Pub Date : 2004-10-23DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2004.1408621
B. Hatfield, M. Zhang, L. Jin
Synchronization is a very important concept in computer science and engineering. It is a required topic in courses of various levels concerning operating systems, system programming, uniprocessor/multiprocessor systems, distributed systems, computer networks, and databases. Nevertheless, due to the dynamic nature of the computing events involved, synchronization is difficult for instructors to teach and difficult for students to understand. The proposed work is intended to develop an interactive visualization software tool that can be used to (1) demonstrate the existence of synchronization problems and (2) illustrate the principles and workings of the synchronization techniques used to solve those problems. The tool, implemented in Java, allows the user to dynamically configure a synchronization environment. The user can choose one of several synchronization techniques, such as binary semaphores, counting semaphores, or monitors, to remedy a problem. Similarly, the synchronization of the interacting processes is animated.
{"title":"Work in progress-developing an interactive visualization tool in teaching synchronization principles","authors":"B. Hatfield, M. Zhang, L. Jin","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408621","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408621","url":null,"abstract":"Synchronization is a very important concept in computer science and engineering. It is a required topic in courses of various levels concerning operating systems, system programming, uniprocessor/multiprocessor systems, distributed systems, computer networks, and databases. Nevertheless, due to the dynamic nature of the computing events involved, synchronization is difficult for instructors to teach and difficult for students to understand. The proposed work is intended to develop an interactive visualization software tool that can be used to (1) demonstrate the existence of synchronization problems and (2) illustrate the principles and workings of the synchronization techniques used to solve those problems. The tool, implemented in Java, allows the user to dynamically configure a synchronization environment. The user can choose one of several synchronization techniques, such as binary semaphores, counting semaphores, or monitors, to remedy a problem. Similarly, the synchronization of the interacting processes is animated.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133506680","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2004-10-23DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2004.1408469
K. Assiter, B. Karanian
A three-year research project is proposed whose overall goal is to look at how cognitive, affective and social factors determine success for undergraduate students and how this varies across 1) major, 2) year of study, 3) campus culture (geographic location, size), 4) gender and 5) race. The proposed research will explore cognitive, affective and social factors that contribute to success in engineering education and computer science with one central question: How does the student's state of mind (mind-state) influence the physical process of learning which then can lead to academic success. Under investigation are the differences with mind-state in response to learning in engineering and computer science, and the relational images that explain the quality and quantity of bow the student respondents constructed success. Defining and implementing research measures for mind-state is a central part of this project. Quantitative, qualitative, medical, and projective methods will include samples that reflect variations in mind states reported by male and female participants, in mixed-sex and same sex environments, by race, by discipline and by major.
{"title":"Work in progress - cognitive, affective and social factors contributing to the success in undergraduate computer science and engineering education","authors":"K. Assiter, B. Karanian","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408469","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408469","url":null,"abstract":"A three-year research project is proposed whose overall goal is to look at how cognitive, affective and social factors determine success for undergraduate students and how this varies across 1) major, 2) year of study, 3) campus culture (geographic location, size), 4) gender and 5) race. The proposed research will explore cognitive, affective and social factors that contribute to success in engineering education and computer science with one central question: How does the student's state of mind (mind-state) influence the physical process of learning which then can lead to academic success. Under investigation are the differences with mind-state in response to learning in engineering and computer science, and the relational images that explain the quality and quantity of bow the student respondents constructed success. Defining and implementing research measures for mind-state is a central part of this project. Quantitative, qualitative, medical, and projective methods will include samples that reflect variations in mind states reported by male and female participants, in mixed-sex and same sex environments, by race, by discipline and by major.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"33 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125234398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2004-10-23DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2004.1408681
James. Mitchell, James. Mitchell
Drexel University's outcomes experiment explored whether there is a correlation between time invested in improving teaching skills and a plausible measure of student learning. Voluntary participants were given a financial incentive to engage in self-selected teaching improvement activities. To receive the reward ($40 per hour, deposited into a discretionary account), they had to report their time spent on all activities related to improving their teaching in a selected course over multiple, clearly defined periods. The data collected over five years show that teaching improvement is a tiny part of most engineering professors' time use, even when there is a monetary incentive - the median reported was 0.5% of a normal work week, whereas we expected more than four times that amount based on extrapolations from national surveys. In interviews, participants reported that competing time demands simply made teaching-related professional development a luxury they could not afford, despite their interest and a financial incentive. This, in itself, says much about the culture in which engineering faculty operate.
{"title":"Time professors spend improving their teaching","authors":"James. Mitchell, James. Mitchell","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408681","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408681","url":null,"abstract":"Drexel University's outcomes experiment explored whether there is a correlation between time invested in improving teaching skills and a plausible measure of student learning. Voluntary participants were given a financial incentive to engage in self-selected teaching improvement activities. To receive the reward ($40 per hour, deposited into a discretionary account), they had to report their time spent on all activities related to improving their teaching in a selected course over multiple, clearly defined periods. The data collected over five years show that teaching improvement is a tiny part of most engineering professors' time use, even when there is a monetary incentive - the median reported was 0.5% of a normal work week, whereas we expected more than four times that amount based on extrapolations from national surveys. In interviews, participants reported that competing time demands simply made teaching-related professional development a luxury they could not afford, despite their interest and a financial incentive. This, in itself, says much about the culture in which engineering faculty operate.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"34 10","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"120925271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2004-10-23DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2004.1408537
T. Utschig
A student-centered classroom is enhanced when students are more aware of learning goals they are pursuing and learning outcomes expected of them. Assessment is an effective means of increasing student learning awareness. When the goals of the assessment are tailored appropriately, students learn to focus quickly on aspects of their learning and how to present evidence of that learning. Simultaneously, students learn to recognize their strengths and weaknesses as learners, thus providing opportunity for accelerated growth. This work in progress describes how the strength, areas for improvement, and insights (SII) style of assessment has been implemented into one introductory engineering and one calculus-based physics course. Consistent with the SII spirit, strengths, areas for improvement, and insights gained from the implementation of this technique are discussed. Preliminary results from a survey utilized for one semester in each of the two classes are also introduced.
{"title":"Work in progress - utilizing assessment as a means to increased learning awareness","authors":"T. Utschig","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408537","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408537","url":null,"abstract":"A student-centered classroom is enhanced when students are more aware of learning goals they are pursuing and learning outcomes expected of them. Assessment is an effective means of increasing student learning awareness. When the goals of the assessment are tailored appropriately, students learn to focus quickly on aspects of their learning and how to present evidence of that learning. Simultaneously, students learn to recognize their strengths and weaknesses as learners, thus providing opportunity for accelerated growth. This work in progress describes how the strength, areas for improvement, and insights (SII) style of assessment has been implemented into one introductory engineering and one calculus-based physics course. Consistent with the SII spirit, strengths, areas for improvement, and insights gained from the implementation of this technique are discussed. Preliminary results from a survey utilized for one semester in each of the two classes are also introduced.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"23 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121150033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2004-10-23DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2004.1408471
J. Auerbach, C. Bourgeois, T. R. Collins
Communication instruction in engineering education has been formally integrated in numerous engineering programs, as industry and ABET increasingly require oral and written skills for engineering professionals. As engineering programs have adapted to these requirements, the need to understand the benefits of communication instruction to students while they are learning course content is paramount. This paper focuses on the "discipline-specific" method for teaching communication skills and addresses whether or not students learn the discipline-specific material more fully when they are required to write about that material. Data for this research comes from a sophomore-level communication- intensive digital design laboratory course. To assess retention, student answers to a specific final exam question are analyzed over three semesters. During these semesters, different writing assignments were associated with the tested subject matter. The results of this study speak directly to content-driven communication instruction and test performance.
{"title":"Do students benefit? Writing-to-learn in a digital design laboratory course","authors":"J. Auerbach, C. Bourgeois, T. R. Collins","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408471","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408471","url":null,"abstract":"Communication instruction in engineering education has been formally integrated in numerous engineering programs, as industry and ABET increasingly require oral and written skills for engineering professionals. As engineering programs have adapted to these requirements, the need to understand the benefits of communication instruction to students while they are learning course content is paramount. This paper focuses on the \"discipline-specific\" method for teaching communication skills and addresses whether or not students learn the discipline-specific material more fully when they are required to write about that material. Data for this research comes from a sophomore-level communication- intensive digital design laboratory course. To assess retention, student answers to a specific final exam question are analyzed over three semesters. During these semesters, different writing assignments were associated with the tested subject matter. The results of this study speak directly to content-driven communication instruction and test performance.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"44 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131623560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2004-10-23DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2004.1408455
L. Pérez, J. Varner, M.F. Anderson
Laboratory experiments for a junior level electrical engineering course in probability and random processes are described. The laboratory platform is centered on the telecommunications instructional modeling systems (TIMS). All of the laboratory protocols are available for download from the first author's Website.
{"title":"Work in progress: a TIMS based laboratory for undergraduate probability and random processes","authors":"L. Pérez, J. Varner, M.F. Anderson","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408455","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408455","url":null,"abstract":"Laboratory experiments for a junior level electrical engineering course in probability and random processes are described. The laboratory platform is centered on the telecommunications instructional modeling systems (TIMS). All of the laboratory protocols are available for download from the first author's Website.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"20 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126912998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2004-10-23DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2004.1408465
J. Burtner, R. Rogge, L. Sumner
Mercer University School of Engineering received a grant to establish a computer-aided analysis center to enhance the undergraduate experience. Through learning modules selectively embedded into engineering courses, students are introduced to advanced computational techniques and analysis skills while they are learning engineering fundamentals. Establishing a routine use of the center and assessing its success and impact constitutes a three-year project beginning fall 2003. There are several critical objectives associated with this project including: a) the improvement of pedagogy and student learning, b) the enhancement of engineering analysis skills and abilities, c) the quantification of faculty workload, and d) the motivation of student efforts. Assessment plans consist of a project-level and learning module-level investigation. This paper discusses the project-level assessment plan, assessment instruments, and the preliminary results of one-semester of implementation. The assessment instruments of the current phase include student and faculty surveys, and center-usage monitoring.
{"title":"Formative assessment of a computer-aided analysis center: plan development and preliminary results","authors":"J. Burtner, R. Rogge, L. Sumner","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408465","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408465","url":null,"abstract":"Mercer University School of Engineering received a grant to establish a computer-aided analysis center to enhance the undergraduate experience. Through learning modules selectively embedded into engineering courses, students are introduced to advanced computational techniques and analysis skills while they are learning engineering fundamentals. Establishing a routine use of the center and assessing its success and impact constitutes a three-year project beginning fall 2003. There are several critical objectives associated with this project including: a) the improvement of pedagogy and student learning, b) the enhancement of engineering analysis skills and abilities, c) the quantification of faculty workload, and d) the motivation of student efforts. Assessment plans consist of a project-level and learning module-level investigation. This paper discusses the project-level assessment plan, assessment instruments, and the preliminary results of one-semester of implementation. The assessment instruments of the current phase include student and faculty surveys, and center-usage monitoring.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"40 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126540033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2004-10-23DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2004.1408553
O. Astrachan
We report on the successful use of small programming assignments that augment a just-in-time approach to teaching programming, and problem solving in the first year of computer science. The emphasis in these assignments is on algorithmic problem-solving rather than on object-oriented design and programming. Students are given a terse explanation of a problem and several non-exhaustive test cases. A programmed solution uses no I/O, but is tested via a Web-based submission system that reports success or failure for between 10 and 40 test cases. Students compile, test, and debug via the online Web-based system. There is no limit on the number of times students can test their solutions. After submission for grading, solutions are judged solely on whether they pass tests, all of which can be seen via the online testing mechanism, and not on the so-called quality of the code submitted.
{"title":"Non-competitive programming contest problems as the basis for just-in-time teaching","authors":"O. Astrachan","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408553","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408553","url":null,"abstract":"We report on the successful use of small programming assignments that augment a just-in-time approach to teaching programming, and problem solving in the first year of computer science. The emphasis in these assignments is on algorithmic problem-solving rather than on object-oriented design and programming. Students are given a terse explanation of a problem and several non-exhaustive test cases. A programmed solution uses no I/O, but is tested via a Web-based submission system that reports success or failure for between 10 and 40 test cases. Students compile, test, and debug via the online Web-based system. There is no limit on the number of times students can test their solutions. After submission for grading, solutions are judged solely on whether they pass tests, all of which can be seen via the online testing mechanism, and not on the so-called quality of the code submitted.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"107 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114820242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2004-10-23DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2004.1408591
Vladan Jovanovic
This paper describes use of forms as mechanisms supporting student's work on organizing projects in a capstone software engineering (SE) course unique features of the approach are: a) use of project meta-model to present concepts involved as they relate to each other, b) related collection of form used to prepare decisions and c) criteria.
{"title":"Work in progress: use of forms in supporting student projects","authors":"Vladan Jovanovic","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408591","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408591","url":null,"abstract":"This paper describes use of forms as mechanisms supporting student's work on organizing projects in a capstone software engineering (SE) course unique features of the approach are: a) use of project meta-model to present concepts involved as they relate to each other, b) related collection of form used to prepare decisions and c) criteria.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"285 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126852661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2004-10-23DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2004.1408622
T. Henry, H. Holz, C. Steinback, C. Reed, A. Baid
The majority of research on computer science student recruitment and retention has focused on underrepresented groups, mostly women. Dwindling computer science enrollment is raising interest in recruitment and retention of not just underrepresented students, but all students. This paper describes an effort to build a research collaborative in order to (1) develop research on student recruitment and retention, (2) collect data about student recruitment and retention, and (3) develop new approaches to improve student recruitment and retention. This paper also discusses results from a California State University workshop on computer science student recruitment and retention.
{"title":"Work in progress-student retention and recruitment in computer science programs","authors":"T. Henry, H. Holz, C. Steinback, C. Reed, A. Baid","doi":"10.1109/FIE.2004.1408622","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2004.1408622","url":null,"abstract":"The majority of research on computer science student recruitment and retention has focused on underrepresented groups, mostly women. Dwindling computer science enrollment is raising interest in recruitment and retention of not just underrepresented students, but all students. This paper describes an effort to build a research collaborative in order to (1) develop research on student recruitment and retention, (2) collect data about student recruitment and retention, and (3) develop new approaches to improve student recruitment and retention. This paper also discusses results from a California State University workshop on computer science student recruitment and retention.","PeriodicalId":339926,"journal":{"name":"34th Annual Frontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004.","volume":"74 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127174383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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