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1. Cultivating geo-sustainable mindset in high school chemistry students using geographic information systems.

   Alexander, C; Weinburgh, M; Brown, K (June 2024, Research Highlights in Technology and Teacher Education)

   Cherner, T; Blankenship, R (Ed.)

   While smartphones are familiar in high schools, their intricate material composition and far-reaching geographical footprint remain largely unexplored. This research explores how educators can leverage ArcGIS, a geospatial software tool, to bridge the gap between theoretical understanding and real-world consequences. The paper details a collaborative project between researchers and teachers to integrate location-based learning into the curriculum. One such project involved a teacher using geographic information systems to guide students in exploring the global impact of smartphones. This approach fostered critical thinking and environmental awareness, equipping students with vital knowledge about the materials behind everyday technology. By harnessing the power of geospatial tools, educators can cultivate a generation of "geo-sustainable" thinkers prepared to navigate the complex life cycle of digital devices – from extraction to disposal – in an environmentally responsible manner. This paper delves into the project methodology, the application of geospatial technology, and the broader implications for future research in this domain. 

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2. “Whose story is being told?”: Local history, cultural heritage, and digital maps.

   Alexander, C; Brown, K; Weinburgh, M; Valverde, E (April 2023, Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education Conference Proceedings)

   Langran, E (Ed.)

   A critical outcome in social studies education is identity development, and an important component of this process is students establishing a sense of place in their communities, nation, and world. Using data from a southwestern city in the United States, researchers investigated the intersection of local history, identity development, and cultural heritage resources using GIS technology. The instructional unit in which students participated utilized a variety of geospatial technologies which facilitated the visualization of geographic concepts, field-based data collection of geocoded places, and creation of a digitally-mediated cultural heritage map, which allowed students to create a narrative around their cultural identity. The study followed an interpretive case study design. Based on the findings from this study, important implications emerged, which are valuable for both future research in this area, as well as for teachers who wish to replicate this pedagogical approach in their own teaching practice. The implications include the flexibility of geospatial technologies for addressing content-area concepts at all levels of the instructional unit, the potential of geospatial technologies for supporting student cultural identity development, and the value of school-university partnerships in promoting innovative teaching strategies in a high school classroom. 

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3. The IT-BME Project: Integrating Inclusive Teaching in Biomedical Engineering Through Faculty/Graduate Partnerships

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s43683-024-00137-7  

   Jaimes, Patricia; Bottorff, Elizabeth; Hopper, Theo; Jilberto, Javiera; King, Jessica; Wall, Monica; Coronel, Maria; Jensen, Karin; Mays, Elizabeth; Morris, Aaron; et al (July 2024, Biomedical Engineering Education)

   To broaden efforts for improving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in biomedical engineering (BME) education—a key area of emphasis is the integration of inclusive teaching practices. While BME faculty generally support these efforts, translating support into action remains challenging. This project aimed to address this need through a 3-phase inclusive teaching training, consisting of graduate students, faculty, and engineering education consultants. In Phase I, graduate students and faculty participated in a 6-week learning community on inclusive teaching (Foundational Learning). In Phase II, graduate students were paired with faculty to modify or develop new inclusive teaching materials to be integrated into a BME course (Experiential Learning). Phase III was the implementation of these materials. To assess Phases I & II, graduate student participants reflected on their experiences on the project. To assess Phase III, surveys were administered to students in IT-BME-affiliated courses as well as those taking other BME-related courses. Phases I & II: graduate students responded positively to the opportunity to engage in this inclusive teaching experiential learning opportunity. Phase III: survey results indicated that the incorporation of inclusive teaching practices in BME courses enhanced the student learning experience. The IT-BME project supported graduate students and faculty in learning about, creating, and implementing inclusive teaching practices in a collaborative and supportive environment. This project will serve to both train the next class of instructors and use their study of inclusive teaching concepts to facilitate the creation of ideas and materials that will benefit the BME curriculum and students. 

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4. Implementation of Security Modules with Model-Eliciting Activities in Computer Science Courses

   https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--34776  

   Yang, Jeong; Earwood, Brandon; Kim, Young Rae; Lodgher, Akhtar (June 2020, 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference)

   Security is a critical aspect in the design, development, and testing of software systems. Due to the increasing need for security-related skills within software systems and engineering, there is a growing demand for these skills to be taught at the university level. A series of 41 security modules was developed to assess the impact of these modules on teaching critical cyber security topics to students. This paper presents the implementation and outcomes of the first set of six security modules in a Freshman level course. This set consists of five modules presented in lectures as well as a sixth module emphasizing encryption and decryption used as the semester project for the course. Each module is a collection of concepts related to cyber security. The individual cyber security concepts are presented with a general description of a security issue to avoid, sample code with the security issue written in the Java programming language, and a second version of the code with an effective solution. The set of these modules was implemented in Computer Science I during the Fall 2019 semester. Incorporating each of the concepts in these modules into lectures depends on both the topic covered and the approach to resolving the related security issue. Students were introduced to computing concepts related to both the security issue and the appropriate solution to fully grasp the overall concept. After presenting the materials to students, continual review with students is also essential. This reviewal process requires exploring use-cases for the programming mechanisms presented as solutions to the security issues discussed. In addition to the security modules presented in lectures, students were given a hands-on approach to understanding the concepts through Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs). MEAs are open-ended, problem-solving activities in which groups of three to four students work to solve realistic complex problems in a classroom setting. The semester project related to encryption and decryption was implemented into the course as an MEA. To assess the effectiveness of incorporating security modules with the MEA project into the curriculum of Computer Science I, two sections of the course were used as a control group and a treatment group. The treatment group included the security modules in lectures and the MEA project while the control group did not. To measure the overall effectiveness of incorporating security modules with the MEA project, both the instructor’s effectiveness as well as the student’s attitudes and interest were measured. For instructors, the primary question to address was to what extent do instructors change their attitudes towards student learning and their teaching practices because of the implementation of cyber security modules through MEAs. For students, the primary question to address was how the inclusion of security modules with the MEA project improved their understanding of the course materials and their interests in computer science. After implementing security modules with the MEA project, students showed a better understanding of cyber security concepts and a greater interest in broader computer science concepts. The instructor’s beliefs about teaching, learning, and assessment shifted from teacher-centered to student-centered, during his experience with the security modules and MEA. 

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5. “He got a glimpse of the joys of understanding” – The role of epistemic empathy in teacher learning

   https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2021.1936534  

   Jaber, Lama Z. (June 2021, Journal of the Learning Sciences)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract Background. Efforts to promote reform-based instruction have overlooked the import of affect in teacher learning. Drawing on prior work, I argue that teachers’ affective experiences in the discipline are integral to their learning how to teach the discipline. Moreover, I suggest that both affective and epistemological aspects of teachers’ experiences can serve to cultivate their epistemic empathy—the capacity for tuning into and valuing someone’s intellectual and emotional experience within an epistemic activity— in ways that support student-centered instruction. Methods. Using a case study approach, I examine the learning journey of one preservice teacher, Keith, who after having expressed strong skepticism about responsive teaching, came to value and take up responsive teaching in his instruction. Findings. The analysis identifies epistemological and affective dynamics in Keith’s interactions with students and in his relationship with science that fostered his epistemic empathy. By easing his worries about arriving at correct answers, Keith’s epistemic empathy shifted his attention toward supporting students’ sensemaking and nurturing their relationships with the discipline. Contributions. These findings highlights teachers’ affective experiences in the discipline as integral to their learning how to teach; they also call attention to epistemic empathy as an important aspect of and target for teacher learning. 

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