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1. Experiential Learning for Interdisciplinary Education on Vestibular System Models

   Nia, M.F.; Callen, G.E.; Aroskar, G.; An, J.; Chandra, K.; Thompson, C.; Wolkowicz, K.; Denis, M. (June 2023, Proceedings of the 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition)

   The vestibular system (VS) allows humans to have a sense of balance and orientation. Within the VS, fluid displacement occurs within the ear canal, triggering nerve signals to be translated by the nervous system, allowing for the interpretation of the head's orientation. When there is a disturbance to this system, vestibular dysfunction occurs potentially causing vertigo and a loss of balance. It is estimated that 35 percent of adults 40 years or older in the United States have experienced vestibular dysfunction. The vestibular balance system poses a robust, unique topic for developing interdisciplinary education curricula as its function encapsulates many fundamental mechanical, chemical, biological, and physical phenomena that can be studied with engineering concepts and principles. In this work, we present a survey of models of the vestibular sensory system. Following which, selected models are presented in an experiential learning format for students to better understand the relationship and sensitivity of model parameters and external stimuli to physiological system behavior. By conducting simulations of these models, students can visualize outcomes, pose questions, and potentially identify areas of research interest. This paper is the outcome of an Innovations in Graduate Education project supported by the National Science Foundation. The authors are graduate students from three engineering majors from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and the University of the District of Columbia co-creating an educational module with faculty and experts on human balance. The developed module related to analyzing the vestibular balance system mechanics will be integrated into undergraduate courses across engineering departments in partnering institutions. 

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2. Human Balance Models for Engineering Education: An Innovative Graduate Co-Creation Project

   Smith, A. T.; Aoki, E.; Ghandi, M.; Burek, J.; Thompson, C.; Chandra, K. (April 2023, ASEE annual conference exposition)

   Balance problems affect more than eight million adults, and the percentage of balance problems increases with age. Globally, the population is aging, making balance problems a relevant topic of investigation. Balance impairments are the primary cause of falls, which result in debilitating injuries, especially for the elderly population. There is a significant opportunity for students in engineering and other disciplines to explore and contribute to research and education in this area. In this work, a group of graduate students from electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering present research that will be mapped into an educational module on this topic. This module is co-created with faculty and domain experts. Sensors of various types are being investigated for monitoring gait and identifying the propensity for losing balance. A survey of the state of the art of sensor technology pertaining to balance is conducted. Models of human balance during quiet standing are investigated. An interactive simulation tool is developed to allow students to vary the model parameters and gain an intuitive understanding of the engineering principles involved. For engineering students, this offers many opportunities to better understand how topics they study in engineering courses relate to a significant societal problem. For students in courses such as statics, dynamics, and control systems, the concepts of change in the center of mass, the center of pressure, the inverted pendulum, and stability can be reinforced in relation to the balance dynamics problem. This paper describes the framework that will be used in an educational module that will improve undergraduate engineering concepts through balance dynamics experiments and simulations, and present interdisciplinary research problems to graduate students. This study contributes to an Innovations in Graduate Education National Science Foundation research project. 

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3. Human Balance Models for Engineering Education: An Innovative Graduate Co-Creation Project

   Smith, A.T.; Aoki, E.; Ghandi, M.; Burek, J.; Thompson, C.; Chandra, K. (June 2023, Proceedings of the 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition)

   Balance problems affect more than eight million adults, and the percentage of balance problems increases with age. Globally, the population is aging, making balance problems a relevant topic of investigation. Balance impairments are the primary cause of falls, which result in debilitating injuries, especially for the elderly population. There is a significant opportunity for students in engineering and other disciplines to explore and contribute to research and education in this area. In this work, a group of graduate students from electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering present research that will be mapped into an educational module on this topic. This module is co-created with faculty and domain experts. Sensors of various types are being investigated for monitoring gait and identifying the propensity for losing balance. A survey of the state of the art of sensor technology pertaining to balance is conducted. Models of human balance during quiet standing are investigated. An interactive simulation tool is developed to allow students to vary the model parameters and gain an intuitive understanding of the engineering principles involved. For engineering students, this offers many opportunities to better understand how topics they study in engineering courses relate to a significant societal problem. For students in courses such as statics, dynamics, and control systems, the concepts of change in the center of mass, the center of pressure, the inverted pendulum, and stability can be reinforced in relation to the balance dynamics problem. This paper describes the framework that will be used in an educational module that will improve undergraduate engineering concepts through balance dynamics experiments and simulations, and present interdisciplinary research problems to graduate students. This study contributes to an Innovations in Graduate Education National Science Foundation research project. 

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4. An Experimental Ethics Approach to Robot Ethics Education

   Williams, Tom; Zhu, Qin (February 2020, Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence)

   We propose an experimental ethics-based curricular module for an undergraduate course on Robot Ethics. The proposed module aims to teach students how human subjects research methods can be used to investigate potential ethical concerns arising in human-robot interaction, by engaging those students in real experimental ethics research. In this paper we describe the proposed curricular module, describe our implementation of that module within a Robot Ethics course offered at a medium-sized engineering university, and statistically evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed curricular module in achieving desired learning objectives. While our results do not provide clear evidence of a quantifiable benefit to undergraduate achievement of the described learning objectives, we note that the module did provide additional learning opportunities for graduate students in the course, as they helped to supervise, analyze, and write up the results of this undergraduate-performed research experiment. 

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5. A New Personalized Learning Approach Towards Graduate STEM Education: A Pilot in Chemical Engineering

   https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--46464  

   Dukes, April; Kerr, Valerie; Fullerton_Shirey, Susan; Veser, Götz; Besterfield-Sacre, Mary (June 2024, ASEE Conferences)

   Despite calls over the past two decades to develop and deploy graduate STEM education models that prepare students for a variety of careers outside of academia, few innovations have emerged to meet students at their current skill and preparation levels when entering their graduate studies while also considering students’ individual desired career paths. The U.S.’s current approach to graduate STEM education does not emphasize preparing students with the professional skills and experience outside the lab. Further, students from differing socioeconomic and underserved backgrounds are often not adequately supported. Through a National Science Foundation Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) award, the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering is creating and validating a personalized learning model (PLM) for graduate education within the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. The goal of this model is to transform and modernize graduate STEM education through a personalized, inclusive, and student-centered approach, which will, in turn, advance existing knowledge on the relationship between personalized learning and student outcomes. The principles of personalized learning guide the PLM. The PLM is comprised of five components. The first three components provide an intentional approach to learning: Instructional Goals developed for each student based on a learner profile and individual development plans (IDP), a purposeful Task Environment that breaks the traditional three-credit coursework into modules and co-curricular professional development streams, and a resolute approach to Scaffolding Instruction that leads to mastery in the student’s area of focus. The last two components provide feedback and reflection: Assessment of Performance Learning quantifies students’ progress, and Reflection and Evaluation, where improvement opportunities help the student to develop further. Incorporating personalization at every touchpoint of a graduate student’s academic journey creates an authentic, customized, student-centered approach to graduate education. This paper describes in detail the model and the literature behind its development, along with assessments used to guide students. 

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