Reflective Teaching In A Digital Age

As technology continues to advance, professionals in engineering, science, and other disciplines must develop computational skills to address complex problems, analyze data, and create innovative solutions. In this episode, Dr. Alejandra Magana emphasizes the need for a systematic approach to integrating computational methods into engineering and STEM education with a focus on student-centered, supportive teaching. She also introduces her new book, Learning through Computation, Modeling, and Simulation Practices in STEM. Additionally, Dr. Magana provides actionable strategies for practitioners to incorporate into their educational practices. 

Bio:
Dr. Alejandra J. Magana is the W.C. Furnas Professor in Enterprise Excellence in the Department of Computer and Information Technology and Professor in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University. Dr. Magana holds a B.E. in Information Systems and an M.S. in Technology, both from Tec de Monterrey, and an M.S. in Educational Technology and a Ph.D. in Engineering Education, both from Purdue University. Her research program investigates how model-based cognition in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) can be better supported by means of expert tools and disciplinary practices such as data science computation, modeling, and simulation. In 2015, Dr. Magana received the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award for investigating modeling and simulation practices in undergraduate engineering education. In 2016, she was conferred the status of Purdue Faculty Scholar for being on an accelerated path toward academic research distinction, and in 2022, she was inducted into the Purdue University Teaching Academy, recognizing her excellence in teaching. 

References:
Teaching and Learning in STEM with Computation, Modeling, and Simulation Practices 

Active participation in scientific practice through engagement in meaningful learning experiences provides opportunities for students to develop a conceptual understanding of complex topics. To make learning effective, teachers need to have a roadmap for ways to support their students in the learning process. The Full Option Science System (FOSS) curriculum is a research-based and classroom tested methodology that provides guidance and materials for engaging students in scientific and engineering practices. In this episode, Jessica Penchos will talk to us about the core principles of the FOSS curriculum, how it addresses students’ engagement, motivation, and learning, and ways that teachers can effectively integrate this approach into their classrooms.

Bio:
Jessica Penchos is the Associate Director of the Full Option Science System (FOSS) Project at the Lawrence Hall of Science at University of California, Berkeley. She is an experienced curriculum developer and was a lead author for the FOSS Next Generation Edition (2018) for grades 6-8 and a contributing author for FOSS Pathways Edition (2024) modules for grades TK-5. Her contributions focus on implementing research-based pedagogical practices and developing NGSS-aligned science instructional materials and assessment items centered around equitable access for all learners. Before joining FOSS, Jessica taught 8th grade science in Boston Public Schools and served as a teacher leader in the district. Jessica has an undergraduate degree with honors from Dartmouth College in Cognitive Science and a master’s degree in education from Harvard Graduate School of Education where she focused on cognitive frameworks for curriculum, evaluation of educational programs, and technology for students with disabilities.

Helping teams learn how to collaborate effectively is a challenging task in educational and workplace settings. Meaningful collaboration requires sustained support, trust building, and continuous reflection by team members on their problem-solving progress. In this episode, Elizabeth Porter shares with us her extensive knowledge of ways to support collaboration that include time-tested pedagogical approaches and cutting-edge technologies, such as the Riff Analytics platform, to create an inclusive learning environment to support effective collaborative knowledge building.

Bio:
Elizabeth Porter is a highly accomplished technology professional with experience in multiple verticals, as well as an industry leading expert in EdTech. With a career spanning 30 years, she dedicates herself to designing, developing and promoting cutting-edge products and leading innovation initiatives in startups and global Enterprises alike. As a team and organizational leader, she has built and grown high-performing teams, cultivating a culture of intelligence and conviction. Beth is currently the Head of Studio for C10 Labs, a Cambridge-based venture fund focused on AI-first, applied AI, high impact early stage startups. Previously, she led the Tech Diplomacy Academy at Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue University.  She teaches at Boston University Questrom School of Business in the IT department, pioneering new courses such as Project-Based Consulting in Data Analytics. She also serves as a Course Leader in AI Venture Studio at the MIT Media Lab. Formerly, she was the CEO at Riff Analytics, an AI-powered  collaboration and communications platform out of MIT, and the COO and then CEO at Esme Learning Solutions, where she transformed global workforces using AI and led a revolution in collaborative online learning.  Beth served as the CTO for Adit EdTech, an NYSE-listed blank check company dedicated to effecting a business combination with one or more businesses targeting the education, training, and EdTech industries. Beth has run her own EdTech consultancy for the last 9 years, helping universities, corporations and state governments implement technology solutions for online learning and professional development. Beth's skill set includes a wide array of competencies, including E-Learning & Education Technologies, Business Transformation, Technical Leadership, Leadership Development, Project & Program Management, and more.

Use of AI in education is rapidly growing along with concerns about ways it might impact learning. There is a lot of responsibility on educators to help students understand how AI technology works, how it generates information, and the ways users can analyze results for correctness and bias. In this episode, Leslie talks to us about the potential uses for AI in STEM education, approaches educators can take when discussing AI use in their disciplines, and how they can help students learn empowerment and become interested in thinking about creative ways to use this technology.

Bio:
Leslie Bondaryk is the Chief Technology Officer at the Concord Consortium in Concord, MA, and a 2024 EdSafe AI Fellow. Her career has been spent introducing new technologies to educational research and publishing projects across computer science, mathematics, engineering and sciences, including the first Web Calculus text, The Analytical Engine Online (PWS Publishing, 1998), and Schaum’s Interactive Outline Series (McGraw Hill, 1994-2000). She is the author of papers, articles and book chapters on technology adoption in classrooms, citizen science, and more recently on collaborative technologies in STEM software. Her research interests include AI to support learning, data visualization, physical experimentation in classrooms, collaborative learning technologies, and novel interfaces to communicate modeling concepts. She is also the former owner of Wackenhammer's Clockwork Arcade, a STEAM entertainment venue that tried to teach concepts in math and physics while playing games.

References:
Andy Zucker and Penny Noyce on Spotting Scientific Misinformation

Concord Consortium's course on AI and how it works (Gr 8-12 appropriate)

Article about integrating AI into a language arts curriculum

Educational technology can provide opportunities for creative problem solving where users can build projects that are meaningful to them. Using technology as a tool for expressing one’s ideas is a powerful approach for helping learners become digital creators rather than just consumers. In this conversation, Dr. Natalie Rusk shares reflections about her work on the Scratch programming language, the Computer Clubhouse, and most recently the OctoStudio mobile program.

Bio:
Natalie Rusk, PhD, is a Research Scientist at the MIT Media Lab and is one of the lead creators of the Scratch programming language and the Computer Clubhouse after-school program. She currently leads the development of OctoStudio, a new mobile app that makes creating with code more accessible for children, families, and educators around the world. Her research focuses on young people’s interests as motivate learning. She is lead author of the Scratch Coding Cards and editor of the book, Start Making! A Guide to Engaging Young People in Maker Activities. She earned a PhD in child development from Tufts University and a Master's in Technology in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

Making a positive impact on the community through project-based work provides students with valuable experience in developing conceptual knowledge in science and engineering as well as building important experience in teamwork competencies. In this conversation, Bill shares his extensive knowledge in building engaging STEAM learning environments and ways of helping students learn to identify problems and solutions relevant to their community through the engineering design process.

Bio:

Bill Church works at the intersection of creativity, education, and the STEAM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). He is a lifelong maker and former public school physics teacher with academic training in science, engineering, and education. Bill has used computer science, engineering design challenges, inquiry, and technology toolsets in education settings for over twenty five years.  Bill has presented his work on project-based learning at many national and international conferences and co-authored a book of classroom activities entitled, Physics with Robotics.  In 2013, Bill founded White Mountain Science, a non-profit STEM outreach and curriculum development organization in Northern New Hampshire.  Currently, Bill is starting a new venture focused on connecting the public with research in Climate STEM topics. Bill and the WMSI team are regular collaborators with STEM education innovators near and far.

Engineering design is a technical as well as a social process. Developing an awareness of factors affecting groups’ dynamics during the decision-making process can help improve team-based engineering experiences. In this conversation, Drs. Robin Fowler and Trevion Henderson share their research and practical knowledge about ways of supporting equitable collaboration among students who identify with historically marginalized groups.

Bios:
Dr. Robin Fowler is a Teaching Professor in Technical Communication and an Engineering Education researcher at the University of Michigan. Her teaching is primarily in team-based engineering courses, and her research focuses on equity in communication and collaboration as well as in group design decision making (judgment) under uncertainty. She is especially interested in how power relationships and rhetorical strategies affect group judgment in engineering design; one goal of this work is to understand factors that inhibit full participation of students who identify with historically marginalized groups and investigate evidence-based strategies for mitigating these inequities. In addition, she is interested in technology and how specific affordances can change the ways we collaborate, learn, read, and write. Teaching engineering communication allows her to apply this work as she coaches students through collaboration, design thinking, and design communication. She is part of a team of faculty innovators who originated Tandem (tandem.ai.umich.edu), a tool designed to help facilitate equitable and inclusive teamwork environments.

Dr. Trevion Henderson (he/him/his) is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University. He earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Michigan, as well as his M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs and his B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from The Ohio State University. Dr. Henderson holds secondary appointments in the STEM Education program in the Department of Education, and he serves on Steering Committee for the Institute for Research on Learning and Instruction (IRLI) at Tufts University. Dr. Henderson’s research is broadly concerned with how students’ in- and out-of-classroom experiences affect their learning, focusing particularly on the ways that students’ socio-academic relationships shapes their learning in engineering education. Dr. Henderson uses both qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches to student the interactional dynamics that shape students’ learning, focusing particularly on teamwork 

Early exposure to science and engineering is really important for engaging in and following a career in STEM fields. Students need to see from a younger age what influence science and engineering have on society and have various opportunities to participate in STEM activities. In this conversation, Dr. Regina Ragan discusses ways of explaining complex topics from the material science discipline to K-12 students through her outreach research efforts.

Bio:
Professor Regina Ragan’s interdisciplinary research activities involve self-assembly of nanomaterials with control on molecular length scales and integration of nanomaterials in compact devices.  She has produced optical sensors with record performance and developed machine learning algorithms for automated data analysis for ease of use. This has led to the demonstration of rapid antibiotic susceptibility tests to provide new technology for prescribing appropriate antibiotic therapy to combat the emergence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria. She has also demonstrated sensors to detect and quantify concentration of metal contaminants in water below the U.S Environmental Protection agency limits.  This is promising to longitudinally monitor water quality as water is the main source of exposure of toxicants to people and animals.  

She promoted inclusive excellence in diversity in the Samueli School of Engineering (SSoE) at all levels. As a first generation, Mexican-American UCLA undergraduate alumna and UC faculty member, she understands how foreign the academic environment can feel for non-traditional students and faculty. Thus, her efforts have included establishing mentoring programs from the undergraduate to faculty level in order to make UC Irvine an environment where diverse students and faculty can excel. Prof. Ragan works closely with the Schools’ Stacey Nicholas Office of Access & Inclusion where she assists in developing educational modules for K-12 students, mentors undergraduate and graduate students, and developing partnerships between UC Irvine and the community.  

Reflecting on ways to support underrepresented engineering undergraduate students participating in the NSF S-STEM grant highlights the value of human connection and appropriate mentorship. In this episode, Dr. Aidsa Santiago talks to us about the importance of designing effective educational experiences that directly relate to students needs, making learning more meaningful, and helping students increase their identity with engineering profession.

Bio:
Dr. Aidsa I. Santiago Roman currently holds a Full Professor position and is the Chair at the Department of Engineering Sciences and Materials, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. Her research interests are in Outreach Initiatives, Curriculum and Course Development, Educational Assessment and Cognitive Learning, specifically with Hispanic students. She’s also the advisor of the UPRM’s ASEE Student Chapter. She has been recognized for her excellence in teaching and her leadership locally and nationally.

Supporting active engagement in STEM disciplines is a challenging task that relies on thoughtful educational programming to build environments where students can become leaders of their learning. In this episode, Jake Foster shares with us his knowledge and expertise in the areas of project-based, collaborative, and technology-supported learning, and discusses ways that his company, STEM Learning Design, LLC, is helping educators and school administrators to develop a comprehensive approach to facilitate active learning.

Reference(s) mentioned in this episode:
STEM Learning Design resources https://stemlearningdesign.com/resources/ 

NGSS Phenomena: https://www.ngssphenomena.com/

National Academies Elementary Science Report: https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/enhancing-science-in-prekindergarten-through-fifth-grade 

Citizen Science: https://www.citizenscience.gov/#

Technology-based modeling, simulation, and visualization tools, such as provided by:

          Concord Consortium: https://learn.concord.org/ 

          Open Space: https://www.openspaceproject.com/ 

Remote labs: https://circlcenter.org/remote-labs/ 

WADE Institute: https://www.wadeinstitutema.org/

Beyond Benign: https://www.beyondbenign.org/ 

“Cultural Responsiveness and Mathematical Practices” by Jen Munson, Geetha Lakshminarayanan, and Thomas Rodney in Mathematics Teacher: Learning & Teaching PK-12, October 2022 (Vol. 115, #10, pp. 698-706)

Bio:
Jake founded STEM Learning Design to support innovative program design and powerful student learning experiences. He partners with districts and organizations to redesign school programming and learning space design, with a particular focus on STEM education. 

Jake began his 25-year career in STEM education teaching high school science, then supporting others as a middle school coach and teacher educator. As past STEM leader for the Massachusetts Department of Education, Jake engaged for more than a decade in education policy, STEM programming, curriculum development, professional development, school support, and strategies for systemic change. He was a lead facilitator of the Massachusetts standards for Science and Technology/Engineering, Mathematics, and Digital Literacy and Computer Science. Jake was a member of the Next Generation Science Standards writing team, and Massachusetts’ representative for the NGSS development process collaborating with 22 other states.