Interactive Multimedia Labware for Civil Engineering Curricula

Southern Illinois University At Carbondale, Carbondale IL

Investigators

Abstract

Engineering - Civil (54) This project is creating interactive multimedia laboratory manuals for a Strength of Materials course and for an Introduction to Environmental Engineering course. The Strength of Materials Laboratory is covering tension, compression, torsion and flexure; the Environmental Engineering Laboratory covers biochemical oxygen demand, solids measurement, temperature and dissolved oxygen profiles, and deep bed filter efficiency. The pedagogy promoted by the approach is to engage students in active learning and to accommodate various learning styles. The labware is serving a number of purposes: (1) to act as a virtual laboratory primer prior to performing an actual laboratory (for those institutions who have the necessary equipment); (2) to act as an instruction tool for data reduction and synthesis; (3) to act as a primer in developing laboratory reports; (4) to provide additional data from databases of previous experiments to enhance their laboratory experience; and (5) to provide a virtual experience in all of the above for those institutions lacking the necessary laboratory equipment. The labware is combining text, illustrations, photographs, video-clips, sound, simulations, animations, hypertext descriptions, and hot-links to the Internet. The final product will serve as a national model for a diverse range of institutions.