scholarly journals Project-Based Active Learning Techniques Enhance Computer Programming Academic and Career Self-Efficacy of Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Students

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Cyrus Rezvanifar ◽  
Rouzbeh Amini
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Biomedical Engineering ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Learning Techniques

Self-Efficacy Versus Gender: Project-Based Active Learning Techniques in Biomedical Engineering Introductory Computer Programming Courses

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Cyrus Rezvanifar ◽  
Rouzbeh Amini
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Biomedical Engineering ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Academic Persistence ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Survey Questions ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Efficacy Measures ◽  
High Level

Abstract Engineering education has increasingly embraced active learning techniques within a variety of curricula. In particular, project-based active learning techniques have a significant potential to enhance students' learning experience. In this study, we implemented project-based techniques in biomedical engineering (BME) classes, and we investigated the effects of active learning on students' self-efficacy as an effective predictor of students' academic persistence and their career decision-making. Differences in self-efficacy were compared across genders. A high level of internal consistency was observed for both academic and career-oriented scales, as determined by Cronbach's alpha values of 0.908 and 0.862, respectively. While average scores of all survey questions indicated improvement in students' academic and career-oriented self-efficacy measures, significant improvements were observed in “clearer vision of programming application in engineering” and “BME careers,” as well as in “expectation of success in a future BME career that involves developing medical devices” after the completion of the project-based activity (p = 0.002, 0.023, and 0.034, respectively). For two of the survey questions, female students reflected a significantly lower “self-confidence about understanding the most complex course material” as well as a significantly lower “willingness to have a future career in BME that involves intensive computer programing” as compared to male students (p = 0.035 and 0.024, respectively). We have further discussed possible explanations for the observed differences and multiple potential ways to enhance gender equality in STEM fields from a self-efficacy standpoint.

Using Hands-On Physical Computing Projects to Teach Computer Programming to Biomedical Engineering Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor Ham ◽  
S. Cyrus Rezvanifar ◽  
Vineet S. Thomas ◽  
Rouzbeh Amini
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Programming Languages ◽  
Biomedical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Physical Computing ◽  
Skill Sets ◽  
Hands On

Rapid advancements in the multidisciplinary field of biomedical engineering (BME) require competitive engineers with skill sets in a broad range of subjects including biology, physiology, mechanics, circuits, and programming. Accordingly, such a need should be reflected in the training of BME students. Among those skills, computer programming is an essential tool that is used in a wide variety of applications. In this paper, we have provided our experience in incorporating project-based learning, a promising approach in active learning, for teaching computer programming to BME students. We describe a low-cost method for using physical, hands-on computing that directly relates to BME. Additionally, we detail our efforts to teach multiple programming languages in one semester and provide a detailed analysis of the outcomes. We also provide basic materials for other instructors to adapt to fit their own needs.

scholarly journals Supporting Active Learning Through Team Based Problem Solving and Simulation in an Integrated Biomedical Engineering Course

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Negar M. Harandi ◽  
Carol P. Jaeger ◽  
Philip D. Loewen
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Biomedical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Traditional Lecture ◽  
University Of British Columbia ◽  
Vector Calculus ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Course Outcomes ◽  
The University

In this paper the planning, implementation, and analysis of active learning techniques introduced into a new integrated course designed for second-year Biomedical Engineering students at the University of British Columbia are presented. The course included foundation material on circuit analysis, electromagnetics, and vector calculus. The course was delivered using a blended learning format, incorporating video content, traditional lecture time, and team based in-class problem solving. In general the problem solving activities were well received, but several adjustments were necessary during the term to optimize the effectiveness of the team-based activities. Student feedback and course outcomes are presented and discussed in the paper.  

STUDENT CONCERNS FOR ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE ACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS DURING COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Memarian ◽  
S. Zuluaga ◽  
M. Stickel
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Student Response ◽  
First Year ◽  
Positive Feeling ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Neutral Tone

This paper shares a summary of the self-reported concerns of 134 first-year engineering students around engagement in online active learning environments during COVID-19. The students had volunteered to participate in remote weekly problem-solving workshops for four weeks that utilized Active Learning techniques. In this paper, we specifically analyze samples from the students who participated in only one workshop and responded to the following question: What concerns do you have that might limit your ability to engage in online active learning environments? Twenty of the participants reported no concerns. The tone of each student's response and personal feelings reported were also analyzed. Then, a thematic analysis of each student response was made, with the transcription and coding agreement being performed by two coders. As expected, most of the students expressed their concerns in a negative or neutral tone, and only a few expressed an affinity for current educational settings. Word mining of feeling terms shows that more students had verbalized being disengaged, followed by distracted and uncomfortable and none communicated a positive feeling. Our thematic analysis showed that learning socially (72/114, or 63%) is the most pressing concern for the students, followed by more personal regulating factors such as attitude and motivation (44%), quality of physical and virtual study environment (40%), as well as the guidance received from the course administrators (24%). Findings suggest the need for developing a global understanding of what active learning in an online environment entails in the context of engineering education, and to develop and adjust tools and practices to help students learn in this new context.

scholarly journals Increasing Student Retention and Satisfaction in IT Introductory Programming Courses using Active Learning

10.28945/3003 ◽  
2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Whittington
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
National Science Foundation ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Teaching Techniques ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
National Science ◽  
Introductory Computer Programming ◽  
Introductory Programming Courses ◽  
Programming Courses

The emerging field of Information Technology is one of several fields that require students to leam computer programming. A large proportion of the students were having difficulty getting through the programming sequence and ultimately changed majors or dropped out of college. To deal with this problem, curricular reforms were implemented and active learning techniques were added to the classroom. The outcome of which was increased student retention, grades, and overall satisfaction. As a result of these encouraging results, an NSF CCLI grant was awarded to formally compare teaching techniques and to create active learning activities specifically designed for introductory computer programming courses. This paper discusses the preliminary work and results that led to the grant award and also summarizes the work that is currently underway. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. DUE-0442987.

scholarly journals Implication of Active Learning Techniques in Learning Thermodynamics Energy Conversion using BLOSSOMS Thermodynamics Energy Conversion Video towards Engineering Undergraduates Performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 121
Author(s):  
Wan Akmal Izzati Wan Mohd Zawawi ◽  
Khairiyah Mohd Yusof ◽  
Nur Fazirah Jumari ◽  
Nor Azlinda Azmi ◽  
Tengku Nur Zulaikha Tengku Malim Busu
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Individual Learning ◽  
Learning Gain ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Learning Technique ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Engineering Undergraduates

Utilization of BLOSSOMS Thermodynamics Energy Conversion video to properly incorporate active learning techniques had been shown to increase the students’ performance in learning introductory Thermodynamics topics. In this study, the effectiveness of using BLOSSOMS Thermodynamics Energy Conver-sion video towards students’ learning in a classroom when adopted by lecturers who is not trained in active learning is investigated. Two groups of undergraduate engineering students from a control class and a treatment class were involved in this study. The students from the treatment class were taught by a lecturer using the BLOSSOMS Thermodynamics Energy Conversion video, while the students from control class underwent conventional lecture style. The students were given pre and post inventory tests and their results were analysed using SPSS. It was found that BLOSSOMS Thermodynamics Energy Conversion video without the proper implementation of active learning technique does not have a significant ef-fect on the individual learning gain of the inventory test among students. The uti-lization of the video could be more effective if the instructor is well-trained in ac-tive learning techniques.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Engineering Students’ Achievement in Computer Programming

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 23-34
Author(s):  
Melih Derya Gurer ◽  
Seyfullah Tokumaci
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Perceived Learning ◽  
Engineering Faculty ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
High Level

Literature indicated that attitude toward programming, programming self-efficacy, gender, and students’ department has been related to achievement in computer programming. However, there is a need for further studies investigating to what extent these factors explain programming achievement in a model. This study aimed to investigate the effects of programming self-efficacy, attitude towards programming, gender, and students’ department on their perceived learning. A correlational study design was adopted for this study. The sample of the study was 742 students of an engineering faculty at a state university inTurkey. To collect data, Programming Self-Efficacy Scale, Computer Programming Attitude Scale, and Perceived Learning Scale were used. To analyze data, descriptive statistics e.g. mean and standard deviation, and Pearson Correlation tests were administered. In addition, to determine the factors affecting perceived learning, multiple regression analysis was employed. The results indicated that the engineering faculty students’ attitudes towards programming, programming self-efficacy and perceived learning were at high level. In addition, significant correlations between perceived learning and predictive variables were found. Finally, it was concluded that gender, attitude towards programming and programming self-efficacy significantly predicted perceived learning. The results of the study provide a deeper understanding of how students’ learning was affected in programming courses.

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