Samuel Pena

Professor Susan Delamare

Writing for Engineers

24 November 2023

Rhetorical Analysis of Original Research in Getting Students More Motivated Using Cameras 

The research paper will focus on Increasing student motivation and knowledge in mechanical engineering by using action cameras and video productions. This paper analyzes how well the authors convey their message and how they can influence and persuade more schools and teachers to use technology to motivate students to learn.

The authors of this paper are McCaslin, S.E. and Young, M. McCaslin is an S.E., which stands for Licensed Structural Engineer. While Young does not have a title, they are from the Department of Management and Marketing at the University of Texas. Their goal in writing this paper is to show how important technology is in helping students learn. Specifically, they used action cameras in destructive experiments to slow down the footage and know precisely what happened in the experiments. The exigence in this article is the need for a more dynamic and engaging approach to teaching materials science in a laboratory setting, leading to the introduction of GoPro cameras as a technological solution to enhance the learning experience.  As mentioned before, the targeted audiences for this research paper are teachers, schools, and students. A quote to inspire teachers is, “This study focused on using the GoPro Hero action cameras to assess student learning, motivation, and team building” (McCaslin & Young, 2015). This statement aims to reach deep into teachers’ emotions to inspire them to do what most likely motivated them to become teachers, which is to teach the future generation, and the cameras might be the best way to do so. The paper appeals to schools by saying, “The study addresses the use of innovative approaches to enhance learning experiences, student motivation, and technical communication skills in a laboratory setting” (McCaslin & Young, 2015). By allowing students to get more practice in a lab testing their experiments, they will eventually improve, and the prestige of their school might also go up because they have such great students. Lastly, it also tries to invite the students to get better. The research shows that “Students perceived their technical communication skills had increased due to the action camera experiment”(McCaslin & Young, 2015). Students who really would like to improve their skills can use the cameras to do so. The authors here use pathos to appeal to the feelings of how people always want to be the best, and to achieve that goal; they should try to use GoPros in class. Of course, there are some uses of logos in this research paper. The paper refers to previous studies and research conducted by Goodhew and Bullough, Davies and Ringer, and others. These references serve as a logical foundation, supporting the idea that research in educational technology and multimedia learning environments is a valid and established study area. It also incorporates quotes from said authors, which provide evidence and help the paper’s claims. McCaslin and Young also provide study results, including student surveys and faculty ratings. These data points serve as evidence to support the effectiveness of using GoPro cameras in the materials science laboratory. These scores and percentages add a logical and quantitative dimension to their argument. Lastly, this paper mentions the Department of Mechanical Engineering accreditation process by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), proving that the study aligns with recognized quality standards in engineering education. The logos in this paper is evident through the use of existing research, data, quotes, and logical structuring of the goals and objectives to support the argument for incorporating GoPro cameras in labs and classrooms. The introduction of this paper introduces the context of the study by stating that there have been attempts to allow technology in the classroom. The methods are primarily found in the section discussing the design, implementation, and results of adding GoPro cameras to the materials science laboratory. This section outlines the objectives, implementation process, and camera specifications for using GoPro cameras in student activities and video laboratory reports. The section that discusses the outcomes of the project contains the results. It provides details on student surveys, feedback, and assessments. The presentation of specific outcomes, such as student satisfaction scores, perceived improvement in technical communication skills, and faculty ratings, is also included. Additionally, data from the pilot study, such as mean scores on learning objectives, is presented in a table. The paper’s discussion is more concentrated towards the end. The authors interpret the results, discuss the implications of using GoPro cameras in materials science labs, and reflect on the project’s success and limitations. They compare their findings to those of other studies, explore the broader applications of the technology, and acknowledge the need for further research. By following the IMRaD conventions, the authors create a research space by acknowledging the evolving trends in education, identifying challenges in traditional teaching methods, introducing the specific technology innovation being explored in the study, and articulating the goals of the project, which increases understanding and improve technical communication skills in the laboratory setting.