Browsing by Author "Fernandez, Eugenia"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Assessment of STEM e-Learning in an Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) Environment
    (American Society for Engineering Education, 2016-06) El-Mounayri, Hazim; Rogers, Christian; Fernandez, Eugenia; Satterwhite, Jesse Connor; Department of Engineering Technology, School of Engineering and Technology
    This paper shows the early research findings of utilizing a virtual reality environment as an educational tool for the operation of a computerized numerical control (CNC) milling machine. Based off of a previous work, the Advanced Virtual Machining Lab (AVML), this project features a virtual environment in which a virtual CNC machine is fully operable, designed to allow STEM students and training professionals to learn the use of the CNC machine without the need to be in a physical lab. Users operate in the virtual environment using an immersive virtual reality headset (i.e. Oculus Rift) and standard input devices (i.e. mouse and keyboard), both of which combined make for easy movement and realistic visuals. On-screen tutorials allow users to learn about what they need to do to operate the machine without the need for outside instruction. While designing and perfecting this environment has been the primary focus of this project thus far, the research goal is to test the ease of use and the pedagogical effectiveness of the immersive technology as it relates to education in STEM fields. Initial usability studies for this environment featured students from the graduate level CAD/CAM-Theory and Advanced Applications (ME 54600) course at IUPUI. Results from the study were tabulated with a survey using a four-point Likert scale and several open-ended questions. Findings from the survey indicate that the majority of users found the environment realistic and easy to navigate, in addition to finding the immersive technology to be beneficial. Many also indicated that they felt comfortable navigating the environment without the need for additional assistance from the survey proctors. Full details on the first usability study, including data and discussion, can be found in this paper. The general consensus from the study was that, while some features needed refinement, the immersive environment helped them learn about the operation of a CNC machine. Additional usability studies will need to be undergone to refine said features before beginning the final study, in which students learning from the immersive virtual environment will be tested against students learning from traditional methods. Details on this last study will be discussed in the final paper, which will also discuss the methods used for preparing the environment, full results and detailed discussion on each of the usability studies, and conclusions on the usability and educational effectiveness of the immersive virtual reality technology in STEM education.
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    Can Early-Assignment Grades Predict Final Grades in IT Courses?: American Society for Engineering Education
    (2017) Ramanathan, Parameswari; Fernandez, Eugenia; Computer Information and Graphics Technology, School of Engineering and Technology
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    Identifying Factors Impacting First-year Persistence in Computer Graphics Technology
    (American Society for Engineering Education, 2015-06) McCrae, Eric; Fernandez, Eugenia; Department of Engineering Technology, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI
    The retention of students is a goal that all universities strive to achieve. With more and more emphasis placed on degree completion, retaining students becomes even more important. University faculty and staff continually try to identify what possible factors affect a student’s decision to remain in their chosen field of study. Faculty in the Computer Graphics Technology (CGT) program are concerned with what factors, if any, affect the persistence of students in the CGT program. The goal of this study was to determine if personal factors such as gender and being a first-generation student and/or academic factors such as admission status, semester course load, and academic grades are related to the first-year persistence of CGT students. Results indicate that first semester performance is a significant indicator of persistence. Gender, first generation student, and admission status were not found to be significant indicators. This points out the importance of efforts focused on students in their first semester of college.
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    The Perceived Impact of Information Technology Experiential Learning on Career Success: A Pilot Study
    (American Society for Engineering Education, 2015-06) Bishop, Dalton; Justice, Connie; Fernandez, Eugenia; Department of Engineering Technology, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI
    Employers in the Information Technology field place significant value on the amount of real-­world experience prospective employees possess. Recent IT graduates face a competitive job market against seasoned professionals with years of experience. Students must build a solid experience base from which they can advance professionally. This cannot be done without first holding an IT position. The key to solving the experience paradox is experiential learning – the process of learning by doing. The Living Lab at is a non-­traditional undergraduate course based on the concept of experiential learning in the field of Information Technology. The Living Lab is structured similarly to a corporate IT department, with students playing the role of IT personnel. Students learn to apply their previous course material and gain resume-­worthy experience, while working in teams to complete IT projects for their university and local businesses. Projects are fully documented and reported on throughout the course with a final presentation at semester end. This study investigates what, if any, benefit graduates gain from the Living Lab experience. Graduates who were involved in the Living Lab were electronically surveyed about their professional careers after college. Questions focused on how the student felt their time in Living Lab helped them gain employment and enhance their ability to perform as an employee. Results will be used to gauge the validity of the Living Lab program and experiential learning as an effective tool in terms of IT education. Data from this study can be used to improve the program, and help prospective students to make an informed decision when considering the Living Lab. Ultimately, other institutions may be encouraged to consider implementing a Living Lab or similar IT experiential learning environment of their own.
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    Student Performance in First Year, Mathematics, and Physics Courses: Implications for Success in the Study of Electrical and Computer Engineering
    (IEEE, 2014-10) Simpson, Jane; Fernandez, Eugenia; Department of Engineering Technology, School of Engineering and Technology
    Mathematics and physics courses are recognized as a crucial foundation for the study of engineering, and often are prerequisite courses for the basic engineering curriculum. But how does performance in these prerequisite courses affect student performance in engineering courses? This study evaluated the relationship between grades in prerequisite math and physics courses and grades in subsequent electrical engineering courses. Where significant relationships were found, additional analysis was conducted to determine minimum grade goals for the prerequisite courses. Relationships were found between five course pairs: calculus II and differential equations; calculus II and physics I (mechanics); physics II (electricity and optics) and circuits analysis II; physics II (electricity and optics) and signals and systems; and circuits analysis II and signals and systems. The results indicate that a grade of C+ or higher in calculus II, and a grade of B- or higher in physics II and circuits analysis II will lead to higher grades in subsequent mathematics, circuits, and signals and systems courses. This information will be used to aid faculty in making decisions about imposing minimum grade requirements.
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    Supporting Teaching Excellence and Scholarship
    (Office of Academic Affairs, IUPUI, 2017) Burns, Debra S.; Alfrey, Karen; Feldhaus, Charles; Fernandez, Eugenia; Salama, Paul
    One main focus of the School of Engineering and Technology’s current strategic plan is to “excel in the delivery of instruction, the scholarship of teaching and learning . . . to support extraordinary student success.” And while the School of Engineering and Technology has a long history of teaching excellence most mentorship activities focus on supporting faculty seeking excellence in research/discovery. According to the 2015 campus faculty professional development satisfaction survey over a third (34.5%) of tenured and tenure-track E & T faculty, a quarter (25%) of full-time non-tenure track faculty, and two-thirds (67%) of part-time and adjunct faculty rated their satisfaction with professional development opportunities related to teaching as either only “somewhat satisfied” or “not satisfied”. Furthermore, approximately 40% of E & T non-tenure track and tenure track faculty are not satisfied or only somewhat satisfied with available mentoring opportunities. Thus, it is apparent there is a need to develop an intentional, sustainable program focused on developing faculty capacity for scholarship in teaching while providing mentoring and leadership opportunities for mid-career faculty. This proposal describes the structure and programming to provide a robust climate for the testing, integration, and dissemination of pedagogical practices in engineering and technology. The proposed programming leverages available campus resources and expertise, as well as a strengthening of current programming. Six Engineering and Technology faculty have agreed to be paired with faculty interested in focusing their scholarship in teaching and learning. Individual mentoring sessions, tailored to the mentees’ needs, will occur throughout the academic year. Monthly workshops (currently called “Lunch & Learn”) will cover discipline-specific topics related to pedagogy and learning. The program will be assessed on three different levels: participant satisfaction, assessment of teaching scholarship, and adoption of best practices. Our goal is to create a culture within the School that explicitly values innovative student-centered teaching and related dissemination.
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    Understanding gender differences in Online Learning
    (IEEE, 2014) Little-Wiles, Julie; Fernandez, Eugenia; Fox, Patricia; Department of Engineering Technology, School of Engineering and Technology
    As virtual learning has become increasingly more popular and even more common within both two and four-year institutions, the question of student engagement within these courses remains a critical factor for both administrators and faculty. Determining how students respond and participate in online courses has been studied to some degree, but what has not specifically been addressed is the factor of gender. So simply asked: Does gender play a significant role in how students engage with online courses? This question directed a two year study that sought to determine if gender does play a role in the engagement and student success in one online sophomore-level ethical decision-making course taught at the School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. This paper will outline the various phases of the project including initial set-up and planning, the pilot study, and then the full launch to all sections each semester. The data examined includes students' gender, total site activity and usage, total site visits, chat room activity, message activity, course letter grade, and course letter grade percentage earned. Basic demographics will be determined and statistical analysis will be performed at each stage of the study with a final conclusion drawn at the end of the two years. This two-year study is organized into four phases. Currently, phases one and two are complete with phase two, the pilot study, garnering some interesting results for the research team. Phase three, the full launch to all sections in two semesters, is now underway and the researchers hope the full launch will determine if the pilot results were correct or if a larger sample provides a clearer determination in regards to gender.