Increasing Engagement and Learning in STEM Education features brief research presentations, followed by a panel discussion about innovative teaching methods to foster student success in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) areas. Presentations include:
- Science Teaching for Diverse Learners by Professor Carrie Tzou
With increasing pressures in classrooms for teachers to cover more and more content, there is decreasing time to tailor science teaching to the needs of diverse learners. Science in particular is often thought to be "culture-free" or culturally neutral, but we know that students draw on their cultural, familial, and everyday resources to learn science. In this talk, Tzou will present an approach to teaching science and environmental science that draws on youths' everyday practices, family resources, and community knowledge.
- Game-themed Introductory Programming Project by Professor Kelvin Sung
The recent developments in computer gaming classes and gaming-themed curricula are exciting and have demonstrated resounding successes in attracting and retaining students in the Computer Science discipline. However, for faculty members with no computer gaming or graphics background the outlook of adopting or developing games-related courseware materials may seem daunting.
This presentation describes the on-going results from the Game-Themed Introductory Programming Project where the project's ultimate goal is to empower such faculty members with game-themed teaching materials as part of their general teaching tools.
- Interactive Visualizations to Enhance Student Learning by Professor Robin Angotti
Recent advancements in motion sensing technology are opening new possibilities for interactive visualizations to enhance student learning in K-12 education. New computer software which uses these new technologies allows mathematics students to physically use their bodies to produce and manipulate graphs of functions. This type of “embodied thinking” may assist students who have difficulty learning abstract math concepts.
This presentation demonstrates software recently developed by a team of students at UW Bothell and its potential applications for mathematics teachers.
About TIC Talks:
UW Bothell faculty members discuss the real-world applications of their research at Technology, Innovation and Creativity (TIC) Talks, sponsored by the Office of Research. These interactive sessions, held Monday-Thursday at noon, highlight topics ranging from games for education to organizational innovation. The community is invited to join faculty, staff and students for these lively presentation and discussion sessions.
Lunch, with sandwiches, cookies and beverages, will be provided by the Office of Research.