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.— - Session l639 ...... .. A Virtual Learning Environment for an Engineering Design Course - . . Anup Kumar, Julius P. Wong, Yung-Nien Yang, Herman R Leep, Hamid R. Parsaei/ William G. Sullivan/Gerald J. Thuesen University of Louisville/Virginia Polytechnic Institute/Georgia Institute of Technology

Abstract

In the last 10 years, American industries have gone through a large scale restructuring to become much more efficient. During the same period, engineering education has also made changes in improved efficiency, however, more changes are to be expected. We are preparing for training more students with an emphasis on practical applications. This paper presents a virtual learning environment (VLE) project that is currently being developed at the University of Louisville. The VLE project has three major components: 1 ) multimedia interactive course on the World Wide Web (WWW), 2) “studyware” package, and 3) student database.

Introduction

The evolution of new computer, telecommunication, and multimedia technologies has provided the tools to explore new methods for teaching. However, the development of new technology often out paces our ability to adopt the new technology. We need to access the educational potential of the new technologies and explore new methods to utilize the new technologies for delivering quality higher education.

In the technology-assisted learning environment, the most basic tool is a multimedia personal computer (PC) with networking capability. At the end of 1995, a good quality PC equipped for higher education cost about $2,000. Just two years ago, a PC with an equivalent performance would cost $5,000. Now, PCS are widely available on campuses. Now, many students own PCS. Some universities require each student to have a PC. There are also many PCS in work places, offices, and public institutions. Many educational software packages have been developed to make use of these PCS. These software packages may be published on either diskettes or CD-ROM.

Another sibmificant new tool that maybe used for educational purposes is the Internet. When the Internet was first established, it was considered by some people to be the information superhighway. [n the early days, people used the lnternet for e-mail, file transfer, and remote access. More powerful tools like Archie and Gopher were added later. But in the recent years, the presence of the WWW and web browsers such as Mosaic and Netscape raised the Internet to its present day status.

The VLE project at the University of Louisville is designed to make use of PCS and the Internet. our VLE is broader in scope than the traditional PC software or networking applications and we hope the VLE will better integrate the learning environment and new technologies. ---- .,. , #&%.: ~{ ) 1996 ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings ‘J31HHJ

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Yang, Y., & Wong, J. P., & Kumar, A., & Sullivan, W. G., & Leep, H. R., & Parsaei, H. R., & Thuesen, G. J. (1996, June), A Virtual Learning Environment For An Engineering Design Course Paper presented at 1996 Annual Conference, Washington, District of Columbia. 10.18260/1-2--6390