disassemble/Analyze/Assemble projects within their introductory engineering courses. These units have been shown to improve students’ understanding of mechanical and technical processes as well as increase students’ engineering interest and motivation, especially for female students. The purpose of this study is to implement at the high school level a Disassemble/Analyze/Assemble (DAA) project using computers, handheld fans, and LED lights and to determine if and how this unit affects female students’ self-efficacy, science and engineering interest and career aspirations. Using Social Cognitive Theory for the theoretical framework, nine female students were chosen for the study using stratified purposeful sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted before and after the DAA unit. Data was analyzed using an a priori directed approach to content analysis described by Hseih and Shannon (2005). This research study showed that the DAA unit appeared to increase female students’ science/engineering self-efficacy and interest as the unit provided multiple opportunities for the students to problem solve and make cognitive connections with previously learned science concepts. Students did not show any changes in their career considerations after the DAA unit. There was no statistically significant difference between the male and female mean scores on the Purdue Spatial Visual Test: Rotations (Guay, 1976; Yoon, 2011). KEYWORDS: Engineering Education, Science Education, Engineering Interest, Science Self-Efficacy, Science Interes

A Cognitive Model for Problem Solving in Computer Science

According to industry representatives, computer science education needs to emphasize the processes involved in solving computing problems rather than their solutions. Most of the current assessment tools used by universities and computer science departments analyze student answers to problems rather than investigating the processes involved in solving them. Approaching assessment from this perspective would reveal potential errors leading to incorrect solutions. This dissertation proposes a model describing how people solve computational problems by storing, retrieving, and manipulating information and knowledge. It describes how metacognition interacts with schemata representing conceptual and procedural knowledge, as well as with the external sources of information that might be needed to arrive at a solution. Metacognition includes higher-order, executive processes responsible for controlling and monitoring schemata, which in turn represent the algorithmic knowledge needed for organizing and adapting concepts to a specificc domain. The model illustrates how metacognitive processes interact with the knowledge represented by schemata as well as the information from external sources. This research investigates the didifferences in the way computer science novices use their metacognition and schemata to solve a computer programming problem. After J. Parham and L. Gugerty reached an 85% reliability for six metacognitive processes and six domain-specific schemata for writing a computer program, the resulting vocabulary provided the foundation for supporting the existence of and the interaction between metacognition, schemata, and external sources of information in computer programming. Overall, the participants in this research used their schemata 6% more than their metacognition and their metacognitive processes to control and monitor their schemata used to write a computer program. This research has potential implications in computer science education and software development through its understanding of the cognitive behavior used to solve computational problems

A collection of resources for the study of educational reverse engineering activities in engineering design education

Educational Reverse Engineering Activities referred to as the acronym -EREA- help engineering design students to: Acquire and develop a set of abilities that raise their awareness of the design process; expand their sources of inspiration, position their actions within the lifecycle of a product, and transform theoretical knowledge into practice. However, it was detected that although such activities sparked interest among engineering design educators, they were either absent from typical engineering design curricula or were not fully exploited. After analysing the causes for it and determining that the creation of a collection of resources for the study of educational reverse engineering activities was the best way to reach a geographically dispersed community and thus start trying to change the existing research situation, the development of such resources began with the goal to address as many of the concerns as possible found whenever trying to implement EREA into existing engineering design curricula. The contents selected for inclusion in the collection of resources then, were derived based on initial exploratory discussions with experts in academia and industry; from the feedback received from peer reviewed conference papers stemming from this doctoral research, and from the presentation of intermediate results to early reviewers of this project; for such reasons, the information presented in the different resources targets first time (or novice) instructors of reverse engineering activities and takes into account not only the technical but also the pedagogical and administrative considerations implicated in the study of academic activities, and their potential introduction into an existing engineering design curriculum Given that some relevant information about the topic already existed but it was dispersed across different areas of knowledge; rather than developing all topics from scratch again, a conscious effort was made to examine published literature and to consult with domain experts to integrate and contextualise all existing information into a coherent body that could be complemented with the original results originating from this project. The major sections comprising the collection of resources then, are listed below: - Resource 1: Fundamentals of Educational Reverse Engineering Activities - Resource 2: Reverse Engineering and Learning - Resource 3: Misconceptions about Reverse Engineering - Resource 4: Benefits of Reverse Engineering - Resource 5: A Proposed Methodology for Reverse Engineering Analysis in Engineering Design Education - Resource 6: A Suggested Pedagogy for the Teaching of Educational Reverse Engineering Activities - Resource 7: Integrated Example of an Educational Reverse Engineering Activity on a Disposable Camera - Resource 8: Conclusions and Final Remarks - Resource 9: Miscellaneous Resources for the Study of Reverse Engineering The abovementioned resources were of a self-contained nature, could be read either individually or sequentially, and were written using the "DRM" framework for research in the area of engineering design. Once finished, a number of academic institutions were contacted to measure their interest in the resources, and in the end 12 different ones in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Denmark and Germany showed their interest in the research project and agreed to receive the document for reading, thus helping fulfil one of the main goals of this research which was to disseminate the results from it. Other results from this project include five peer reviewed conference papers and a report presented at the Technical University of Ilmenau in Germany after spending a visiting internship abroad to learn about similar approaches to the research into reverse engineering by other schools and traditions of designLas actividades educativas de ingeniería inversa “AEII” tambien conocidas como “EREA” por su acrónimo en inglés ayudan a los estudiantes de ingeniería de diseño a: Adquirir y desarrollar un conjunto de habilidades que elevan su conocimiento del proceso de diseño; tambien a expandir sus fuentes de inspiración, a situar sus acciones dentro del ciclo de vida de un producto, y a transformar conocimiento teórico en practico. Sin embargo, se detectó que a pesar de que tales actividades despertaban el interés de los profesores del área de ingeniería de diseño ellas estaban o ausentes de sus típicos programas de estudio o no explotadas en su totalidad Después de analizar las causas de ello y determinar que la creación de una colección de recursos para el estudio de las actividades educativas de ingeniería inversa era la mejor forma de acceder a un grupo geográficamente disperso y así intentar cambiar la situación de investigación existente, el desarrollo de tales recursos empezó con la meta de atender tantas inquietudes como fueran posible, de aquellas encontradas siempre que se intentaba implementar “AEII” en programas existentes de ingeniería de diseño Los contenidos seleccionados para formar parte de la colección de recursos, fueron definidos en base a conversaciones iniciales de exploración con expertos en la academia y la industria; en base a la retroalimentación recibida de los artículos presentados en conferencia procedentes de esta investigación doctoral, y de la presentación de resultados intermedios a los revisores preliminares de este proyecto; por tales razones, la información presentada en los diferentes recursos está dirigidas a instructores principiantes de actividades de ingeniería inversa y toma en cuenta no solo las consideraciones técnicas sino también las pedagógicas y administrativas involucradas en el estudio de actividades académicas y su potencial incorporación a un programa existente en ingeniería de diseño Dado que cierta información relevante al tema de investigación ya existía pero estaba dispersa entre varias áreas del conocimiento; en vez de desarrollar todos los temas desde cero nuevamente, se realizó un esfuerzo consciente para examinar la literatura existente y consultar con expertos en el tema, para así integrar y contextualizar toda la información disponible en un estudio coherente que pudiera ser complementado con los resultados originales producidos por esta investigación. Las secciones principales que comprenden la colección de recursos se enumeran a continuación: • Recurso 1: Fundamentos de las Actividades Educativas de Ingeniería Inversa • Recurso 2: Ingeniería Inversa y Aprendizaje • Recurso 3: Interpretaciones Equívocas acerca de la Ingeniería Inversa • Recurso 4: Beneficios de la Ingeniería Inversa • Recurso 5: Una Propuesta de Metodología para Utilizar Análisis de Ingeniería Inversa en la Enseñanza de la Ingeniería de Diseño • Recurso 6: Una Propuesta de Pedagogía para la Enseñanza de Actividades Educativas de Ingeniería Inversa • Recurso 7: Ejemplo de una Actividad Educativa de Ingeniería Inversa en una Cámara Desechable • Recurso 8: Conclusiones y Apuntes Finales • Recurso 9: Recursos Diversos para el Estudio de la Ingeniería Inversa Los recursos fueron escritos utilizando la metodología “DRM” para la investigación en el área de ingeniería de diseño y se contactó a diversas instituciones académicas para saber de su interés en tales recursos, al final 12 instituciones en el Reino Unido; Irlanda, Francia, Dinamarca y Alemania mostraron su interés en el proyecto y accedieron a recibir el documento, ayudando así a cumplir una de las metas principales de esta investigación que fue difundir sus resultados entre estudiosos de la ingenierÍa inversa educativa. Tambien como resultado final de esta investigacion se pueden contar 5 artículos presentados en conferencia y el reporte de trabajo de la estancia de investigación en el extranjero

Teaching Engineering, Second Edition

The majority of professors have never had a formal course in education, and the most common method for learning how to teach is on-the-job training. This represents a challenge for disciplines with ever more complex subject matter, and a lost opportunity when new active learning approaches to education are yielding dramatic improvements in student learning and retention. This book aims to cover all aspects of teaching engineering and other technical subjects. It presents both practical matters and educational theories in a format useful for both new and experienced teachers. It is organized to start with specific, practical teaching applications and then leads to psychological and educational theories. The practical orientation section explains how to develop objectives and then use them to enhance student learning, and the theoretical orientation section discusses the theoretical basis for learning/teaching and its impact on students. Written mainly for PhD students and professors in all areas of engineering, the book may be used as a text for graduate-level classes and professional workshops or by professionals who wish to read it on their own. Although the focus is engineering education, most of this book will be useful to teachers in other disciplines. Teaching is a complex human activity, so it is impossible to develop a formula that guarantees it will be excellent. However, the methods in this book will help all professors become good teachers while spending less time preparing for the classroom. This is a new edition of the well-received volume published by McGraw-Hill in 1993. It includes an entirely revised section on the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and new sections on the characteristics of great teachers, different active learning methods, the application of technology in the classroom (from clickers to intelligent tutorial systems), and how people learn. Preface Chapter 1: Introduction: Teaching Engineering Chapter 2: Efficiency Chapter 3: Designing Your First Class Chapter 4: Courses: Objectives, Textbooks, and Accreditation Chapter 5: Problem Solving and Creativity Chapter 6: Lectures Chapter 7: Active Learning Chapter 8: Teaching with Technology Chapter 9: Design and Laboratory Chapter 10: One-to-One Teaching and Advising Chapter 11: Testing, Homework, and Grading Chapter 12: Student Cheating, Discipline, and Ethics Chapter 13: Psychological Type and Learning Chapter 14: Models of Cognitive Development: Piaget and Perry Chapter 15: Learning Theories Chapter 16: Evaluation of Teaching Chapter 17: Professional Concerns Appendix A: Obtaining an Academic Position Appendix B: Sample Teaching Engineering Course Outlinehttps://docs.lib.purdue.edu/purduepress_ebooks/1060/thumbnail.jp

Cinnamtannin B1: a small compound having antidiabetes properties

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease that results from defects in insulin secretion and insulin receptor kinase. Investigation of novel small active molecule that can potentiate insulin action or having a similar action as insulin is important in the treatment of diabetes. World ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants reports almost 800 plants used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. However, only a small number of them have been studied thoroughly. Recent study conducted on Cinnamomum reported that it has a great activity in activating insulin receptor kinase and inhibiting insulin receptor phosphatase leading to increased insulin sensitivity and function as a mimetic for insulin. Our study was designed to investigate insulin-mimetic activity of cinnamtannin B1 isolated from Cinnamomum zeylanicum on adipocyte cells. The insulin-mimetic activity of cinnamtannin B1 was evaluated by monitoring preadipocytes differentiation, glucose uptake and phosphorylation of insulin receptor β-subunit in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. To determine whether cinnamtannin B1 able to promote differentiation of preadipocytes, we cultured 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in the presence of cinnamtannin B1, or combination of cinnamtannin B1 and insulin, and then cell proliferation was measured at several points during the course of growth. Investigation of role of cinnamtannin B1 on tyrosine posphorylation of insulin receptor of 3T3-L1 cells was done by immunoprecipitation of cells lysate with anti-insulin receptor β-subunit antibody and the immunocomplex samples were subjected to SDS-PAGE, transferred to nitrocelluose membranes, and immunoblotted with monoclonal anti-phosphotyrosine antibody. Evaluation of glucose uptake by adipocyte cells after treatment with cinnamtannin B1 was carried out by analyzing of radioactive glucose uptake with liquid scintillation counter. Based on these experiments, it was found that, a mixture cinnamtannin B1 with differentiation cocktail was able to induce differentiation of preadipocytes cells. Cinnamtannin B1 was found to active to stimulate phosphorylation of insulin receptor β-subunit by positively exhibited phosphorylation at 170-kDa. The mixture of cinnamtannin B1 was also able to stimulate glucose uptake from a basal value. The results demonstrated that activity of cinnamtannin B1 on adipocyte cells was found to mimicking insulin action. It acted directly on insulin receptor β-subunit by activation of PI3-kinase that stimulates glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4) translocation. Stimulation of GLUT4 translocation therefore stimulates glucose uptake lead to glucose disposal process in adipocytes. Based on the work that has been carried out, it was suggested that cinnamtannin B1 could be one of the Annals of Medicine & Healthcare Research Page 452 potential lead drug compound in the treatment of type 2 diabetes

Exploratory research into supply chain voids within Welsh priority business sectors

The paper reports the findings resulting from the initial stages of an exploratory investigation into Supply Chain Voids (SCV) in Wales. The research forms the foundations of a PhD thesis which is framed within the sectors designated as important by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and indicates local supplier capability voids within their supply chains. This paper covers the stages of initial data gathering, analysis and results identified between June 2006 and April 2007, whilst addressing the first of four research questions. Finally, the approach to address future research is identified in order to explain how the PhD is to progress