NSF Research Experience for Teachers through the Lens of Rehabilitation Engineering Design

1. Department of Veterans Affairs NSF Research Experience for Teachers through the Lens of Rehabilitation Engineering Design Mary Goldberg, PhD Education & Outreach Project Director Jon Pearlman, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology School of Health and Rehabilitation SciencesHuman Engineering Research Laboratories

2. Background: Departmental Structure • Rehabilitation Science & Technology • Human Engineering Research Laboratories • Veterans Affairs Research Center • NSF ERC (QoLT) • Education & OutreachPrograms

3. Guiding Framework • Increase number of students with disabilities in STEM disciplines • Retain individuals who have re-entered the pipeline • Insert participatory action design into engineering curricula • Empower practitioners and end-users with QoLT

4. Background: Product Development • Resources • Design & fabrication facilities • 5 full-time staff • Lots of AT users • Close ties to AT businesses • Multidisciplinary faculty & students • Successes • 5 products • 3 patents awarded; 9 pending

5. Technology Innovations for People with Disabilities (TIPeD) Target Populations

6. Background: Design Curricula

7. RET History Initiated by NSF in 2001 to involve middle & high school teachers in engineering research to bring engineering & tech innovation to the classroom 3-5 year grants to universities Involvement since 2007 Multiple collaborations across Pitt & CMU, namely the Learning Research & Development Center

8. Integration of Veterans National Science Foundation supplement to support R&D experiences for veterans Collaborative veteran/teacher teams (REV/T) Supports transition to college by building and expanding upon skills learned in military

9. Veterans + R&D  College • Preparation for the classroom • Often a non-traditional student, student with a disability • Supports a culture of trust & connectedness (8 Keys to Success) • Cross-mentoring opportunities between teachers & veterans

10. Program Model & Philosophy • Attractive & engaging topic across populations • End-user involvement • Design is iterative and interdisciplinary • Product development • Curriculum development • Collaborative learning • Design-based learning

11. Timeline February 1: turn in application (including support letter from school principal) March-May: engineering design course 1 evening/week July: 4 week curriculum workshop Fall ‘14: design-based learning unit aligned with standards in RET participants’ classroom January ‘15: student design competition March ‘15: option for repeat participation

12. RET Program Flow

13. Spring: Research & Development Experience • Goals • Design course • Complete a team product design project resulting in a functioning prototype and written report to include business plan • Participants • Process • Flipped classroom • Discussion based • Experiential learning through R&D activities

14. Spring: Research & Development Experience RET Class Structure • Product Design and Development Textbook complemented by short online lectures • Required weekly class attendance (14 weeks) • Weekly assignments [Critical] • Class time devoted to activities related to project and skill development • Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided Manufacturing • Prototyping and Fabrication Lab • Group project • Weeklydeliverables include design and prototyping & fabrication • Business Plan/Commercialization plan • Design Brief - Introduction; background; methodology; models; tests; futurework • Functional prototype

15. Spring: Research & Development Experience RET Class Structure • Google servicesas a hub for all course related documentation • Drive, documents, hangout and email • Lecture video and slides posted online, 1 week in advance • Syllabus for class activities, assignments and pre-reading requirements

16. RET Material/Software Provided • Product Design & Development (Ulrich & Eppinger, 5th edition) • Autodesk Inventor Professional • Available for free download at http://www.autodesk.com/education/student-software • Rapid prototyping for quick prototype fabrication • MakerBot Replicator 2X

17. Spring: Research & Development Experience • Project Overview • Activity Monitoring Device Case • Adaptive Hunting Device • Wheelchair Positioning Apparatus • Meter Feeder

18. Summer: Professional Development • Complete 4-week curriculum development workshop • Receive Act 48 credits • Complete a design-based learning unit • E.g. prosthetic limb • Veterans complete research and development in college transition program

19. Fall: Curriculum Implementation • Complete ~6-week design-based learning unit aligned to math & science standards • Cross-curricular • Classroom visits by RET program staff • Prepare students for design competition • Student teams of 4 • May include conducting individual classroom (or multi-classroom, where applicable) competitions

20. Fall/Spring: Design Competition • Participate in design competition • Artifact, poster, video • Grand prize team(s) receive internship • Best Design, Math, Presentation, & Science • Novel online competition format • Peer review software • Engineers, designers, & AT expert judges

21. Assessment Methods

22. Assessment Methods & Additional Research • Design self-efficacy • Teachers, veterans, students • Product review • Design canvas • IDEATE

23. Outcomes 70 teachers 6 veterans 1,000+ students New approach to math & science integration Online design competition method

24. Results and Future Work • Lessons learned • Instructor perceptions • Feedback from RET mentor & participant surveys • Changes for future cohorts • Research questions

25. Acknowledgements & Questions • Mahender Mandala, MS • Financial support • University of Pittsburgh • Human Engineering Research Laboratories • NSF Research Experience for Teachers • NCIIA • NSF QOLT ERC • Our clients • RET participants and previous trainees