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Informed Teaching and Learning Using Thought-Bubbles for Focusing Student Attention in Engineering Courses

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Conference

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

New Orleans, Louisiana

Publication Date

June 26, 2016

Start Date

June 26, 2016

End Date

June 29, 2016

ISBN

978-0-692-68565-5

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Division Poster Session

Tagged Division

Electrical and Computer

Page Count

16

DOI

10.18260/p.25689

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/25689

Download Count

668

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Paper Authors

biography

Danda B. Rawat Georgia Southern University

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Dr. Danda B. Rawat received a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Old Dominion University in December 2010. Currently, he is the Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Georgia Southern University. Dr. Rawat’s research interests include design, analysis, and evaluation of cognitive radio networks, software defined networks, cyber physical systems, wireless virtualization, vehicular/wireless ad hoc networks, wireless sensor networks, wireless mesh networks, and cyber-security and wireless communication for smart grid. Dr. Rawat is the recipient of NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award in 2016. His research is supported by US National Science Foundation, University Sponsored Program and Center for Sustainability grants. Dr. Rawat has published over 120 scientific/technical articles, 7 books and over 15 peer-reviewed book chapters. He has been serving as an Editor/Guest Editor for over 10 international journals. He serves as webmaster for IEEE INFOCOM 2016, Student Travel Grant Co-chair of IEEE INFOCOM 2015, track chair for wireless networking and mobility of IEEE CCNC 2016, Track Chair for Communications Network and Protocols of IEEE AINA 2015, and so on. He served as a program chair, general chair, and session chair for numerous international conferences and workshops, and served as a technical program committee (TPC) member for several international conferences including IEEE INFOCOM, IEEE GLOBECOM, IEEE CCNC, IEEE GreenCom, IEEE AINA, IEEE ICC, IEEE WCNC and IEEE VTC conferences. He has received the Best Paper Awards at the International Conferences. Dr. Rawat is the recipient Outstanding Research Faculty Award (Award for Excellence in Scholarly Activity) by the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Technology at Georgia Southern University in 2015. He is the recipient of the Best Paper Award at the International Conference on Broadband and Wireless Computing, Communication & Applications 2010 (BWCCA 2010) in Japan among others. Dr. Rawat is a Senior Member of IEEE, and a member of ACM. He is serving as a Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of the IEEE Savannah Section since 2013.

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biography

Chandra Bajracharya Georgia Southern University

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Dr. Chandra Bajracharya is a Faculty member in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Georgia Southern University, USA. She received her Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Old Dominion University, USA in 2014. Her research interests include Smart Grid, Power Electronics, Alternative energy, Communication Systems and Signal/Image Processing and STEM education. Her research interests also include Medical Cyber-Physical Systems, Transportation Cyber-Physical Systems, Numerical Electromagnetics, Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, UWB Antennas and Antenna Design. She has published over 30 scientific/technical papers on these topics. She is a member of IEEE and has served as TPC member and reviewer of several conferences and journals.

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Abstract

Generally, specialized knowledge, skills, and attitudes in students are developed using structured lectures, laboratory session, and projects. For most of the students, it is very difficult to see the connection between topics covered in the lectures or in the course. Thus, there is an urgent need for focusing student attention towards the fundamental or core ideas related to the topic under discussion as take away points. We implement a teaching approach with “thought bubbles”, commonly used in arts and cartoons, to present core ideas to students as discussion questions. “Thought bubbles” (aka clouds) are used to pose as introductory questions for initiating lecture/discussion and as concluding thoughts. This approach helps student to be attentive and to grasp what will be covered during the session and again summarize all concepts at the end. There are following benefits of using the proposed approach: a) The proposed approach helps students to prioritize the information and develop critical thinking skills; b) The proposed approach helps student to get a chance to see a clear picture of essential concept and content relevant to the topic as questions through “thought bubbles” posed at the start of each lecture session and revisiting them at the end of the session; and c) The proposed approach helps students to be motivated around key concepts and use that knowledge to connect the dots. This “thought bubbles” based teaching approach requires students to use critical thinking skill and communication skill while discussing the implications and interconnections between key terms and concepts linked to a topic. In this paper, we present a case study based on the “thought bubbles” approach for ‘Cybersecurity (for Networked Systems)’ and ‘Program Design for Engineers’ courses. Note that the proposed approach can be implemented in any other courses in a straightforward manner. Evaluation (qualitative and quantitative) of the proposed approach is performed through adaptive anonymous online-based feedback systems, assessments, and, pre-and post-surveys.

Rawat, D. B., & Bajracharya, C. (2016, June), Informed Teaching and Learning Using Thought-Bubbles for Focusing Student Attention in Engineering Courses Paper presented at 2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana. 10.18260/p.25689

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