Conference Session

Computers in Education General Technical Session I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Melissa A. Pasquinelli, North Carolina State University; Jeff Joines, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

. Page 22.901.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Integrating Computing into Thermodynamics: Lessons Learned Even though computing has become pervasive in today’s workplace, many engineering curricula have lagged in creating engineers with computational aptitude. Computational-capable engineers are ones who can utilize computing effectively to solve engineering problems. Developing these computationally capable engineers means understanding that changes in the undergraduate engineering curriculum must recognize it’s context in an educational continuum. Starting from the first computing course, the computing skills need

Conference Session

Technology in the ECE Classroom

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Jakob Fritz, Oklahoma State University; Wira Mulia, Oklahoma State University; Sohum Sohoni, Oklahoma State University; Kerri S. Kearney, Oklahoma State University; Mwarumba Mwavita, Oklahoma State University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

AC 2011-2126: THE PROGRESSIVE LEARNING PLATFORM FOR COM-PUTER ENGINEERINGDavid Jakob Fritz, Oklahoma State University David Fritz is a Doctoral Candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Oklahoma State University. He also received his M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Oklahoma State University in 2008. His research interests are in Computer Engineering Education and Computer Architecture. David is the lead developer for the Progressive Learning Platform.Wira Mulia, Oklahoma State University Wira is a PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering in Oklahoma State University. He received his Bache- lors in Electrical Engineering in OSU in 2007 and his Masters in Electrical Engineering in OSU in 2009

Conference Session

Computer Science Applications

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey A. Jalkio, University of Saint Thomas; Dan R. Schupp

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

AC 2011-774: ACTIVE LEARNING EXERCISES IN COMPUTER ORGA-NIZATION AND ARCHITECTUREJeffrey A. Jalkio, University of Saint Thomas Jeff Jalkio received his Ph.D in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and worked for thirteen years in industry in the fields of optical sensor design and process control. In 1984, he co- founded CyberOptics Corporation, where he led engineering efforts as Vice President of Research. In 1997 he returned to academia, joining the engineering faculty of the University of St. Thomas where he teaches courses in digital electronics, computing, electromagnetic fields, controls, and design.Dan R Schupp Dan Schupp is finishing his bachelors in Electrical Engineering and Physics at

Conference Session

Assessing Student Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregory Bucks, Ohio Northern University; William C. Oakes, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

. Page 22.1157.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Phenomenography as a Tool for Investigating Understanding of Computing ConceptsAbstractComputing has become a foundational subject across the engineering disciplines and offerssignificant opportunities both in practice and from an educational perspective. Maximizing thispotential requires deep understanding of how students learn and apply computing concepts.There has been a great deal of work exploring understanding in computing education, focusedprimarily on what constitutes knowledge in computing and the processes engaged to utilize thisknowledge in solving computing problems. There is also a sizable body of work

Conference Session

Experiential Learning in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dick Blandford, University of Evansville; Mark Earl Randall, University of Evansville

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

AC 2011-1021: HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOON INSTRUMENTATION INUNDERGRADUATE ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERINGDick Blandford, University of Evansville Dick Blandford is the EECS Department Chair at the University of EvansvilleMark Earl Randall, University of Evansville Mark Randall Randall@Evansville.edu Instructor of Electrical Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering University of Evansville Page 22.772.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 High Altitude Balloon Instrumentation In Undergraduate Electrical and Computer EngineeringAbstractA high

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jianyu Dong, California State University, Los Angeles; Huiping Guo, California State University, Los Angeles

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees

ofunderrepresented minority students. The project goals are three folds: 1) Establish a cyber-infrastructure to enable remote learning which significantly improve the learning efficiency ofstudents on a commuter campus; 2) Foster students’ hands-on design and implementation skillsin networking field; 3) Improve teaching and learning efficiency by integrating project-based andinquiry-based learning pedagogy.This paper presents our current progress on the CCLI project, which is focused on thedevelopment of a sequence of scalable remote labs using OPNET to enable the integration ofcollaborative project-based and inquiry-based based learning into existing computer networkingcourses in both Computer Science and Electrical Engineering departments. The remote

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hong Man, Stevens Institute of Technology; Arthur B. Ritter, Stevens Institute of Technology

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees

AC 2011-2001: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CLASSROOM LEARNINGAND ONLINE LEARNING ON MEDICAL IMAGING WITH COMPUTERLAB EXERCISESHong Man, Stevens Institute of Technology Dr. Hong Man joined the faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Stevens in January 2000. He received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in December 1999. Dr. Man is currently an associate professor in the department of ECE. He is serving as the director of the undergraduate Computer Engineering program, and the director of the Visual Information Envi- ronment Laboratory at Stevens. His research interests have been in image and video processing, medical imaging, data analysis and pattern recognition

Conference Session

Curricular Innovations in College-Industry Partnerships

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Claudia Elena Vergara, Michigan State University; Mark Urban-Lurain, Michigan State University; Abdol-Hossein Esfahanian, Michigan State University; Daina Briedis, Michigan State University; Neeraj Buch, Michigan State University; Thomas F. Wolff, Michigan State University; Jon Sticklen, Michigan State University; Cindee Dresen; Kysha L. Frazier, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce; Louise Paquette, Lansing Community College

Tagged Divisions

College Industry Partnerships

AC 2011-1050: COMPUTATIONAL EXPERTISE IN ENGINEERING: ALIGN-ING WORKFORCE COMPUTING NEEDS WITH COMPUTER SCIENCECONCEPTS.Claudia Elena Vergara, Michigan State University Claudia Elena Vergara. PhD Purdue University. Fields of expertise: Plant Biology and STEM Education Research. Dr. Vergara is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Engineering Education Research (CEER) at Michigan State University. Her research interest is in STEM education through research projects on instructional design, implementation and assessment of student learning, aimed to improve science, engi- neering and technology education.Mark Urban-Lurain, Michigan State University Director of Instructional Technology Research & Development

Conference Session

Curricular Issues in Computer-Oriented Programs

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Idziorek, Iowa State University; Mark F. Tannian, Iowa State University; Douglas W. Jacobson, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Computing & Information Technology

context to thecommon computing actions that students already perform on a daily or weekly basis. In thispaper, we present our course in detail discussing topics of focus, approaches to engage studentsand our assessment of student learning.1. IntroductionEducating students to thrive in a world that depends so heavily on computers and the Internetrequires new pedagogical approaches to deal with the advances in technology and the resultingmalicious side effects that continually plague students1,2. The dangers, both seen and unseen arenot merely a concern for the security experts or technology gurus, but for all users of informationtechnology (IT). By now, most college students are aware of at least some of the dangers lurkingon the Internet. Yet

Conference Session

Accreditation and Assessment in SE Programs

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan E. Conry, Clarkson University

Tagged Divisions

Software Engineering Constituent Committee

also shows us something about the uniquecharacter of each of the disciplines. The sets of topics treated in required courses that are uniqueto each discipline show us that the computer engineer is more focused on topics integratinghardware and software in computing systems, that the software engineer is more focused onsoftware process, software design principles and practices, and software quality issues, and thatthe computer scientist must learn topics concerning theoretical concepts, programminglanguages, and compilers that are not required of the others. Sibling disciplines, indeed, but withdiffering underlying cultures and distinctive attributes.Bibliography1. Computing Curricula 2005: The Overview Report http://www.acm.org/education

Conference Session

New Developments in Teaching Electromagnetics and Related Topics

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Madeleine Andrawis, South Dakota State University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

AC 2011-1176: USING ACTIVE LEARNING IN TEACHING ELECTRO-MAGNETICSMadeleine Andrawis, South Dakota State University Dr. Madeleine Andrawis is Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at South Dakota State University (SDSU) since January 1992. She has also been the Coordinator of the Teaching Learning Center at SDSU from July 2002 till May 2010. Dr. Andrawis earned her Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in December 1991, and her M.S. from SDSU in 1983. Over the years, Dr. Andrawis has published and gave many presentations in the areas of electrical engineering, teaching effectiveness, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, the use of instructional

Conference Session

Design and Graphics Potpourri

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nathan W. Hartman, Purdue University, Computer Graphics Technology; Mitchell L. Springer, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Design Graphics

AC 2011-203: A DISTANCE LEARNING HYBRID PRODUCT LIFECY-CLE MANAGEMENT (PLM) CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN TECHNOL-OGYNathan W. Hartman, Purdue University, Computer Graphics Technology Nathan Hartman is an Associate Professor and Assistant Department Head in the Department of Computer Graphics Technology at Purdue University. He is also Co-Director of the Purdue University PLM Center of Excellence. His current applied research interests include the use of constraint-based CAD tools in the design process, the process and methodology for model-based definition and the model-based enterprise, geometry automation, and data interoperability and re-use. He currently teaches or has taught courses in 3D modeling, virtual

Conference Session

Globalizing Engineering Education II: Best Practices

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aurenice Menezes Oliveira, Michigan Technological University; Ivan T Lima Jr., Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Dakota State University

Tagged Topics

ASEE Global Programs

contributing to several STEM K-12 outreach initiatives, and to the NSF-ADVANCE initiative at Michigan Technological University. Dr. Oliveira is a member of the IEEE Photonics Society, the IEEE Women in Engineering Society, and the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE).Ivan T. Lima Jr., Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Dakota State University Dr. Ivan T. Lima, Jr., received the B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil, in 1995, the M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil, in 1998, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in the field of photonics from the

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephanie Elizabeth August, Loyola Marymount University; Allison Neyer, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Don Brian Murphy, Loyola Marymount University; Robert Quinlan Thames

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees

AC 2011-2080: ENGAGING STUDENTS IN STEM EDUCATION THROUGHA VIRTUAL LEARNING LABStephanie Elizabeth August, Loyola Marymount University Stephanie August is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Elec- trical Engineering and Computer Science at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. She teaches courses in artificial intelligence, database management systems, and software engineering. Her research interests include cognitive science applications of artificial intelligence including interdisciplinary new media applications, natural language understanding, argumentation, and analogical reasoning. She has several publications in these areas. Dr. August is actively involved in the

Conference Session

Innovative Instructional Strategies and Curricula in ECE I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alejandra J. Magana, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Bedrich Benes, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

AC 2011-2730: A GUIDED INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING APPROACH TOHIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTER GRAPHICS EDUCATIONAlejandra J. Magana, Purdue University, West Lafayette Alejandra J. Magana is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Technology and the School of Engineering Education, at Purdue University. Alejandra’s research inter- est are focused on identifying how computational tools and methods can support the understanding of complex phenomena for scientific discovery and for inquiry learning.Bedrich Benes, Purdue University Bedrich Benes is Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Graphics Technology at Purdue University. He received his Ph.D in Computer Science from Czech

Collection

2011 Fall ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference

Authors

Diana Schwerha; AARON JONES; SHIJING LIU; Sertac Ozercan; Jie Zhou

Development of a Computer Skills Class for Older Adults Using a Service Learning ModelDIANA SCHWERHA, PhDDiana J. Schwerha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and SystemsEngineering in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology at Ohio University. Dr. Schwerha’sresearch interests focus on applying ergonomics to retain older workers and designing usabletechnologies. She teaches courses in ergonomics, statistics, and quality control and is a trained SixSigma Black Belt.AARON JONESMr. Jones is a graduate student in the master’s degree program in Industrial and SystemsEngineering in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology at Ohio University. He researchinterests

Conference Session

Emerging Information Technologies

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Abul K. M. Azad, Northern Illinois University

Tagged Divisions

Computing & Information Technology

as apart of a curriculum. The first part of the paper will address these issues and will suggest acoordinated approach so that there will be a viable remote laboratory infrastructure with ahigh degree of acceptance.The author has a number of federal research and institutional grants and has developedInternet accessible remote laboratory facilities. These facilities have features like use ofsingle computer for accessing multiple experiments, manipulating experimental setup fromremote locations, integrated assessment, and real-time learning management features. Thedeveloped facilities have used for delivering a number of laboratory courses, while gatheringdata in terms of achieving learning outcomes and assessing the effectiveness of the

Conference Session

Computers in Education Poster Session

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Neelam Soundarajan, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

AC 2011-1047: WORK-IN-PROGRESS: COLLABORATIVE AND REFLEC-TIVE LEARNING IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMSNeelam Soundarajan, Ohio State University Dr. Soundarajan is a faculty member in the Computer Sc. & Eng. Dept. at Ohio State. His interests include topics in Software Engineering and Engineering Education. Page 22.1700.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Work-in-Progress: Collaborative and Reflective Learning in Engineering ProgramsAbstractThe importance of well developed team-working skills as well as reflective or metacognitive skillsamong engineering

Conference Session

Experiential Learning in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth V Noren, University of Idaho, Moscow

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

the department.In the Fall Semester of 2010, a laboratory component was added to a senior-level course entitled“Applications of Linear IC’s”. This course is an analog electronics course that teachesoperational amplifiers, comparators, voltage regulators and references, and applications that usethese components. A laboratory dimension was added to the course using an “ElectronicsExplorer Board” manufactured by Digilent. Additional equipment included a very inexpensivedigital multimeter (DMM) that measured resistance, capacitance, and AC voltages. Along with apersonal computer, this provided students with their own “circuits and electronics” laboratory.The classroom lectures explain the concepts included in the experiments was well as an

Conference Session

Experiential Learning in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathleen Meehan, Virginia Tech; Robert W. Hendricks, Virginia Tech; Cortney V. Martin, Virginia Tech; Peter Doolittle, Virginia Tech; Richadr Lee Clark, Virginia Western Community College

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

, engineering,and mathematics (STEM).10,11 Hands-on experience greatly enhances the learning experience forvisual learners and, based on learning styles, is generally more important for women than formales. Nonetheless, it is clear that almost all people learn by doing.12,13 However, theopportunities for students to engage in experimental informal learning on topics in electrical andcomputer engineering are disappearing, despite the number of electronics devices that are useddaily. Thus, our students were entering our introductory circuits courses without an intuitiveunderstanding of the fundamental concepts that had been developed by students in years pastfrom „tinkering‟ with electronics kits, ham radio sets, and home-built computers. As the

Conference Session

Experiential Learning in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mihaela Radu, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Clint S. Cole, Digilent, Inc.; Joe Harris, Digilent, Inc.; Mircea Dabacan, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

, Digital Systems, Design of Fault Tolerant Systems and Testing of Digital Systems. Her current research interests include Fault Tolerance of Electronic Systems, Programmable Logic Devices and new educational methods to teach digital system design and analog electronics.Clint S Cole, Digilent, Inc. Clint graduated from Washington State University in 1987 with a BS degree in computer science, and worked for Hewlett-Packard and Physio-Control before co-founding Heartstream in 1991. Heartstream pioneered the design of ultra-portable, low-cost defibrillators that are now deployed in millions of settings around the world. After Hewlett-Packard purchased Heartstream in 1997, Clint returned to WSU to complete a MSEE

Conference Session

Experiential Learning in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Peyton Jones, Villanova University; Connor W. McArthur, Villanova University; Tyler A. Young, Villanova University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

AC 2011-2476: THE VU-LEGO REAL TIME TARGET: TAKING STU-DENT DESIGNS TO IMPLEMENTATIONJames Peyton Jones, Villanova University James Peyton Jones is Director of the Center for Nonlinear Dynamics & Control and Professor of Electri- cal & Computer Engineering at Villanova UniversityConnor W McArthur, Villanova University Connor McArthur is an undergraduate at Villanova Unversity studying Computer Engineering and Com- puter Science.Tyler A Young, villanova University Tyler Young is a senior Computer Engineer and research assistant at Villanova University. Page 22.1516.1 c

Conference Session

Experiential Learning in ECE

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Liya (Grace) Ni, California Baptist University

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

, control systems, etc. [1][2]. Computer simulations and animations that allow students tofeel the responses of systems make learning more engaging and fun, and also help studentsunderstand the course concepts better. Another approach is to offer a course on haptics. Theadvancement of haptics technology relies on the combined effort of electrical and computerengineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, biomedical engineering, andpsychophysics. Therefore, haptics courses can be offered to students from different engineeringdisciplines. However, complete haptic courses are normally offered at the graduate level since itrequires undergraduate level courses such as control systems, robotics, C++ programming,computer graphics, etc. as

Conference Session

Innovative Instructional Strategies and Curricula in ECE II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Prawat Nagvajara, Drexel University, Electrical and Computer Engineering ; Robin Kizirian, Drexel University, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

Page 22.437.12each student at the beginning and end of the course, significant improvement in student learning(and understanding of microcontroller-based concepts and their integration into embeddedsystems) was noted. Integrating PSoC devices into microcontroller coursework appears to be ofgreat benefit in electrical and computer engineering education.References[1] Mar, M., Sullam, B., and Blom, E., “An Architecture for a Configurable Mixed-Signal Device”, IEEE Journal ofSolid-State Circuits, Vol. 38, pp. 565-568, March 2003.[2] Fang, W., Kedar, S., Owen, S., Wei, G., and Brooks, D., “System-on-Chip Architecture for Intelligent SensorNetworks,” Proceedings of the 2006 International Conference on Intelligent Information Hiding and

Conference Session

Pedagogical Issues in Computing

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Chia-Lin Ho, North Carolina State University; Dianne Raubenheimer, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

improve teaching and student learning. She is currently working with several engineering faculty assessing the impact of in-class use of technology on teaching and student learning. Dianne has also worked as an education consultant for a number of organizations conducting program evaluations and is currently serving as external evaluator on several grants. Her research interests focus on faculty development, action research, the role of technology in teaching and learning, and assessment in higher education. Page 22.366.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Computing

Conference Session

Computers in Education General Technical Session I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David R. Bowman, Clemson University; Elizabeth A. Stephan, Clemson University

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

AC 2011-1805: USING GEARSET TO PROMOTE STUDENT AWARENESSOF LEARNING OBJECTIVESDavid R. Bowman, Clemson University David R. Bowman is a Lecturer in the General Engineering Program at Clemson University. His educa- tional background includes a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Engineering from Clemson University.Elizabeth A. Stephan, Clemson University Page 22.1620.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Using GEARSET to Promote Student Awareness of Learning ObjectivesIn fall 2009, several new grade reporting modules were added to GEO (General

Conference Session

Faculty Tools

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joshua A. Enszer, University of Notre Dame; Jessica A Kuczenski, Century College; Kerry Meyers, University of Notre Dame; Jay B. Brockman, University of Notre Dame

Tagged Divisions

Computers in Education

.; Bhattacharya, M.; Rayudu, R.; “Work In Progress: E-portfolios in Computer Science andEngineering Education.” FIE Conference Nov. 2006 http://www.fie-conference.org/fie2006/papers/1428.pdf4. Heinrich, E.; Bhattacharya, M.; Rayudu, R.; “Preparation for lifelong learning using ePortfolios.” EuropeanJournal of Engineering Education 32(6), 2007.5. Gulbahar, Y.; Tinmaz, H. “Implementing Project-Based Learning and E-Portfolio Assessment in anUndergraduate Course.” Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 38(3), 2006.6. ABET. “Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs.” 2009. http://abet.org/Linked%20Documents-UPDATE/Criteria%20and%20PP/E001%2010-11%20EAC%20Criteria%201-27-10.pdf7. Fink, L.D. Creating Significant Learning Experiences. San Francisco

Conference Session

Laboratories and Projects in BME

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joe Tranquillo, Bucknell University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

, splines, numericalmethods), with programming as a means to an end (14, 18-20, 29)? Or should the coursebe designed to learn a specific computer language, such as MATLAB, as an example ofan engineering tool (5, 6, 10, 22, 26, 28)? Alternatively, the course could be structured toteach algorithmic thought processes (10, 14, 20, 31-34). No one way is best and anycomputing course should address all three to some extent. The implementation of acomputing course, however, does need to be tailored to the objectives and backgroundsof the students. For example, the lecture-homework-test progression may be excellent ataddressing an applied math objective, while short programming assignments may addressthe learning of syntax. Here we present a semester-long

Collection

2011 Northeast Section Meeting

Authors

Molly Clay; William Jumper; Kavitha Chandra

Computing and Simulation in the High School Classroom Molly Clay1, William Jumper2 and Kavitha Chandra3This research investigates methods for integrating computational modeling and programming in three high schoolphysics classes at Lowell high School in Lowell, MA. In this work, a project based approach is undertaken in whichstudents conduct experiments, build mathematical models and learn to program using MATLAB, a general purposescientific problem solving and scenario modeling software platform. We discuss the approach taken where studentsfirst undergo a four-week introduction to basic programming skills and begin to apply these skills to a series ofprojects based on fundamental

Conference Session

Innovations in Computing Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alejandra J. Magana, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Aidsa I. Santiago-Román, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez; Nayda G. Santiago, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez; Cesar A Aceros; Brandeis H Marshall, Purdue University; Eric T. Matson, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Computing & Information Technology

ways new discoveries will be made,innovation will occur, and cultures will evolve” 2 . Because computational thinking constitutes apowerful and pervasive capability to solve problems, researchers have pointed out that there is aneed to start teaching computational thinking early and often 3, 4 ; however several challengeshave been identified 5 . Questions such as: What are the effective ways of learning computationalthinking? What are the effective ways of teaching computational thinking? What are the coreconcepts of computational thinking? How should these concepts be integrated into thecurriculum? These are some of the questions that need to be dealt with.To take initial steps toward identifying how students understand a computational