Dissertations Copyright (c) 2013 Utah State University All rights reserved. http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations Recent documents in Dissertations en-us Sun, 27 Jan 2013 05:11:48 PST 3600 A Study of Grade Level and Gender Differences in Divergent Thinking among 8th and 11th Graders in a Mid-Western School District. http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/11 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/11 Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:35:49 PDT Leah Christine Roue xperts and Novices: Differences in their Use of Mental Representation and Metacognition in Engineering Design http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/10 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/10 Fri, 24 Aug 2012 13:41:56 PDT Research shows that mental representation such as analogical reasoning is a fundamental cognitive tool for design problem solving (Daugherty & Mentzer, 2008; Hey, Lensey, Agogino, & Wood, 2008; Lewis, 2008). Not much is known, however, about the way students and professional engineers actively generate and change their mental representation when solving a engineering design problem. There are very few studies that show how different types of mental representations; such as metaphors, propositions, and analogies; interplay with higher order cognitive processes; such as planning, monitoring, and evaluation; as engineering designers navigate their problem and solution spaces. This empirical study investigated the mental representation and metacognitive regulation of student and professional engineers while they solve an engineering design problem. The intent is to gain a deeper insight in the differences that exists in the cognitive process of engineering students and professional engineers. The research questions guided this study were (a) How do the mental representations (propositions, metaphors, and analogies) of student and professional engineers differ in their problem and solution spaces in terms of their frequency, types, and attributes? (b) How does the metacognitive regulation (planning, monitoring, and evaluation) of student and professional engineers differ in their problem and solution spaces in terms of their frequency and characteristics? and (c) How do the mental representation and metacognitive regulation of students and professional engineers relate to their overall engineering design strategy? Concurrent and retrospective verbal protocols were collected from six mechanical engineering students and four professional mechanical engineers as they solved an engineering design problem. Their verbalizations were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded. The conclusions drawn from the data were: the use of mental representations such as propositions, analogies, and metaphors by experts and novice engineering designers in the different mental spaces are important in engineering design. Expert engineering designers use analogies differently in their solution space than do novice engineering designers. Expert engineering designers rely on within-domain analogies, betweendomain analogies, heuristics, and formulas differently from novice engineering designers. In engineering design evaluation plays a larger role in the solution space of expert designers while novice designers tend to do more planning in the problem space. Finally, based on the findings recommendations are provided for engineering and technology education curriculum and instruction, engineering practice in industry, and for future research.

]]> Raymond Anthony Dixon Perceptions of Creativity in Art, Music and Technology Education http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/8 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/8 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:50:15 PST This study was conducted to examine the perceptions of art, music, and technology education teachers with regard to creativity in their respective fields. The survey used in this study was designed around the themes borne out of creativity literature generally and creativity specific to the fields of art, music, and technology and engineering education. As a result the themes of creative process, products, personal traits, and environment shaped the items contained in the survey.

Although participants from all three subjects perceived the creative process as important to creative work generally, technology education teachers were less interested in the importance of the creative process than the teachers of art and music. In addition, technology education teachers perceived a product’s ease of use, practical implications, value to the community, craftsmanship, ability to respond to a need, and general adherence to technical standards as being important features of a creative product in their field when compared to art and music teachers. Art teachers valued creative personality traits significantly more than their peers in technology education. The perception of the importance of group work and competition was significantly higher for technology teachers than for art teachers.

Lastly, of the variables of subject (art, music, or technology education) taught, grade levels taught, years of teaching experience, level of education, and gender, the subject the participants taught was the only significant determinant of creativity perceptions in the study.

]]> David Russell Stricker Complex Systems in Engineering and Technology Education: A Mixed Methods Study Investigating the Role Computer Simulations Serve in Student Learning http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/9 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/9 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:50:15 PST This research was conducted to determine if students receiving complex systems instruction in the form of software simulations recognize patterns and underlying elements of complex systems more effectively than students receiving traditional instruction. Complex systems were investigated with an analytic (reductive) approach in a control group and with a synthesis approach in the treatment group. Exploration of this top-down approach to learning complex systems counters traditional bottom-up methodologies, investigating systems and subsystems at the component level. The hypothesis was that students experiencing complex systems scenarios in a computerbased learning environment would outperform their counterparts by constructing a greater number of explanations with emergent-like responses.

A mixed method experimental, pretest posttest, control group triangulation design research study was designed for high school students enrolled in an Introduction to Technology and Engineering course. A pretest consisting of one open-ended near transfer problem and one far transfer problem was administered, investigating the generation of reductive (clockwork) and complex (emergent-like) mental models. A stratified sampling procedure was used to assign students to control or treatment groups. Following treatment, an analysis of covariance failed to reveal statistically significant evidence supporting the hypothesis. However, qualitative data in the form of student transcriptions, daily lab reports, and data entry worksheets revealed evidence of emergent-like response and behaviors.

]]> Douglas James Walrath Examination of Engineering Design in Curriculum Content and Assessment Practices of Secondary Technology Education http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/6 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/6 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:50:14 PST This descriptive study examined the current status of technology education teacher practices with respect to engineering design. Participants were drawn from the current International Technology Education Association (ITEA) high school teacher membership database. A survey instrument gathered data about the extent to which engineering design concepts are incorporated into the curriculum content, and assessment practices employed by secondary technology educators. Moreover, the survey identified challenges faced by technology educators when seeking to implement engineering design. Current curriculum content that addresses engineering design concepts consisted of the following seven subsets: (a) engineering design, (b) engineering analysis, (c) application of engineering design, (d) engineering communication, (e) design thinking, (f) engineering and human values, and (g) engineering science. The instrument was developed from current research in technology education that has identified curricular goals, content recommended for teaching an engineering design focused program at the high school level, appropriate assessment practices for evaluating engineering design projects, and perceived challenges facing teachers implementing engineering design content (Asunda & Hill, 2007; Rhodes & Childress, 2006; Smith, 2006; Gattie & Wicklein, 2007). A composite score of total instructional hours was generated for each of the seven engineering design categories by combining the mean scores of frequency of use and time per typical use. These composite score results revealed that the categories engineering design, design thinking related to engineering design, and engineering communications were greatly emphasized in secondary technology education programs. The study results also indicated that engineering and human values, engineering science, and engineering analysis were the least emphasized categories in technology education curriculum content. The results of technology education teacher practices revealed that little emphasis has been place on assessing mathematical models to predict design results.

]]> Todd R. Kelley Academic Performance as a Predictor of Student Growth in Achievement and Mental Motivation During an Engineering Design Challenge in Engineering and Technology Education http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/7 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/7 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:50:14 PST The purpose of this correlational research study was to determine if students’ academic success was correlated with: (a) the student change in achievement during an engineering design challenge; and (b) student change in mental motivation toward solving problems and critical thinking during an engineering design challenge. Multiple experimental studies have shown engineering design challenges increase student achievement and attitude toward learning, but conflicting evidence surrounded the impact on higher and lower academically achieving students.

A high school classroom was chosen in which elements of engineering design were purposefully taught. Eleventh-grade student participants represented a diverse set of academic backgrounds (measured by grade point average [GPA]). Participants were measured in terms of achievement and mental motivation at three time points.

Longitudinal multilevel modeling techniques were employed to identify significant predictors in achievement growth and mental motivation growth during the school year. Student achievement was significantly correlated with science GPA, but not math or communication GPA. Changes in achievement score over time are not significantly correlated with science, math, or communication. Mental motivation was measured by five subscales. Mental focus was correlated with math and science GPA. Mental focus increases over time were negatively correlated with science GPA, which indicated that the initial score differential (between higher and lower science GPA students) was decreased over time. Learning orientation and cognitive integrity were not correlated with GPA. Creative problem solving was correlated with science GPA, but gains over time were not correlated with GPA. Scholarly rigor was correlated with science GPA, but change over time was not correlated with GPA.

]]> Nathan James Mentzer Engineering Problem Finding in High School Students http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/5 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/5 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:50:13 PST The purpose of this study was to explore the engineering problem finding ability of high school students at three high schools in Minnesota. Students at each of the three schools had differing backgrounds including pre-engineering coursework, traditional technology education coursework and advanced science coursework. Students were asked to find problems in two different engineering scenarios which were presented to them on a paper and pencil instrument. Responses were scored by a panel of judges based on measures of creativity (flexibility, fluency, originality and elaborateness) and analyzed based on demographic data including gender, prior coursework and school. In addition student responses were categorized and evaluated qualitatively based on school and gender of respondent. Quantitative results indicate that the most consistent predictor of creativity in engineering problem finding scenarios was the number of advanced science classes. Specific measures of creativity included other significant predictors but advanced science coursework was the most consistent across all measures and scenarios. The qualitative results showed striking differences in the responses from students at different schools. Students from schools with a pre-engineering and advanced science emphasis found similar categories of problems and had a similar view of the purview of engineers while students with a technology education background focused on a rather different set of problems and had a much narrower view of engineering. Results show clear differences in the types of problems found by students at these three high schools as well as their understanding of the scope of engineering problems. Educators need to become more aware of the importance of problem finding in engineering and better encourage the development of problem finding skills among their students. Specifically, technology education teachers may need supplemental professional development related to the scope of engineering and engineering problem finding as well as how these concepts might be infused into their curriculum and encouraged among their students.

]]> Benjamin James Franske Impact of Mentorship Programs on African-American Male High School Students’ Perception of Engineering http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/4 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/4 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:50:13 PST The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of mentorship programs on African-American male high school students’ perceptions of engineering. In this study, indicators of students’ perceptions included students’ perceptions of engineering, their self-efficacy in the area of math, and their self-efficacy in the area of science. This study used a two-group, posttest only, experimental design with randomly selected participants. A survey was used to collect data from 20 participants attending the Middle College at A&T. Using an independent t-test to determine a difference of statistical significance, inferential statistics were provided to answer the following research questions; (a) Is there a significant difference in perceptions of engineering for students who participated in the NCETE/NSBE mentorship program when compared with non-mentored students?, (b) Is there a significant difference in self-efficacy in the area of math for students who participated in the NCETE/NSBE mentorship when compared with non-mentored students?, and (c) Is there a significant difference in self-efficacy in the area of science for students who participated in the NCETE/NSBE mentorship when compared with non-mentored students? The study did not produce significant findings in relation to the research questions. Nonetheless the study identified; a viable formal mentorship program, instruments for use in evaluating mentorship programs, and qualitative feedback used for the improvement of mentorship programs.

]]> Cameron De'Leon Denson Engineering-Oriented Professional Development for Secondary Level Teachers: A Multiple Case Study Analysis http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/3 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/3 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:50:12 PST This study consisted of multiple case studies of selected professional development programs designed to prepare secondary teachers to deliver engineering-oriented education. The focus was on understanding the professional development design, fundamental content knowledge, essential pedagogies, unique challenges, and effective practices involved in this type of professional development. This was achieved by interviewing the leadership, instructors, and participating teachers; observing the in-person workshops; administering a survey to the teachers; and analyzing the project’s documentation. Five professional development programs were examined, including: Engineering the Future, Project Lead the Way, Mathematics Across the Middle School MST Curriculum, The Infinity Project, and INSPIRES. The findings from the individual case studies were compared and summarized across the five research questions.

]]> Jenny Lynn Daugherty Effects of Professional Development on Infusing Engineering Design into High School Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Curricula http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/2 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/2 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:50:11 PST The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of professional development (PD) on the infusion of engineering design into high school curricula. Four inservice teachers with backgrounds in physics, chemistry, industrial education, math, and electrical engineering participated in the 2006 National Center of Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE)-sponsored PD workshops at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) and provided three sources of data that were used to answer the research question, “What are the effects of PD on infusing engineering design into high school science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curricula”? Three major themes emerged from the data. They were (a) incorporation of PD content, (b) challenges with incorporating PD content, and (c) benefits of incorporating PD content. It was shown that the effect that the NCETE PD had on the infusion of engineering design into high school curricula varied among each of the four teachers due to their subject area, educational backgrounds, and experiential knowledge. Implications of these findings may be used to inform the design and delivery of future STEM PD efforts.

]]> Zanj Kano Avery Factors Influencing African American High School Students in Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy and Engineering-Related Goal Intentions http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/1 http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ncete_dissertations/1 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:50:10 PST A current challenge in the United States is to increase African American pursuit of engineering careers. Minority students generally tend to be under-represented in such careers, as indicated by the National Academy of Engineering, in The Engineer of 2020-Visions of Engineering in the New Century. This study explores the career decision self-efficacy (Lent, Brown & Hackett, 1993) and Engineering related goal intentions of African American high school students. There are a variety of reasons explaining the lack of choice of engineering as a career, and these were investigated. This study assessed the effect of specific influences (ethnic identity, demographic factors, ability, school factors, Math/Science confidence, Math/Science self-efficacy, Math/Science interest, and family support) on career decision self-efficacy and engineering related goal-intentions. Data from a survey of 396 African American students’ grades 9-12, low-middle income level, in a southeastern school were used in the study. Results show that career decision self-efficacy among students studied is influenced by: Math/science confidence, ethnic identity, family relations, school factors, and socioeconomic status. Factors influencing engineering related goal intentions were very similar but each variable did not contribute the same amount of variance. Results also show that gender was not significant in either dependent variable. Other implications and recommendations relating to the variables are presented.

]]> Chandra Yvette Austin