Recent Visitors
On April 27, 2009 the CSMe sponsored a lecture, "DEVS-Centered Modeling and Simulation: Core Concepts for Engineering Education," presented by Dr. Bernard P. Zeigler, Arizona Center for Integrative M*S University of Arizona. Modeling and simulation (M&S) refers to a collection of activities that are ubiquitous in engineering disciplines among many others. However M&S, as a standalone discipline, has not found a recognized place in the pantheon of concepts and tools within engineering education. Perhaps because of its abstraction, conceptual, mathematics, and programming bases, the barrier to entry is too high for most students and teachers. As a response, rapid advances in information technology have pushed a discipline-centric approach to reducing the barriers. Unfortunately, this easy entry approach rapidly leads to a plateau in capability where students cannot think beyond the confines of the specifics of the tools they have been trained to use.
In this talk, Dr. Zeigler avocated another approach, grounded in systems thinking, a meta-discipline that seeks unity in diversity. This approach attempts to reduce the barriers to M&S adoption by supporting modeling abstractions that are relatively easy to grasp, yet are generic and extensible to attain the full power of M&S. The approach is based on Discrete Event Systems Specification (DEVS), an M&S conceptual framework that is gaining increased attention. After briefly reviewing the kinds of thought processes that DEVS fosters, Dr. Zeigler discussed how its abstractions can be simplified to a core foundation and then elaborated in a graduated manner. Also mentioned were examples of the potential benefits to future engineers of such a systems-based modeling framework across the spectrum of disciplines as diverse as environmentally friendly building construction and power-aware computer architecture. Finally, Dr. Zeigler closed with challenges to the realization of DEVS-centered M&S education that educational technology developers might address.
Mr. Nattakit Sawadthaisong from Bangkok, Thailand is a visiting research scholar and has been a professional educator in science and mathematics at the high school level. Currently, he is a doctoral student in Science and Mathematics Education at Mahidol University, Bangkok. He is developing a learning model based on student naive understandings about the physical world. During his work at the Center, he will continue to conduct research, write a number of manuscripts for publication, attend various graduate level courses in science and mathematics education and interact with faculty and graduate students at the Center.
On November 5, 2008 the CSME sponsored a lecture, "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (or the Beauty) in Conducting Interdisciplinary Research: A personal journey", presented by Dr. Chun-Yen Chang, Research Chair Professor at the National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU)
Taipei, Taiwan. Dr. Chang described advantages and disadvantages while conducting interdisciplinary research particularly in the area of STEM education and e-Learning. The presentation included a summary of research conducted at NTNU during the past several years. Dr. Chang also presented challenges while collaborating with researchers from other disciplines. Dr. Chang received his doctoral degree in science education from The University of Texas at Austin in 1986.
During his visit to the CSME, Dr. Chang interacted with faculty and graduate students and with staff members of the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching. He also attended the Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching in Forth Worth, Texas.
Drs. Chang and Barufaldi have collaborated on a number of research projects and their recent manuscript, "The Positive and Negative Effects of Science Concept Tests on Student Conceptual Understanding", has been accepted for publication in the International Journal of Science Education.
On October 15, 2008 the CSME sponsored a lecture, "Improving Teacher-Student Classroom Interactions through the Use of Authentic Inquiry", presented by Dr. Nikki Hanegan. She also visited with faculty and graduate students in the Department and with staff members of the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching. Dr. Hanegan is a science education research professor at Brigham Young University where she is the director of the Masters in Biological Science Education for the Life Sciences College. She has conducted professional development programs for seven years in eight states with more than 300 secondary science teachers. She has numerous scholarly publications and recently received the 2008 Vern A. Fridley Environmental Educator of the Year Award for her work with teachers. Dr. Hanegan received her Ph.D. from The University of Texas Austin in 2001.
Dr. Virginia Resta
Dr. Barufaldi hosted Dr. Bhinyo Panijpan and Dr. Pintip Ruenwongsa from Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand when they visited the Center, June 19-21, 2007. The professors met with Drs. Resta, Petronsino, Marshall, and Martin. In addition they met with Dr. Keith Mitchell of the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching and representatives from the UTeach program. An informal luncheon was attended by 30 faculty and graduate students at which time the visiting professors discussed issues and concerns facing science education.
Dr. Chan-Jong Kim
Dr. Abd-El-Khalick, Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, presented an invited paper, "Setting an Empirically Supported and Synergistic Agenda for Research on Nature of Science", at the Center, April 24. He also visited with faculty and graduate students in the Department and with staff members of the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching.
Dr. Victor A. Zinger
