Areas of Interest and Research of Dr. Melvin Simms
College of Computer and Information Science
302 West Village H MS: WVH-202
m.simms@neu.edu
The focus of our research is in identifying what students learn through the combination of theory and practice during their experiential activities (Cooperative Education).
Project Areas:
- Portfolio Development and Rubrics
- Assessment of Skills
- Metrics for Quality Experientials
Index of Projects
Spring 2010
Simms: Analysis of masters’ candidates co-op assignment job descriptions obtained from employers and students – in progress:
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/wp-content/uploads/Sharing_Data.pdf
Undergraduate results to be completed shortly.
Co-op quality: using aggregated assessment data to improve assignments, Mark Erickson a presentation at WACE Symposium in London, England, November 16, 2006,
www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/Quality2.htm
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/Quality.html
Designing and Integrating a Successful Graduate Cooperative Education Program ina Research Focused Environment. A paper and presentation at the WACE Symposium (World Association of Cooperative Education) by Melvin Simms and John Spadaccini in Orlando, Fl, October 2005,
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/WACE_SimmsSpadaccini.html.
Up-date on Co-op Activities Integration of Academic and Workplace Outcomes.
Presentation to faculty in the College of Computer and Information Science Northeastern University a PowerPoint presentation:, link pending, Boston, MA, February 2005,
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/FtyPres.html
Looking Forward While Looking Back: The Use of Electronic Portfolios for Curriculum Improvement and Reflection in Cooperative Education Programs. Panel presentation, at the WACE Conference in Boston, MA, June 2005. Panel participants were: Mark Erickson, Viera Proulx, Kostia Bergman, Veronnica Porter and Melvin Simms,
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/Portfolio_Panel.htm
The Development Process of an On-Line Portfolio System to Integrate Academia and Work Place Competencies – Funded by an (NSF)Natiional Science Foundation Assessment Grant. (A presentation by Mark Erickson at The NZACE Conference (The 5th Asia Pacific Conference on Cooperative Education in Auckland, New Zealand, December 2 2004)
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/nzace/NZACEpres.htm
The Development of an On-line Portfolio System to Integrate Academia
and Workplace Competencies Funded by an (NSF)Natiional Science Foundation Assessment Grant. (A presentation at The NSEE Conference (The National Society For Experiential Education & International Consortium for Experiential Learning(ICEL) in Miami, Florida, October 1, 2004)
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/nsee/NSEEpres.htm
The Integration of Academia and Workplace Competencies through
Systematic Development of Measurable Assessment Criteria
by Simms and Erickson (Paper presented at WACE Conference (World Association of Cooperative Education) in Rotterdam, Netherlands, August 29, 2003)
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/WACE/SimmsEricksonWACEPaper.pdf
The WACE Conference 8/29/03 presentation in Powerpoint format.
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/WACE/WACEpres.htm
Sample Rubrics Developed as of 7/16/03
Programming Rubric
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/nsf/ProgrammingRubric.htm
Communication Rubric
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/nsf/CommunicationsRubric.htm
Developing Assessment Tools by Simms, Erickson and Jemison.
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/nsf/DevelopingAssessmentTools.pdf
How do College of Computer and Information Science students at Northeastern University perform on the job?
The following are Excel spread sheets comparing the raw data collected from the assessment surveys completed by students, employers, and the Computer Science faculty. This data is described in the paper listed above.
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/WACE/StudentsFtyEmployerComplete.htm
Our complete data sorted by how important each group described the skill. We have matched up the data in a comparison layout.
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/simms/research/WACE/SortedAllImportance&Compared.htm
Assessment Instruments Available to Students and Employers:
General Information on the College of Computer and Information Science
Cooperative Education Program at Northeastern University
General Information Available to Co-op Employers:
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/co-op/information-for-employers/
Curriculum Rubrics for College of Computer and Information Science
