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The impact of modeling-eliciting activities on high school student design performance

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International Journal of Technology and Design Education
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Tanner J Huffman at College of New Jersey
Tanner J Huffman
Nathan Mentzer
Nathan Mentzer
Nathan Mentzer
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Abstract and Figures

Modeling allows students to become more effective designers. High school technology and engineering students engage in engineering design challenges as part of traditional instructional practices. Model-eliciting activities (MEA) present students with opportunities to elicit mathematical thinking that facilitates modeling. Students (n = 266) from four high schools completed a MEA and design challenge procedure. The research design utilized a quasi-experimental method, post-test only, with homogenous matching comparison groups based on possible confounding variables. A rubric was used to measure student design performance. Students in the comparison group (n = 124) completed a traditional design challenge and were assessed on their design performance. Students in the treatment group (n = 142) completed a MEA, a traditional design challenge and were assessed on their design performance. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used in order to discover if the difference in average design challenge rubric score from comparison group (42.56) to the treatment group (45.18) was statistically significant. A one-way multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to indicate if the differences in student average scores in each rubric category were significant. The ANCOVA did not reveal evidence supporting the research question with regard to overall design performance. The Pillai’s Trace MANCOVA test results were significant. Four design rubric categories were found to be significantly different: Criteria, Proposal, Test/Evaluate, and Communicate. The findings in this study suggest that MEAs significantly support design-based classroom activities. While overall student design performance was reported to show no significant increase, aspects of design displayed significant improvement. Technology and engineering teachers should examine MEAs as potential curriculum enhancements in their design-based classrooms.
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Vol.:(0123456789)
International Journal of Technology and Design Education (2021) 31:255–280
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-019-09557-x
1 3
The impact ofmodeling‑eliciting activities onhigh school
student design performance
TannerJ.Human1 · NathanMentzer2
Accepted: 2 December 2019 / Published online: 11 December 2019
© Springer Nature B.V. 2019
Abstract
Modeling allows students to become more effective designers. High school technology and
engineering students engage in engineering design challenges as part of traditional instruc-
tional practices. Model-eliciting activities (MEA) present students with opportunities to
elicit mathematical thinking that facilitates modeling. Students (n = 266) from four high
schools completed a MEA and design challenge procedure. The research design utilized a
quasi-experimental method, post-test only, with homogenous matching comparison groups
based on possible confounding variables. A rubric was used to measure student design
performance. Students in the comparison group (n = 124) completed a traditional design
challenge and were assessed on their design performance. Students in the treatment group
(n = 142) completed a MEA, a traditional design challenge and were assessed on their
design performance. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used in order to discover
if the difference in average design challenge rubric score from comparison group (42.56)
to the treatment group (45.18) was statistically significant. A one-way multiple analysis of
covariance (MANCOVA) was used to indicate if the differences in student average scores
in each rubric category were significant. The ANCOVA did not reveal evidence supporting
the research question with regard to overall design performance. The Pillai’s Trace MAN-
COVA test results were significant. Four design rubric categories were found to be signifi-
cantly different: Criteria, Proposal, Test/Evaluate, and Communicate. The findings in this
study suggest that MEAs significantly support design-based classroom activities. While
overall student design performance was reported to show no significant increase, aspects
of design displayed significant improvement. Technology and engineering teachers should
examine MEAs as potential curriculum enhancements in their design-based classrooms.
Keywords Modeling· Design· Engineering education· Technology education· STEM
education
* Tanner J. Huffman
huffmant@tcnj.edu
1 Integrative STEM Education, The College ofNew Jersey, Ewing, NJ, USA
2 Technology Leadership andInnovation andCurriculum andInstruction, Purdue University,
WestLafayette, IN, USA
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
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... REPS is a three-year collaboration between The College of New Jersey, Purdue University, and the American Society of Engineering Education. As a Research initiative, REPS will investigate what types of engineering learning are most appropriate for early learning (P-2) experiences, elementary (3)(4)(5), and middle school (6)(7)(8) students (what we wish to learn) in alignment with the high school expectations set forth in the Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning (the theoretical basis that will allow necessary insights) through a DBiR methodology (how the knowledge will be discovered). Accordingly, the proposed project will engage teachers, administrators, researchers, professional engineers, engineering educators, and P-8 engineering education experts in the broader P-12 engineering education community to articulate the expectations for engineering learning for P-8 students that is authentic to engineering as a discipline. ...
... Grade-band specific implementation guides that detail the engineering learning most appropriate for early learning (P-2) experiences, elementary (3)(4)(5), and middle school (6)(7)(8) • Use the taxonomy to draft the Engineering Literacy ...
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... Nowday, learning mathematics using only word problem is not a matter of mathematical modeling. Mathematical modeling also is approved as an suitable instructional strategy to the STEM education and can use to attain various student-learning achievement [26]. Mathematical modeling also is very important the strategy of students come to follow real-world that are unfamiliar with students. ...
... Based on Huffman [26] state that mathematical modeling is the most of the interesting topics in mathematics education that has been studied and disseminated more extremely as long as the last decades. This show that mathematical modeling are good and interesting topic to use in mathematical learning. ...
... This show that mathematical modeling are good and interesting topic to use in mathematical learning. According to Huffman [26] state that in a mathematical modeling situation, pure mathematics miss some of its power. This is relevant with this research that students in SD IT Bina Insani Kayuagung very interesting modeling task but they cannot solve the task because modeling task is new for them. ...
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... The model is a mathematical description of genuine situations that are rooted within specific systems of practice, and the modeling is the representation of the process that requires numerous testing and revision cycles [42]. The MEA framework has been used in engineering classrooms to design engineering tasks at the K-12 level [43] and university level [44], [45] as the framework supports various engineering practices and problem-solving practices [46]. ...
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