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This paper presents part of the results of a completed study entitled "A Longitudinal Study of Minority Ph.D.s from 1980-1990: Progress and Outcomes in Science and Engineering at the University of California during Graduate School and Professional Life." It focuses particularly on the graduate school experience and degree of preparation for the professoriate of African American doctoral students in the sciences and engineering, and presents the results of a survey of 33 African American STEM Ph.D.s from the University of California earned between 1980-1990. Relationships with thesis advisors and principal investigators are evaluated by the study participants in fifteen specific areas from highly-ranked intellectual development to low-ranked training in grant writing. Deficits in training and socialization are discussed along with the tension between being both an African American and a graduate student. Career choices and outcomes are presented. These findings, in conjunction with current analyses of graduate education in STEM, suggest ways in which graduate training for all could be improved. (Contains 1 table.) [Financial support for this project was provided by the U.C. Industry-University Cooperative Research Program; and the U.C. Berkeley Graduate Division.]

Ensuring the safety of learners is paramount in schools, particularly in workshops where hands-on learning takes place. Mechanical Technology teachers bear the responsibility for ensuring learners safe participation in activities, guided by specific safety management elements that dictate their duty of care and legal obligations. This paper presents findings from a comprehensive investigation conducted in 220 technical schools across South Africa, offering Mechanical Technology as a subject. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods, the investigation aimed to assess the frequency, severity, and management of accidents and injuries occurring in these workshops, while also examining the underlying reasons for such incidents. Results indicated that a significant number of accidents were attributed to unsafe behavior, including failure to wear or correctly use personal protective equipment. Furthermore, the study revealed a notable lack of awareness among participating teachers regarding injury reporting procedures and record-keeping practices. In response to these findings, it is recommended that Mechanical Technology teachers enhance their understanding of their legal obligations and responsibilities concerning learner safety. This entails strict adherence to safety policies and regulations to ensure a secure environment for all learners involved in workshop activities. Moreover, school governing bodies are urged to fulfill their legal mandate by developing and implementing effective safety policies for workshop environments. Such policies serve as crucial tools in reducing and preventing injuries, thereby mitigating legal liabilities for the department, teachers, and schools alike. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

This study was conducted to ascertain the factors associated with attrition in engineering programs on all fronts. Academic underpreparedness, psychosocial variables, and their interconnectivity were examined. Subjects included all enrolled University of Alabama students, as of the spring term 2001, who at one time or another were classified as engineering majors. This resulted in the identification of 1,395 current and 536 former majors. Data were obtained from the university's database and Web-based and paper surveys. Findings from the research show that attrition cannot be viewed as a predictable consequence of differing levels of ability. Academic underpreparedness was found to be a substantial determinant in engineering persistence. However, other nonpreparedness variables were found to contribute to attrition as well, Predicting success in the College of Engineering, or any college, is difficult because of the infinite antecedent variables each student brings to higher education. Data seem to indicate that most of the factors associated with attrition from the College of Engineering are precollege attributes, academic underpreparedness, ignorance about engineering, or calculation to leave after a certain time frame. Other factors that need to be considered are the pedagogical methods of gateway and engineering courses and increasing the student's sense of belonging within the college and university. (Contains 16 tables and 35 references.)(SLD)

The purpose of this study was to explore and develop baseline understandings of the purposes, character (i.e., cultural, teaching/learning, curricular practices), quality, and outcomes associated with doctoral education in four professional fields of study: clinical psychology, electrical engineering, nursing, and school administration. The analysis is based on 3 programs in each of these 4 fields and interviews with 148 stakeholders (faculty, administrators, students, and alumni). Through these interviews, five teaching and learning practices were identified that, from the perspectives of those interviewed, enrich students' doctoral experiences in ways that contribute meaningfully to learning and development. These areas are: (1) the problematization of professional knowledge and practice; (2) the use of relational teaching and learning throughout the doctoral experience; (3) an emphasis on integrative inquiry; (4) individualized mentoring of students; and (5) student engagement in authentic, research-based discovery activities. Taken together these five teaching and learning practices form a learning environment, a culture, that appears to value collegial and reciprocal engagement among faculty and students in a community of practice. (Contains 54 references.) (SLD)

This study compared the effects of personal characteristics and teaching practices in the development of professional competencies by undergraduate engineering students. A survey completed by 480 engineering students gathered information concerning students' personal, academic, and demographic characteristics; characteristics of their current engineering course; and their self-evaluation of progress made in various areas as a result of their current course. Results indicated that self-evaluated gains in group, problem-solving, and design skills were more the result of current teaching practices than the outcome of students' precollege characteristics. Results suggest that gains in professional competencies can be fostered in the classroom by frequent interaction with and feedback from the instructor, frequent opportunities to work collaboratively with peers, and by clear instructions and structure provided by the instructor. No significant differences were found between male and female students. An appendix lists engineering program accreditation criteria. (Contains 62 references.) (DB)

A series of statistical analyses was conducted of institutional and departmental trends in women's graduate enrollment and employment in science and engineering in the 50 leading doctorate-granting institutions. Site visits to a diverse group of nine selected institutions were conducted. The schools were selected to be representative of the total sample of 50 institutions. The site visits allowed probing behind the statistical data in order to understand more fully the institutional and departmental processes involved in the employment, retention, and advancement of women scientists. The findings from the site visits are discussed. Interviews were conducted with administrators, faculty, and graduate students in the following fields: engineering, physical sciences, environmental sciences, mathematical sciences, life sciences, psychology, and social sciences. Following the national figures, the percentage of women employed in science and engineering fields within the schools visited, as well as within the 50 schools, is 16 percent. Women in psychology is 22 percent, the life sciences 20 percent, and the social sciences 4.6 percent, and in the physical sciences 6.0 percent. Other information is presented and analyzed and statistical tables are included. (SW)

Several central ideas emerging from a systematic approach to teaching problem-solving in the quantitative sciences (chemistry, physics, engineering) are discussed. Areas addressed include: differences between teaching and performance, between naturalistic and effective functioning, and between detailed observations and gross statistical data; insights derived from naturalistic studies, focusing on preexisting knowledge of students, tacit knowledge of experts, and significant differences between problem-solving behaviors of students and of experts; and kinds of procedures and knowledge essential for good human problem-solving performance, pointing out general issues addressed by any theoretical model of good problem-solving and discussing characteristics of the knowledge base containing knowledge about a specific domain. Problem-solving procedures considered include initial problem description, synthesis of the problem, and assessment/improvement of the solution. Current problem-solving activities in science teaching (focusing on student behaviors and instructional practices) are addressed, followed by a discussion of improved methods for teaching problem-solving. These methods include teaching explicitly and separately the various kinds of knowledge essential for good problem-solving performance (including knowledge of how to describe problem effectively), procedures useful for making judicious decisions in search for solutions, procedures for assessing solutions for correctness/optimality, and methods for organizing large amounts of knowledge so information can be easily recalled/remembered. (JN)

Factors that influenced applicants' decisions to attend Tufts University, a private institution in Massachusetts, were studied based on a 1985 survey. Enrollment decisions were examined for the following groups: matriculants and nonmatriculants, liberal arts and engineering applicants, applicants from each of seven geographic regions, applicants who chose to attend Tufts over six top competitors, and applicants who chose to attend public institutions. Applicants completed a survey and listed in order of importance the three factors that most influenced their final college choice. Location was one of the most frequently cited factors for the total sample and for each of the subgroups examined. Both institutional prestige and academic reputation were frequently cited as important factors in the final college choice by accepted applicants. Size was an important factor for students selecting Tufts over some of its major competitors, while finances were an important factor for students who decided to attend public universiites. Factors that were cited less frequently were: the social environment, the adult influence, admissions activities, athletics, and postgraduate jobs. (SW)

These proceedings contain the papers of the IADIS International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA 2013), October 22-24, 2013, which has been organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), co-organized by The University of North Texas (UNT), sponsored by the Association for Educational Communication and Technologies (AECT), and endorsed by the Japanese Society for Information and Systems in Education (JSISE). The CELDA 2013 conference aims to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There have been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a fast pace and affecting academia and professional practice in many ways. Paradigms such as just-in-time learning, constructivism, student-centered learning, and collaborative approaches have emerged and are being supported by technological advancements such as simulations, virtual reality, and multi-agents systems. These developments have created both opportunities and areas of serious concerns. This conference aims to cover both technological as well as pedagogical issues related to these developments. However, innovative contributions that do not easily fit into these areas are also included as long as they are directly related to the overall theme of the conference--cognition and exploratory learning in the digital age. The conference included the Keynote Lecture: "Ubiquitous Learning Analytics for Adaptive and Authentic Instruction," by Professor Kinshuk, Associate Dean of Faculty of Science and Technology, NSERC/iCORE/Xerox/Markin Industrial Research Chair--School of Computing and Information Systems, Athabasca University, Canada. The conference also included a panel entitled "Interactive Technologies for Teacher Training: Two Technology Approaches and Their Implications," with Julia Meritt, David Gibson, Rhonda Christensen, Gerald Knezek, and Wilhelmina Savenye. Papers presented in this conference include: (1) Working Memory Intervention: A Reading Comprehension Approach (Tracy L. Perry and Evguenia Malaia); (2) Suggestions for the Design of E-Learning Environments to Enhance Learner Self-Efficacy (Charles B. Hodges); (3) Student and Teacher Use of Technology at the University Level (Peter Gobel and Makimi Kano); (4) Understanding and Applying Technology in Faculty Development Programs (Sharon L. Burton and Dustin Bessette); (5) Measuring Problem Solving Skills in "Portal 2" (Valerie J. Shute and Lubin Wang); (6) Students' Facebook Usage and Academic Achievement: A Case Study of Private University in Thailand (Wilailuk Sereetrakul); (7) Students' Usage of Facebook for Academic Purposes: A Case Study of Public and Private Universities in Thailand (Ampai Thongteeraparp); (8) Persistence of Cognitive Constructs Fostered by Hands-On Science Activities in Middle School Students (Rhonda Christensen, Gerald Knezek, Tandra Tyler-Wood, and David Gibson); (9) Spanning Knowledge Barriers in E-Learning Content Design (Tsai-Hsin Chu, Yi Lee, and Yen-Hsien Lee); (10) ASK LDT 2.0: A Web-Based Graphical Tool for Authoring Learning Designs (Panagiotis Zervas, Konstantinos Fragkos, and Demetrios G. Sampson); (11) Model of Emotional Expressions in Movements (Vladimir L. Rozaliev and Yulia A. Orlova); (12) The ANCESTOR Project: Aboriginal Computer Education through Storytelling (Marla Weston and Dianne Biin); (13) Context-Based Semantic Annotations in CoPEs: An Ontological and Rule-Based Approach (Souâad Boudebza, Lamia Berkani, and Faiçal Azouaou); (14) Mobile Augmented Reality in Supporting Peer Assessment: An Implementation in a Fundamental Design Course (Chung-Hsien Lan, Stefan Chao, Kinshuk, and Kuo-Hung Chao); (15) Intelligent Tutors in Immersive Virtual Environments (Peng Yan, Brian M. Slator, Bradley Vender, Wei Jin, Matti Kariluoma, Otto Borchert, Guy Hokanson, Vaibhav Aggarwal, Bob Cosmano, Kathleen T. Cox, André Pilch, and Andrew Marry); (16) Can Free-Range Students Save Some Schools? A Case Study on a Hybrid Classroom (Christopher Francis White); (17) ICT Support for Collaborative Learning--A Tale of Two Cities (Teresa Consiglio and Gerrit C. van der Veer); (18) Issues of Learning Games: From Virtual to Real (Thibault Carron, Philippe Pernelle, and Stéphane Talbot); (19) Data Challenges of Leveraging a Simulation to Assess Learning (David Gibson and Peter Jakl); (20) Self-Assessment and Reflection in a 1st Semester Course for Software Engineering Students (Jacob Nielsen, Gunver Majgaard, and Erik Sørensen); (21) Journey of Exploration on the Way towards Authentic Learning Environments (Merja Meriläinen and Maarika Piispanen); (22) Supporting the Strengths and Activity of Children with Autism in a Technology-Enhanced Learning Environment (Virpi Vellonen, Eija Kärnä, and Marjo Virnes); (23) Transforming Education in a Primary School: A Case Study (Cathleen A. Norris, Elliot Soloway, Chun Ming Tan, Chee Kit Looi, and Akhlaq Hossain); (24) Using Generic and Context-Specific Scaffolding to Support Authentic Science Inquiry (Brian R. Belland, Jiangyue Gu, Sara Armbrust, and Brant Cook); (25) Using a Facebook Group as a Forum to Distribute, Answer and Discuss Content: Influence on Achievement (Blanche W. O'Bannon, Virginia G. Britt, and Jeffrey L. Beard); (26) Some Psychometric and Design Implications of Game-Based Learning Analytics (David Gibson and Jody Clarke-Midura); (27) Piaget, Inhelder and "Minecraft" (Catherine C. Schifter, Maria Cipollone, and Frederick Moffat); (28) Math on a Sphere: Making Use of Public Displays in Education (Michael Eisenberg, Antranig Basman, and Sherry Hsi); (29) Research on the E-Textbook and E-Schoolbag in China: Constructing an Ecosystem of E-Textbook and E-Schoolbag (Yonghe Wu, Lin Lin, Xiaoling Ma, and Zhiting Zhu); (30) A Study on Improving Information Processing Abilities Based on PBL (Du Gyu Kim and JaeMu Lee); (31) Tablets in the Classroom: Improvisational Rhythms and Change through Bricolage (Bente Meyer); (32) Using REU Projects and Crowdsourcing to Facilitate Learning on Demand (Hong P. Liu and Jerry E. Klein); (33) iPads in Inclusive Classrooms: Ecologies of Learning (Bente Meyer); (34) Designing Learning Object Repositories as Systems for Managing Educational Communities Knowledge (Demetrios G. Sampson and Panagiotis Zervas); (35) The Configuration Process of a Community of Practice in the Collective Text Editor (Cláudia Zank and Patricia Alejandra Behar); (36) Cross-Continental Research Collaborations about Online Teaching (Kevin P. Gosselin and Maria Northcote); (37) Leverage Learning in the University Classroom (Melissa Roberts Becker, Pam Winn, and Susan Erwin); (38) Using Loop Learning and Critical Dialogue in Developing Innovative Literature Reviews (Marilyn K. Simon and Jim Goes); (39) Developing a Connectivist MOOC at a College of Education: Narrative of Disruptive Innovation? (Dalit Levy and Sarah Schrire); (40) The Cognitive Cost of Chatting While Attending a Lecture: A Temporal Analysis (Chris Bigenho, Lin Lin, Caroline Gold, Arjun Gupta, and Lindsay Rawitscher); (41) "Visual Selves": Construction Science Students' Perceptions about Their Abilities to Represent Spatial Related Problems Internally and Externally (Tamera McCuen and Xun Ge); (42) Educational Affordances That Support Development of Innovative Thinking Skills in Large Classes (Julaine Fowlin, Catherine Amelink, and Glenda Scales); (43) Technology and Curriculum Standards: How Well Do Internet-Based Learning Games Support Common Core Standards for Mathematics? (Teri Bingham and Jan Ray); (44) English Proficiency and Participation in Online Discussion for Learning (Steve Leung); (45) Problem-Based Educational Game Becomes Student-Centered Learning Environment (Pornpimon Rodkroh, Praweenya Suwannatthachote, and Wannee Kaemkate); (46) Technology and Cognition Merge with Challenge-Based Learning Cycles Online (Shelley L. Cobbett); (47) Student-Driven Classroom Technologies: Transmedia Navigation and Transformative Communications (Leila A. Mills, Gerald A. Knezek, and Jenny S. Wakefield); (48) The Investigation of Pre-Service Teachers' Concerns about Integrating Web 2.0 Technologies into Instruction (Yungwei Hao, Shiou-ling Wang, Su-jen Chang, Yin-hung Hsu, and Ren-yen Tang); (49) An Examination of Teachers' Integration of Web 2.0 Technologies in Secondary Classrooms: A Phenomenological Study (Ling Wang); (50) Perceived Affordances of a Technology-Enhanced Active Learning Classroom in Promoting Collaborative Problem Solving (Xun Ge, Yu Jin Yang, Lihui Liao, and Erin G. Wolfe); (51) Authentic Learning through GBL: Using Inquiry and PBL Strategies to Accomplish Specific Learning Outcomes through Smart Games in Formal and Informal Settings (Brad Hoge); (52) Dealing with Unseen Obstacles to Education in the Digital Age (Valerie J. H. Powell, Arif Sirinterlikci, Christopher Zomp, Randall S. Johnson, Phillip Miller, and James C. Powell); (53) Implementing Collaborative Design in the Next Series of eLearning Platforms (Dorothy Kropf); (54) Facing the Challenge--Developing an Instructional Plan for Portuguese as Foreign Language in Brazil Based on Multiliteracy (Ana Flora Schlindwein); (55) Life-Long Learning and Social Responsibility Obligations (Robin Mayes); (56) The Contributions of Digital Concept Maps to Assessment for Learning Practices (Mehmet Filiz, David Trumpower, and Sait Atas); (57) Don't Waste Student Work: Using Classroom Assignments to Contribute to Online Resources (Jim Davies); (58) Leveraging Sociocultural Theory to Create a Mentorship Program for Doctoral Students (Matt Crosslin, Jenny S. Wakefield, Phyllis Bennette, and James William Black, III); (59) Demonstrable Competence: An Assessment Method for Competency Domains in Learning and Leadership Doctoral Program (David W. Rausch and Elizabeth K. Crawford); (60) Confidence-Based Assessments within an Adult Learning Environment (Paul Novacek); (61) Effect of Digitally-Inspired Instruction on Seventh Grade Science Achievement (Pam Winn, Susan Erwin, Melissa Becker, and Misty White); (62) Interactive Technologies for Teacher Training: Comparing Performance and Assessment in Second Life and SimSchool (Julia Meritt, David Gibson, Rhonda Christensen, and Gerald Knezek); (63) Some Considerations on Digital Reading (Rodrigo Esteves de Lima-Lopes); (64) An Alternative Approach to Test Analysis and Interpretation (J. C. Powell); (65) Volition Support Design Model (ChanMin Kim); (66) Tekking: Transversing Virtual and International Boundaries to Explore and Develop Effective Adult Learner Experiences (Ruth Gannon Cook); (67) Strengthening Parent-Child Relationships through Co-Playing Video Games (Anneliese Sheffield and Lin Lin); and (68) Reflection Paper on a Ubiquitous English Vocabulary Learning System: Evidence of Active/Passive Attitude vs. Usefulness/Ease-of-Use (Jeff Lim). An author index is included. Individual papers contain references. Luís Rodrigues is the associate editor of these proceedings.

The rapid adoption of information technology and ubiquitous networking has transformed the research and education landscape. Central to this transformation are scientific and engineering digital data collections. The life cycle management challenges associated with these intellectual assets are substantial. This is a report of a two-day workshop that examined the role of research and academic libraries with other partners in the stewardship of scientific and engineering digital data. Workshop participants explored issues concerning the need for new partnerships and collaborations among domain scientists, librarians, and data scientists to better manage digital data collections; necessary infrastructure development to support digital data; and the need for sustainable economic models to support long-term stewardship of scientific and engineering digital data for the nation's cyberinfrastructure. The workshop builds on prior studies supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), engaging numerous research communities. It reflects the recognition, voiced in many NSF workshop reports, that digital data stewardship is fundamental to the future of scientific and engineering research and the education enterprise, and hence to innovation and competitiveness. Overall, it is clear that an ecology of institutional arrangements among individuals and organizations, sharing an infrastructure, will be required to address the particularities of heterogeneous digital data and diverse scholarly and professional cultures. The background of the workshop is described in Chapter I. Descriptions of the discussions of the three major topics from the three breakout groups and in plenary sessions are provided in Chapters II, III, and IV, and Chapter V discusses additional topics raised in the plenary sessions and final recommendations. Appended are: (1) List of Participants; (2) Agenda; (3) Plenary Papers; (4) Breakout Session Reports; (5) Position Papers; and (6) Examples of Scientific Community Archives. (Contains 11 figures, 2 boxes, 20 footnotes and 5 endnotes.)