Title: Integration of simulation technology into undergraduate engineering courses and laboratories

Authors: Frederick Stern, Tao Xing, Marian Muste, Don Yarbrough, Alric Rothmayer, Ganesh Rajagopalan, David Caughey, Rajesh Bhaskaran, Sonya Smith, Barbara Hutchings, Shane Moeykens

Addresses: IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, The University of Iowa, IA 52242-1585, Iowa City, USA.IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, The University of Iowa, Iowa City IA 52242-1585, USA. ' IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, The University of Iowa, Iowa City IA 52242-1585, USA. ' IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, The University of Iowa, Iowa City IA 52242-1585, USA. ' Center for Evaluation and Assessment, 210 Lindquist Center South, The University of Iowa, Iowa City IA 52242, USA ' Department of Aerospace Engineering, 2271 Howe Hall, Room 2235, Iowa State University, Ames IA 50011-2271, USA. ' Department of Aerospace Engineering, 2271 Howe Hall, Room 2233, Iowa State University, Ames IA 50011-2271, USA. ' 248 Upson Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA. ' 284C Grumman Hall, 14853 Ithaca, NY, USA. ' School of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Howard University, USA. ' Fluent Inc. 10, Cavendish Court, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA

Abstract: Teaching modules for complementary computational and experimental fluid mechanics and uncertainty analysis were developed to integrate simulation technology into undergraduate engineering courses and laboratories. Engineering faculties from a range of public and private universities and the software partner Fluent, Inc. have collaborated to develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate web-based teaching modules utilising simulation technology based on further development of the commercial software, FlowLab. The first two years| formative and summative student evaluation data identified successful leaning outcomes, as well as strategies for improvement, including the need for an efficient, hands-on, |computational fluid dynamics educational interface| to better simulate engineering practice.

Keywords: simulation technology; web-based teaching modules; computational fluid dynamics; CFD; experimental fluid dynamics; uncertainty analysis; fluid mechanics; undergraduate engineering; student evaluation; learning outcomes; online learning; e-learning; internet; learning technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLT.2006.008691

International Journal of Learning Technology, 2006 Vol.2 No.1, pp.28 - 48

Published online: 16 Jan 2006 *

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