Tuskegee University proposes to use a low-cost flight simulation environment to enhance learning physics and mathematics for students in grades 8-12 in a rural community in Macon County schools in Alabama. It outlines a development strategy for module development that engages undergraduates and teachers in the development process followed by teacher implementation including teacher training and student workshops. The proposal design calls for adapting an innovative and successful strategy for engaging and teaching undergraduates to grades 8-12. Hands-on learning modules will be developed and teachers trained in their use. An interdisciplinary team from the Aerospace Science Engineering, Mathematics, and Psychology & Sociology Departments will develop the hands-on learning modules and provide training to teachers on using these modules as well as on developing their own modules. Exposure of 8-12 grade students to this environment at Tuskegee University which has the rich heritage of the Tuskegee Airman will excite students interest in STEM and motivate the target audience. The learning modules will be pilot tested and then offered as intensive on-campus workshops during weekends and summer to middle and high school students and teachers. The learning modules utilizing the flight simulation environment as a virtual laboratory will provide a dynamic, engaging and realistic environment of hands-on activities to learn the various concepts of physics and mathematics and their inter-relationship and application in real life.
Introduction This project was designed to provide an exciting and motivating learning environment to high school students of a rural school district where the majority of students belong to groups underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers. The objectives of the project included: (i) enhancing students' motivation, (ii) interest and (iii) content knowledge of STEM concepts by incorporating various teaching and learning modalities such as problem-based learning, active learning, and experiential learning. Students’ active involvement and learning in context where the knowledge can be used results in effective learning. Other objectives included providing: (i) professional development and (ii) additional teaching resources for teachers as well as (iii) increasing their confidence in incorporating technology-based experiential learning activities in the classroom. Approach The availability of low cost (<$100) and high fidelity commercial-off-the-shelf flight simulation software was the basis of this learning environment. The innovative flight simulation software allowed active learning opportunities of some selected math and science concepts. In consultation with high school math and science teachers, the project team identified topics that were difficult for students to learn that were based upon the Alabama course of study. Therefore, the project team developed lesson plans and associated hands-on flight simulation activities for some of these selected difficult math and science topics. These lessons included topics such as (i) slopes, rates (straight and level constant speed, accelerating and decelerating flight), (ii) circles, radius, circumference, centripetal force, latitude and longitude (level 360 degrees turn), (iii) potential and kinetic energy (roller coaster flight), (iv) vectors (level flight in a cross wind), (v) similar triangles, Pythagorean theorem (straight-in landing approach). The approach involved students discussing the math and science concepts in the classroom, then attempting to solve a real-life math or science problem based on a flight maneuver, and finally flying a maneuver on the flight simulator and calculating the results based upon the flight simulator data using spreadsheet. Lessons required the students to compare their calculated results with their flight data results and attempt to determine possible reasons for any discrepancies. Additional learning materials that supported these lessons included basics of working with spreadsheets, plotting data, and using graphical information for calculation. The lessons and the approach were taught to teachers in the local school district through several four-day workshops with additional refresher workshops provided during professional development days during the school year. A total of 19 teachers participated in the summer workshops. The approach also provided learning experiences to students through three summer camps impacting about 50 students. These participating students also learned about emerging STEM careers through talks and interaction with STEM faculty experts. An important component of the project was to implement the approach in the target school district. This implementation (hardware/software) was completed in 2012-13. Six sessions by the teachers in the two schools were supported by the project during 2013. Approximately 60 students were impacted during the academic year sessions. It is expected that approximately 100 students will be impacted during the 2014-15 academic year through four additional sessions in each of the two high schools. Outcomes Outcomes of the project included the following: 1) Teachers increased their self-efficacy in teaching math and science concepts utilizing the flight simulation environment, 2) Five lessons were developed that could be utilized by teachers at other schools that adopt the flight simulation environment, 3) Students who attended the summer programs increased their self-efficacy in math and science and some increased their ability to solve math and science problems, 4) Both the students who experienced the flight simulation environment in the classroom and those who participated in the summer program found the flight simulation environment to be exciting and interesting to learn the math and science concepts, 5) About 150 students were impacted by this project, 6) over 19 teachers were impacted by this project. The project team continues to support the school district in the use of the approach. Approximately 100 students are expected to be impacted during the 2014-15 academic year. Broader impacts of the program include an increased desire on the part of students who participated in the summer program to attend college, and interdisciplinary research experiences gained by the undergraduate research assistants in math, engineering and psychology. The outcomes of the project were disseminated to the math and teaching community through presentations at various conferences including the American Society of Engineering Education, the Society of Information Technology for Educators, Information Science and Technology Education. Additional publications are in preparation.
