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Types of Models Identified by First-Year Engineering Students

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Conference

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Location

Virtual Conference

Publication Date

July 26, 2021

Start Date

July 26, 2021

End Date

July 19, 2022

Conference Session

First-Year Programs: Cornucopia

Tagged Division

First-Year Programs

Page Count

20

DOI

10.18260/1-2--37943

Permanent URL

https://strategy.asee.org/37943

Download Count

1985

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Paper Authors

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Kelsey Joy Rodgers Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-2352-3464

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Kelsey Rodgers is an assistant professor in the Engineering Fundamentals Department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She teaches a MATLAB programming course to mostly first-year engineering students. She primarily investigates how students develop mathematical models and simulations and effective feedback. She graduated from the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University with a doctorate in engineering education. She previous conducted research in Purdue University's First-Year Engineering Program with the Network for Nanotechnology (NCN) Educational Research team, the Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs) Educational Research team, and a few fellow STEM education graduates for an obtained Discovery, Engagement, and Learning (DEAL) grant. Prior to attending Purdue University, she graduated from Arizona State University with her B.S.E. in Engineering from the College of Technology and Innovation, where she worked on a team conducting research on how students learn LabVIEW through Disassemble, Analyze, Assemble (DAA) activities.

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Angela Thompson P.E. University of Louisville

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Dr. Angela Thompson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Fundamentals at the University of Louisville. Dr. Thompson received her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Louisville. Her research interests are in biomechanics and engineering education, particularly related to first-year students.

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Matthew A. Verleger Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach

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Matthew Verleger is a Professor of Engineering Fundamentals at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. His research interests are focused on using action research methodologies to develop immediate, measurable improvements in classroom instruction and on the development of software tools to enhance engineering education. Dr. Verleger is an active member of ASEE, having served as the founding chair of the Student Division, a Program Chair and a Director for the Educational Research and Methods Division, and the General Chair of the First-Year Division's First-Year Engineering Experience Conference.

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Farshid Marbouti San Jose State University

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Farshid Marbouti is an Assistant Professor of General (interdisciplinary) Engineering at San Jose State University (SJSU). Dr. Marbouti completed his Ph.D. in Engineering Education at Purdue University. His research interests center on First-Year Engineering student success, engineering design, and learning analytics.

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Nishith Shah

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Pujan Thaker Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach

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Abstract

This is a Complete Research paper. Understanding models is important for engineering students, but not often taught explicitly in first-year courses. Although there are many types of models in engineering, studies have shown that engineering students most commonly identify prototyping or physical models when asked about modeling. In order to evaluate students’ understanding of different types of models used in engineering and the effectiveness of interventions designed to teach modeling, a survey was developed. This paper describes development of a framework to categorize the types of engineering models that first-year engineering students discuss based on both previous literature and students’ responses to survey questions about models. In Fall 2019, the survey was administered to first-year engineering students to investigate their awareness of types of models and understanding of how to apply different types of models in solving engineering problems. Students’ responses to three questions from the survey were analyzed in this study: 1. What is a model in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields?, 2. List different types of models that you can think of., and 3. Describe each different type of model you listed. Responses were categorized by model type and the framework was updated through an iterative coding process. After four rounds of analysis of 30 different students’ responses, an acceptable percentage agreement was reached between independent researchers coding the data. Resulting frequencies of the various model types identified by students are presented along with representative student responses to provide insight into students’ understanding of models in STEM. This study is part of a larger project to understand the impact of modeling interventions on students’ awareness of models and their ability to build and apply models.

Rodgers, K. J., & Thompson, A., & Verleger, M. A., & Marbouti, F., & Shah, N., & Thaker, P. (2021, July), Types of Models Identified by First-Year Engineering Students Paper presented at 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual Conference. 10.18260/1-2--37943

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