VisTE: Visualization in Technology Education

 

BACKGROUND
With the current emphasis on testing, and mechanical instruction methods, educators are increasingly concerned that children aren’t learning to think as much as they are mastering memorization of isolated facts. Yet children are proving incredibly adept at developing skills that allow them to connect and manipulate information – in the virtual world of video games.

GOAL
Instead of trying to fight what children obviously enjoy, researchers are exploring whether the enticement of video games can be used to enhance K-12 education.
The idea is for teachers to supplement their curricula by developing video games, using tools that don’t require advanced computer-programming skills. They hope to harness the untapped potential of inexpensive, online, multi-user games to improve science achievement and the information technology skills of North Carolina’s students.

PROGRESS
Over a 3-year period, plus a supplemental year, the VisTE project team has developed and piloted 12 units for technology education in grades 6 to 12. During the 2002–2003 school year, six VisTE teachers pilot tested the first four VisTE units. During the 2003–2004 school year, seven teachers were asked to pilot test the second four VisTE units and some teachers re-taught some of the first four VisTE units. During the 2004–2005 school year, the seven pilot teachers pilot tested all or a subset of the last four units.  During the last two years of the project,  14 field test sites were selected and located in South Carolina (2), Indiana (2), North Carolina (3), Connecticut (1), Ohio (1), Minnesota (1), Arkansas (1), Oregon (1), Idaho (1), and Oklahoma (1). These teachers were assigned three units each, all receiving different groupings of the twelve units, to field-test using the same instruments as developed by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) for the original project. Also, in order to begin the process of looking at the effects of using visual-based materials in technology education classrooms, the Purdue Spatial Visualization test and the VARK learning styles test were administered to participating students. The Principal Investigators visited selected sites for further qualitative analysis of the integration of these materials at the field test sites.

FUTURE

The VisTE project continues with research and development of rubrics for assessing visual-based materials.  Also, new research has began in areas related to linking learning styles of students to visual-based materials through the integration of STEM disciplines, with major focus points in scientific visualization, physical model creation, and portfolio development.  The project also has started a secondary area of research that links gaming and game development to kids considered at risk of dropping out of school.  This new gaming research is targeted towards technology teachers learning how gaming can be used to enhance course offerings, and meet the needs of students.  VisTE will continue in areas related to professional development for technology teachers, and used as demonstration materials on how to develop standards-based materials for the middle and high school environments.  Funding is currently being pursed to further these endeavors from the VisTE project.