Engineering Education: Web-Based Interactive Learning Resources

The goal of the ongoing project is to enhance students' learning process by implementing an undergraduate engineering curricular transformation that integrates simulation and visualization modules as well as virtual experiments in engineering science and core courses in three disciplines: electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering. These modules serve as additional learning tools that build on laboratory experiments and classroom learning by engineering students in urban areas where the students' demographics parallel the nontraditional students who typically are older, have families, and work full time in order to earn enough income to fit into the social and economic lifestyles in urban societies. Providing additional learning resources that are accessible to these students at their convenience will enhance their ability to learn. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Introduction The education of engineers in many urban universities today is fraught with challenges that are often identified with nontraditional students. Typically, these students are older, have families, and work full time in order to earn enough income to fit into the social and economic lifestyles in urban societies. Often these students have difficulties balancing work and academic responsibilities and are likely to miss classes by giving priority to their work when there is a time conflict between work and class schedules. Missing a class breaks the chain of learning and can profoundly impact performance. This is particularly true for engineering education where, generally, new material builds on the material already covered. Unless the missed material is made up promptly, the students' learning suffers throughout the entire semester. Indeed, such students might fail the course or even drop out of the program because they are unable to satisfy their academic requirements. This outcome is undesirable because (a) there is a shortage of qualified engineers to meet the needs of the nation, and (b) the non-traditional students, for the most part, are very mature and hard working and can be excellent engineers if their learning needs are accommodated. Therefore, engineering faculty in urban institutions must find ways to provide interactive learning resources, extend their courses, or modify their teaching methodologies--and in order for students to learn more effectively, they must have access to these resources (Horton, 1997). One promising approach for achieving this goal is the use of computer technology and the Internet. Computer-based models of teaching and learning are receiving increasing attention in university education. Computers and multimedia in particular have been used to address the students' learning needs as well as instructors' pedagogical needs, such as Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (Montgomery, 1995). Both traditional and nontraditional students can have access to new ways of learning, or to additional learning resources at times that are convenient for them (Campbell, 1999). Some might argue that it is difficult to tailor instruction to each student; however, it is equally misguided to imagine that a single one-size-fits-all approach to teaching can meet the needs of every student (Felder, 2005). Providing learning resources online creates an environment that facilitates a learner-centered approach, with the learner as an active participant in the process (Anwar, Rolle, & Memon, 2005). Similarly, studies have shown that today's students are more attuned to computer and video technologies and are likely to learn better if they are provided with computer-based modules (Kurtis, 2003). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] These technological factors are converging to create an interest in virtual learning and an increased demand for the ability to access learning resources at convenient times. It is therefore not surprising to note the huge interest in web-based classes at all levels of engineering education, because the use of computers and the web has provided a wealth of resources available to students at any location and time convenient to them (Rajput, 2003). …