Door-Alarm Lab: Integration of Engineering Design in a Simulation-based Learning Environment for Pre-Service Elementary Teachers

Zeynep Akdemir; N. Sanjay Rebello

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Computers in Education 6 - Best of CoED
Page Count: 13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41267
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/41267
Download Count: 239

Request a correction

Paper Authors

biography

Zeynep Akdemir Purdue University at West Lafayette (PPI)

visit author page

Fourth year Ph.D. student studying in Science Education at COE and working in Engineering Education at Purdue University. Interested in researching engineering design thinking, curriculum development, and educational psychology

visit author page

author page

N. Sanjay Rebello

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

Simulations have been shown to help students learn science concepts underlying real-world phenomena. Prior research has shown that simulation experiments can enhance college students’ learning of certain physics topics more so than hands-on experiments (Finkelstein et al., 2005). However, there have been few efforts to use simulations to facilitate integration of engineering design with scientific inquiry for non-STEM majors. In this work-in-progress study participants (N=98) completed a five-week long unit integrating engineering design with scientific inquiry in a simulation-based environment. The pedagogical model amalgamated the engineering design cycle (Capobianco et al., 2013) with the 3E-learning cycle (Karplus & Butts, 1977). The unit commenced with an engineering design challenge which asked students to design an alarm system that would set off an alarm, such as a light, when either a front or a rear door to a school hallway were left ajar. Since students had not learned about electric circuits at this point students attempted this design challenge based on their intuitive understandings or prior knowledge of circuits. The design challenge was followed by four weeks of explore-explain sequences to facilitate students to learn the science concepts needed to address the challenge. At the end of the unit, students returned to the challenge where they applied their concepts to the engineering design challenge. The challenge was similar, but more complex than the initial challenge so that students who had completed the initial challenge based on their prior knowledge too had to improve upon their challenge to accommodate new design criteria and constraints. As per this pedagogical model used in this model, the laboratory sessions (explore phase) occurred prior to the lectures to allow students explore and experience electric circuit phenomena within their groups, create their own hypotheses, and generate solutions to the design challenge through engaging in teamwork. The lectures (explain phase) were interactive using iClickers and facilitated students’ learning through the laboratory sessions. We administered the DIRECT (Engelhardt & Beichner, 2003) conceptual test in pre- and post- manner to evaluate pre-service elementary teachers’ gains in conceptual understanding of electric circuits. Paired-t test results showed that participants’ post-scores (M = 6.80, SD = 2.21) were significantly higher than their pre-scores (M = 9.00, SD = 2.66), t(91) = 7.20, p < .01, d = 2.92. Engineering design solutions were scored using a rubric to assess the application of science concepts to address the engineering design challenge. We also assessed students’ performance of a transfer task requiring them to apply these concepts to a different design challenge. Results indicate that over two-thirds of the students were able to successfully solve the challenge and explain the underlying science concepts in support of their design decisions.

Citation
Format

Akdemir, Z., & Rebello, N. S. (2022, August), Door-Alarm Lab: Integration of Engineering Design in a Simulation-based Learning Environment for Pre-Service Elementary Teachers Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41267

TY - CPAPER
AB - Simulations have been shown to help students learn science concepts underlying real-world phenomena. Prior research has shown that simulation experiments can enhance college students’ learning of certain physics topics more so than hands-on experiments (Finkelstein et al., 2005). However, there have been few efforts to use simulations to facilitate integration of engineering design with scientific inquiry for non-STEM majors. In this work-in-progress study participants (N=98) completed a five-week long unit integrating engineering design with scientific inquiry in a simulation-based environment. The pedagogical model amalgamated the engineering design cycle (Capobianco et al., 2013) with the 3E-learning cycle (Karplus & Butts, 1977). The unit commenced with an engineering design challenge which asked students to design an alarm system that would set off an alarm, such as a light, when either a front or a rear door to a school hallway were left ajar. Since students had not learned about electric circuits at this point students attempted this design challenge based on their intuitive understandings or prior knowledge of circuits. The design challenge was followed by four weeks of explore-explain sequences to facilitate students to learn the science concepts needed to address the challenge. At the end of the unit, students returned to the challenge where they applied their concepts to the engineering design challenge. The challenge was similar, but more complex than the initial challenge so that students who had completed the initial challenge based on their prior knowledge too had to improve upon their challenge to accommodate new design criteria and constraints.
As per this pedagogical model used in this model, the laboratory sessions (explore phase) occurred prior to the lectures to allow students explore and experience electric circuit phenomena within their groups, create their own hypotheses, and generate solutions to the design challenge through engaging in teamwork. The lectures (explain phase) were interactive using iClickers and facilitated students’ learning through the laboratory sessions.
We administered the DIRECT (Engelhardt & Beichner, 2003) conceptual test in pre- and post- manner to evaluate pre-service elementary teachers’ gains in conceptual understanding of electric circuits. Paired-t test results showed that participants’ post-scores (M = 6.80, SD = 2.21) were significantly higher than their pre-scores (M = 9.00, SD = 2.66), t(91) = 7.20, p < .01, d = 2.92. Engineering design solutions were scored using a rubric to assess the application of science concepts to address the engineering design challenge. We also assessed students’ performance of a transfer task requiring them to apply these concepts to a different design challenge. Results indicate that over two-thirds of the students were able to successfully solve the challenge and explain the underlying science concepts in support of their design decisions.
AU - Zeynep Akdemir
AU - N. Sanjay Rebello
CY - Minneapolis, MN
DA - 2022/08/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Door-Alarm Lab: Integration of Engineering Design in a Simulation-based Learning Environment for Pre-Service Elementary Teachers
UR - https://peer.asee.org/41267
DO - 10.18260/1-2--41267
ER -