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Past Projects

The projects described in the “past projects” section of this site are those research projects that have been completed by the STEM Education Research Group but represent best practices in educational research from diverse sectors.

  • NSF – USC Advanced Content in Computational Engineering and Science Standards for Teachers (ACCESS 4 Teachers RET 2014 – 2017)
    • In the second Research Experience for Teachers (RET) collaboration between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and USC Viterbi School of Engineering, the focus on advanced computational engineering provides the basis of professional development for inner city middle school STEM teachers. Learn More

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  • NRI – KIDS
    • NRI: Socially Aware, Expressive, and Personalized Mobile Remote Presence: Co-Robots as Gateways to Access to K-12 In-School Education. The NRI project focuses on developing control algorithms for mobile remote presence (MRP) co-robot systems that will improve human access to a learning/training environment, focusing on homebound K-12 students, but with general implications to users of all ages and a variety of contexts. Learn More

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  • Socially Assistive Robots (SAR)
    • Socially assistive robots are poised to become a ubiquitous and essential tool in promoting the education and health of a wide range of populations and in the everyday care of individuals with special needs and disabilities. Learn More

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  • CSMARTS
    • CSMARTS aims to improve middle school student achievement and teacher quality in computer science by developing and testing effective culturally and societally relevant computer science and engineering design curriculum and pedagogy. Learn More

     

  • First-Year Experience at College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology at California State University, Los Angeles (FYrE@ECST)
    • This project addresses the need to develop a diverse STEM workforce, through the development and scale-up of the first-year program for students at the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology (FYrE@ECST) at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA). Learn More

     

  • Research on Innovation and Creativity in Higher education in Engineering and Science (RICHES) for Community Colleges
    • Research on Innovation and Creativity in Higher education in Engineering and Science (RICHES) for Community Colleges is an engineering education research project that seeks to examine a sample of non-traditional college students enrolled in science and engineering programs in four urban community college. Learn More

     

  • Jardin De STEM
    • Based on a review of best practices for student achievement in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology and East Los Angeles College’s prior successes in designing and implementing Title V projects, goals and objectives were developed in line with STEM-A program guidelines. Learn More

     

  • Virtual Sprouts
    • Virtual Sprouts serves as a highly engaging and innovative research education program to improve PreK-12 research career opportunities and the community’s understanding of the health science advances in obesity and nutrition. Learn More

 

  • College Access Games
    • The Collegeology team has been developing concepts and activities that capitalize on the power of games to improve college knowledge and college going strategies for underserved youth. Learn More

 

 

  • DETER
    • The purpose of this engineering education project was to revolutionize security education at universities by developing a set of practical, hands-on exercises to accompany security coursesLearn More

 

  • Center For Scholarly Technology Teaching With Technology Project
    • In this project, faculty across USC were awarded Provost funding to engage in innovative projects in which they teach with technology. Ragusa serves in an advisement role with this project related to assessment and project evaluation. This partnership enables advancement and impact assessment of the University’s innovative teaching with technology opportunities.Learn More

 

 

 

 

 

  • PED EVAL
    • The goal of this project was to study connections between student discussion constructs and student socio-demographic, background and performance data in undergraduate and graduate STEM courses.Learn More

 

 

 

  • GK-12: BE-LA: Body Engineering Los Angeles
    • Body Engineering, Los Angeles (BE-LA) was GK-12 program at the University of Southern California (USC) that aimed to involve and prepare our best PhD students to become STEM leaders of tomorrow through a fellowship that incorporates extensive training and K-12 classroom experience.Learn More

 

  • HS STEM GANAS
    • The project was intended to increase transfer access of community colleges to universities.Learn More

 

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