Department of Technology Leadership & Communication

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Browsing Department of Technology Leadership & Communication by Author "Agarwal, Mangilal"

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    An Evaluation of a Research Experience Traineeship (RET) Program for Integrating Nanotechnology into Pre-College Curriculum
    (2017-06-24) Hess, Justin L.; Feldhaus, Charles; P.e, Maher E. Rizkalla; Agarwal, Mangilal; Technology and Leadership Communication, School of Engineering and Technology
    Nanotechnology has become a national focus throughout the United States with more than 24 billion USD of cumulative federal support towards nanotechnology research and development since 2001. In the last 20 years, R&D in this space has led to a number of revolutions in electronics, photovoltaics, manufacturing, medicine and much more. One of the primary goals of this federal funding, as described by the inter-governmental body, the Committee on Technology Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET), has been to develop educational resources that will ultimately lead to a skilled workforce who will continually advance the state of the art of nanotechnology. This study explores the impact of one summer’s implementation of an NSF-funded Research Experiences for Teachers professional development K-12 program designed towards this end. Specifically, the Research Experiences for Teacher Advancement in Nanotechnology (RETAIN) program at a large public Midwestern University was designed to provide 30 K-12 teachers (10 per year, primarily high school level) from high-needs, urban school districts with research experiences and shared activities designed to increase their understanding of the challenges and demands of nanotechnology, as well as college and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. In addition to these research experiences, our multi-disciplinary team sought to lead participants in the creation of 15 hands-on inquiry-based teaching modules (5 per year) that integrate multiple STEM disciplines, convey scientific-process skills, and align with Indiana Academic Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards. We frame this study as research evaluation, as our initial focus was on evaluating programmatic outcomes with the intention of improving the program itself through a cyclical process of research to practice. In this paper, our scope extends to the broader scholarly community: here we build on our evaluation results, with the aim of extending the body of knowledge pertaining to STEM professional development opportunities similar to this one
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    Nanotechnology experiences for students and teachers (NEST): Enhancing teachers' self-efficacy and their understanding of STEM career opportunities
    (IEEE, 2017-10) Sorge, Brandon; Fore, Grant; Nunnally, Eric; Gibau, Gina Sanchez; Agarwal, Mangilal; Technology and Leadership Communication, School of Engineering and Technology
    The Nanotechnology Experiences for Student and Teachers (NEST) summer learning opportunity at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) connects faculty, staff, and students from the Schools of Engineering and Technology, Science, and Education with high school teachers of STEM subjects in a two week teacher professional development experience. In the summer of 2016, eleven teachers participated in a series of NEST program activities that were designed to model instructional strategies while engaging the teachers in hands-on nanotechnology research experiences. Teachers were also provided tours and exposed to research being conducted and equipment being used in labs incorporating nanotechnology across campus. Additionally, the participants worked with other teachers involved in a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) project, to develop nanotechnology lessons to incorporate in their classroom during the following school year. Primary outcomes from this professional development were not limited to the developed lessons. Data collected through pre- and post-content knowledge assessments and pre- and post-self-efficacy surveys (T-STEM), show statistically significant increases in teacher nanotechnology content knowledge, nanotechnology self-efficacy, science efficacy and beliefs, and understanding of STEM careers. Observations and focus groups also provided data on potential program enhancements to facilitate greater support and experiences for the participating teachers.
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    Nanotechnology Experiences for Teachers and Students, Student Experiences and Outcomes
    (PEER, 2022-08-23) Sorge, Brandon; Fore, Grant; Agarwal, Mangilal; Technology Leadership and Communication, School of Engineering and Technology
    The Nanotechnology Experiences for Students and Teachers (NEST) program aimed to increase nanotechnology content knowledge, scientific research knowledge, and understanding of nanotechnology among high school students while fostering career readiness in nanotechnology-related fields. The program, offered for four consecutive summers with a two-week session each summer, included the following experiences: research experience and knowledge of careers in nanotechnology, hands-on laboratory experiences in inquiry-based science and the engineering design process and discover innovative technologies all while generating awareness and interest in emerging workforce opportunities. In total, 123 students [F=50, M=73; White=29; African American/Black=41, Hispanic=13, Asian=30, Other=10) participated in the program. The program was focused on recruiting students from low-income and underrepresented populations. This paper details the two-week intervention as it progressed over the course of four years. A formative and summative mixed-methods program evaluation was conducted to better understand and promote practices that increased students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). Each year, both the implementation and evaluation teams reviewed findings and discussed relevant changes to the program the following year. While each year of NEST included an introduction to nanotechnology, visits to existing laboratories, and hands-on activities, we detail where there were successes and failures, changes made to the program each year, and the associated student-level outcomes. For example, early findings found outcome issues related to race/ethnicity and content knowledge gains below expectations.