This NSF-IUSE exploration and design project began in Fall 2018 and features cross-disciplinary collaboration between engineering, math, psychology, and math education faculty to develop learning activities with 3D-printed models for integral calculus and engineering statics. We are exploring how such models can scaffold spatial abilities and support learners’ development of conceptual understanding and representational competence. The project is addressing these questions through parallel work piloting model-based learning activities in the classroom and by investigating specific attributes of the activities in lab studies and focus groups. To date we have developed and piloted a mature suite of activities covering a variety of topics for both calculus and statics.
After a year of classroom implementation and data collection at the institution where the curriculum was developed, the project team recruited math and engineering faculty from three other colleges to pilot the models starting Fall 2020. The goal of this expansion was to increase sample sizes and diversity for statistical analysis of classroom data and to learn about the experiences of faculty as they integrated the curriculum materials into their own courses. The original vision was for faculty to use the models in face-to-face instruction, but the transition to online modality in response to the COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid pivot during this expansion that we reported on previously. Faculty participants who chose to continue with the project worked to incorporate the models in parallel with their respective efforts to adapt to online teaching.
This poster focuses on the experiences of the participating math faculty. Ultimately these faculty taught online calculus courses both with and without the models from Fall 2020 through Spring 2022. We conducted pre and post participation interviews and report on their experiences. All participants reported their intention to continue to use the models beyond conclusion of the project and planned to try them in face-to-face instruction. The paper will discuss more details about the interview findings and conclude by making some recommendations for others who may be interested in exploring the use of hands-on models in Calculus instruction.
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There and Back Again: Lessons Learned from Facilitated Faculty Discussions on the Move Online and then Back Face to Face
In this Lessons Learned paper, we explore the themes uncovered from a series of facilitated faculty discussions on moving their course back to face to face teaching after the switch to online. The Institute at Anonymous University administrates over 100 faculty whose primary department appointments and teaching assignments are in either engineering or education. Over the last two years, the Institute hosted numerous conversations for faculty members to share experiences, research, and assessments of teaching successes and concerns as they changed instructional modalities, both with the initial move online and the subsequent move back face to face. From these conversations, faculty agree that some things during the move to online instruction, such as office hours, video archives of lectures, and some activities in break-out rooms appear to enhance student learning. Yet data showed that students believed the online experience was less desirable than face to face courses. Now that we have had a near complete semester where most classes were required to be held in the face to face mode, we are hosting conversations with faculty to understand the changes they are now making to their teaching because of the experiences from online instruction.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1911375
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10493414
- Publisher / Repository:
- ASEE Conferences
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Location:
- Minneapolis, MN
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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This NSF-IUSE exploration and design project began in Fall 2018 and features cross-disciplinary collaboration between engineering, math, psychology, and math education faculty to develop learning activities with 3D-printed models for integral calculus and engineering statics. We are exploring how such models can scaffold spatial abilities and support learners’ development of conceptual understanding and representational competence. The project is addressing these questions through parallel work piloting model-based learning activities in the classroom and by investigating specific attributes of the activities in lab studies and focus groups. To date we have developed and piloted a mature suite of activities covering a variety of topics for both calculus and statics. After a year of classroom implementation and data collection at the institution where the curriculum was developed, the project team recruited math and engineering faculty from three other colleges to pilot the models starting Fall 2020. The goal of this expansion was to increase sample sizes and diversity for statistical analysis of classroom data and to learn about the experiences of faculty as they integrated the curriculum materials into their own courses. The original vision was for faculty to use the models in face-to-face instruction, but the transition to online modality in response to the COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid pivot during this expansion that we reported on previously. Faculty participants who chose to continue with the project worked to incorporate the models in parallel with their respective efforts to adapt to online teaching. This poster focuses on the experiences of the participating math faculty. Ultimately these faculty taught online calculus courses both with and without the models from Fall 2020 through Spring 2022. We conducted pre and post participation interviews and report on their experiences. All participants reported their intention to continue to use the models beyond conclusion of the project and planned to try them in face-to-face instruction. The paper will discuss more details about the interview findings and conclude by making some recommendations for others who may be interested in exploring the use of hands-on models in Calculus instruction.more » « less
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--41357
