Complex VLSI Feature Comparison for Commercial Microelectronics Verification

Shortcomings in IC verification make for glaring vulnerabilities in the form of hardware backdoors, or extraneous operation modes that allow unauthorized, undetected access. The DARPA TRUST program addressed the need for verification of untrusted circuits using industry-standard and custom software. The process developed under TRUST and implemented at the AFRL Mixed Signal Design Center has not been tested using real-world circuits outside of the designated TRUST test cases. This research demonstrates the potential of applying software designed for TRUST test articles on microchips from questionable sources. A specific process is developed for both transistor-level library cell verification and gate-level circuit verification. The relative effectiveness and scalability of the process are assessed

SELF-CHEM: Student Engagement in Learning Through Flipped Chemistry Lectures

This project introduces the idea of “flipped lecturing” to a group of second year students. The aim of flipped lecturing is to provide much of the “content delivery” of lecture in advance, so that the lecture hour can be devoted to more in-depth discussion, problem solving, etc. As well as development of the material, a formal evaluation is being conducted. Fifty-one students from year 2 Chemical Thermodynamics module took part in this study. Students were provided with online lectures in advance of their lectures. Along with each online lecture, students were given a handout to work through as they watched the video. Each week, a quiz was completed before each lecture, which allowed students to check their understanding and provided a grade for their continuous assessment mark. The evaluation is examining both the students’ usage of materials and their engagement in lectures. This involves analysis of access statistics along with an in-class cognitive engagement instrument. The latter is measured by “interrupting” students as they work through a problem and asking four short questions which are drawn from another study (Rotgans and Schmidt 2011), which aimed to examine how students were engaging with the materials in that moment. Results from this study, along with access data, quiz scores, and student comments, aim to build up a profile of how the flipped lecture works for middle stage undergraduate students

Harnessing technology in chemistry education

Using technology when teaching or to support learning is becoming more common place. This perspective discusses the use of technology in our teaching by considering it from the viewpoint of what we need to support our curricula, investigating how technology can help. Nine approaches that have become popular in recent years are outlined with particular emphasis on curriculum delivery problems that they could address, and some recent literature examples of where they have been used. The integration of technology argued for is considered under the umbrella of cognitive load theory, and arising out of this, an approach of how we might progress the use of technology in our teaching is suggested

SELF-CHEM: Student Engagement in Learning Through Flipped Chemistry Lectures.

This project introduces the idea of “flipped lecturing” to a group of second year students. The aim of flipped lecturing is to provide much of the “content delivery” of lecture in advance, so that the lecture hour can be devoted to more in-depth discussion, problem solving, etc. As well as development of the material, a formal evaluation is being conducted. Fifty-one students from year 2 Chemical Thermodynamics module took part in this study. Students were provided with online lectures in advance of their lectures. Along with each online lecture, students were given a handout to work through as they watched the video. Each week, a quiz was completed before each lecture, which allowed students to check their understanding and provided a grade for their continuous assessment mark. The evaluation is examining both the students’ usage of materials and their engagement in lectures. This involves analysis of access statistics along with an in-class cognitive engagement instrument. The latter is measured by “interrupting” students as they work through a problem and asking four short questions which are drawn from another study (Rotgans and Schmidt 2011), which aimed to examine how students were engaging with the materials in that moment. Results from this study, along with access data, quiz scores, and student comments, aim to build up a profile of how the flipped lecture works for middle stage undergraduate students

Pre-lecture Resources to Reduce In-Lecture Cognitive Load

In order to reduce an observed gap in Year 1 performance between students who had and had not completed chemistry at Leaving Certificate in a first year chemistry group, an intervention based on cognitive load theory was implemented. Students completed ten pre-lecture resources before associated lectures. The resources took no longer than five minutes to complete and aimed to introduce students to the core terminology of the lecture. Resources were designed with the principles of cognitive load theory and multimedia resources in mind. They were administered through the DIT Webcourses virtual learning environment and students obtained feedback on a short quiz and a mark in the gradebook after completing each resource quiz. The resources were integrated into the lecture activity, increasing in-class discussion. After implementing the resources, the performances in a mid-semester exam and the end of year exam was examined. For the first time, students’ prior knowledge was not a predictor of performance in these exams. The work resulted in dissemination at several national and international conferences, an accepted journal publication and a Teaching and Learning award

Eight steps to facilitating more equitable education in undergraduate sciences

Pedagogical practices can influence students’ confidence and ability beliefs and affect their ambition to persevere in science. Given the continuing need to diversify science and retain students in scientific programmes, science education must be tailored to cater to the needs of varied student groups. Since early experience in university programmes can be decisive in determining students’ further academic and professional choices, pedagogies employed in undergraduate science courses can be particularly influential in supporting science careers. Undergraduate science instructors are therefore encouraged to consider their approaches to teaching and learning from a variety of perspectives that could help empower students from under-represented groups