Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Scholars Series

Odonata: Adaptive to Promote Equity and Diversity in Computer Science Education

Qiong Cheng

Abstract: Although the pandemic crisis is gone, the education equity crisis in Computer Science does not appear waning or weakened, which creates barriers to diversity and inclusion. We observe that student disparity increases: entering students have a wider range of backgrounds, skills, motivation, and self-efficacy. The traditional one-size-fits-all pedagogical model often frustrates struggling students while boring advanced students, causing learning opportunity gaps. At issue is the appropriateness of the traditional model. An alternative is adaptive learning. There are a range of state-of-the-art works that feature adaptive learning in general context. However, most of them focus mainly on art/natural sciences-oriented subjects, math, or elementary reading or writing, few are on programming-based courses. The few available are either limited in adaptability or costly, causing affordability obstacles among underrepresented students. In response to these issues, we developed Odonata which expands Canvas with AI-assisted adaptive learning and data-driven dashboards to facilitate teaching and learning. In this study, we propose to measure the efficacy of the adaptive learning tool, Odonata, with a goal for addressing learning opportunity equity gaps. To minimize unaccounted hidden biases, we plan to conduct a pre-/post-test control-group quasi-experimental study with propensity score matching in our core course ITSC 2214 (CS 2-DS), which is a gateway to upper-division coursework. In this practice, we measure and analyze student learning gains in a timely, fair, and visualizable manner, with available and relevant covariates into consideration. This pilot study has the potential to set up a stage for tackling educational inequality and maximizing individual student learning.

Full Proposal: Odonata: Adaptive to Promote Equity and Diversity in Computer Science Education

Evaluation of Knowledge and Self-Efficacy among Nurse Practitioner Students in Pediatric Clinical Decision-Making Through “Escape Room” Simulation Experiences

Kathleen Jordan, Melinda Pierce, Katherine Shue-McGuffin

Abstract: This role of the nurse practitioner is crucial to meet the increasingly complex and evolving healthcare needs of society. Nurse practitioners must uphold a practice consistent with an ethical code of conduct, national certification, evidence-based principles and current practice standards (AANP, 2022). Clinical-decision making is an essential core competency that must be demonstrated by all nurse practitioner students in order to ensure the provision of safe, effective, high-quality evidence-based care upon entry into practice. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the student nurse practitioner’s integration of evidence-based knowledge and level of self-efficacy as demonstrated through their performance of clinical decision-making within the pediatric patient population. A secondary purpose of this study is to evaluate the nurse practitioner student’s strengths and weaknesses in knowledge, skills, self-efficacy and readiness to practice. This study will be conducted using a mixed-method research design. The methods include a pre- and post-test questionnaire for self-evaluation of knowledge and self-efficacy followed by active participation in escape room simulations as an innovative active learning pedagogy. There will be a total of five escape rooms organized in a scaffolding method of increasing patient complexity. Immediately upon completion of the escape rooms simulations a debriefing session will be conducted to encourage student self-reflection on individual and team performance. It is the hope that this evaluation study will empower student nurse practitioners, providing them with the opportunity to draw on prior knowledge, incorporate critical thinking, time management, innovation and collegiality. Ultimately this project will contribute to overall student success.

Full Proposal: Evaluation of Knowledge and Self-Efficacy among Nurse Practitioner Students in Pediatric Clinical Decision-Making Through “Escape Room” Simulation Experiences

Adaptive Pedagogy Using Performance and Student Perception of Confidence

Nadia Najjar, Lijuan Cao

Abstract: This study is motivated by rising enrollment in the College of Computing and Informatics, which creates challenges including: managing large sections, dealing with varying student experience levels, and addressing the steep learning curves for students. These are especially prominent in entry level courses, which play a significant role in shaping students’ understanding of computer science. 

We focus on ITSC 1212, which is the first course in the Computer Science degree and a prerequisite to all Computer Science major courses. To help mitigate the challenges of growing enrollment, which makes one-on-one instruction impossible, we investigate the implementation of automated adaptive and personalized learning approaches. Our approach begins by identifying knowledge gaps through a combination of student performance and student perceptions of confidence. We then make personalized recommendations of material to fill these gaps. It should be noted that the use of student perceptions of confidence is novel in the field of adaptive learning. As such, this will also be a pilot study that may have broad implications for the field.

We hypothesize that our approach will improve student performance. To test this, we will pilot the approach in one large section of ITSC 1212 with an enrollment of about 600 students. This study will help us to understand how to effectively use adaptive learning to improve student outcomes in this course and, potentially, in other courses or even other disciplines. Further, it may contribute more broadly to the field of adaptive learning by introducing the use of student perceptions of confidence.

Full Proposal: Adaptive Pedagogy Using Performance and Student Perception of Confidence

Examining Two Approaches to Clinical Experiences in Teacher Education

Madelyn Colonnese, Luke Reinke, Drew Polly

Abstract: Eliciting and interpreting students’ mathematical thinking is one of the essential skills for preservice teachers (PSTs) to develop prior to assuming a teaching position. Teachers must be able to elicit and interpret students’ thinking in ways that advance students’ learning. Both university and school-based experiences are important in supporting PST’s development of the skills needed to effectively elicit and interpret student thinking. However, one problem that has continually persisted in teacher education is the disconnect between university and school-based experiences. The focus of this study is to address this problem by examining two approaches to a mathematics methods course and the related school-based experience: (1) an innovative, course-embedded school-based experience and (2) a typical and more separated school-based experience. To understand how each approach influences the development of PSTs, we will analyze artifacts from the PSTs such as video/audio recording of instruction, reflections, lesson plans, and analysis of student work. Qualitative data analysis techniques including inductive and deductive coding will be employed to identify themes from the data (Merriam, 2009). Findings from this project are intended to inform teacher educators about how the two approaches to school-based experiences influence how PSTs develop the skills needed to elicit and interpret students’ thinking effectively. Our project aligns university goals and an area of focus identified by SoTL by researching an experiential community-based learning innovation. We anticipate that our project will contribute new knowledge about school-based experiences to address a significant challenge in teacher education.

Full Proposal: Examining Two Approaches to Clinical Experiences in Teacher Education

Understanding Roles and Responsibilities of Part C Providers: Examining Perspectives from a Pre-Service Practicum

Laura McCorkle

Abstract: This proposal examines the perspectives of early intervention (EI) and pre-service professionals participating in a practicum that takes place in Part C (IDEA, 2004) settings. Part C programs (i.e., early intervention) include services and resources for children birth to age three who may have or be at-risk for developmental delays/disabilities and their families. Services provided to children and families in Part C settings often occur in a family’s home or other natural environments (e.g., childcare programs, parks). Previous research has revealed a disconnect between research and practice (Odom, 2009), as well as the need for high-quality practicum experiences (Dunst et al., 2019). Researchers in early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) have indicated limited opportunities exist for pre-service professionals to learn skills and develop the confidence needed to partner with families in EI programs (Keilty & Kosaraju, 2018). Further, limited research exists about practicum experiences in EI settings (Hile et al., 2016), as well as an emphasis on the interactions that take place between adults (McLeod et al., 2022). Specifically, this investigation uses survey and qualitative research methods to examine successes and challenges of this practicum, including how community partners benefit from providing mentorship, their needs in providing mentorship and what students gain from participating in the practicum. This study aligns with the university’s guiding commitment of community engagement and the strategic plan focusing on experiential learning.

Full Proposal: Understanding Roles and Responsibilities of Part C Providers: Examining Perspectives from a Pre-Service Practicum

Measuring Student Learning, Engagement, and Accessibility for Neurodivergent Students in Advanced Cybersecurity Topics

Harini Ramaprasad and Meera Sridhar

Abstract: In recent work, we developed an educational module for undergraduate computing students, to bring inclusivity and engagement into the advanced cybersecurity education topic of stack smashing attacks and defenses. Our module comprises four guided learning activities, and Dynamic, Interactive Stack-Smashing Attack Visualization (DISSAV), a program visualization tool for stack smashing. The module was deployed in UNC Charlotte’s ITIS 3200 Introduction to Computer Security and Privacy course in multiple semesters, showing favorable results. In this proposal, we outline a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the module for an underrepresented, underserved community in computing—neurodivergent students, specifically, students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)—an aspect that is outside the scope and resources of our prior NSF-funded project. We plan to deploy our module to two cohorts: one section of ITIS 3200 in Spring 2024, and the AccessComputing group, a cohort of about 600 computing students and recent graduates across the US who have disabilities such as ADHD and ASD. We will design and conduct studies to evaluate the effectiveness of our stack smashing module in terms of learning, engagement, and accessibility for neurodivergent students through multi-pronged data collection and a mixed-methods analysis. Lessons learned from the studies will be used to inform refinement of the module, to better serve this underserved community while continuing to serve general computing students. Our project aligns with Goals A1, A2, D1, and D2 of UNC Charlotte’s Strategic Plan and with Active Learning Strategies, Collaborative Learning, and Learner Access and Accessibility.

Full Proposal: Measuring Student Learning, Engagement, and Accessibility for Neurodivergent Students in Advanced Cybersecurity Topics