IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2008 - 17

works to support programs for teachers
and students at the U.S. Department of
Education, the National Science Foundation, and other agencies. STEM education refines and polishes students'
thinking and problem-solving skills,

which are applicable not only in the
technical field but also in real life.

An Unabashed Advocate
As an unabashed advocate for women, I
have devoted myself to making a differ-

MY TEACHING STATEMENT
The often-quoted statement "those who can, do; those who can't, teach" has been disproved in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, especially in the Internet era. As a member
of the STEM education community, I firmly believe that I can do both-do and teach.
MOTIVATION
My motivation to educate others arises from a combination of my personal desire to learn and my
impressions of undergraduate professors who were inspired teachers. Their devotion, enthusiasm, and
optimism tremendously influenced my thinking and learning. Hence, helping others to learn has become
one of my life's missions.
PHILOSOPHY
The goal of STEM education for undergraduate students is to stimulate, disseminate, and incorporate
innovative developments in undergraduate education through the production of knowledge and the
improvement of practice.
The challenges to achieving this goal have been identified in several major reports. I have found guidance in the following:
◗ "Greater Expectations: A New Vision for Learning as a Nation Goes to College" (http://www.
greaterexpectations.org) recognizes the inadequacy of preparation for higher learning; a disturbing
discrepancy in expectations among students and parents, policy makers, business leaders, and
faculty members; and the fragmentation of collective courses without a coherent plan. The report
recommends enabling students to become empowered, informed, and responsible learners who
are ready to assume productive roles in society.
◗ The National Research Council's report "Evaluating and Improving Undergraduate Teaching in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics" (http://www.nap.edu/books/0309072778/html)
describes the improvements needed in the assessment of teaching effectiveness and of learning
outcome.
◗ The NRC volume "How People Learn," (http://books.nap.edu/html/howpeople1) discusses the
growing volume and increasing complexity of knowledge. The book supports learner-centered
teaching practices that build on the preexisting conceptual and cultural knowledge that students
bring with them to the classroom.
◗ The NRC report "Scientific Research in Education" (http://www.nap.edu/books/0309082919/html)
suggests a set of guiding principles such as i) pose significant questions that can be investigated
empirically, ii) link research to relevant theory with a coherent and explicit chain of reasoning, iii)
allow replication and generalization across studies, and iv) disclose research to encourage professional scrutiny and critique.
◗ The Project Kaleidoscope report "Recommendations for Action in Support of Undergraduate Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics" (http://www.pkal.org/documents/ReportonReports.pdf)
recommends "collective action" for knowledge base improvement. This encourages collaboration in
which investigators learn about and adapt the work of others and disseminate the results so that
others can continue the investigation.
A CYCLIC MODEL
The relationship between knowledge production and improvement of practice in undergraduate STEM
education can be presented in a cyclic model in which a specific learning challenge is identified and a
solution is tested in limited environments. The resulting solution is then generalized and incorporated in
education practice.
-Noparut Vanitchanant

SUMMER 2008

Whether it's an education, money, a
successful career, or a social life
women can have it all.

ence in women's lives by encouraging
and empowering them in science and
technology. Inspired by experiences I
have gained as an IEEE officer during
start-up of a student branch and of a
WIE affinity group, I am leading a
women-in-engineering ("wie" in lowercase) task force in Thailand, where the
IEEE is little known, not to mention
WIE or its missions. I am charting a
new frontier in a developing country.
Bias and barriers against women exist
here. I believe I have shaken up some
major preconceived ideas on women
just by my presence and agenda. It is no
fun being deemed as a lightning rod,
even a tiny one. I am not a thief stealing
the herd-or am I? On the bright side,
this is a good opportunity to tone up my
feminine muscle. Regardless of the
resistance, I just keep putting one foot
in front of the other.
You, WIE troopers with purple
hearts, might give me a nod, acknowledging "Been there, done that." To
those who are not sure what I am talking about, I would say, "Well, let's face
it. You are cornered." The Women in
Engineering affinity group has a lot to
give. I hope you will seize the opportunity. Come join us. Join the force. You
might then agree with me that "A
sedan is US$40K. A garage with a
2,000-square-foot attachment is
US$350K. Being in the driver's seat is
priceless."
-Noparut Vanitchanant

IEEE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING MAGAZINE

http://www http://www.greaterexpectations.org http://www.nap.edu/books/0309072778/html http://books.nap.edu/html/howpeople1 http://www.nap.edu/books/0309082919/html http://www.pkal.org/documents/ReportonReports.pdf

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2008