Random Group Problem-Based Learning in Engineering Dynamics

Dynamics problem solving is highly specific to the problem at hand and to develop the general mind framework to become an effective problem solver requires ingenuity and creativity on top of a solid grounding on theoretical and conceptual knowledge. A blended approach with prototype demo, problem-based learning, and an opinion questionnaire was used during first semester of 2013. Students working in randomly selected teams had to interact with classmates while solving a randomly selected problem. The approach helps improve awareness of what is important to learn in this class while reducing grading load. It also provides a more rewarding contact time for both pupils and instructor.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, 24 reference

Visualizing Electric Circuits: The Role of Spatial Visualization Skills in Electrical Engineering

A significant and sizeable correlation is established between engineering students’ scores on a spatial visualization test and their scores on an electric circuits concept test with about 25 % of the variation shared between the two tests. Visualization appears to play a very important role in the analysis of electric circuits which requires the mental transformation of pictorial representations of circuits to formal circuit diagrams

The influence of gender stereotypes on women’s spatial abilities and their underrepresentation in the field of engineering

Technological innovation and scientific progress are important components for improving human condition and economic success. Therefore, a workforce that includes a critical amount of experts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) domains is needed. Evidence supports that males and females often present differences in their performance and preferences towards some STEM courses and occupations, especially engineering. Specifically, the number of women that decide to pursue careers in the engineering field is relatively low. One possible factor contributing to this gender gap that has gained a lot of interest recently is gender stereotyping and distinct gender roles among societies. Segregation between women and men’s societal roles result in psychological gender differences, emerging from early childhood, and can later affect career choices. Additionally, different gender related standards imposed by the society drive women towards activities, majors and careers perceived as more “feminine”. Another way gender stereotypes contribute to these differences is by affecting the development of cognitive skills that are hugely involved in engineer learning and thinking. Spatial abilities are part of such skills that play an important role in academic and occupational achievements in STEM domains, is strongly correlated with engineering education and can, on average, be less developed among women relative to men. In this paper we are going to review the literature on the influence of gender stereotypes on women’s spatial ability development, and how this may later prevent them from pursuing a career in engineering

Assessing Vividness of Mental Imagery: The Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire

Publisher allows archiving of submitted msMental imagery may occur in any sensory modality, although visual imagery has been most studied. A sensitive measure of the vividness of imagery across a range of modalities is needed: the shorter version of Bett’s QMI (Sheehan, 1967) uses outdated items and has an unreliable factor structure. We report the development and initial validation of the Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire (Psi-Q) comprising items for each of the following modalities: Vision, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch, Bodily Sensation and Emotional Feeling. An Exploratory Factor Analysis on a 35-item form indicated that these modalities formed separate factors, rather than a single imagery factor, and this was replicated by confirmatory factor analysis. The Psi-Q was validated against the Spontaneous Use of Imagery Scale (Reisberg, Pearson & Kosslyn, 2003) and Marks’ (1995) Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire-2. A short 21-item form comprising the best three items from the seven factors correlated with the total score and subscales of the full form, and with the VVIQ-2. Inspection of the data shows that while visual and sound imagery is most often rated as vivid, individuals who rate one modality as strong and the other as weak are not uncommon. Findings are interpreted within a working memory framework and point to the need for further research to identify the specific cognitive processes underlying the vividness of imagery across sensory modalities

Exploring the role of spatial cognition in problem solving

While spatial aptitude is acknowledged as a key cognitive ability that accompanies success in STEM education, less is reported about the qualitative differences between weak and strong visualisers in how they approach and engage with assessments in STEM education. In this paper, we study one particular aspect of the STEM curriculum - solving convergent ‘word’ problems in mathematics - in an attempt to discern quantitative and qualitative differences between the approaches weak and strong visualisers adopt when solving these problems. The paper is a work-in-progress that started with a search for suitable convergent mathematics problems which were then presented to a small sample of engineering students using a think aloud protocol. Participants were asked to think aloud while they solved the problems and to write their answers using a LiveScribe pen to concurrently record spoken and written responses. They also completed a spatial skills test. The magnitude and significance of the correlation between the spatial and mathematics tests scores were measured to be r = .79, p \u3c .01

EYE-TRACKING THE EFFECTS OF REPRESENTATION ON STUDENTS’ PROBLEM SOLVING APPROACHES

This study used an eye-tracking method to explore students’ approaches to solving the same task in different representations and the differences between students who answered correctly and those who answered incorrectly when solving the problems. Thirty-one upper secondary students took part in the study. According to the results of this study, the representation has a slight effect on students’ problem solving processes. Students with the incorrect answers paid more attention to the parts of the tasks with information irrelevant to determining the solution to the task

Sequencing spatial concepts in problem-based GIS instruction

AbstractIn this paper, we sketch a general framework to help educators sequence problem-based GIS instruction. This framework weaves together: (1) problem based learning with GIS, (2) cognitive load theory in problem solving, (3) the structural view of spatial knowledge, where higher-level concepts are constructed in part from lower-level concepts, (4) how the form of representation used to solve problems influences the development of spatial thinking skills

Konsistensi Representasi dalam Menyelesaikan Kasus Jarak Tempuh

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melihat pemahaman konsep dan konsistensi mahasiswa dalam menggunakan konsep saat menyelesaikan soal fisika pada topik jarak benda dengan penyajian dalam format multi representasi. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif kuantitatif. Penelitian dilakukan pada 138 mahasiswa sarjana fisika tahun pertama di Universitas Negeri Malang. Instrumen penelitian terdiri dari 24 soal pilihan ganda. Soal dibuat dalam empat format representasi yakni (1) representasi matematis, (2) representasi tabel, (3) representasi grafik, dan (4) representasi visual (diagram gerak). Artikel ini membahas kemampuan mahasiswa dalam menentukan jarak tempuh. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemahaman konsep jarak tempuh objek masih rendah yang ditunjukkan dengan nilai rata-rata mahasiswa hanya 26,63 dan 97 (70,29%) mahasiswa tidak konsisten dalam menyelesaikan soal. Dari keempat format representasi, mahasiswa mengalami paling banyak kesulitan ketika menyelesaikan soal dalam format representasi matematis dan representasi grafik

Students’ ability to solve process-diagram problems in secondary biology education

Process diagrams are important tools in biology for explaining processes such as protein synthesis, compound cycles and the like. The aim of the present study was to measure the ability to solve process-diagram problems in biology and its relationship with prior knowledge, spatial ability and working memory. For this purpose, we developed a test that represents process diagrams and adjacent tasks used in secondary education biology. Results show that the ability to solve process-diagram problems is correlated to prior knowledge, spatial abilities and visuospatial working memory capacity. A difference in impact of spatial skills was demonstrated for the level of cognitive demand when solving process-diagram problems

The Link between Spatial Skills and Engineering Problem-Solving

Well-developed 3-D spatial skills are correlated with engineering success. However, most studies examining the link between spatial skills and engineering success have been conducted at the macro level, i.e., the link between spatial skills and course grades or between spatial skills and graduation rates. In this research, a more refined approach has been taken. Relationships between spatial skills and success in solving certain types of problems that engineering students commonly encounter are examined. It was found that high levels of spatial skills predict success in solving certain types of engineering problems but not in all types of problems. Data gathered through this research will be further analyzed to determine characteristics of problems where spatial skills appear to play a role and characteristics where they do not