The Integration of Software- and Hardwarebased Instructional Technologies into the
STEM Curricula at
Florida A&M University and Surrounding
Middle and High Schools
Dr. Antonio Soares
College of Engineering Sciences, Technology, and Agriculture
Electronic Engineer Technology
June 13
Outline
• Introduction
• FAMU MSEIP Programs
– CASE
– LEARNS
– IRIS
• Middle and High Schools
• An Example Project – The Boebot
• Conclusions
Introduction
• STEM Degree Programs at FAMU
• Ph.D. Programs
– Engineering (6), Physics, Environmental Sciences
• Master’s Programs
– CS, Biology, Chemistry
• Bachelor’s Programs
– Engineering Technology, BASE, and Mathematics
• Issues in STEM Disciplines
MSEIP Programs at FAMU
• FAMU – CASE (2007)
– Center for Academic Support in Engineering
– Housed in College of Engineering
• FAMU –LEARNS (2007)
– Multimedia Learning Resource Management System
– Housed in College of Arts and Sciences
• FAMU-IRIS (2010)
– Interdisciplinary Remote Instructional Support Center
– Housed in College of Engineering Sciences,
Technology, and Agriculture
FAMU-CASE
CENTER FOR ACADEMIC
SUPPORT IN ENGINEERING
CASE Overview
• Provide Peer-to-peer academic support
Develop online content to supplement face to face instruction
Software Packages
• Camtasia Studio 7 by TechSmith
– Screen Recording and Video Editing Software
• Captivate 5 by Adobe
– Application Simulation Software
• Articulate Presenter 9 by Articulate
– E-Learning Software Tools
• All packages produce a Flash SWF file
Software Usage
• Camtasia
– Useful for general screen recording
• Non-Powerpoint Applications
• Can annotate with voiceover/camera
• Captivate
– Useful for recording the individual software steps
• Can easily annotate instructions without the need of
audio
• Presenter
– Useful for Powerpoint Applications
– Annotation, Voiceover, with Programming
Hardware Setup
Logitech Webcam
Blue SnowBall
Wacom Bamboo
FAMLEARNS
MULTIMEDIA LEARNING
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Motivation - Goal
• How to leverage existing technologies to reduce
failing rate?
• Create and share multimedia resources Captured Learning Resources (CLRs)
– of entire lectures
– of single topics
– of tutoring sessions
• Must be easy for instructors to use
• Must be accessible to all students
• Should be affordable
Technologies
• CAMStudio - free video recording software
– Created custom version (FAMStudio) that simplifies
publishing/editing
• Livescribe - Pulse Smartpen ($180 - 8GB)
– Used in conjunction with document camera and
projector, can be used to record entire lectures
– Great for recording tutoring sessions
– Very easy to publish
• MIMIO Capture ($800 educational)
– Allows anything written on any whiteboard to be
recorded.
– Wireless
FAMU-IRIS
INTERDISCIPLINARY REMOTE
INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT CENTER
FAMU-IRIS Overview
• Provide Supplemental Instruction
– Bottleneck courses in Engineering and
Engineering Technology
– STEM Gatekeeper courses
• Provide online academic support
– Tutoring, Webinars, and Peer Coaching
• Unite existing STEM academic support
programs
– IRIS, CASE, LEARNS, STEM-LC, etc.
FAMU-IRIS Operation
FAMU-IRIS Operation
server
Tablet PC
Smart Document Camera
HP Z 400
HD Camera
Smart Slates
Smart Board
FAMU-IRIS Blackboard
FAMU-IRIS Elluminate
FAMU-IRIS Blackboard
•Initial Implementation
FAMU-IRIS Webpage
FAMU-IRIS Elluminate
FAMU-IRIS Elluminate
Middle and High Schools
Teacher Collaboration
 Remotely collaborate in
 Grant Writing
 Laboratories
Provide Academic Support
 Remotely assist students
- Assignments
- Papers
Sample Project – The Boebot
The Boebot
By Parallax
 The Microcontroller – BS2
• PBASIC
– specifically for the BASIC Stamp
• common instructions (GOTO, FOR...NEXT,
IF...THEN…ELSE)
• specialized instructions (SERIN, PWM,
BUTTON, COUNT and DTMFOUT).
Getting Started
Basic Stamp Editor
 Run your BASIC Stamp Editor by doubleclicking the shortcut on your desktop
 Connect your Serial Cable
Testing Connection
• Click the Run menu, then select Identify
to check for connectivity
Your First Program
• Click the Run menu, then select Identify
to check for connectivity
Basic Stamp Math
• First, save the program under a new name
by clicking File and selecting Save As
• A good new name for the file would be
HelloBoeBotYourTurn.bs2.
• √ Modify the comments at the beginning
of the program so that they read:
• ' Robotics with the Boe-Bot HelloBoeBotYourTurn.bs2
• ' BASIC Stamp does simple math, and
sends the resultsto the Debug Terminal.
Basic Stamp Math
• √ Add these three lines between the
first DEBUG command and the END
command:
DEBUG CR, "What's 7 X 11?"
DEBUG CR, "The answer is: "
DEBUG DEC 7 * 11
• √ Save the changes you made by
clicking File and selecting Save.
The Result
Programming with ASCII
• ASCII is short for American Standard
Code for Information Interchange.
• Most microcontrollers and PC computers
use this code to assign a number to
each keyboard function.
Programming with ASCII
• Example
Tracking Time
• Servos need a message that repeats 50
times per second
PAUSE command tells the BASIC
Stamp to wait for a while before
PAUSE Duration
PAUSE 1000 – pause 1 second
Tracking Time
• Example
Commands
• Over and Over
DO
DEBUG "Hello!", CR
PAUSE 1000
LOOP
• Servo Control
PULSOUT Pin, Duration
• Duration units that are two millionths of a second!
PULSOUT 12, 750
Commands
• Counter
FOR Counter = StartValue TO EndValue {STEP
StepValue}…NEXT
myCounter VAR Word
FOR myCounter = 1 TO 10
DEBUG ? myCounter
PAUSE 500
NEXT
DEBUG CR, "All done!"
END
SAMPLE PROGRAM
SAMPLE PROGRAM
Conclusions
• Future Work
– FAMU eTutoring
• Online STEM Collaboration is Possible
– Research
– Academic Support
– Workshops