Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Multi-Agent System-Based Framework For An Intelligent Management Of Competency Building, Fatma Outay, Nafaa Jabeur, Fahmi Bellalouna, Tasnim Al Hamzi

All Works

To measure the effectiveness of learning activities, intensive research works have focused on the process of competency building through the identification of learning stages as well as the setup of related key performance indictors to measure the attainment of specific learning objectives. To organize the learning activities as per the background and skills of each learner, individual learning styles have been identified and measured by several researchers. Despite their importance in personalizing the learning activities, these styles are difficult to implement for large groups of learners. They have also been rarely correlated with each specific learning stage. New approaches are, …

Chacahoula 2024, Vol 91, Alayna Pellegrin

Chacahoula

MERGING REALITIES:

The 2023 issue of Chacahoula includes December 2023 and May 2024 graduating classes, as well as stunning photography of Week of Welcome, Homecoming, Mardi Gras, and Spring Fever. With features covering notable students, faculty, and staff, this year's time capsule beautifully preserves an academic year in the life of the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

How State Universities Are Addressing The Shortage Of Cybersecurity Professionals In The United States, Gary Harris

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Cybersecurity threats have been a serious and growing problem for decades. In addition, a severe shortage of cybersecurity professionals has been proliferating for nearly as long. These problems exist in the United States and globally and are well documented in literature. This study examined what state universities are doing to help address the shortage of cybersecurity professionals since higher education institutions are a primary source to the workforce pipeline. It is suggested that the number of cybersecurity professionals entering the workforce is related to the number of available programs. Thus increasing the number of programs will increase the number of …

Perceptions Of Pharmacy Students Towards The Transition To Online Communication In Learning: Lessons From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Wejdan Shroukh Dr

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This study aims to explore the experiences of pharmacy students at Middle East University (MEU) in the transition to online communication in pharmacy education during the COVID-19 pandemic in the academic year 2021/2022.The current study follows an inductive qualitative research design based on conducting semi-structured interviews with students. Thematic analysis of data was carried out, and the six phases of analysis described by Braun and Clarke were followed. Data analysis yielded the following themes: acceptance of the transition to online communication in pharmacy education, the perceived difficulty of online courses delivered during the pandemic, drawbacks of online communication in pharmacy …

Human Capital At Home: Evidence From A Randomized Evaluation In The Philippines, Noam Angrist, Sarah Kabay, Dean S. Karlan, Lincoln Lau, Kevin M. Wong

Education Division Scholarship

Children spend most of their time at home in their early years, yet efforts to promote human capital at home in many low- and middle-income settings remain limited. We conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate an intervention which encourages parents and caregivers to foster human capital accumulation among their children between ages 3 and 5, with a focus on math and phonics skills. Children gain 0.52 and 0.51 standard deviations relative to the control group on math and phonics tests, respectively (p<0.001). A year later effects persist, but math gains dissipate to 0.15 (p=0.06) and phonics to 0.13 (p=0.12). Effects appear to be mediated largely through instructional support by parents and not other parent investment mechanisms, such as more positive parent-child interactions or additional time spent on education at home beyond the intervention. Our results show that parents can be effective conduits of educational instruction even in low-resource settings.

A Primer On How Al Algorithms Control You, Russell Fulmer

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can control you by exerting heavy influence on your worldview. Your worldview is akin to your personal philosophy, which affects how you perceive and label social systems and structures, groups of people, and politics. Algorithms impact your decision-making, beliefs, mood, relationships, and more. My rhetoric is intentionally strong when discussing algorithms, and I invite you to assess its merit by reviewing related literature and thinking critically.

Editorial: Centering Humanism In Stem Education, Desirée Forsythe, Sheila S. Jaswal, Bryan Dewsbury, Susannah Mcgowan

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"To understand why this Research Topic exists, it is important to recall the original goal from our call for proposals: to reorient STEM researchers and practitioners to reconsider the actual purpose of the practice of teaching and learning. Bryan Dewsbury often invokes us in his writing and talks to understand our why. As educators, we wish to provide insights, practices, and proposed theories to reflect on our WHY in STEM education—from one instructor’s empathetic approach to understanding the undergraduate student experience in gateway courses to the cultural initiation ceremonies at the disciplinary level. These components of humanism and the lens …

Analyzing Student Prompts And Their Effect On Chatgpt’S Performance, Ghadeer Sawalha, Imran Taj, Abdulhadi Shoufan

All Works

Large language models present new opportunities for teaching and learning. The response accuracy of these models, however, is believed to depend on the prompt quality which can be a challenge for students. In this study, we aimed to explore how undergraduate students use ChatGPT for problem-solving, what prompting strategies they develop, the link between these strategies and the model’s response accuracy, the existence of individual prompting tendencies, and the impact of gender in this context. Our students used ChatGPT to solve five problems related to embedded systems and provided the solutions and the conversations with this model. We analyzed the …

Reimagining Education With Ai, Margherita Pagani, Steven Miller, Jerry Wind

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This chapter examines AI’s transformative potential in education, focusing on Generative AI (GenAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) while at the same time emphasizing the importance of grounding and guiding AI efforts with learning science and education research findings. It synthesizes analyses and expert recommendations, highlighting opportunities like personalized learning and enhanced teacher productivity, alongside challenges such as over-reliance on AI. Practical steps for instructors include adopting a question-first approach, utilizing AI for personalized feedback, designing AI-enhanced learning experiences, fostering critical thinking, and ensuring ethical AI use. The chapter concludes with strategic recommendations for leveraging AI to sustainably improve educational …

A Step By Step Shoreline Attribute Analysis For Selected Waterbodies In The Gulf Of Mexico To Promote The Use Of Living Shorelines, Christoper Boyd, Xutong Niu, Taylor R. Horn

The Journal of Extension

Living Shorelines are being promoted by coastal extension professionals as a more resilient nature-based solution to control shoreline erosion. The Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences Living Shorelines Suitability Model was run in selected waterbodies within the Gulf of Mexico.

The locations of the selected water bodies, coastal data sets used, and shoreline protection recommendations generated by the Model are presented. A step-by-step statistical analysis conducted through ArcGIS Pro from these selected coastal shorelines will illustrate how extension professionals with novice GIS experience can use the model output to promote living shorelines to coastal property owners, city managers, and developers.

Chatgpt Can Write My Class Assignments, Right?: A Guided Classroom Activity For Teaching The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Generative-Ai Tools, Dr. Peter J. Kalenda Assistant Professor, Elementary Science & Math, School Of Education

Artificial Intelligence, 2024-25

This module is designed to support your undergraduate or graduate students with developing an understanding of:

• How to use generative-AI tools, like ChatGPT,
• The strengths and weaknesses of generative-AI tools for completing different tasks,
• How to design and revise a classroom presentation that is aligned with course topics and objectives by using generative-AI tools as a resource, and
• How to engage in prompt engineering and prompt revision for generative-AI tools.

Your students are being tasked with creating an engaging presentation they will deliver to their peers that aligns with the topics and learning objectives of your course. However, they will …

Exploration Of Positive Deviance In Prevention Of Underweight In The Under-Five: A Qualitative Study On Low-Income Urban Families, Irwan Budiono, Lukman Fauzi, Dewi Sari Rochmayani

Kesmas

Children under the age of five (the under-five) from low-income families are more vulnerable to experience underweight. This nutritional vulnerability is evident in the preliminary study, where 35.1% of the under-five experience underweight, and 28.48% are low-income families. This study aimed to explore Positive Deviance (PD) behaviors in preventing underweight among the under-five. The study applied a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data collection took place in July-August 2022, focusing on low-income families in the Gunung Brintik area. Data were collected through two focus group discussions, seven in-depth interviews, and five key informant interviews. Coding, subtheme, and theme …

Transforming Computer Science Pedagogy: An Exploration Of Self-Recorded Videos (Srv) As A Teaching And Evaluation Tool, Hussam Ghunaim

Computer Science Faculty Publications

This study aims to introduce Self-Recorded Videos (SRV) as a novel method to help improve students’ performance in coding assignments in computer science courses. To our best knowledge, this is the first time the SRV method is applied in the context of computer science classes. The study was conducted with a sample size of 41 students who were registered in the online CSCI 331 Operating Systems course at Fort Hays State University. These students were given specific instructions to create Self-Recorded Videos SRVs for every coding assignment they were tasked with. This approach was designed to encourage students to engage …

Climate Change And Its Impact On Health: A Global Collaborative Learning Model, Harriet Okatch, Patricia Remshifski, Anita Fennessey, Haley Campbell, Sivia Barnoy, Jason Friedman, Stephen Kern, Rosemary Frasso, Cecilia Sorensen, Tami Bar-Shalita, Louis Hunter

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

To address the health effects of climate change, leaders in healthcare have called for action to integrate climate adaptation and mitigation into training programs for health professionals. However, current educators may not possess sufficient climate literacy and the expertise to effectively include such content in their respective healthcare curricula. We, an international and interprofessional partnership, collaborated with experts to develop and deploy curriculum to increase health educators' and graduate health profession students' knowledge and competencies on climate change. In a tri-step process, the first phase included recruiting interested faculty members from two institutions and varying health professions. In phase two, …

Mathematical Modeling, Analysis, And Simulation Of Patient Addiction Journey, Adan Baca, Diego Gonzalez, Alonso G. Ogueda, Holly C. Matto, Padmanabhan Seshaiyer

CODEE Journal

This paper aims to develop a mathematical model to study the dynamics of addiction as individuals go through their detox journey. The motivation for this work is three fold. First, there has been a significant increase in drug overdose and drug addiction following the COVID-19 pandemic, and addiction may be interpreted as a infectious disease. Secondly, the dynamics of infectious disease could be modeled via compartmental models described by differential equations and one can therefore leverage the existing analytical and numerical methods to model addiction as a disease. Finally, the work helps to inform how mathematical models governed by differential …

Examining The Lived Experiences Of Educators Using Different Levels Of Support For Teaching Math To Students With Learning Disabilities In Math Computation And Problem-Solving For Teachers At Public Cyber Charter High Schools In The Northeastern United States: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Leeann E. Mccullough

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of educators using different levels of support for teaching math to students with learning disabilities in math computation and problem-solving for teachers at public cyber charter high schools in the Northeastern United States. The theory guiding this study was Sweller’s cognitive load theory, as it explained the learning process of students with learning disabilities and how educators developed instructional methods that complement the learner’s needs. The central research question was, “What is the lived experience of 9-12th-grade mathematics teachers in supporting students with differing learning abilities in …

08-05--2024 Orsp Newsletter, Liz Williamson

ORSP Newsletter

Dr. John C. Higginbotham, Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP), COPE (Clinic for Outreach and Personal Enrichment)

Effortless Mindfulness Toolkit: Easy Meditation Scripts To Begin Each Class., Brett Whysel

Open Educational Resources

The Effortless Mindfulness in the Classroom Toolkit is an open educational resource designed to create happier classrooms, boost student engagement, and foster a sense of community through brief, effective mindfulness exercises. This comprehensive toolkit provides educators with everything they need to seamlessly integrate mindfulness practices into their teaching routines, regardless of prior experience. The toolkit includes introductory slides, 15 ready-to-use meditation scripts, and accompanying audio recordings, covering a variety of mindfulness techniques such as focused breathing, body scans, and loving-kindness meditations. Each meditation is paired with a reflective prompt to deepen student engagement and reinforce the benefits of mindfulness. Additionally, …

Evaluation Of Factors Impacting Predictor Importance Results In Multilevel Models, Soonhwa (Suna) Paek

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Dominance Analysis (DA) was originally proposed to determine the relative importance of predictor variables in OLS regression models by comparing the change in model fit (i.e., R2) resulting from adding each predictor to each possible subset model (Azen & Budescu, 2003; Azen, 2013; Budescu, 1993). Although various educational studies show that DA can provide useful information in research, the DA procedure has not been studied extensively with Multilevel Linear Models (MLMs), which are commonly used to analyze nested data structures.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify appropriate multilevel measures of fit for the DA procedure in various MLMs, and …

Informed Intervention Design, Deployment, And Analysis For The Computer Science Classroom, Jaxton J. Winder

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Improving the teaching of computer science is a challenging task. Educators and computing education researchers devote large amounts of time, energy, and resources towards doing so effectively. One of the ways this is done is through research-informed design, deployment, and analysis of targeted interventions to the classroom. This thesis will detail research conducted at Utah State University targeting classroom interventions: centered around their design, deployment, and analysis.

One of these interventions aims to tackle student procrastination through the offering of “grace points”–forgiving a small amount of mistakes on a student’s assignment–for analyzing a homework assignment early. Through studying this intervention, …

7th International Conference On Creative Mathematical Sciences Communication (Cmsc`24), Frances A. Rosamond

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The 7th International Creative Mathematical Sciences Communication (CMSC) conference is scheduled for October 2024 in Trier, Germany. Initiated in Darwin, Australia in 2013, CMSC aims to explore novel methods of imparting computational thinking to diverse audiences including non-specialists, modern citizens, and children. Participants from around the world and from various and interdisciplinary disciplines such as science, education, dance, drama, and visual arts convene to exchange ideas, present experimental approaches, and collaborate on engaging children in the exploration of ongoing, unresolved research challenges.

The Value Of Adding Nothing: A Call For Reform-Oriented Polynomial Division, Jonathan Clark, Jeneva Clark

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The call to implement reform practices in schools reflects the historical turn away from the behaviorist theory of learning in education. Yet the praxis of this turn remains a significant challenge, particularly within mathematics classrooms where procedural memorization is emphasized. In this article, we show one means of how to advance our pursuit of meaningful mathematics into polynomial division. Building on the literature for reform-based division methods, an alternative to the long division algorithm will be explored that relies solely on adding zero and fundamental algebraic principles.

Building Communities Of Care For Equity, Justice, And Culturally Responsive Practice In Mathematics Education, Nicole Fletcher, B Waid

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Teaching is widely considered one of the “caring professions,” but conceptualizations of care and how care is put into practice in education are not universal. In this article, we draw from a range of perspectives on care that integrate supportive interpersonal relationships, high expectations, and culturally relevant theories of critical care, as well as Queer Theory and Disability Justice, to explore the application of these ideas in mathematics education. We identify key elements for building communities of care in mathematics education contexts: co-constructing community agreements, redefining participation, shifting traditional power structures, collaborative problem solving, and building networks of care beyond …

Sociomathematical Norms And Automated Proof Checking In Mathematical Education: Reflections And Experiences, Merlin Carl

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

According to a widely held view, mathematical proofs are essentially (indications of) formal derivations, and thus in principle mechanically checkable (this view is defended, for example, by Azzouni [3]). This should in particular hold for the kind of simple proof exercises typically given to students of mathematics learning to write proofs. If that is so, then automated proof checking should be an attractive option for math education at the undergraduate level. An opposing view would be that mathematical proofs are social objects and that what constitutes a mathematical proof can thus not be separated from the social context in which …

Aplicación De La Serie De Fourier En La Eliminación De Armónicos Musicales Para Obtener Un Tono Puro, Kelly Johana Infante Beltrán, Néstor Orlando Forero Díaz, Adalberto Pardo Rodríguez

Educación

Este libro explora la relación entre las matemáticas y la música a través de la aplicación de la serie de Fourier para eliminar armónicos y obtener tonos puros, fundamentales tanto en la audiometría médica como en la afinación de instrumentos musicales. Utilizando herramientas como Matlab y Sonic Visualiser, se analiza la pureza de las cuerdas de la guitarra clásica, destacando la importancia de esta técnica en diversos campos, desde la acústica hasta la medicina. El estudio incluye un simulador en Matlab para eliminar armónicos y una comparación de frecuencias específicas, mostrando cómo la comprensión de la serie de Fourier enriquece …

Quantitative Reasoning: What’S Math Got To Do With It?, Pamela Burdman

Numeracy

This keynote address explores the history and role of college math requirements with a focus on ensuring math courses serve to expand students’ horizons, rather than serve as gatekeepers. It discusses the advent of general education math courses, which brought more students into math departments, which ultimately contributed to broadening the scope of the courses to align with more students’ interests and majors, since their purpose was to advance quantitative reasoning, not mathematics skill per se. It also examines several practices to address calculus’ gatekeeping role: revising placement practices and prerequisites, redesigning courses, and updating instruction and assessment practices. Lastly, …

We Think, We Smell, We Remember: The Effect Of Smell On Memory For Chemistry Lab Learning, Michael A. Marino, Francine Wisnewski, Catherine Reilly, Andre Alexis

Faculty Presentations: BCES

The traditional five senses are the primary receptors of external stimuli for the brain. While tactile learning and visual observations are integral to the chemistry laboratory, olfaction is a sense that should be considered part of an educator's repertoire. Previous studies have discovered that our sense of smell plays a significant role in triggering memories. Moreover, specific scents like vanillin can prompt anamneses to recall previous experiences. A sample of 61 college students was employed for a three-week pretest-posttest control group experimental design. In the first week, participants conducted a chemical reaction to synthesize isoamyl acetate, the familiar and nontoxic …

Future Library: Hopepunk Heroism, Joanna Pascoe

Heroism Science

Future Library (Paterson, 2014-2114) is viewed through the lens of the heroic imagination and heroism in community. The heroic vision includes an artist, writers, a forest, public architecture, and the city of Oslo. As the project grows, so does its community, across the world, encouraging transformative thinking for all. Future Library is an art installation created by Katie Paterson, described thus: “A forest in Norway is growing. In 100 years it will become an anthology of books. Every year a writer is contributing a text that will be held in trust, unpublished, until the year 2114. The texts will be …

(Arise) Achievements In Research, Inquiry And Scholarship Exhibition 2024, Office Of Undergraduate Research

(ARISE) Achievements in Research, Inquiry and Scholarship Exhibition

No abstract provided.

07-08--2024 Orsp Newsletter, Liz Williamson

ORSP Newsletter

NSF research infrastructure, IDS (Institute for Data Science), NSF Mentoring Plan Requirement, NSF Pilot for Startups and Small Businesses