Performance Evaluation of Pressure Transducers for Water Impacts

The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle is being designed for water landings. In order to benchmark the ability of engineering tools to predict water landing loads, test programs are underway for scale model and full-scale water impacts. These test programs are predicated on the reliable measurement of impact pressure histories. Tests have been performed with a variety of pressure transducers from various manufacturers. Both piezoelectric and piezoresistive devices have been tested. Effects such as thermal shock, pinching of the transducer head, and flushness of the transducer mounting have been studied. Data acquisition issues such as sampling rate and anti-aliasing filtering also have been studied. The response of pressure transducers have been compared side-by-side on an impulse test rig and on a 20-inch diameter hemisphere dropped into a pool of water. The results have identified a range of viable configurations for pressure measurement dependent on the objectives of the test program

\u27Let Me See What I Could Do\u27: Students\u27 Epistemic Affect When Solving Open-Ended, Real-World Problems

This full research paper examines students’ epistemic affect, or their feelings about and within the doing of engineering, when encountering ill-defined problems in two of their first engineering science courses. Ill-defined problems are what students will encounter as professional engineers, but engineering students typically get little practice in their coursework at solving these types of problems. As students explained how they worked their way through the ill-defined and open-ended problems, we found evidence of both positive and negative feelings that arose, as well as descriptions of affective transitions, or shifts from one affect to another. Some of these transitions show evidence that students begin to regulate or anticipate these feelings as a result of repeated exposure to ill-defined problems. This work has implications for including the development of epistemic regulation as part of engineering students\u27 preparation for professional practice

Understanding African American Mothers’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Autism-Related Services for Their Autistic Children in Rural Communities

This study aimed to address the gap in the literature related to understanding African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the available services provided to their children diagnosed with autism living in rural communities. The theoretical framework used for this study is the racial formation theory as a lens for completing this study. The research question explored African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of autism-related services provided to their children with autism in rural communities. The research design chosen for this study is a generic qualitative design using semi-structured interviews for data collection from 10 African American mothers of autistic children who reside in rural communities across the United States. The data from the interviews, field notes, and demographic information forms were analyzed using content analysis using open and selective coding. Four themes emerged from the data analysis that provided a deeper understanding of ten African American mother’s perceptions of the autism-related services provided to their children (a) speech therapy and school are effective; (b) being black living in rural impacts the quality of care; (c) education and research; and (d) advocacy matters for children. Implications of this study could be helpful for scholar-practitioners, researchers, and other human service providers by providing new insight and knowledge about African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of available services within rural communities and if race or geography impacts their perception

Understanding African American Mothers’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Autism-Related Services for Their Autistic Children in Rural Communities

This study aimed to address the gap in the literature related to understanding African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the available services provided to their children diagnosed with autism living in rural communities. The theoretical framework used for this study is the racial formation theory as a lens for completing this study. The research question explored African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of autism-related services provided to their children with autism in rural communities. The research design chosen for this study is a generic qualitative design using semi-structured interviews for data collection from 10 African American mothers of autistic children who reside in rural communities across the United States. The data from the interviews, field notes, and demographic information forms were analyzed using content analysis using open and selective coding. Four themes emerged from the data analysis that provided a deeper understanding of ten African American mother’s perceptions of the autism-related services provided to their children (a) speech therapy and school are effective; (b) being black living in rural impacts the quality of care; (c) education and research; and (d) advocacy matters for children. Implications of this study could be helpful for scholar-practitioners, researchers, and other human service providers by providing new insight and knowledge about African American mothers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of available services within rural communities and if race or geography impacts their perception

Open-Ended Modeling Group Projects in Introductory Statics and Dynamics Courses

Traditionally, the types of problems that students see in their introductory statics and dynamics courses are well-structured textbook problems with a single solution [1]. These types of questions are often seen by students as being somewhat at-odds with the more “realistic” challenges that they may face in their design or lab courses. Additionally, in the pandemic-necessitated paradigm of emergency online instruction, methods of assessment beyond traditional exams have become more emphasized, both as a way of keeping students engaged by giving the material relevance and of ensuring that the work that they present is their own when so many solutions are available online

Consideration for Scaffolding Open-Ended Engineering Problems: Instructor Reflections After Three Years

This full research-to-practice paper is a collaboration between researchers and instructors to examine the scaffolding of open-ended problems. Most assigned homework problems are closed-ended with one correct answer and are unlike the ill-defined problems practicing engineers solve in the workplace. To begin bridging this gap, our research team of engineering education researchers and instructors have been designing and implementing ill-defined, open-ended homework problems for the past three years. This study presents instructor reflections on considerations for scaffolding open-ended problems, made after examining survey data from their own students. We present the results in six practices of scaffolding that better support students in their solving of the problems