2018 STEAM Education PROCEEDINGS

University/Organization
Department of African Studies
Penn State University
State College, Pennsylvania

Title
Conflict Migration, and The Flight of Human Capital: The Case of The Lost Boys from Sudan Resettled in Philadelphia, and who Studied at Penn State University

Synopsis

Extant literature on conflict and the creation of streams of refugees, focuses mainly on refugee resettlement concerns, both for refugees as well as host countries, and the funding and resource provision involved. However, there is little discussion of the fact that, forced migration of refugees of conflict also amounts to the flight of human capital from the original economies of the countries of the refugees, which condition adversely affects development in those economies. This paper examines African conflicts and their accompanying refugee creation problem, especially the flight of human capital from the African economy, through the forced migration of sundry expertise from the continent.

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University/Organization
Department of Government
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, Texas

Title
Terrorism and the Military Institution: How do you Justify Military Atrocities?

Synopsis
The role of the military institution, since its inception, is to protect and defend the society it serves. Unfortunately, over the years, the military as an institution has become a threat to societies with its technological advancement and financial investments by nations globally continue to soar. This means societies regularly fund ways to perfect military atrocities by justifying the institution’s actions. As the Chinese philosopher, Mo Ti, asked about two thousand years ago, when will military killing be considered a murder instead of rewarding the killers? Individuals such as Napoleon Bonaparte (France), Jerry John Rawlings (Ghana), Iddi Amin (Uganda), Francisco Franco (Spain), Muammar al-Qaddafi (Libya), Augusto Pinochet (Chile) and many other coup makers have used the institution to ascend to power through military coups and have terrorised their own citizens. Additionally, powerful nations such as the United States, Israel, and Russia use their military might to threaten weaker ones and the former are more likely to justify their atrocities: For example, British colonization relied on its military to control the colonized. The underlying question is: Has the military become a tool for terrorism? Or should military crimes not be considered acts of terrorism?

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University/Organization
Information Systems and Operations Management
School of Business and Industry
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, Florida

College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, Florida

Department of Civil and Environment Engineering
FAMU/FSU College of Engineering
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, Florida

Title
Engaging High School Students in STEM Ideation and Innovation through Summer Program App Development Challenge

Synopsis
The Program of Excellence in STEM (PE-STEM) is a 9th-12th grade Summer Program and Academic Year Enrichment Program focused on increasing excitement and enthusiasm for pursuing careers in STEM among underrepresented students. As part of the Summer Program, computer science-focused students participated in a mini-app challenge, designing apps for social good. Students participated in Design Thinking and Ideation, and presented working apps to university community in poster session.

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University/Organization
Department of Education
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, Texas

Title
Increasing Biology Content Literacy and Digital Literacy with Minority Students Using Blended Learning

Synopsis
This autoethnographic paper exposes my experiences, both good and bad, using blended learning to teach biology in 9th grade biology courses in South Texas to increase content and digital literacy of my students and myself. The students in this school district close to Mexico are predominantly Hispanic. The frameworks are social justice and new literacy studies. I obtained the Data from 1) aggregate reports, 2) personal observations, and 3) anonymous feedback from former students. I observed increased digital literacy of my students and myself. Benefits of increasing digital literacy of high school students should have a positive impact on preparing them for higher education.

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University/Organization
School of Education
The University of Notre Dame Sydney
Haberfield, New South Wales
Australia

Title
Reflective Practice for Primary Education Students in Science

Synopsis
Primary Education students often struggle with the pedagogy of teaching Science. This paper describes the development of and positive effect of introducing a reflective practice to one of their Science teaching assessments.

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University/Organization
Engineering Technology Department
The University of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio

Science Support
Toledo Public School
Toledo, Ohio

Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering Department
The University of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio

Department of Curriculum and Instruction
The University of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio

Title
Implementing Hands-on Activities and Online Simulations to Middle School Curricula: Electric Circuits

Synopsis
The combination of in class experiments with computer simulations is an excellent cost and time effective way of teaching middle school electric circuits, as well as many other required topics in physics.

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University/Organization
Tennessee State University
Nashville, Tennessee

Title
Meeting Engineering Students’ Needs through the Investigation and Development of Effective Mentoring Practices

Synopsis
The present research study was comprised of students who have successfully obtained a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) undergraduate degree. The researchers were interested in capturing the mentoring practices that led to the successful completion of their undergraduate degree. The present study aims to share an innovative model of mentoring from these findings. The model will include mentor and mentee perspectives and significant current literature on mentoring in STEM.

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University/Organization
School of Education
Curtin University
Perth, Western Australia
Australia

Title
STEM for Infants and Children Under 2 Years Old: Identifying the Mathematical Demands and Opportunities in Young Children’s Play and Interactions

Synopsis
This Action Research project was conducted with teachers working with infants and children under two years in an Early Childhood Education and Care Centre in Western Australia.

The presentation will share Early Learning Centre action and teacher written ‘Learning Stories’. These illustrate STEM experiences (using a ‘mathematical lens’) and opportunities for supporting and encouraging mathematical concept and skill development during child-initiated play, routines, schedules and care giving.

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University/Organization
United States Military Academy, West Point
West Point, New York

Miami University
Oxford, Ohio

Title
Strategies to Correlate Admission Criteria to Performance in STEM Coursework for Non-Science Majors

Synopsis
STEM classrooms challenge students to make conceptual applications across disciplines. The question is, can we predict STEM performance before they enter the classroom? We assessed standardized exam and individual predictors (i.e., demographics, athletics, etc.) along with the likelihood of graduation using the consolidated college entrance examination rank (CEER). Our data supports a conclusion that composite predictors are useful to identify students who may benefit from additional interventions to ensure successful progress towards graduation.

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University/Organization
United States Military Academy, West Point
West Point, New York

Title
CURE Biology: Analyzing Microbes Using a Collaborative STEM Approach

Synopsis
We developed a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) to emphasize applied STEM and promote scientific communication. Students use the scientific process, microbiology, and analytical chemistry to characterize microbes encountered in their daily lives. They communicate their findings in an exercise that illustrates the collaborative nature of science and the supporting curriculum.

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University/Organization
Math Science and Engineering Department
South Mountain Community College
Phoenix, Arizona

Title
Mathematics in Nursing / Bilingual Nursing Fellowship Program

Synopsis
The focus of this research study is to enhance the Bilingual Nursing Fellowship Program (BNFP) in South Mountain Community College graduation rate and transfer program to PC (Phoenix College) or GateWay College) and then MAPP (Maricopa ASU Pathways Program) to Arizona State University Nursing; or at least to CNA degree. MAT 141/142, College Mathematics, is therefore the required mathematics course for this degree. The one-hour workshop Prevention and Remediation on HESI A2 was offered every Friday and then comparing pre- and post-test results.

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University/Organization
Department of Mathematics
Middle Georgia State University
McRae, Georgia

Title
The Telescoping Series-Examined

Synopsis
The telescoping Series is a method for examining the convervence of infinite series of the form: This method, combined with partial fraction decomposition, is frequently effective. This paper will examine when the telescoping series is appropriate and simplify the summation process involving rational and transcendental functions. The telescoping series is a method for examining the convervence of infinite series of the form: this method, combined with partial fraction decomposition, is frequently effective.

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University/Organization
Department of Mathematics
Presbyterian College
Clinton, South Carolina

Title
Designing High Impact Curricular Practices Utilizing Makerspaces

Synopsis
When we teach power series, students are taught how to find the power series’ interval of convergence and some ways on how to estimate how many terms are needed to calculate a value, at certain degree of accuracy. What is almost always overlooked is that numerical calculations are not done with infinite precision. Algorithms will be developed for calculating the exponential, logarithmic, and Bessel (first kind, of integer order) functions. Infinite series representations, properties, and identities of each of the functions are incorporated in the algorithms, resulting in robust, versatile, and accurate calculations. The Bessel algorithm will use a unique application to the Taylor’s Series, centered at a non-zero center, and is applicable for complex arguments.

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University/Organization
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

Title
Designing High Impact Curricular Practices Utilizing Makerspaces

Synopsis
Sonoma State University is leading efforts across the California State University system to advance Maker pedagogy. This talk introduces methods to successfully create dynamic makerspaces, campus wide DIY culture, and curricular connections. The talk is ideal for those looking to attract underrepresented STEM groups and interdisciplinary collaborations. The presentation includes lessons learned and methods for funding, assessment, entrepreneurial integration, and institutionalization.

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University/Organization
Sydney School of Education
The University of Notre Dame Australia
Broadway, Sydney
New South Wales
Australia

Title
Integrating STEM into the Curriculum: Dimensional Models

Synopsis
This paper describes a new model of STEM curriculum integration where various combinations of schooling levels and curricular modal integration. Several examples of STEM curriculum integration from around the world are presented characterizing distinct educational scenarios for each type of STEM integration within this model. In presenting these case studies this paper re-conceptualizes the role of STEM in teaching and learning and provides recommendations for future endeavors.

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University/Organization
School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics
Western Sydney University
Parramatta, NSW
Australia

Title
Academia – Industry Engagements Framework for the Computing Undergraduate Degrees

Synopsis
Future of academic learning and teaching is becoming increasingly shaped by successful partnerships between the academic institutions and business corporates. Through the retrospective scenario analysis, this research develops a framework for the implementation of industry engagements to three-year undergraduate university courses.

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University/Organization
Instructional Leadership and Support
University of West Alabama
Livingston, Alabama

Title
Student-Built Websites: Raising the Bar on Engagement and Course Content Mastery

Synopsis
This presentation demonstrates the promotion of efficacy in student mastery of course content and increased engagement through assignments for creation of either individual or group websites on facets of course constructs. Comparison is provided between student website construction and some more traditional modalities of content mastery such as research papers and written assessments.

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University/Organization
Department of Korean Language Education
College of Education
Seoul National University
Seoul Special City
South Korea

Title
Convergence Education in Art and Literature through Self-portraits

Synopsis
The purpose of this study is to suggest an example of convergence education of art and literature through self-portraits of Frida Kahlo and Yun Dong-Ju. They found their life’s purpose in painting and in writing poetry while they suffered from tremendous pains throughout their lifetime. They portray their pains as a fate that has to be endured as women and poets of a colonized land. They depict their figures with plural images which they derive from their struggle to explore their identities.

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University/Organization
Department of Biology
Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View, Texas

Green College of Education
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View, Texas

Title
Students and Teachers Enhancing Performance in Science (STEPS)

Synopsis
The purpose of the exploratory study is to evaluate the impact of an innovative technology integrated summer camp. The camps merged anatomical concepts with various forms of technology. The participants were middle and high school students and teachers from the surrounding school districts. The participants used virtual dissection tables, mini-drones, and virtual reality goggles. Data was gathered from the participants’ completed exercises, questionnaires, and open-ended questions.

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University/Organization
Department of Mathematics & Statistics and Mechanical Engineering
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, Louisiana

School of Mathematics and Statistics
Yinchuan, Ningxia
People’s Republic of China

Department of Mathematics & Statistics and Mechanical Engineering
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, Louisiana

Title
On Analytical Evaluations of Triple Integrals in Complex Domains

Synopsis
Evaluation of triple integrals in complex volumes could be difficult for college students due to several complexities. This paper presents several alternatives for setting up triple integrals in complex volumes and perspectives for assessing triple integrals with diverse coordinate. Not only could these provide cross-checks for complex integrals, but also stimulate students’ enthusiasm to sparkle thoughts after class so as to enhance the understanding of triple integral evaluations.

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University/Organization
Mechanical Engineering Department
The University of Akron
Akron, Ohio

Title
Comparison of Experimental Two-Phase Flow and Theoretical Poiseulle-Couette Flow at Low Reynolds Numbers

Synopsis
The fully developed air-water flow is studied experimentally in a high aspect ratio air-water tunnel facility with Pitot-tube and laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) measurements. The experimental techniques and consideration are explained in this article. The Poiseuille-Couette flow (PCF) with solid moving wall is simulated to facilitate the comparison of air-water flow with the smooth water surface and PCF with a solid wall.

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University/Organization
Construction Management Department
College of Engineering, Construction and Computing
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

Title
The Economic, Social and Environmental Benefits Derived from The Redevelopment of Brownfields

Synopsis
Brownfields are defined as former industrial or commercial properties that have been abandoned, idled or are no longer in use. These properties may be compromised with contaminated water and/or toxic materials. This paper demonstrates that Brownfields may however, be salvaged and redeveloped. Redeveloping brownfields has challenges. Financial barriers and liability concerns are often cited as the main concerns, but this strategy can also have many economic, social and environmental benefits.

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University/Organization
Department of Mathematics
College of Science
Savannah State University
Savannah, Georgia

Title
THE Fascinating Magical Applications and Properties of Arithmetic Sequence

Synopsis
Synopsis: A sequence is a set of numbers in a specific order. The two simplest sequences which are interesting to work with are the classical arithmetic and geometric sequences. Since arithmetic and geometric sequences are so nice and regular, they have simple and friendly formulas. They have many interesting mathematical properties which are enjoyable and have exciting mathematical patterns.

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University/Organization
School of Music
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Title
Making STEAM a Priority in a STEM-Oriented Society: Ideas for an Innovative and Inclusive University Curriculum

Synopsis
An art and a science, music engages the entire brain. We argue that music can serve as a vessel to connect and integrate STEM and STEAM learning. At our institution, we developed and included neuroscience and psychology-based courses in the general education and music curricula; student interest in these classes resulted in high enrollment, frequent offerings, and successful student outcomes. This paper will discuss the benefits reaped from the symbiotic relationship between Arts and Sciences.
Interdisciplinary courses combining music with psychology, neuroscience, and service learning can aid in understanding the symbiotic relationship between the Arts and Sciences and exemplify the importance of a STEAM-oriented education.

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University/Organization
Department of Art, Communication Design
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, Colorado

Title
Templated: The Argument for Conceptual Representation in Responsive Landscapes

Synopsis
The contemporary landscape of the web is oversaturated with template-based, repetitive layouts all served conveniently to a multitude of devices. This research seeks to challenge the normalizes and possibilities of responsive web design by identifying the decline of conceptual experiences lacking in contemporary user interface design, and to seek how these two worlds can co-exist. Pedagogical integrations, inclusive of instructional premises, methods and student design results will be discussed.

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University/Organization
Hunter College of the City
University of New York
New York, New York

Title
Design, Implementation and Delivery of Customized Digital Resources in Large Multi-section Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory to Improve Outcomes on Laboratory Assessments

Synopsis
Assessment in our 2 semester Anatomy & Physiology lab consists of lab exams testing working knowledge of human anatomy. Covering over 1000 items per lab exam, 8 exams total, we developed custom resources to prepare our students. Our focused resources include visual model reviews and quizzes to incentivize early consistent study, narrated model videos for auditory reinforcement, customized image banks and full practice exams. All resources are available online to students via Blackboard and represent exactly what they would expect on lab exams. This can be a model for other courses.

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University/Organization
University College
Yonsei University
Seoul, South Korea

Title
Implementation of Software Curriculum for General Education

Synopsis
As the intelligent information technology society has arrived, the need for software education has become more and more important. In Korea, software education has been introduced in the middle and high school curriculum, and software education has been strengthened in universities accordingly. As the need for software education for not only Computer Science majors but also non-CS majors became necessary, universities began to review and reorganize software education courses. In college, software education other than computer science major is taken care of in the Liberal Arts. It is difficult to organize software curriculum into various courses in stages. It is necessary to cover the overview of computer science and the programming language as basic contents, and to present a variety of elective courses to learn additional contents according to students’ major and interest areas.

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University/Organization
WRG College of Education
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View, Texas

Title
A Nationwide Propensity: An Analysis of High Stakes Testing and its Impact on English Language Learners in Urban High Schools in Texas

Synopsis
The purpose of this article is to analyze the issues and challenges faced by English Language Learners (ELLs) and the public schools that absorb them. Ample research has been conducted on the intrinsic validity of standardized assessments, and separately, on the factors affecting the assimilation and integration of ELLs. However, the reliability of these assessments as a universally applied tool to measure student learning, and as a basis for determining school performance needs to be more closely examined.

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University/Organization
WRG College of Education
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View, Texas

Title
School Administrators as a Successful Change Agent in America’s Schools with the Application of Postmodernism

Synopsis
This paper examines the impact of postmodernism on school transformation. Moving away from rigid paradigms of structural reform, the postmodern approach suggests a fluid acceptance of discordant voices and diversity, as necessary ingredients in the construction of meaningful change. Transformation implies interconnectedness, which by itself is inconsistent with the notion that the process of change can be truncated to convenient and easily identifiable compartments. The paper suggests that a vision for reform that is inspired, or at least influenced, by a postmodernist approach will consider learning and instruction as part of an undivided process. However, success will be measured not on the basis of how efficiently instruction was delivered, but by how much learning occurred.

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University/Organization
Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium
University of Minnesota – Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota

Education Department
Ruth A. Meyer Center for Indigenous Education/Environmental Education
University of Minnesota – Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota

Title
Indigenous Riverscapes and Mounds: The Feminine Relationship of Earth, Sky and Water

Synopsis
This session focuses on the burial and effigy mounds along the rivers of Turtle Island, as well as who and how they were created. Many mounds contain knowledge that mirrors earth with sky as expressions of art, humanities, science, math. and engineering. We will examine the strong feminine cosmology connected to these sites through a lens of Critical Indigenous Pedagogy of Place and what they offer to the study of astronomy, environmental and Indigenous education.

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University/Organization
Faculty of Social Systems Science
Chiba Institute of Technology
Narashino, Chiba
Japan

Title
CASE STUDY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARD GAME FOR THE PROMOTION OF FOOD EDUCATION

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University/Organization
College of Arts and Sciences
University of South Carolina Upstate
Spartanburg, South Carolina

Title
STEAMed Music

Synopsis
This paper will present how STEAM can be useful to better understand and to explore music. It will cover topics from mathematical modeling of sound, musical tone systems, statistical analysis of musical compositions, to exploring new styles of creating music using computing. These topics are chosen from an interdisciplinary general education science course on STEAM and music, which the author designed and taught for USC Upstate’s Honors program.

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University/Organization
Educational Psychology and Special Education Department
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Canada

Title
Assessing the Effectiveness of Automated Personalized Feedback in an Undergraduate Biology Course

Synopsis

This paper compares the effectiveness of the implementation of two automated feedback systems in an undergraduate biology course at the University of Saskatchewan. Students were treated with either generic feedback, or personalized feedback. Personalized feedback took a learning analytic approach, and was tailored to individual students based on 40 distinct attributes. The effectiveness of these feedback interventions and their future potential are discussed.

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University/Organization
Faculty of Social Systems Science
Chiba Institute of Technology
Narashino, Chiba
Japan

Title
Case Study on The Development of Board Game for The Promotion Of Food Education

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University/Organization
Department of Mathematics
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

Title
Applied Calculus and Gateway Assessments

Synopsis
Applied Calculus draws a large number of non-majors with widely varying mathematical backgrounds. In the past students often completed Applied Calculus without a mastery of basic calculus skills. The implementation of gateway assessments has alleviated this problem, however the implementation has been challenging with over 1000 students enrolling in the course each year. We look at the implementation of gateway assessments over the past few years at West Virginia University.

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University/Organization
Department of Construction Science
College of Architecture
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas

Title
Leadership in the Design and Construction Professions

Synopsis
In the Fall of 2016, three distinguished and generous graduates of Texas A&M University established a Professorship and framework for a leadership minor for students within the College of Architecture who had taken at least 30 credit hours in construction science, architecture, landscape architecture, Urban Planning, or Visualization. The minor is a 15-credit hour program comprised of three one-hour seminars and other leadership courses within the College. The thrust of the program was rooted in the need for graduating students who not only knew the technical skills and fundamentals for success in the built environment, but for the personal and moral courage to lead a diverse team of professionals in the pursuit of achieving collaborative goals related to the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. This paper will describe the history, current state, and future plans for helping students graduate with the so called “soft skills” industry needs in their future college graduates so that other administrators or academics can pursue similar success and learn from the path that Texas A&M has navigated to this point.

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University/Organization
Department of Mathematics
University of Wisconsin
Whitewater, Wisconsin

Title
THE ROLE OF DEFINITIONS IN GEOMETRY FOR PROSPECTIVE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS

Synopsis
Does verbalizing a key definition before solving a related problem help students solving the problem? Perhaps surprisingly, the answers turns out to be NO, based on this yearlong experiment conducted with mathematics education majors and minors in two geometry classes.This article describes the experiment, the results, suggests possible explanations, and derives some
peda-gogical conclusions that are useful for teachers of any mathematics or science course.

Keywords: concept definition, concept image, proof writing, problem solving, secondary
mathematics teachers.

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University/Organization
Secondary Education and Educational Technology
State University of New York
Oneonta, New York

Title
Field Experience in the Cloud: An Open Globalized Teaching Experience

Synopsis
Students enrolled in EDUC 581 of the master’s degree online Educational Technology Specialist Program are required to complete a 20-hour field experience in a PK-12 educational environment. They were engaged in a cloud-based global teaching practice with 10th grade students at a Canadian high school for the field experience. This research explored the impact of the globalizing teaching practice in the open online environment on students’ pedagogical and technological knowledge.

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University/Organization
Faculty of Social Systems Science
Chiba Institute of Technology
Narashino, Chiba
Japan

Title
Case Study On The Development of Sugoroku For The Promotion of Food Education

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University/Organization
Department of Applied Engineering
School of Engineering and Computing
National University
San Diego, California

Title
Enriching Responsiveness to Enhance Student Learning in Online Courses

Synopsis
This paper assesses the effectiveness of three specific processes to enhance student interaction and collaboration by comparing their effectiveness for online courses with on-site courses. The processes include: 1) a full set of recorded lectures available in indexed segments of 5-10 minutes per segment, 2) mentored assignments, and 3) pre-recorded small group project presentations. Students find the recorded lecture segments very effective for reviewing and mastering concepts they had difficulty grasping when they were presented initially. The mentored assignment process enables online students to interact more effectively with other online students, by focusing their interaction on a few others rather than the whole class. Data is presented showing that quality of research, original thinking, understanding of the subject, and thoroughness of work is as good as or better for online students when compared with onsite students. Similar results are presented showing the effectiveness of having small groups work together to develop a recording of their findings. The process of developing the recorded presentation enables effective collaboration and frees students from obstacles that have been encountered in trying to make small group projects work in online courses. Data is presented showing that, using this approach, small group project quality is comparable for online and on-site courses. A survey focusing on student perception of the small group process, shows that most, but not all students find that the process improves their learning, their critical thinking and the quality of their work.

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University/Organization
Shiley School of Engineering
University of Portland
Portland, Oregon

Pomona College
Claremont, California

Title
User Interface Evaluation: Comparison of Novices to Upperclass Computer Science Students

Synopsis
This study examines whether coursework in computer science changes how a student thinks about user interfaces. Our data collection consisted of asking experienced students to evaluate two on-line user interfaces for temperature conversion using prompts which differed only in the amount of context provided. Student responses were coded based on exhibited features believed to be used in expert evaluations of user interfaces, as well as whether they provided suggestions for improvement.

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University/Organization
School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences
Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona

Title
Animating Explanations: Is it Funning Up or Dumbing Down?

Synopsis
Understanding and retaining information are the two cornerstones of learning. The mode of presentation affects understanding. In particular, animated explanations can reduce cognitive load and help students understand new material. In addition, students enjoy watching animated explanations on the Internet. The question we address is whether animations support or detract from retaining material over time. We also introduce a novel methodology for gathering data and conducting interviews online.

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University/Organization
Department of Physics & Astronomy
Rowan University
Glassboro, New Jersey

Title
Using Newton’s Law of Cooling

Synopsis
This is a recall of a solution to an Engineering Problem using Newton’s Law of Cooling!

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University/Organization
Mathematics Education Group
Melbourne Graduate School of Education
University of Melbourne
Melbourne, Victoria
Australia

Title
The Volivoli Fish: Mathematics Embedded in Commercial Design

Synopsis
This paper describes the development of a mathematically-rich task with multiple entry levels, inspired by the geometry and algebra embedded in a commercial logo. The author’s experience in researching the use of technology in the secondary mathematics classroom, along with many years of teaching mathematics to students of a variety of age and ability levels, led him to discover a number of possible geometric and algebraic investigations for students, enhanced through the use of CAS technology.

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University/Organization
Texas Southern University
Houston, Texas

Division of Academic Affairs, Academic & Institutional Affairs
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

Title
Effective Use of Assessment for Instructional Alignment

Synopsis
This paper will present a research study to design specialized Artificial Intelligence tools for engineering students. In the process of implementation, multiple assessments have been used to check the alignments of instruction to three aspects, 1) alignment to teaching objectives via a direct assessment of analyzing student learning outcomes in course activities; 2) alignment to meeting student expectations via an indirect assessment of student survey; and 3) alignment to nation-wide data in STEM.

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University/Organization
College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, Florida

Title
Increasing High School Students’ Interest in STEM By Using Summer Research Projects in Science

Synopsis
The Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s Program of Excellence in Science Technology Engineering and Math was designed to assist with the recruitment, retention and graduation of under represented students in STEM majors. Area high school 9th – 12th graders participated in a three week Summer Academy and believe that participation in research projects has increased their interest in pursuing a STEM degree upon entering college.
The Florida A&M University Program of Excellence in STEM (PE-STEM) is a program for students entering the 9th grade through graduating seniors from high school. The program focuses on engaging students in STEM disciplines with the goal of increasing their awareness and selection of STEM as a college major and ultimately a career. The program includes an academic year component and a summer academy. During the summer academy students were engaged in research based on their preference in a STEM area. Students in the science area were partnered with researchers in areas such as biology, chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology. Students also presented their research projects at the university during their summer academy’s research symposium.

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University/Organization
Department of Mathematics
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Title
Increasing the Number of Underrepresented Students in STEAM Disciplines
at the Graduate Level

Synopsis
The McNair Scholars Program at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is one of more than 150 so-named programs federally-funded by the U.S. Department of Education and has the overarching goal of increasing the number of graduate degrees awarded to students from underrepresented segments of society. In this paper, we will give an overview of the various components of the program at LMU and will address the rewards and challenges of the program at multiple levels.

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