Conference Session

Mechanics Education Programs and Projects

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christopher Papadopoulos

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

the free body diagrams of the separate elements of the system,writing the system of equations, and arriving at the correct answer. But something stillnagged me – why did the systems behave differently? After some thought anddiscussion, I either realized or it was suggested to me that since the scenario with the 50Nweight had more mass than the one with the 50N force, it should accelerate more slowly.This seemed satisfying, and it is this sense of deeper understanding that I challenge mystudents to attain.But even here there is a price. Many students, including myself, believe that appealing tothe deeper understanding is the expected approach and shun long-hand procedure as acrutch. Even during my graduate studies, I clung to a notion that I

Conference Session

Mechanics Education Programs and Projects

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cliff Lissenden, Pennsylvania State University; Nicholas Salamon, Pennsylvania State University; Andrew Miller, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

,apply standards, create a conceptual design, select appropriate materials, identify applied loadingscenarios, perform the design analysis, check design calculations from another team, createdesign drawings, estimate the cost, and write a design report.In order to accomplish all this in a course like strength of materials, which is laden with analysis,the project must be well organized and accompanied with web-based tools. This paper discussesdesign of the design project, course content that is beyond the traditional strength of materialscourse coverage, and development of web-based tools that make this possible. The web-basedtools provide guidance on: the design process with interactive examples, analysis andsimulation, materials properties and

Conference Session

Mechanics and the Internet

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shahnam Navaee, Georgia Southern University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanics

Academic Development through Prescribed Undergraduate ProjectsAbstractIn this paper a methodology for enhancing the academic development of sophomore-levelengineering and engineering technology students using undergraduate projects is outlined anddiscussed. The specific sample project presented in the paper involves the development ofMATLAB script files and LabVIEW Virtual Instruments (VIs) for solving several EngineeringMechanics problems. The development of the solution for these problems involves theutilization of a number of valuable programming tools and powerful techniques. The selectedstudents will be guided to write a proposal to seek funding for the project through the CollegeOffice of Undergraduate Research (COUR