UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #339 | Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement

Submission information

Submission Number: 339

Submission ID: 7941

Submission UUID: 42358d64-243a-480f-9c13-80256f7807a0

Submission URI: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal

Submission Update: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=Y7A5fPE8Velg3wP70qYeqVRpE1tWzM1A-oD6TVIRnyY

Created: Thu, 06/22/2023 - 10:45 AM

Completed: Thu, 06/22/2023 - 10:49 AM

Changed: Mon, 08/21/2023 - 11:07 AM

Remote IP address: 144.174.214.39

Submitted by: Anonymous

Language: English

Is draft: No

Webform: UROP Project Proposal Portal

Submitted to: UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal

Research Mentor Information

Primary Research Mentor Name Taylor Higgins

Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns She/her

When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific? Dr.

Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) th22u@fsu.edu

Position Title Faculty

FSU College (if applicable) FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation Mechanical Engineering

Headshot (optional)

Additional Research Mentor(s)

Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above) {Empty}

Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns {Empty}

Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific? {Empty}

Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) {Empty}

Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable) {Empty}

Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns {Empty}

Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific? {Empty}

Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) {Empty}

Overall Project Details

Title of the Project Development of a formative and summative multiple choice assessment platform for Dynamics I

Project Keywords Dynamics, teaching, programming, assessment program

Are you currently looking for research assistants? Yes

Number of Research Assistants Needed 1

Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Anyone how has strong MATLAB programming skills and is interested in how students learn Dynamics 1 (a required mechanical engineering course)

Project Location: AME Building (2003 Levy Ave. Tallahasse, FL)

If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation? Yes

Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): In-person

Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 5-10 (negotiable)

Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? During business hours

Overall Research Project Description Dynamics 1 is often one of the first really difficult courses for mechanical engineering students. The best way to learn, however, is to actually attempt to solve problems and to receive feedback on these problems. I would like to develop a Matlab GUI software that let’s Dynamics Students do multiple-choice practice problems chosen by topic, choose from a set of ‘life-line’ hints to get them moving when they get stuck, and have their answers automatically graded. The platform should keep track of student’s use of the life-lines, and guide students to try to reduce their life-line usage as they practice. It should also show students how they are scoring according to the topic, so that they can compare their current scores (and life-line usage) to the topics that will be covered in upcoming exams. The platform may have a formative-mode (during learning/practice, where life-lines are allowed) and a summative-mode (for test-taking, where life-lines are not allowed). Researchers will program the learning platform in Matlab and also start to develop a problem library.

Research Tasks MATLAB GUI programming. Will involve working with Dynamics 1 topics. Developing multiple-choice Dynamics 1 problems.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Strong Matlab programming skills are a must! We will work together to design the platform’s features.

Mentoring Philosophy As a mentor, I work best with students who are inquisitive, pro-active, and problem solvers. I do not like to micro-manage. I see my job as being a resource to my research students, helping to solve problems when stuck, providing overall vision, and occasionally giving nudges in the right direction. I see my students as the expert in their given project, and I expect students to go learn skills, find possible solutions, try many things that may or may not work, and ultimately to come to research meetings ready to teach me all the cool things they’ve learned, tried, and developed. I aim to creating a safe environment in which mentees feel that is acceptable to fail and learn from their mistakes. I do expect mentees to take ownership of their work and have accountability for their effort in the project. Overall, I want to do fun engineering work that makes a difference in human lives, and I want my students to feel empowered to do difficult things and solve challenging problems.

Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable): https://tgambon.wixsite.com/taylorgambon

Please add any additional information here (if applicable): {Empty}

UROP Program Elements

Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes

UROP Performance Evaluation Yes

Materials Grant Yes

UROP Poster Presentation Yes

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Year 2023

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