There is an increasing emphasis on fundamental particles, including quarks, in the high school physics classroom. However, many teachers might not feel comfortable teaching particle physics because it is a highly abstract and complex topic, and there are few hands-on activities to help teachers bring it into the classroom. In 2010, a…

Few autism programmes address the needs of adolescents and young adults, and those that do are unlikely to include individuals with autism in the design and evaluation of the programme. This study involved nine youth with autism (ages 16-25) in the development and evaluation of a peer teaching programme where they taught three-dimensional…

Learner engagement is a challenge within Geography education, and Higher Education more generally and immersive Virtual Reality (VR) has a wealth of possibilities, but finding simple, straightforward applications that are also pedagogically worthwhile can be a challenge. Three trial runs of full earth simulations in VR in classroom environments…

Two material 3D printing is becoming increasingly popular, inexpensive and accessible. In this paper, freely available printable files and dual extrusion fused deposition modelling were combined to create a number of functional anatomical models. To represent muscle and bone FilaFlex[superscript 3D] flexible filament and polylactic acid (PLA)…

While many students may struggle to make sense of a mathematical formula and its practical implications, they can benefit greatly from an intuitive visualization and the engineering application of the topic. Effective STEM programs create clear connections at least with two subject areas, which translates into an enhanced student learning…

The Mathematics, 3D Printing, and Computational Thinking Through Work-Based Learning (MPACT) program relies on teacher professional development, specialized curriculum and materials, and STEM industry mentors to provide grades 4-7 students with project-based experiences implemented across three learning modules. This technical report presents…

The Mathematics, 3D Printing, and Computational Thinking Through Work-Based Learning (MPACT) program combines teacher professional development, specialized curriculum and materials and STEM industry mentors to provide grade 4-7 students with project-based experiences implemented across three learning modules. This technical report presents…

This paper describes the use of a tabletop electron microscope in teaching college level physics. The workings and use of an electron microscope encompass many aspects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). A sequence of activities was constructed to compliment the instructional material in the physics course of the University…

This study combined 3D printing technology with experiential learning strategies (ELS) to design a hands-on curriculum for preengineering students. The participants learned interdisciplinary knowledge and abstract scientific concepts through the curriculum. The study implemented a quasi-experimental design to examine whether the students who…

Celebrating hands-on making and technological inventiveness, the Maker Movement promotes the popularity of new makerspaces: learning environments filled with diverse materials for youth's creative projects. Described as "constructionist learning environments," makerspaces can be challenging to design because materials require substantial…

For centuries, cadaveric dissection has been the touchstone of anatomy education. It offers a medical student intimate access to his or her first patient. In contrast to idealized artisan anatomical models, it presents the natural variation of anatomy in fine detail. However, a new teaching construct has appeared recently in which artificial…

Development of the visual system typically proceeds in concert with the development of audition. One result is that the visual system of profoundly deaf individuals differs from that of those with typical auditory systems. While past research has suggested deaf people have enhanced attention in the visual periphery, it is still unclear whether or…

Health concerns from 3D printing were first documented by Stephens, Azimi, Orch, and Ramos (2013), who found that commercially available 3D printers were producing hazardous levels of ultrafine particles (UFPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when plastic materials were melted through the extruder. UFPs are particles less than 100 nanometers…

The increased availability of noncommercial 3D printers has provided instructors and students improved access to printing technology. However, printing complex ball-and-stick molecular structures faces distinct challenges, including the need for support structures that increase with molecular complexity. MolPrint3D is a software add-on for the…

Sequential action makes up the bulk of human daily activity, and yet much remains unknown about how people learn such actions. In one motor learning paradigm, the serial reaction time (SRT) task, people are taught a consistent sequence of button presses by cueing them with the next target response. However, the SRT task only records keypress…