We have incorporated problem-based learning into several courses in an undergraduate engineering ... more We have incorporated problem-based learning into several courses in an undergraduate engineering curriculum, including dynamics and vibrations. Students' prior knowledge (both formal and informal) were assessed through concept inventories to determine what prior knowledge supported or impeded the acquisition of new content in these courses. A point-and-click classroom observation tool was developed and refined over the span of two consecutive academic semesters to capture the students' interactions as they engaged in authentic learning activities in engineering. We identified patterns of discourse and interactions among the students and instructor, and, in vibrations, we identified a gap in the curriculum from the pre-requisite course, differential equations. The concept inventories and revised observational protocol that we have developed will enable instructors to assess the quality of the prior knowledge that students bring into a course and to analyze the manner in which...
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 2018
In Fall of 2017, a series of measurement laboratory exercises, built around a microphone preampli... more In Fall of 2017, a series of measurement laboratory exercises, built around a microphone preamplifier and filter, were used in teaching an engineering measurement techniques course. The microphone circuit included a preamplifier that introduced JFETs, a virtual ground and buffer to illustrate loading effects, a high pass filter and a low pass filter, and a zener-diode-based limiter. The data were sampled using a beaglebone microcontroller's built-in analog-to-digital converter. The data was transmitted to matlab for post-processing and analysis. The microphone was then used in the Spring 2018 acoustics class. A variety of projects, including a Kundt’s tube, a driven closed-open pipe, a 3D printed horn for a blue-tooth speaker, and an absorptivity measurement for a restaurant’s wall treatment tiles, were completed in the course. It was observed that students showed improved interest in the material (increased in-class and out-of-class questions about specifics of the course mater...
Sweeping changes in the structures and functions of higher and post-secondary education have occu... more Sweeping changes in the structures and functions of higher and post-secondary education have occurred in the past 10 years. Scholars have estimated that department chairs make more than 80% of departmental academic decisions that impact a wide array of stakeholders. This content analysis study synthesized relevant empirical research published between 1990-2016 (N=308) to investigate the knowledge base on department chair/head roles. Findings included a wide range of academic disciplines, research methodologies, and reporting styles, however, there was little uniformity in how findings were presented and which standards of verification were used. Overall, a small proportion of publications directly addressed department chairs, and findings clustered into three groups: leadership characteristics, professional characteristics and preparation, and institutional types.
International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations, 2014
Given the active and authentic nature of Massively-Multiplayer Online Games, researchers have beg... more Given the active and authentic nature of Massively-Multiplayer Online Games, researchers have begun to question the use of this virtual setting as a teaching / learning tool (Barab et al., 2010; Squire, 2006). Specific findings in virtual environments show that several personal factors mediate an individual's experiences within that environment (Przybylski, Rigby, & Ryan, 2010). Although physical-world research has focused on the personal factor of personality and its influence on learning (Caprara et al., 2011; Furnham, Chamorro-Premuzic, & McDougall, 2003; Gallagher, 1996; Olesen, Thomsen, Schnieber & Tønnesvang, 2010), very little research on personality within virtual settings has been conducted. Thus, it is important to explore more about personality changes between individuals and their avatars in virtual settings. Findings from the current study show statistically different personality score for individuals and their avatars across all domains of the Five-Factor Model. Ho...
We have incorporated problem-based learning into several courses in an undergraduate engineering ... more We have incorporated problem-based learning into several courses in an undergraduate engineering curriculum, including dynamics and vibrations. Students' prior knowledge (both formal and informal) were assessed through concept inventories to determine what prior knowledge supported or impeded the acquisition of new content in these courses. A point-and-click classroom observation tool was developed and refined over the span of two consecutive academic semesters to capture the students' interactions as they engaged in authentic learning activities in engineering. We identified patterns of discourse and interactions among the students and instructor, and, in vibrations, we identified a gap in the curriculum from the pre-requisite course, differential equations. The concept inventories and revised observational protocol that we have developed will enable instructors to assess the quality of the prior knowledge that students bring into a course and to analyze the manner in which...
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 2018
In Fall of 2017, a series of measurement laboratory exercises, built around a microphone preampli... more In Fall of 2017, a series of measurement laboratory exercises, built around a microphone preamplifier and filter, were used in teaching an engineering measurement techniques course. The microphone circuit included a preamplifier that introduced JFETs, a virtual ground and buffer to illustrate loading effects, a high pass filter and a low pass filter, and a zener-diode-based limiter. The data were sampled using a beaglebone microcontroller's built-in analog-to-digital converter. The data was transmitted to matlab for post-processing and analysis. The microphone was then used in the Spring 2018 acoustics class. A variety of projects, including a Kundt’s tube, a driven closed-open pipe, a 3D printed horn for a blue-tooth speaker, and an absorptivity measurement for a restaurant’s wall treatment tiles, were completed in the course. It was observed that students showed improved interest in the material (increased in-class and out-of-class questions about specifics of the course mater...
Sweeping changes in the structures and functions of higher and post-secondary education have occu... more Sweeping changes in the structures and functions of higher and post-secondary education have occurred in the past 10 years. Scholars have estimated that department chairs make more than 80% of departmental academic decisions that impact a wide array of stakeholders. This content analysis study synthesized relevant empirical research published between 1990-2016 (N=308) to investigate the knowledge base on department chair/head roles. Findings included a wide range of academic disciplines, research methodologies, and reporting styles, however, there was little uniformity in how findings were presented and which standards of verification were used. Overall, a small proportion of publications directly addressed department chairs, and findings clustered into three groups: leadership characteristics, professional characteristics and preparation, and institutional types.
International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations, 2014
Given the active and authentic nature of Massively-Multiplayer Online Games, researchers have beg... more Given the active and authentic nature of Massively-Multiplayer Online Games, researchers have begun to question the use of this virtual setting as a teaching / learning tool (Barab et al., 2010; Squire, 2006). Specific findings in virtual environments show that several personal factors mediate an individual's experiences within that environment (Przybylski, Rigby, & Ryan, 2010). Although physical-world research has focused on the personal factor of personality and its influence on learning (Caprara et al., 2011; Furnham, Chamorro-Premuzic, & McDougall, 2003; Gallagher, 1996; Olesen, Thomsen, Schnieber & Tønnesvang, 2010), very little research on personality within virtual settings has been conducted. Thus, it is important to explore more about personality changes between individuals and their avatars in virtual settings. Findings from the current study show statistically different personality score for individuals and their avatars across all domains of the Five-Factor Model. Ho...
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Papers by Amanda Nolen