@[toc](Databases for Many Majors) ## Overview ## @[osf](ryhzw) The Databases for Many Majors project has developed three visualizations using a dynamic presentation to introduce students of many disciplines to fundamental database topics. - Introduction to Relational Databases - Introduction to Querying - Conceptual Database Design These visualizations are customizable so that instructors can introduce databases in the context of their classes. Customizations are available for: - Astronomy - Computational Molecular Biology - Environmental Science/Ecology - Forensic Science - Geographic Information Systems - Neuroinformatics - Statistics The student chooses the example to run when they start the visualization. These visualizations are available both in OSF (see the Download folder for each visualization) and on the Project Web site - [http://databasesmanymajors.faculty.asu.edu][1] The goal of this OSF site is to provide the underlying details of the project, including the source code. Currently, the FLEX code is being shared. The latest JavaFX versions are still under development. Please see the Wiki of each visualization for an overview of the visualization with screenshots. This site will continue to evolve. Although the funding for the project has come to its end, the investigators are dedicated to continuing their effort to empower students of all disciplines with the knowledge of fundamental database concepts. ---------- ## Project Summary ## **NSF DUE-1431848/DUE-1431661**, September 2014 - August 2019 *Databases for Many Majors: Customizable Visualizations to Improve STEM Learning* Visualization is an effective pedagogical tool in multimedia instruction that engages student interest and enhances their learning. This project builds on the successes of an earlier research project in introducing database concepts to many majors using visualizations. In that project, two animations, with color and images in a dynamic presentation, were developed. The first introduces relational databases and how they differ from spreadsheets. The second one covers querying of relational databases. In addition, these animations are customizable using XML so that discipline-specific examples can be used to integrate database concepts into various disciplines. The goals of the current project include building on this established framework. One objective is the development of an animation on the conceptual design of data, which explains how to model data and then map the design to a relational database schema. Another objective is the design of a framework within the customizable animations to provide students with an opportunity for formative feedback. This self-evaluation is important for improving comprehension. Since the animations are customizable, this self-assessment framework must also be customizable. A third objective of the project includes the development of tools to assist in the customization of the animations and the assessment framework. The animations will also be customized to additional STEM domains, specifically statistics, forensics, and ecology. Acknowledgements: - Becky Ball, ASU, Senior Personnel, Domain Partner: Environmental Science/Ecology - Gabriele Bauer, Villanova University, Assessment Design - Jennifer Broatch, ASU, Senior Personnel, Assessment and Evaluation, Domain Partner: Statistics - Kyle Brown, ASU, Developer - Sharon Crook, ASU, Senior Personnel, Domain Partner: Computational Molecular Biology, Neuroinformatics - Kimberly Kobojek, ASU, Senior Personnel, Domain Partner: Forensic Science - Bryan Lugo, ASU, Developer - Charly McCown, ASU, Domain Partner: Neuroinformatics - Jennifer Ortiz, University of Washington, Domain Partner: Astronomy - Christopher Reimschussel, ASU, Developer - David Roqueni, ASU, Developer - Dominique Smith, ASU, Developer - Adrian Sylvester, ASU, Developer **NSF DUE-0941584/DUE-0941401, March 2010 - February 2013** *Databases for Many Majors: A Student-Centered Approach* With the pervasive role played by databases in our information-centric society and the increasing demand for students with interdisciplinary skills, the next challenge on the horizon for database educators, and the goal of this project, is the design of a database curriculum for many majors. This goal is consistent with the enhanced consciousness of computational thinking, which introduces computational methods and models to non-computing majors. The objectives of this project are to enable a diverse audience of students with the knowledge of databases. Using student-centered approaches for engagement and active learning, the development of sample learning modules introduces students of many backgrounds to relational databases. Each unit includes student learning outcomes, engaging animations, and a collection of cooperative learning exercises. An important facet of this design is the provision of modules that can be parameterized with the domain-specific concepts for a given major. At this stage of the research, two domains within STEM disciplines illustrate the extensibility and applicability of the developed learning modules. Acknowledgements: - Connie Borror, ASU, Assessment and Evaluation - Patricia Clark, ASU, Senior Personnel, Artistic Assessment - Sharon Crook, ASU, Senior Personnel, Domain Partner - Priya Dharshini Ponniah Rajagopal, ASU, Developer - Bangbo Hu, Villanova University, Senior Personnel, Domain Partner - Brad Schneider, ASU, Developer - Carol Weiss, Villanova University, Assessment Design ---------- ## Dissemination: Publications and Presentations ## - S. W. Dietrich, D. Goelman, J. Broatch, S. M. Crook, B. Ball, K. Kobojek, and J. Ortiz, Introducing Databases in Context Through Customizable Visualizations, Frontiers in Education, September 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.719134. - S. W. Dietrich, D. Goelman, J. Broatch, S. M. Crook, B. Ball, K. Kobojek, and J. Ortiz, Using Formative Assessment for Improving Pedagogy: Reflections on Feedback Informing Database Visualizations, ACM Inroads: Volume 11 Issue 4, December 2020, pp. 27-34, https://doi.org/10.1145/3430766. - J. E. Broatch, S. W. Dietrich and D. Goelman, Introducing Data Science Techniques by Connecting Database Concepts and dplyr, Journal of Statistics Education, September 2019, [https://doi.org/10.1080/10691898.2019.1647768][3] - R. Bingham, S. W. Dietrich and D. Goelman, Strategies to improve accessibility for learners with color vision deficiency, ACM Inroads: Volume 10 Issue 1, March 2019, pp. 52-56, [https://doi.org/10.1145/3306140][4]. - D. Goelman and S. W. Dietrich, A Visual Introduction to Conceptual Database Design for All, ACM SIGCSE 2018, Proceedings of the 49th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, Baltimore, MD, 21-24 February 2018, pp. 320-325, [https://doi.org/10.1145/3159450.3159555][5]. - Databases for Many Majors: More to Explore, [Handout][6], ASU at the West campus, 19 February 2018. - Databases for Many Majors: The Penultimate Year, [Best Faculty Poster][7], CCSC Eastern 2017, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, October 2017. - An Interactive Learning Module for Teaching Ecology Students (and Professors) about Databases for Managing and Querying Large Datasets, [Poster][8], Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR, August 2017, Becky Ball - Formative Self-Assessment for Customizable Database Visualizations: Checkpoints for Learning, [Poster][9] and [Paper][10], ASEE 2017, June 2017 - An Interactive Learning Module for Teaching Ecology Students (and Professors) about Databases for Managing and Querying Large Datasets, Presentation, Soil Ecology Society Biennial Meeting 2017, Fort Collins, CO, June 2017, Becky Ball - Databases! A Web-Based Introduction to the Data Science Techniques of Database Querying and Design, [Poster][11], USCOTS (United States Conference on Teaching Statistics) 2017, State College, PA, May 2017, Jennifer Broatch - Customizing Database Visualizations for Many Majors, Tutorial, CCSC Southwestern 2017, UC San Diego, San Diego, CA, March 2017. - A New Tool for Guiding Faculty in Customizing Database Visualizations for Learners of Many Majors, [NSF Showcase at SIGCSE 2017][12], Seattle, WA, March 2017. - Visualizations for Introducing Database Concepts in Forensic Science, [Poster][13], AAFS (American Academy of Forensic Sciences) 2017, New Orleans, LA, February 2017, Kimberly Kobojek - Checkpoints: Formative Self-Assessment for Customizable Database Visualizations, [Poster][14], NSF Envisioning the Future of Undergraduate STEM Education: Research and Practice Symposium, April 2016 - Databases for Many Majors: Customizable Visualizations to Improve STEM Learning, [NSF Showcase at SIGCSE 2016][15], Memphis, TN. - Databases, Everyone! Customizable Animations with Self-Assessment, Tutorial, CCSC Eastern 2015, Stockton University, Galloway, NJ, October 2015. - Databases, Everyone! Customizable Animations with Self-Assessment, Tutorial, CCSC Northwest 2015, Seattle, WA, October 2015. - S. W. Dietrich, D. Goelman, C. M. Borror, and S. M. Crook, An Animated Introduction to Relational Databases for Many Majors, IEEE Transactions on Education, Volume 58, Issue 2, pp. 81-89, [http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TE.2014.2326834][16]. - Databases for All: Animations, Cooperative Learning and Self-Assessment, Villanova Institute for Teaching and Learning, May 2015. - Pedagogical Integration of Database Visualizations for Many Majors, Tutorial, CCSC Southcentral 2015, Austin, TX, April 2015. - Databases for Many Majors: Customizable Visualizations to Improve STEM Learning, Poster, Open Door, ASU at the West campus, March 2015. - Database Animations for Many Majors, Tutorial, CCSC Southwest 2012, Stockton, CA, March 2012. - Databases for Many Majors: A Student-Centered Approach, NSF Showcase, SIGCSE 2012, Raleigh, NC, March 2012. - Database Animations for Many Majors, Workshop, CCSC East 2011, Arlington, VA, October 2011. - Databases for Many Majors: Learning through Computer Animations, Villanova Institute for Teaching and Learning, May 2011. - Reaching Out to Many Majors: A Database Approach, [Poster][17], SIGCSE 2011, Dallas, TX, March 2011. - An Animation for Motivating the Study of Relational Databases, Nifty Idea, CCSC East 2010, Huntingdon, PA, October 2010. - Databases as an Outreach Topic to Non-majors, Lightning Talk, CCSC East 2010, Huntingdon, PA, October 2010. ---------- NOTE: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DUE-1431848, DUE-1431661, DUE-0941584, and DUE-0941401. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. [1]: http://databasesmanymajors.faculty.asu.edu "Project Web Site" [2]: https://osf.io/ryhzw "Logo Databases Many Majors" [3]: https://doi.org/10.1080/10691898.2019.1647768 "Introducing Data Science Techniques by Connecting Database Concepts and dplyr, Journal of Statistics Education" [4]: https://doi.org/10.1145/3306140 "Strategies to improve accessibility for learners with color vision deficiency, ACM Inroads" [5]: https://doi.org/10.1145/3159450.3159555 "Introduction to Conceptual Database Design for All, ACM SIGCSE 2018" [6]: https://osf.io/hvme9/ "2018 More to Explore Handout" [7]: http://osf.io/b48ew "CCSCE 2017 Best Faculty Poster" [8]: http://osf.io/fztuk "2017 Ecology Poster" [9]: http://osf.io/m6ufv "2017 ASEE Poster" [10]: https://peer.asee.org/27853 "Formative Self-Assessment for Customizable Database Visualizations: Checkpoints for Learning, ASEE 2017" [11]: http://osf.io/embkx "2017 USCOTS Poster" [12]: http://osf.io/k69cq "2017 NSF Showcase Handout" [13]: http://osf.io/9d4g7 "2017 AAFS Poster" [14]: http://osf.io/2qsgj "2016 PI Symposium Poster" [15]: http://osf.io/6ktrz "2016 NSF Showcase Handout" [16]: http://dx.dio.org/10.1109/TE.2014.2326834 "An Animated Introduction to Relational Databases for Many Majors, IEEE ToE 2015" [17]: http://osf.io/axgd9 "2011 SIGCSE Poster"