Learning from Engineers to Develop a Model of Disciplinary Literacy in Engineering (Year 3)

Purpose This paper will the describe the overall project goals, activities, preliminary findings, and future work on this project. The purpose of this project is to develop a model of Disciplinary Literacy Instruction (DLI) in engineering that can be used in both K-12 and undergraduate engineering settings. This model of DLI will be informed by knowledge about the ways practicing engineers across four disciplines of engineering (i.e., electrical/computer, mechanical/aerospace, civil/environmental, and chemical/biological) read, interpret, evaluate, and generate texts in the context of their work environment. This information will be translated into a model of DLI in engineering to teach students how to use authentic engineering literacy practices as they learn discipline specific engineering content. Project Activities During the first year of this project, we conducted on-site observations with two electrical engineers and two mechanical engineers. In addition, we held interviews and conducted think-aloud protocols that were informed by the observations with each engineer. From these data sources, we developed a codebook describing the types of texts that the engineers interpreted, evaluated, and generated at the workplace. worked with both mechanical and electrical engineering consultants to help refine and revise the codes and code definitions to enhance their authenticity to each discipline. To further ensure the quality of our data analysis procedures, we sought feedback on our codes from three advisory board consultants having expertise in disciplinary literacy, engineering, and K-12 engineering education. During the second year of this project, we analyzed the interview and think-aloud protocol transcripts from the electrical and mechanical engineers to generate themes that described the interpretive and evaluative frameworks the engineers used as they solved a technical problem or generated a solution for a client or customer. Similarly, we developed themes that described the socially situated activities in which the previously defined genres were embedded. Taken together, these frameworks and activities inform the development of the DLI model in engineering. We also began collecting observation, interview, and think aloud data with one civil and one environmental engineer during this year. Currently, in the third year of this project, we are analyzing the observation field notes and the interview and think-aloud protocol transcripts from the civil and environmental engineers. Simultaneously, we are generating data with the final pair of engineers: one biological and one chemical engineer. We continue to refine our codebook by adding new genres as they appear and merging any similar, existing genres to capture the range of texts with which the engineers engaged. Engineering consultants from both the civil and environmental disciplines will provide feedback on our codes. Combined data from this phase with previous phases will be used develop disciplinary specific curricular materials for K-12 and undergraduate engineering education. Future Activities The data collected and analyzed throughout the project will inform the development of a model for DLI in engineering that can be used by teachers in both undergraduate and K-12 educational settings. This model will provide a framework for teachers to instruct students on how to use the authentic reading and writing strategies that practicing engineers use while solving problems. By providing a diverse set of students with exposure to these literacy practices in school at a young age, a model of DLI in engineering has the potential to remove literacy-based barriers that may deter students from pursuing engineering pathways

Cherubism in a 4-year-old boy managed with tumor curettage, mandibular osteotomies and repositioning

Cherubism is a rare disease characterized by significant loss of medullary bone which is replaced by excessive amounts of fibrous tissue growth within the mandible and maxilla. We present a case of a 4-year-old boy with a rapidly enlarging mandible and maxilla, causing significant change in the facial contour, malocclusion and phonation difficulties. He was treated with aggressive tumor curettage, lateral mandibular cortex osteotomies with medial repositioning. This allowed obliteration of the enlarged medullary space and restoration of the normal mandibular anatomy. At 12 months postoperatively, the patient had significant improvement in facial contour, normal outward appearance, and stable dentition

Surgical Excision of Non–Melanoma Skin Cancer in an Elderly Veteran’s Affairs Population

Background: Non–melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common malignancy in the United States. Recommended treatment for NMSC remains surgical excision following a positive biopsy. Evidence of complete spontaneous regression of residual NMSC exists in the case of small lesions macroscopically removed by shave biopsy, but with a positive microscopic margin. The present study investigates the rate at which residual tumor is present at subsequent excisional biopsy, with the aim to assess if recommendation to forgo surgical excision can be made. Methods: A total of 233 shave biopsies of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were performed during a 5-year period. All specimens included in the study were less than 2 cm in diameter, were macroscopically removed by shave biopsy, and had a positive initial microscopic margin. Results: On subsequent surgical excisional biopsy, 42% of BCC specimens were negative for residual tumor, 38% had residual tumor, but the tumor was completely contained in the excised specimen, and 20% of the specimens had positive margin residual tumor. For SCC specimens, 73% were negative for residual tumor, 21% had residual tumor, but the tumor was completely contained in the excised specimen, and 6% of the specimens had positive margin residual tumor. Conclusions: Although reduction of residual tumor at reexcision is noted with both BCC and even more so with SCC, the rate at which this occurs is not sufficient that a general recommendation to forgo surgical excision can be made