Camilo Vieira

Characterizing Engineering Learners’ Preferences for Active and Passive Learning Methods

This paper studies electrical engineering learners’ preferences for learning methods with various degrees of activity. Less active learning methods such as homework and peer reviews are investigated, as well as a newly introduced very active (constructive) learning method called “slectures,” and some others. The results suggest that graduate students’ perception of the usefulness of the activity increases with its level of activity. For undergraduate students, an increased perception of the usefulness of the activity was observed for lightly active but structured learning methods. Group-based analysis focusing on two types of learners, defined as “instructor-dependent” and “instructor-independent” according to their perception of the usefulness of the classroom lectures, was also performed. The results suggest that instructor-independent learners may benefit more from active learning methods than instructor-dependent learners. For example, instructor-independent undergraduate learners were found to perceive the homework assignment as being more useful than the lectures. Such a preference was not seen in the average group data. In fact, no learning method was found to be perceived as more useful than the lectures, on average. Thus this paper illustrates the pertinence of group-based data analysis.

Affordances and challenges of computational tools for supporting modeling and simulation practices

This mixed‐methods sequential explanatory design investigates disciplinary learning gains when engaging in modeling and simulation processes following a programming or a configuring approach. It also investigates the affordances and challenges that students encountered when engaged in these two approaches to modeling and simulation.

Writing In-Code Comments to Self-Explain in Computational Science and Engineering Education

This article presents two case studies aimed at exploring the use of self-explanations in the context of computational science and engineering (CSE) education. The self-explanations were elicited as students’ in-code comments of a set of worked-examples, and the cases involved two different approaches to CSE education: glass box and black box. The glass-box approach corresponds to a programming course for materials science and engineering students that focuses on introducing programming concepts while solving disciplinary problems. The black-box approach involves the introduction of Python-based computational tools within a thermodynamics course to represent disciplinary phenomena. Two semesters of data collection for each case study allowed us to identify the effect of using in-code comments as a self-explanation strategy on students’ engagement with the worked-examples and students’ perceptions of these activities within each context. The results suggest that the use of in-code comments as a self-explanation strategy increased students’ awareness of the worked-examples while engaging with them. The students’ perceived uses of the in-code commenting activities include: understanding the example, making a connection between the programming code and the disciplinary problem, and becoming familiar with the programming language syntax, among others.

An exploratory survey on the use of computation in undergraduate engineering education

Advances in computing contribute to science and engineering discovery, innovation, and education by facilitating representations, processing, storage, analysis, simulation, and visualization of unprecedented amounts of experimental and observational data to address problems that affect health, energy, environment, security, and quality of life. In spite of the emerging importance of the role of computing in engineering, a well-recognized shortage of scientists and engineers who are adequately prepared to take advantage of, or contribute to, such highly interdisciplinary, highly computational scientific challenges is evident. This exploratory study identifies how computation is integrated in the engineering disciplines at the undergraduate level. The research question is: How engineering professors integrate computation as part of their disciplinary undergraduate courses? This study reports anonymous survey responses of thirty-nine engineering and engineering technology faculty members who identified themselves as integrating computation as part of their undergraduate courses. Results indicate that most of the faculty members used computation for the solution of complex calculations, for conducting simulations, and for design purposes. Further research is required in order to identify and validate appropriated pedagogical practices to integrate computation as part of disciplinary courses.

Visual learning analytics of educational data: A systematic literature review and research agenda

Abstract We present a systematic literature review of the emerging field of visual learning analytics. We review existing work in this field from two perspectives: First, we analyze existing approaches, audiences, purposes, contexts, and data sources—both individually and in relation to one another—that designers and researchers have used to visualize educational data. Second, we examine how established literature in the fields of information visualization and education has been used to inform the design of visual learning analytics tools and to discuss research findings. We characterize the reviewed literature based on three dimensions: (a) connection with visualization background; (b) connection with educational theory; and (c) sophistication of visualization(s). The results from this systematic review suggest that: (1) little work has been done to bring visual learning analytics tools into classroom settings; (2) few studies consider background information from the students, such as demographics or prior performance; (3) traditional statistical visualization techniques, such as bar plots and scatter plots, are still the most commonly used in learning analytics contexts, while more advanced or novel techniques are rarely used; (4) while some studies employ sophisticated visualizations, and some engage deeply with educational theories, there is a lack of studies that both employ sophisticated visualizations and engage deeply with educational theories. Finally, we present a brief research agenda for the field of visual learning analytics based on the findings of our literature review.

Investigating the affordances of a CAD enabled learning environment for promoting integrated STEM learning

Abstract There has been an increased emphasis on designing integrated STEM learning environments for K-12 students that facilitate seamless learning of disciplinary concepts infused with science inquiry, engineering design, mathematical reasoning, and technological skills. However, there is limited prior research investigating how to facilitate such integrated STEM learning in formal classrooms that go beyond a simple combination of the different subject areas and instead enable teaching and learning of disciplinary concepts infused with scientific inquiry, engineering design, mathematical reasoning, and 21st century technological skills. In this paper, we investigate the affordances of using an educational Computer Aided Design tool, Energy 3D, and corresponding curricular materials to support such integrated STEM learning anchored in the engineering design process. We present an exploratory case study that was conducted in a middle school in the US, where a project-based learning approach was followed and students were asked to design a low-cost energy-efficient home within a given budget using the Energy3D CAD tool. Findings indicate that students learned to engage in the design process and demonstrated practices of idea fluency and systematic experimentation; practices usually representative of informed designers. During the design process while analyzing the problem space, generating ideas, and evaluating solutions, they developed better understanding of the relationships between variables and underlying science concepts, used various mathematical analysis tools and graphical representations embedded in the available technology to inform their engineering design decisions. The learning environment using Energy3D afforded formative feedback to help students understand relationship between variables, provided converging evidences using multiple analytical tools, and enabled visual problem decomposition using suboptimal model to engage students in integrated STEM learning. This study provides a platform for future research investigating the effectiveness of educational CAD tools and curricular scaffolds designed specifically for K-12 students for supporting integrated STEM learning anchored in the design process.