Interactive Computer and Web-Based Learning of Software Packages Used in Engineering

工程-机械(56)现代工程师必须具备高度的技术成熟和计算机素养，因此学习商业工程分析软件包已成为许多工程课程的重要组成部分。虽然这些商业软件包的使用可能有助于向学生教授基本概念，但当宝贵的课程时间被用于教授学生使用软件的基础知识时，往往会产生相反的效果。这个项目的主要目标是让学生能够快速轻松地学习必要的软件，然后使用该软件来强化课程概念。这是通过开发全屏幕、视听、交互的软件教程来实现的，这些教程广泛用于四门机械工程课程，从一年级的课程(工程制图)开始，继续进行三门高级课程(测量和仪器、机器运动学和动力学以及计算机辅助工程)。此外，“教师多媒体工具开发工具箱”正在组装中，以方便任一学科的教师开发软件教程和交互式教学工具。该项目的首席调查员之前为一门工程制图课程开发了交互式计算机教程、游戏和小测验，该课程在教学软件方面的优秀表现已在地区和全国范围内获得认可和奖励。在为期三年的资助的第一年，工程制图材料在德克萨斯大学泛美分校(UTPA)进行形成性评估、增强和实施，并开始开发其他三个项目课程的材料。在第二年，工程制图课程在其他合作机构实施和评估--南得克萨斯社区学院(在德克萨斯州的麦卡伦)、北中央技术学院(在俄亥俄州的曼斯菲尔德)和内华达-里诺大学。UTPA是一个少数族裔机构，人口中85%是西班牙裔。在多个机构执行和评估这些材料证实，它对不同的受众是有效的。此外，在第二年，为其他三个项目课程编写的材料在UTPA实施和评估。在第三年，在头两年开发的材料在其他机构出版和测试，并创建了“学院多媒体工具开发工具箱”。这个“工具箱”是根据研究人员为不同课程和不同受众开发这类工具的经验而创建的，它允许其他地点和其他学科的教员以最小的努力为自己的应用程序创建类似的软件教程和教具。课程材料和“工具箱”将通过一家主要的学术材料出版商出版和分发。

Engineering - Mechanical (56)It is essential for the modern engineer to have a high degree of technological sophistication and computer literacy, and so learning commercial engineering analysis software packages has become a significant part of many engineering courses. Although the use of these commercial software packages may aid in teaching fundamental concepts to students, it can often have the opposite effect when valuable course time is taken up in teaching students the basics of using the software. The primary objective of this project is to put students in a position where they can quickly and easily learn necessary software, and then use that software to reinforce course concepts. This is being accomplished through the development of full-screen, audio-visual, interactive tutorials for software that is used extensively in four Mechanical Engineering courses, beginning with a freshman course (Engineering Graphics) and continuing in three upper-level courses (Measurements and Instrumentation, Kinematics and Dynamics of Machines, and Computer-Aided Engineering). In addition, a "Faculty Multimedia Tools Development Toolbox" is being assembled to facilitate development of software tutorials and interactive instructional tools by faculty in any discipline. The Principal Investigator for this project previously developed interactive computer tutorials, games, and quizzes for a freshman Engineering Graphics course, which has been recognized and awarded regionally and nationally for excellence in instructional courseware. In the first year of the three-year grant, the Engineering Graphics materials are formatively evaluated, enhanced, and implemented at the University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA), and development begins on materials for the other three project courses. In the second year, the Engineering Graphics course is implemented and evaluated at other cooperating institutions-South Texas Community College (in McAllen, Texas), North Central Technical College (in Mansfield, Ohio), and the University of Nevada-Reno. UTPA is a minority institution, with a population that is 85% Hispanic. Implementing and assessing the materials at multiple institutions verifies that it is effective for diverse audiences. Furthermore, in the second year, the materials developed for the other three project courses are implemented and assessed at UTPA. In the third year, the materials developed in the first two years are published and tested at other institutions and the "Faculty Multimedia Tools Development Toolbox" is created. This "Toolbox", created out of the experience of the investigators in developing such tools for diverse courses and diverse audiences, allows faculty in other locations and other disciplines to create similar software tutorials and teaching aids for their own applications with minimum effort. The course materials and "Toolbox" will be published and distributed through a major publisher of academic materials.