Portland, Oregon
June 23, 2024
June 23, 2024
June 26, 2024
NSF Grantees Poster Session
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10.18260/1-2--46786
https://peer.asee.org/46786
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Prof. Li Liu innovated many assistive technologies that improve software accessibility for people with disability when they interact with new computing devices and emerging digital contents. His work on building a tongue-machine interface is the first one reported on using tongue as computer input device in a non-contact way. His research projects were funded by NSF, DoD, NASA, Amazon, Disability Communication Fund, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and other foundations. At CSUN, Liu also developed a master’s degree program in Assistive Technology Engineering that prepares graduates to become innovative and cross-field team leaders in assistive technology fields.
Assistive technology is highly interdisciplinary and requires experience working with a team of professionals that has not always been accessible to under¬represented student groups. With support from NSF’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education program, California State University Northridge creates the first minority student development program that specifically targets students for careers in assistive technology by leveraging institutional commitment to engage underrepresented and underserved minority students in STEM fields by,1) building a support system for underrepresented students in STEM. 2) providing an authentic learning experience through tailored activities. 3) increasing our institutional capacity of creating a culturally sensitive learning environment and interdisciplinary STEM curriculum. The project uses student-centered principles and focuses on the significance of a learning environment applying an integrated STEM approach. So students take a more active role in their own education (Struyf et al.; 2019). Instructors use various active and student-centered learning methods including collaborative, cooperative, problem-based, and project-based learning. The emphasis of student learning activities is placed more on experiential learning and less on didactic teaching, with the instructor serving as both a mentor and a facilitator of learning. The project develops a strong professional identity critical to the persistence for students enrolled in a minority-serving institute in STEM majors and the motivation to pursue a STEM career, particularly in careers at the human-technology frontier. Project evaluation is in collaboration between the CARE evaluators, the project PIs and guided by the outputs, aims and outcomes about student STEM Identity theory by using both formative assessments and summative assessments.
Liu, L., & Lin, A., & Jung, T., & Carassai, M. (2024, June), Board 218: Building Student Success in Assistive Technology Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--46786
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