Last Updated: 03-25-97

Software Concept Description

• Independent modules designed around single topics
• Used with standard PC Windows operating system
• Potential applications:
  -- classroom demo
  -- laboratory support
  -- virtual laboratory
  -- independent student use
  -- directed work in studio format
  -- undergraduate, graduate, or professional courses
• Tailored for educational value
  -- Emphasis on visualization
  -- Non-dimensionalized variables
  -- Requires student preparation, input, and analysis of subject material
  -- Useful for hands-on, discovery-based learning
• Easy insertion into existing curriculum
• No necessary connection to a particular text
• Easy start-up
  -- No training necessary to run module itself
  -- No manuals for module operation
• No initialization or maintenance costs
• Fast numerical solution of governing equations (???)
• Opportunity to incorporate university research into curriculum
• Complete package includes:
  -- Help Topics
  -- Instructor notes
  -- Student worksheets and descriptive handouts for topic
• Code Integration
  -- Algorithm for engineering code provided by professor
  -- Interface, solution coding & data visualization by engineer-programmer
• Development includes:
  -- Beta testing
  -- Assessment involving UVa Curry School of Education

Proposed Development Program

Short Term (1-year Pilot)

• Finish (8) Ribando HT modules
  -- Finish On-line Help Topics (2 modules are complete & submitted to NEEDS)
  -- Prepare instructor notes
  -- Prepare student worksheets and topic descriptions
• Perform formal assessment
  -- At UVa and possibly at Va Tech and VMI
• Disseminate to engineering schools & professional societies
• Promotional activities

Intermediate Term (2-years, beginning 6-mos from start of Pilot)

• Extend concept to other engineering subjects
  -- Solicit interest from all departments within the School
  -- Prioritize the possibilities and select (10) most optimal
• Tasks performed by faculty:
  -- Define engineering topic
  -- Develop basic solution-algorithm
  -- Prepare instructor notes
  -- Prepare student worksheets and topic descriptions
• Tasks performed by engineer-programmer:
  -- Solution coding (Fortran or C++)
  -- Graphical depiction of solution results (Windows-based graphics)
  -- User-interface development (Visual Basic)
  -- Creation of Help Topics based on descriptions provided by faculty
• Beta testing in lab or studio setting
• Assessment of effectiveness
• Dissemination to engineering schools
• Promotional activities
• Systematize and document module-development procedures

Longer Term

• Continue development for additional engineering subjects
  -- Solicit additional funding as need warrants
• Formalize module-development process
• Apply concept to more general platform environment
  -- X-Windows, Java, ActiveX
• Combine efforts with UVa Multi-Media Resource Center (?)
  -- Evaluate more complex animations
  -- Enhance user-control over the screen visualization
  -- Provide aid to engineering faculty and grad students
     -- Bring their research and other new ideas to classroom
• Focus on stronger ties to UVa Computer Science Dept
  -- Apply latest research into human-computer interface development
  -- Develop more efficient networking opportunities
  -- Use parallel computers for more advanced numerical work

Current Status