Workshop in Instrumentation, Sensors, and Engineering (WISE)

1. Workshop in Instrumentation, Sensors, and Engineering (WISE) Magued Iskander, Vikram Kapila, and Noel Kriftcher

2. Motivation • Stringent immigration laws after 9/11 have significantly reduced the inflow of foreign-born/trained science, math, and engineering students • Disinterest in STEM disciplines among college bound students • Engineering is held in less esteem than other professions • The typical engineering curriculum is more rigorous than other majors • Negative stereotypes of scientists and engineers held by teenagers • Society discourages female students from becoming engineers • High schools continue to use outdated equipment to perform lab experiments • Today’s students are attracted to gadgets such as PlayStations, cellular phones, and ipods

3. Today’s High School Students • Attracted to new gadgets • iPod • Video games • Cell phones • Lack of interest in Science & Mathematics due to: • Uninspiring laboratory experiments • Lack of connection to real life applications • Negative stereo types • Other professions held in higher esteem

4. Advantages of Using Sensors & Data Acquisition in Science Labs • An exciting application that is understood by pre-college students • Eliminate tedious tasks, so students can focus on learning the underlying concepts and testing new hypotheses • Data reduction reinforces math skills • Data analysis provides opportunity to apply science and math skills • Visualization develops students’ cognitive skills and the excitement of self-discovery • Develop inquiry-based learning skills • Allows us to monitor student learning and identify areas of weakness • Students learn and apply state-of-the-art computerized delivery tools

5. Traditional Lab Bicarbonate indicator Results in 1 day Detect approximate change in concentration of carbon dioxide Student’s attention is lost Sensor-based Lab Oxygen & carbon dioxide sensors Results in 45 mins Detect exact real time change in concentration of carbon dioxide and oxygen Student are able to change parameters and affect the experiment Advantages of Sensor-Based Labs: Example Photosynthesis

6. Polytechnic University Marta Valle George Westinghouse Paul Robeson Telecommunication Arts and Technology Revitalizing Achievement by using Instrumentation in Science Education (RAISE) • Funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) GK-12 Grant • Partnership between Polytechnic University and four New York City high schools • Led by two engineering and one humanities faculty aided by 13 fellows and 10 NYC high school teachers • Fellows develop creative and engaging experiments using modern sensing and data acquisition technologies for physics labs

7. RAISE Assessment (Year-2) • Impact on High School Students • Appreciate modern sensing technology • Favor sensor-based technology in labs • Better understanding of scientific concepts • Impact on Fellows • Improved communication and technical skills • Polish leadership and management skills • Superior problem-solving abilities • Pursue a higher degree (M.Sc.) • Teachers felt that the presence of the RAISE fellows is helpful in enriching their courses George Westinghouse Living Environment 2005/2006

8. WISE Funded by New York State Engineers of the Future Program

9. Workshop for Instrumentation Science and Engineering (WISE) • Two weeks • August 13-24, 2007 • Twenty Teachers • Residential Institute • 85 hours of Intensive Training

10. WISE Participants • 13 Men, 7 Women • Age: 25-57 • Experience: 0-32 years • Area of Teaching • Physics: 5 • Biology • Chemistry: 1 • Math: 5 • Earth Science: 2 • Technology: 5 • Polytechnic Team • 3 professors • 6 Students (1 undergraduate)

11. Project Objectives for Teachers • Provide them with skills and resources to deploy sensor based labs in their schools • Reinforce their pre-engineering knowledge and skills • Provide them with technology proficiency • Improve their pedagogical skills through collaboration and exchange of ideas between teachers andengineers

12. Project Goals for Students • Excite Students about Science & Math • Enhanced student achievement in standardized exams • Inspire students to pursue science and technology careers • Elevate academic achievement of students on standardized math and science tests • Build the infrastructure for a sensor-based science curriculum

13. Residential Institute • To facilitate the development of a supportive network of teachers dedicated tp their students’ pre-engineering studies • To permit social interactions with engineers from the local community

14. Each teacher received Vernier Comprehensive science sensor kit Physics with Computers Manual Biology with Computers Manual Collection of papers on pedagogy for technical subjects RAISE lab lesson plans Promotional Items Sensor Kit Contents Co2 Gas Sensor Colorimeter Conductivity Probe Dual-Range Force Sensor Dissolved Oxygen Sensor Gas Pressure Sensor Hand-Grip Heart Rate Monitor Labpro Interface Low-G Accelerometer Light Sensor Microphone Motion Detector Magnetic Field Sensor Ph Sensor Stainless Steel Temp Probe Photogates Pully Attachments Picket Fence Sampling Chamber Software Sensor Kit

15. Daily Schedule

16. Introduction to civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering Basics of engineering design including elementary mechanics and stress analysis. Measurement fundamentals including electronic measurement of strain, force, pressure, deformation, and tilt. Introduction to mechatronics Laboratory Visits Engineering Tutorials (15 hours)

17. In Class ProjectsExample Project: Stability • A force sensor is used to pull a block until the block tips or slides • Critical forces are computed theoretically and compared with the sensor measurements • Which face of the block would require the least amount of force.

18. In Class ProjectsExample Project: Buoyant Forces • A force sensor is used to measure the buoyant force of an object immersed in a liquid. • Plot the net force vs. volume displaced multiplied by gravity • Slope equal to the density of the liquid

19. Teacher Designed Lab Experiments • Most Popular activity

20. 15 Hours Case histories of active learning with sensors were used to discuss the role of technology in education. Topics Role of games, models, and multimedia in the classroom Role of visual modeling in engineering education Role of e-learning in K-12 education Relationship between pedagogy, ethics, and technology Student attitudes towards technology and privacy Influence of culture and gender preferences on technical education Student assessment using automated technology Balancing security with privacy Discussions of Pedagogy and Technology

21. Topics of Nightly Presentations Reconstruction of World Trade Center Supply chain management for a global manufacturing concern Women in engineering the process of technological innovation Rail car diagnostics 4D modeling in construction, Effect of environmental values on decision making (NEPA) Real-time monitoring of excavation near an operational subway line Use of recycled plastics in construction. Locations of Weekend Visits The Skyscraper Museum The Transit Museum Night & Weekend Program

22. Evaluation of the Project Comparison of Beginning & End of Program Surveys Assessment of Teacher Projects Assessment of Implementation Efforts

23. Participants’ Assessment of Program Components Overall Average Grade = 8.8/10

24. Participants’ Self Assessment of Improvement due to Participation in WISE Teachers reported an average improvement of 55% when comparing their self evaluation before and after attending

25. School Implementation Efforts • 19 out of 20 teachers submitted credible implementation efforts, including • Lesson plans • Teaching power points • New experiments • Videos of classroom activities

26. Conclusions • Early indications are that WISE was a success

27. Program Participants New York State Engineers of the Future Grant No: C400687 NSF grant DGE0337668 Richard Organisciak, Superintended New Rochelle SD Arnold Goldstein, Assistant Superintendent Bellmore Merrick SD Eric Suhr, NYS Education Department Teaching Assistants Brandi Barra Amir Bozerg Haddad Harish Chandra Alp Gokce Mahmoud Mahmoud Ilya Zarankin Acknowledgements