Recognizing the ethical implications of computing, leading computing organizations advise integrating ethics within traditional technical and theoretical courses. Yet, many instructors feel unprepared or unqualified to introduce ethical concepts, fail to see their relevance to technical topics, or lack the time to cover ethics without sacrificing…

The projected number of engineering professionals will increase in the next decade. Implementing instructional technology to support engineering students in creating design solutions to authentic problems may lead to a more significant number of engineering graduates. The problem is knowing the extent to which parametric 3-dimensional…

This dissertation presents the results and outcomes of an effort to design educational tools and curriculum to improve student learning in introductory programming courses. The work was conducted at the University of California, Merced (UC Merced), situated in the Central Valley of California, and home to a diverse student population. The findings…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how high school teachers describe problem-based learning as an instructional model for student learning in various academic disciplines in the United States. The research was grounded in constructivist learning theory and Problem-based learning (PBL). The study addressed two research…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the nine-step problem design process (Hung, 2009) to design a problem based learning course. I applied a descriptive case study approach to conduct design and development research (Richey & Klein, 2007). The study was conducted in the Malaysian teacher education setting. In this study, I…

Despite the wide-spread discussions describing makerspaces and making in school library practitioner publications and conferences, there is a lack of research related to making, makerspaces, and fablabs in PreK-12 school libraries in the United States. (Mersand, 2020). This study examined current virtual makerspaces to discover insights into…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is increasingly recognized as both effective and associated with high student engagement. This study sought to explore this relationship between PBL and student engagement. Cycle 1 participants consisted of PBL experienced secondary school teachers and one principal. They offered insights on its high value and…

An educational researcher sought to collaborate with a classroom instructor to introduce problem-based learning as a new teaching intervention. First, a classroom instructor was approached to consider how a problem-based learning instructional approach might fit with their existing curriculum plan. The researcher and the classroom teacher used a…

This quasi-experimental study investigated the application of visual literacy skills in the form of parametric modeling software in relation to traditional forms of sketching. The study included two groups of high school technical design students. The control and experimental groups involved in the study consisted of two randomly selected groups…

Opinion polls in multiple countries recount a grim story, that people from Western and Muslim-majority countries regard one another as arrogant, intolerant, and violent, and that attitudes are not improving. Student exchange programs, which were widely expanded after World War II and during the Cold War, have become a vital component of public…

New innovative methods of teaching and learning adopted from mainstream research and development in educational theory and practice are being adapted to serve the unique needs of the medical professions. The success of these methods requires careful planning and establishment of faculty development programs. The purpose of this study is to perform…

A critical step in addressing a call for schools to use curricula such as problem-based learning (PBL) is developing an understanding of how school leaders can support its implementation. The purpose of this study was to examine ways school leaders at a comprehensive, public high school provided supports to teachers as they implemented this…

We live on a finite ecological system, yet consume as though resources are unlimited. Current environmental data suggests many in the developed world are living beyond what the earth is able to sustain. The paradigms in which we operate continue to support a path of constant consumption that continues to exacerbate this problem. Technology…

The need for new and innovative alternatives to traditional high schools has never been greater. Never designed to graduate all students on time, traditional high schools and their high dropout rates have remained unchanged for the last 30 years. Improving secondary schooling for all young people is a worthwhile social and educational objective.…

This multiple methods (Denzin, 1978) study investigated two instructional approaches, traditional module and electronic Problem-Based Learning instruction (e-PBL), used within a middle school engineering classroom focused on the variables of engagement, content knowledge, student self-assessment and teacher assessment of problem solving solutions.…