Wanda Eugene

Preparing the Future STEM Workforce for Diverse Environments.

Following the belief that diversity breeds innovation in scientific endeavors, there is a national push for more diversity in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce in order to maintain national economic competitiveness. Currently, STEM-related employment is only 28% non-White; however, greater efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented minorities should increase this figure. Amidst the attention given to supporting “leaky pipelines,” less emphasis has been placed on mitigating challenges associated with bringing diverse cultures together. This article presents a framework for supporting underrepresented minorities in building STEM-relevant skills and enhancing their ability to collaborate with peers different from themselves.

This Is Who I Am and This Is What I Do: Demystifying the Process of Designing Culturally Authentic Technology

The goal of this paper is to bridge the gap between existing frameworks for the design of culturally relevant educational technology. Models and guidelines that provide potential frameworks for designing culturally authentic learning environment are explained and transposed into one comprehensive design framework, understanding that integrating culture into the design of educational technology promotes learning and a more authentic user experience. This framework establishes principles that promote a holistic approach to design.

Game design from the lens of a student

The efficacy of games-based instruction in computer science education ultimately depends on the student experience. As there remains a continued emphasis on the use of games in computer science education, there is a need for a deeper exploration on the impact of the structure of game design and development courses on computer science students overall experience. Though current research reflects the benefits of games within computer science courses, there is limited research that depicts the voice of the students. Students insight is both necessary and relevant both to researchers and educators if games are to be sought to further the agenda of increasing participation in computer science education. This paper describes a game design course from the lens of six graduate students; it explores some of their challenges and their gratifications.

Developing and Validating a Naturalistic Decision Model for Intelligent Language-Based Decision Aids

People make mundane and critical consumption decisions every day using choice processes that are inherently constructive in nature, where preferences emerge ‘on the spot’ or ‘on the go’ using multiple strategies based on the task at hand (Bettman, Luce, & Payne, 1998; Sproule & Archer, 2000). This implies that applying a single, invariant algorithm will not solve decision problems that humans face (Tversky, Sattath, & Slovic, 1988). Instead, consumers need adaptive, multi-strategy decision aids since they shift between multiple strategies in a single decision as they acquire increasing information during the decision-making process (Bettman et al., 1998). This paper puts forth a cognitive computing approach to develop and validate a naturalistic decision model for designing language-based, mobile decision-aids (MoDA©) based on adaptive and intelligent information retrieval and multi-decision strategy use. The approach integrates established psychological theories, Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and Construal Level Theory (CLT), to develop the scientific base for predicting decision-making under contingencies. ELM delineates whether human information processing is effortful or heuristic based on a person’s ability and motivation to engage in an object-relevant elaboration (Petty & Cacioppo, 1981). CLT determines whether the cognitive construal of the decision object is abstract or concrete based on psychological distance (Liberman, Trope, & Wakslak, 2007). Integrating the derivatives of these theories, the Human-Elaboration-Object-Construal (H-E-O-C) Contingency Decision Model’s central thesis is that the decision-making strategy employed by a decision-maker can be predicted by using natural language cues to infer the extent of human elaboration (low-high) on the decision and the type of knowledge (abstract-concrete) possessed on the decision object. Specifically, an extensive (vs. limited) decision strategy is likely to be employed when human elaboration revealed through natural language cues is high (vs. low). Further, an attribute-based (vs. alternative-based) strategy may be employed when the cognitive representation of the decision object is abstract (vs. concrete). Based on this theorizing, the H-E-O-C Contingency Decision Model can predict the use of four common decision strategies that systematically differ based on the amount (extensive vs. limited) and pattern (attribute- vs. alternative-based) of processing: Lexicographic or LEX (limited, attribute-based processing), Satisficing or SAT (limited, alternative-based processing), Elimination-by-Aspects or EBA (extensive, attribute-based processing), and Weighted Adding or WADD (extensive, alternative-based processing) (Bettman et al., 1998). To validate the H-E-O-C Contingency Decision Model, we conducted observational studies that simulated in-store purchase decision-making with real consumers. A total of 48 shopping sessions (n = 48) were held in a simulation home improvement retail store, and decision-making dialog between consumers and a customer service agent (trained research assistant) was recorded using wearable voice recorders. To ensure that there were fairly equal numbers of consumers who were either motivated or not to elaborate on their decisions, we created two shopping conditions – low risk (replacement AC filter purchase) and high risk (AC filter purchase to address allergy and asthma). The recorded decision dialogs were first transcribed verbatim, resulting 48 units of analysis, which were then analyzed using the grounded theory approach through open and axial coding processes (Corbin & Strauss, 1990). The open coding first identified the construal level, which was followed by axial coding to infer the decision strategy (LEX, EBA, SAT, or WADD) employed by the consumer at the initial and final stages of decision-making. This process was conducted by two coders with adequate inter-coder reliability. Two different coders coded the transcripts for the elaboration level (low vs. high) of the consumer based on specific definitions, with adequate inter-coder reliability. The H-E-O-C Contingency Decision Model proposes that high elaboration consumers will employ either WADD or EBA, whereas low elaboration consumers will employ either SAT or LEX. This proposition was supported in over 80% of the decision transcripts, offering an important validation of the framework. The main contribution of the H-E-O-C Contingency Decision Model is that it is derived from universal psychological constructs and predicts decision-making strategies that apply to many types of products and services related to healthcare, education, and finance that are characterized by attributes and alternatives. This ensures its broad applicability across a wide variety of disciplines and use cases.

Balloting: Speeding Up the Voting Process

Long wait times at the voting polls has grown to be one of the biggest issues in the United States (U.S.) voting process. To address this issue, Balloting is presented as part of a solution to speed up the voting process. The Balloting process gives the voter an opportunity to electronically mark a ballot at his/her convenience, print the completed ballot in the form of a Quick Response (QR) code, and on Election Day, the voting machine is used to scan the voter’s QR code, which brings up the voter’s prior completed ballot for review and modification before officially casting the ballot. A preliminary study was conducted to measure the efficiency of Balloting compared to other methods of voting. As hypothesized, the study revealed that Balloting significantly reduced voting time, which consequently reduces long wait times at the voting polls.

Televoting: Secure, Overseas Voting

Because many members of the armed services are overseas during elections, they are unable to cast their ballot in person. Although the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act UOCAVA gives soldiers located overseas the right to mail in absentee ballots, they are often left uncounted due to issues with shipping. This paper presents Televoting, an approach to Internet voting E-Voting modeled after Telemedicine systems that utilizes video communication technology. Televoting attempts to address security issues that have plagued previous E-Voting platforms by producing a paper ballot instead of storing votes on a server. This paper discusses the system design and the voting process users experience when using Televoting.

XO integration: voices from the field

The goal of this paper is to present the three experiences of the large-scale deployment of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) XO laptops in the Republic of Haiti, Birmingham, Alabama, and Mongolia. These experiences provide an overview of XO integration, in an effort to present both successes and challenges that can occur during such endeavours. While each deployment faced its own set of challenges, there were consistent lessons across each implementation to be drawn for large-scale deployments of innovative technologies.

The role of identity and culture on web site design

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline an instructional design approach for further development of an African ancestry learning center in order to enhance its educational utility. This is being done in an effort to use technology in transformative ways that extends the practices and opportunities for African Americans.Design/methodology/approach – Assessing the needs of learners, performing a content analysis, and designing online resources and systems that meet learners needs accomplished this goal.Findings – This paper identifies a design process whereby technology can be used to connect people of African descent to a lost history.Originality/value – This paper provides a method to leverage technology for people of African descent to engage in genealogy research, while acknowledging their unique historical journey.