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1. Gamification and a Leaderboard-Based Mathematics Game

   Rogers, Kimberly C ; Gao, Fei ; Grey, Camryn ( August 2023 , Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education)

   Cook, Samuel ; Katz, Brian ; Moore-Russo, Deborah (Ed.)

   One of the most used game design elements in gamification design is leaderboard, a scoreboard showing participants’ current scores and rankings. Though many studies suggest the positive effects of leaderboard on participants’ learning and motivation (Kalogiannakis, Papadakis, & Zourmpakis, 2021), research also shows that not all students benefit from the use of leaderboard (Andrade, Mizoguchi, & Isotani, 2016; Nicholson, 2013). Based on self-determination theory (SDT) (Ryan & Deci, 2017), we designed a study where undergraduate math students completed a leaderboard-based review, and addressed two questions: (RQ1) How are students’ perceived autonomy and competence associated with their enjoyment and intention of continued participation? (RQ2) How is student actual competence associated with their enjoyment and intention of continued participation? 

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2. Understanding students’ perceived need satisfaction, enjoyment, and participation intention in a leaderboard-based math practice game

   https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530241251407  

   Gao, Fei ; Rogers, Kimberly Cervello ; Li, Lan ( April 2024 , E-Learning and Digital Media)

   Though many studies suggest the positive effects of leaderboard on participants’ learning and motivation, research also shows that not all students benefit from the use of leaderboard. Based on self-determination theory (SDT), this study examined how students’ actual competence, perceived competence, perceived autonomy, and perceived relatedness affected students’ enjoyment and intention for future participation in a leaderboard-based math practice game. The results showed that both perceived competence and perceived autonomy were closely related to students’ enjoyment and intention for future participation, while students’ actual competence and perceived relatedness were not related to their enjoyment or intention for future participation in such leaderboard-based math practice games. The findings of the study offer valuable insights and recommendations for both gamification research and practice.

    

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3. “Because I’m Not Always Constantly Getting Everything Right”: Gender Differences in Engineering Identity Formation in Elementary Students

   https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--33967  

   Hoch, Annmarie ; Miel, Karen ; Portsmore, Merredith ; Swanson, Rebecca ( January 2020 , American Society of Engineering Education)

   Developing a strong engineering identity, or sense of belonging in engineering, is essential to pursuing and persisting in the field. Participating in an engineering outreach program is widely seen as an opportunity for youth to ignite and increase an identity as an engineer. As early as elementary school, youth evaluate their experiences, interests, and successes to make choices about possible futures. Although these early experiences and choices influence future participation in, pursuit of, and persistence in engineering, studies of engineering identity development have concentrated on undergraduate and high school learners. This study examines engineering identity development in elementary school students participating in an engineering education outreach program, expanding understanding of early influences on engineering identity formation. This study asks: How do students’ descriptions of their engineering experiences indicate the influence their experiences have on their engineering identity development? This study is embedded in an NSF-funded study of a university-led engineering education outreach program. In this program, pairs of university students facilitated weekly hour-long engineering design challenges in elementary classrooms throughout the school year. At the end of the academic year, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 76 fourth- and fifth-grade students who had participated in the outreach program. The interviewers asked students to rate their enjoyment of and skills in engineering within the context of the program. Iterative qualitative coding was used to elicit emergent patterns in students’ responses and examine them in the context of the Godwin et al (2016) engineering identity framework, using the constructs of interest, performance/competence, and recognition. Responses were then analyzed based on participants’ gender to understand and identify potential differences in influences on engineering identity development. Findings indicate that student talk around interest tended to be more positive, while student talk around performance/competence tended to be more negative, indicating the type of relationships students had with their interest in engineering compared to their perceived skills in doing engineering. However, within the construct of performance/competence, girls used negative language at a higher frequency than boys. Within this construct-based code, there were categories with large variations in positive and negative talk by gender. These gendered patterns provide insight into the differing ways girls and boys interact with engineering and how they start to develop engineering identities. 

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4. Enhancing the Cultural Competence of K-12 STEM Teachers through a Global Research Experience

   Pinnell, M ; Petry, L ; Bohrer, K ; Schneider, K ; Langston, M ; Generas, E ( February 2024 , 2024 Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity (CoNECD))

   Intercultural competence has become a critical skill for most professions, but particularly for those that involve working with people from diverse backgrounds. Teachers at all levels need intercultural competence to ensure that every student in their classroom has equitable access to learning and to effectively prepare their students to engage in an increasingly diverse and multicultural world. The United States Department of Education has made broader global skills for students a priority and has charged colleges and schools with providing new learning opportunities and course work to successfully develop these skills in teachers. Similarly, some argue that international travel is integral to teacher preparation, encouraging a sense of “otherness” and developing an appreciation for the role of human difference, addressing misconceptions and stereotypes, and challenging teachers’ understanding of their “professional self.” Additionally, it is well established that the US has a need for enhanced participation and increased racial and gender diversity in the STEM fields, particularly engineering. Teachers are critical to inspire and motivate students to consider pursuing STEM. However, stereotypes and bias can impact how teachers engage with students, and who teachers believe “has what it takes to be an engineer” leading to differentiated support and encouragement to excluded identities. Enhancing the cultural competence of teachers can help mitigate the bias and stereotypes, and help ensure more equitable access for students to being inspired to pursue STEM. To address these issues, two universities collaborated on a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Teachers grant to provide transformative international and intercultural experiences for teachers focused on human-centered design and appropriate technology for developing countries. Integrated throughout this experience was professional learning aimed at developing the cultural competence of the teachers, and coaching to help the teachers integrate this learning, as well as their engineering experiences, into their classrooms. This paper will summarize key findings from the second cohort participants with a focus on how this experience impacted the cultural competence of the participants. 

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5. Enhancing the Cultural Competence of K-12 STEM Teachers through a Global Research Experience

   https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--45446  

   Pinnell, Margaret ; Petry, Leanne ; Bohrer, Kelly ; Schneider, Kellie ; Langston, Marjorie ; Generas, Elizabeth ( February 2024 , ASEE Conferences)

   Intercultural awareness, communication and competence have become critical professional skills. Teachers at all levels need these skills to ensure that all students in their classroom have equitable access to learning, and to effectively prepare their students to engage in an increasingly diverse and multicultural world. The US Department of Education has made broader global skills for students a priority and has charged colleges,and schools to provide new learning opportunities and course work to successfully develop these skills in teachers. Similarly, Some argue that international travel is integral to teacher preparation, encouraging a sense of “otherness” and an appreciation for the role of human difference, addressing misconceptions and stereotypes, and challenging teachers’ understanding of their “professional self.” Additionally, It is well established that the US has a need for enhanced participation as well as increased racial and gender diversity in the STEM Fields, particularly engineering. Teachers are critical to inspire and motivate students to consider pursuing STEM. However, stereotypes, and bias can impact how they engage with students, and who they believe “has what it takes to be an engineer.” Enhancing the cultural competence of teachers can help mitigate the bias and stereotypes, and help ensure more equitable access for students to being inspired to pursue STEM. To address these issues, two regional universities collaborated on a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Teachers grant to provide transformative international and intercultural experiences for teachers focused on human-centered design and appropriate technology for developing countries. Integrated throughout this experience, is professional learning aimed at developing the cultural competence of the teachers, and coaching to help the teachers integrate this learning, as well as their engineering experiences into their classrooms. This paper will summarize key findings from two cohorts of participants with a focus on how this experience impacted the cultural competence of the teachers. 

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