Browsing by Author "Helfenbein, Robert"

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    My life is in their hands: Latina adolescent border-crossings, becoming in the shadows, and mental health in schools
    (2016-06-22) Elfreich, Alycia Marie; Thompson, Chalmer; Dennis, Barbara; Helfenbein, Robert; Medina, Monica
    This project endeavors to move beyond traditional conceptualizations of voice in conventional qualitative research and instead focuses on embodied, liminal experiences of Latina adolescents, the intersections of identity, gender, spirituality, ethnicity, etc., how these junctures broadly impact mental health, and more specifically, how we perceive mental health and well-being within educational institutions. The study draws upon an intervention pilot study that sought to increase resiliency and self-mastery in Latino adolescents while simultaneously reducing their depressive symptoms. However, this project aims to take these findings and focus upon the complex and multiple factors that influence depression, including citizenship status, trauma in crossing the border from Mexico into the United States, and racial and gendered oppression specific to the experiences of Latina adolescent immigrants. Thus, this project explores ways in which four Latina adolescents make sense of their lived experiences through a critical feminist theoretical framework that integrates post/anti colonial feminism. The framework provides a nuanced conceptualization of power, oppression, and marginalization that creates opportunities to explore alternative notions of thinking that encourages new paths to transform interdisciplinary, university, community, and family relationships surrounding mental health concerns within educational institutions. Finally, theory, research, epistemology, and ontology are interwoven to inform a methodology that is fluid, interchanging, and always becoming.
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    Project enhanced learning in challenging engineering courses
    (2012) Nalim, M. Razi; Li, Lingxi; Orono, Peter; Helfenbein, Robert; Yu, Whitney; Mital, Manu
    Many sophomores and juniors perform poorly in traditional lecture presentation of challenging engineering science courses, and this may present either a threat or opportunity for retention. Examples of such core ‘gateway’ courses in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering curricula include Thermodynamics, Signals and Systems, Probabilistic Methods, Statics, and Dynamics, among others. Test scores, surveys, and classroom assessments indicate that many students completing these courses did not really understand the fundamentals, even if they could apply the 'formulae’. A supplemental or alternative approach such as project-enhanced learning has been effective. The authors have implemented project experiences in three different courses, based on initial experience in a course on Thermodynamics. In Fall 2011, project-enhanced learning was introduced in two other courses: Probabilistic Methods In Electrical And Computer Engineering, and Dynamics in mechanical engineering. One or two major projects based on systems, objects, or activities that are familiar to the students are designed and assigned to apply key course topics. The goals are to motivate and improve learning of abstract concepts and to provide a realistic application that anchors and helps retain learning. Teamwork and professionalism were also emphasized. This paper will present the projects developed and the experience of the instructors in conducting the projects. Observed student reactions and learning will be discussed. Online discussion forums helped in project guidance and peer discussions. Each student team was required to submit a final project report at the end of the semester.
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    Workshop: Project-Enhanced Learning in Engineering Science Education
    (2012) Nalim, M. Razi; Rajagopal, Manikanada; Helfenbein, Robert
    Early drop out and poor retention rates are a major challenge to engineering education, which in many institutions have prompted a focus on improved first-year experiences. Retention and contributing learning challenges persists into the middle years, particularly when students confront the first engineering science courses in their major field. Students often perceive these courses as too abstract, intended to weed them out, and not meaningfully connected to their professional aspirations. A proven approach to improve student learning, self-efficacy, motivation, and retention is the use of active learning, including problems and projects. Despite evidence of the benefits of active learning, engineering schools and faculty members have inadequate incentives to experiment with non-traditional approaches.