My Code Isn't Working! Mathematics Teachers' Adaptive Behaviors During an Engineering Design Challenge (Fundamental)

Emily M. Haluschak; Melissa Colonis; Kaitlyn B. Myers; Tamara J Moore

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: June 26, 2024
Conference Session: Marge's Mission: Empowering STEM Innovation
Tagged Division: Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE)
Page Count: 16
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--47790
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47790
Download Count: 90

Paper Authors

biography

Emily M. Haluschak Purdue University

visit author page

Emily M. Haluschak is a PhD student in the school of Engineering Education at Purdue University. Emily is interested in leveraging integrated curriculum development in K-12 settings to positively impact underserved populations in the field of engineering. She utilizes past experiences in STEM program evaluation, education policy, and chemical engineering research.

visit author page

biography

Melissa Colonis PhD Purdue University

visit author page

Melissa is a mathematics teacher at Jefferson High School in Lafayette, IN. She enjoys partnering with Purdue University to provide unique educational experiences for her students as they consider potential college and career opportunities.

visit author page

biography

Kaitlyn B. Myers Purdue University

visit author page

Kaitlyn B. Myers is a mathematics teacher at Jefferson High School in Lafayette, IN. Kaitlyn teaches the honors and college-prep levels of pre-calculus/trigonometry. She utilizes her past experiences in undergraduate research, graduate-level mathematics, and teaching at a collegiate level. Kaitlyn enjoyed partnering with Purdue University's COE to provide her students a firsthand experience with the Engineering Design Process.

visit author page

biography

Tamara J Moore Purdue University orcid.org/0000-0002-7956-4479

visit author page

Tamara J. Moore, Ph.D., is a Professor in the School of Engineering Education, University Faculty Scholar, and Executive Co-Director of the INSPIRE Institute at Purdue University. Dr. Moore's research is centered on the engineering design-based STEM integration in K-12 and postsecondary classrooms.

visit author page

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

With increased demand for K-12 students to learn about microelectronics, teachers are encouraged to implement complex technological content into their classrooms. As part of a microelectronics workforce development effort, high school mathematics teachers teamed with researchers to create an integrated engineering design curriculum unit which was then implemented in their classrooms. During the microelectronics-focused lessons, technical issues arose that caused student disconnect and loss of interest in the moment. In response, teachers pivoted to get students reengaged. This research paper will use a framework of adaptive expertise, with subthemes of flexibility, deeper understanding, and deliberate practice, to explore how mathematics teachers made appropriate moves in light of technological issues. The research questions for this study are: How and why do high school mathematics teachers adapt when experiencing technological issues during an integrated microelectronics, engineering, and mathematics curriculum unit? How do these adaptations help students reengage in the curriculum? To study how the two teachers navigated unexpected technological issues, researchers analyzed whole class-focused video data and post-implementation reflections. To understand how engagement and interest of students changed with the activities, researchers analyzed whole class-focused video data. We found that the teachers made masterful moves to reengage students by altering the design challenge to focus on the development of a testable stress intervention method instead of a testable device, but also that the teachers may need experience with deliberate practice in the area of technological integration in order to become more comfortable integrating microelectronics in their mathematics classrooms. When students showed frustration with the sensor, code, or micro:bit, the teachers used different strategies to reengage their students such as, explaining that although the technology they had access to was temperamental they should imagine the client they were working with used a more reliable model. Post-implementation reflections help show why teachers made adaptations in their classrooms. This research adds to the understanding of how mathematics teachers deal with unexpected issues to reengage students as they integrate engineering and technology in their classrooms. This paper will also explore the areas where mathematics teachers need more support to be able to be adaptive experts in their classrooms when implementing new engineering integration-based pedagogies.

Citation
Format

Haluschak, E. M., & Colonis, M., & Myers, K. B., & Moore, T. J. (2024, June), My Code Isn't Working! Mathematics Teachers' Adaptive Behaviors During an Engineering Design Challenge (Fundamental) Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--47790

TY - CPAPER
AB - With increased demand for K-12 students to learn about microelectronics, teachers are encouraged to implement complex technological content into their classrooms. As part of a microelectronics workforce development effort, high school mathematics teachers teamed with researchers to create an integrated engineering design curriculum unit which was then implemented in their classrooms. During the microelectronics-focused lessons, technical issues arose that caused student disconnect and loss of interest in the moment. In response, teachers pivoted to get students reengaged. This research paper will use a framework of adaptive expertise, with subthemes of flexibility, deeper understanding, and deliberate practice, to explore how mathematics teachers made appropriate moves in light of technological issues. The research questions for this study are: How and why do high school mathematics teachers adapt when experiencing technological issues during an integrated microelectronics, engineering, and mathematics curriculum unit? How do these adaptations help students reengage in the curriculum? To study how the two teachers navigated unexpected technological issues, researchers analyzed whole class-focused video data and post-implementation reflections. To understand how engagement and interest of students changed with the activities, researchers analyzed whole class-focused video data. We found that the teachers made masterful moves to reengage students by altering the design challenge to focus on the development of a testable stress intervention method instead of a testable device, but also that the teachers may need experience with deliberate practice in the area of technological integration in order to become more comfortable integrating microelectronics in their mathematics classrooms. When students showed frustration with the sensor, code, or micro:bit, the teachers used different strategies to reengage their students such as, explaining that although the technology they had access to was temperamental they should imagine the client they were working with used a more reliable model. Post-implementation reflections help show why teachers made adaptations in their classrooms. This research adds to the understanding of how mathematics teachers deal with unexpected issues to reengage students as they integrate engineering and technology in their classrooms. This paper will also explore the areas where mathematics teachers need more support to be able to be adaptive experts in their classrooms when implementing new engineering integration-based pedagogies.
AU - Emily M. Haluschak
AU - Melissa Colonis PhD
AU - Kaitlyn B. Myers
AU - Tamara J Moore
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - My Code Isn't Working! Mathematics Teachers' Adaptive Behaviors During an Engineering Design Challenge (Fundamental)
UR - https://peer.asee.org/47790
DO - 10.18260/1-2--47790
ER -