Summer 2016 reu research

Summer 2016 reu research Kenndrea Bazal Roby Velez

DesireMath and education major looking for research opportunities Wanted to learn more aboutComputer ScienceEducational resources 2

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introductionComputer programmingUnderlying skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)Spatial reasoningCreativityMemoryCritical thinkingLooked at lack of women and minorities in STEM and was to mitigate it

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Learning ProgrammingCreated Graphics Learned how to program using pythonComputer programming languageGreat for beginnersUsed Calico as an IDEMakes programing easier4

270 Lines of code

GamesPlayed gamesScribblers AdventureProgram a simulated robot to get through dungeons and mazesChoose Your Own AdventureCreate your own videogame Create actions that your character can act out

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Online ResourcesActivities online that teach computer programming skillsScratch MITKhan Academy Computer Drawing TutorialCode CombatThe FoosCode StudioAnalyzed skills that those activities teachSpatial ReasoningMemoryCreativity Critical Thinking

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Spatial ReasoningSpatial reasoning Movement or location of objects mentally or physically[1] Skill that all STEM careers need Females tend to do worse than males in spatial reasoning tests[2],[3]Could be the reason women arent interested in STEM[1]

[1] Downs, Roger & DeSouza, Anthony (2006). Learning to think spatially: GIS as a support system in the K-12 curriculum.Committee on the Support for the Thinking Spatially, National Research Council, Publisher: The National Academies Press[2]Lawton, Carol A (1994). Gender differences in way-finding strategies: Relationship to spatial ability and spatial anxiety.Sex roles, 30, 765-779.[3]Hsi, Sherry, Linn, Marcia C & Bell, John E (1997). The role of spatial reasoning in engineering and the design of spatial instruction.Journal of Engineering Education, 86, 151-158.

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Gender gapGender GapUnderrepresentation of women in STEMThere is a lack of females in STEM fields 29% of STEM careers are taken by women[4]There is also a gap in minorities Minorities only earn 12.5% of STEM degrees[5]Less than that get STEM jobs

[4]National Science Board (US) (2016).Science & engineering indicators.[5]"Underrepresented Minorities in STEM."STEM Education. NACME, n.d. Web. 21 July 2016.

871%Men29%Women87.5%Others12.5%Minorities

why is there a gapToys for girls[6],[7],[8]Negative stereo types for women in STEM[9],[10]Negative attitudes from parents[9],[10][6]Henn, Steve (2014). When women stopped coding.NPR Planet Money, 21, .[7]Cardella, Monica E (). Gender Bias in the Purchase of STEM-Related Toys (Fundamental).age, 26, 1.[8]Briana Bettin (2013). Engaging Girls in STEM and Beyond: What Girls' Toys Are Really Lacking.[9]Yee, Doris K & Eccles, Jacquelynne S (1988). Parent perceptions and attributions for children's math achievement.Sex Roles, 19, 317-333.[10]Lindberg, Sara M, Hyde, Janet Shibley & Hirsch, Liza M (2008). Gender and mother-child interactions during mathematics homework: The importance of individual differences.Merrill-Palmer Quarterly (1982-),, 232-255.9

How researchers are closing the gapFemale teachers for female students in math and science classesCan increase grades by 5%[11]Can keep female students interested in STEM[12]

[11]Hoffmann, Florian & Oreopoulos, Philip (2009). A professor like me the influence of instructor gender on college achievement.Journal of Human Resources, 44, 479-494.[12]Carrell, Scott E., Marianne E. Page, and James E. West.Sex and science: How professor gender perpetuates the gender gap. No. w14959. National Bureau of Economic Research, 2009.

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New ways we can close gapComputer GraphicsIncludes creation of movies, animations, or pictures through programmingFun and engagingRelated to the idea of drawingAdvances skills in science fields[13]Promote positive effects especially spatial temporal reasoning[14]

[13]Nelson, P Laverne, Martin, Sue S & Baldwin, Vernoice G (1998). Drawing skills and science concepts in young children: A study of relationships.Studies in Art Education, 39, 262-269.[14]Hall, Diane.The Arts and Elementary Education: Effects on Student Learning, Motivation, and Self-efficacy. Diss. The Evergreen State College, 2013.

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New ways we can close gapGamificationConveying of important skills through playing computer gamesMore likely to understand concepts, and could show competency of what they learned after playing a game[16]Increases enjoyment, motivation towards studying[15]

[15]Muntean, Cristina Ioana. "Raising engagement in e-learning through gamification."Proc. 6th International Conference on Virtual Learning ICVL. 2011.[16]Huang, Wendy Hsin-Yuan, and Dilip Soman.Gamification Of Education. Research Report Series: Behavioural Economics in Action, 2013.

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FractionsAfter seeing the benefits of gamification and graphics something new needed to be madeWanted to use computer programmingNeeded to be fun and help with underlying skillsWanted to help teach everyones favorite subjectFRACTIONS

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What I createdComputer programTeaches spatial reasoningTeaches fractionsStudents are given a promptThese chemicals are yeast, warm water, dish soap, and hydrogen peroxideThey are told that they need to measure out certain amounts of each chemical14

How it worksStudents measure by clicking different molecules inside each beakerYou know its measured out once the molecules change color

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WinnerOnce students know they have the correct fractions they click the GO button and the molecules begin to bubble over the round bottom flask16

Whys this importantThis is fun and interactiveTeaches more than fractionsGets people thinking about other aspects of STEMGets more people interested in STEM17

Helps my mentor with the Laramie Robotics ClubProgram for students in middle school through graduate school interested in learning about robots and programmingMy program can be a new program that students work with

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ConclusionLooked into creative new ways for students to learnGamificationComputer GraphicsLooked into reasons why there could be less females in STEMCreated activity to help close the gap

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Learning LatexLatexDocument preparation systemUsed for scientific documentsNot a word processor, but to the general population it is like a word processor, but you use codingTexmakerIDE for LatexUse it to write documents in Latex

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Special ThanksRoby VelezMentorJoost HuizingaMember of Evolving Artificial Intelligence LabMegan Schnorenberg Candelaria

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