a) structured interviews using the repertory grid technique to model the mathematics education instructors' schemata regarding the teaching of mathematics methods; b) content analysis of classroom observations to develop models that represent the relationship of pedagogy, content, and technology as enacted in the classrooms; and c) brief retrospective protocols after each observed class session to explore the reasoning and individual choices made by an instructor that underlie their teaching decisions in the classroom. Findings reveal that although digital technology may not appear to be an essential component of an instructor's toolkit, technology can still play an integral role in teaching. This study puts forward the idea of repurposing as technology -- the ability to repurpose items as models, tools, and visual representations and integrate them into the curriculum. The instructors themselves became the technology, or the mediational tool, and introduced students to new meanings for "old" cultural artifacts in the classroom. Knowledge about the relationships between pedagogy, content, and technology and the function of technology in the classroom can be used to inform professional development for teacher educators with the goal of improving teacher preparation in mathematics education.
This product design thesis paper aims to explore innovative strategies for making the process of learning oral and hand hygiene habits more engaging and interactive for children. The study aims to identify effective teaching methods, incentives, and technologies that can be incorporated into product design to promote healthy oral and hand hygiene behaviors in children in a fun and playful way. The research will involve conducting a comprehensive literature review of existing literature on hygiene habits in children, effective teaching methods, and relevant psychological theories on child learning and motivation. The study will also examine how visual elements such as packaging and product design influence the sales of children's toys and what regulations and standards are in place for children's toys, and how corporations comply with them. The data collected from the literature review will be analyzed to identify the most effective strategies for incorporating oral and hand hygiene education into product design. This research aims to contribute to the field of product design by developing a product system that makes teaching healthy oral and hand hygiene behaviors to children more enjoyable and playful. The findings of this study will provide valuable insights into the current hygiene habits and attitudes of children and serve as a foundation for future research in the field of product design and hygiene education.
Due to the elimination of the established instructional methods from the impact of COVID-19, the implementation of mass synchronous learning created a new strain of educational experiences for students that took a toll on social interaction. In the Spring 2022 semester, a survey was conducted of students that were previously or currently enrolled in the principal undergraduate biological sciences course, BIO 340: General Genetics, to assess both the prevalence of social interaction in the lives of the students and the potential ways this information could be molded to improve student’s educational and motivational experience. The results of this survey indicated that there was a considerable lack of social interaction and motivation among students that have taken or are taking BIO 340. Through a process of collecting qualitative data of students by 1-on-1 interviews, the majority of students requested that professors communicate with each other to learn more about ways they can incorporate social interaction as external technological applications and tools have been developed. Students brought up many external tools that professors in other biological sciences courses have been utilizing to engage student-to-student interaction and found these resources to increase their level of understanding and motivation. The driving interest behind this creative project is to understand the importance of peer-to-peer learning that may help guide professors that are new to synchronous teaching so that they may increase their level of understanding and comfortability of accessing resources that students themselves have shown to increase their educational experiences. The mixed-method design served as a means to understand what types of social interaction enhance students’ education and motivation.