Assessing the Effectiveness of Educational Interventions on Digital Skills for Middle Schoolers in Underserved Communities. The TechSpark Immokalee Case Study on Digital Upskilling in the Construction Industry
- Conference
- Location
-
Portland, Oregon
- Publication Date
-
June 23, 2024
- Start Date
-
June 23, 2024
- End Date
-
July 12, 2024
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
-
Construction Engineering Division (CONST)
- Tagged Topic
-
Diversity
- Permanent URL
-
https://peer.asee.org/46615
Paper Authors
Daniel Linares
Florida Gulf Coast University
orcid.org/0000-0003-4516-0967
Daniel Linares is Assistant Professor at the Stock Development Department of Construction Management at Florida Gulf Coast University. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning with an emphasis in Smart Construction and the Smart Built Environment, an M.Eng. in Computer Science with an emphasis in HCI, and an M.S. in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Construction Engineering and Management, from Virginia Tech. His research work focuses on investigating ways to improve workers' productivity and developing systems to implement those improvements in challenging environments such as industrial and construction applications. His research currently focuses on technologies such as voice agents and Augmented Reality systems to provide multi-modal solutions to address activity support and knowledge delivery during scenarios with significant cognitive loads. He also is working towards technology developments in the construction industry such as smart construction, cyber-physical systems, BIM Management, and Data Analysis. His teaching experiences include IT in Design and Construction, BIM, Scheduling and Project Controls, Graphical Communication, and Virtual Design and Construction. He has been awarded the Fulbright Scholarship, the AGC Faculty Fellowship, and is currently the Microsoft Fellow for the TechSpark Immokalee in Florida.
Diana Marcela Franco Duran
University of Virginia
orcid.org/0000-0001-8523-9309
Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Director of the Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) concentration.
Kenneth Stafford Sands II
Auburn University
orcid.org/0000-0003-1307-0844
Kenneth S. Sands II is an Assistant Professor at Auburn University in Auburn, AL.
David Gutierrez University of Virginia
Deyrel Diaz Clemson University
Abstract
The proposed article delves into the impact of educational interventions on middle school students within an underrepresented community, with the goal of enhancing their awareness and interest in developing digital skills for future careers driven by technology. Supported by the Microsoft TechSpark program, these interventions provide students with hands-on experiences involving key technologies. The primary focus is on nurturing the digital skills necessary for utilizing and managing these technologies in future professional roles. In this initial phase of the project, the educational experiences are contextualized around future careers in the construction industry. This approach is driven by the industry's need to attract talent and modernize in order to contribute to societal economic development. The study is designed to conduct a pre- and post-intervention evaluation to measure the effectiveness of these interventions in achieving three key objectives: (1) Increasing awareness of digital skills among middle school students, (2) Enhancing understanding of anticipated job transformations in the future, and (3) Stimulating interest in potential careers within the construction industry. The research methodology involves collecting student surveys, and subsequent statistical analysis will compare the students' pre- and post-intervention responses. The study's significance lies in its potential to identify the effectiveness of these interventions, which can inform future support or enhancements.
Linares, D., & Franco Duran, D. M., & Sands, K. S., & Gutierrez, D., & Diaz, D. (2024, June), Assessing the Effectiveness of Educational Interventions on Digital Skills for Middle Schoolers in Underserved Communities. The TechSpark Immokalee Case Study on Digital Upskilling in the Construction Industry Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/46615
ASEE holds the copyright on this document. It may be read by the public free of charge. Authors may archive their work on personal websites or in institutional repositories with the following citation: © 2024 American Society for Engineering Education. Other scholars may excerpt or quote from these materials with the same citation. When excerpting or quoting from Conference Proceedings, authors should, in addition to noting the ASEE copyright, list all the original authors and their institutions and name the host city of the conference. - Last updated April 1, 2015