28 Int. J. Learning Technology, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2006 Copyright © 2006 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Integration of simulation technology into undergraduate engineering courses and laboratories Frederick Stern*, Tao Xing and Marian Muste IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, The University of Iowa, 52242 1585 IA, Iowa City, USA Fax: 319 335 5238 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] *Corresponding author Don Yarbrough Center for Evaluation and Assessment, 210 Lindquist Center South, The University of Iowa, 52242 IA, Iowa City, USA Fax: 319 384 0505 E-mail: [email protected] Alric Rothmayer Department of Aerospace Engineering, 2271 Howe Hall, 2235 Room, Iowa State University 50011 2271 IA, Ames, USA Fax: 515 294 3262 E-mail: [email protected] Ganesh Rajagopalan Department of Aerospace Engineering, 2271 Howe Hall, 2233 Room, Iowa State University 50011 2271 IA, Ames, USA Fax: 515 294 3262 E-mail: [email protected] David Caughey 248 Upson Hall, Cornell University, 14853 Ithaca, NY, USA Fax: 607 255 1222 E-mail: [email protected] of simulation technology 29 Rajesh Bhaskaran 284C Grumman Hall, 14853 Ithaca, NY, USA Fax: 607 255 1222 E-mail: [email protected] Sonya Smith School of engineering and Computer Science, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Howard University, USA Fax: 202 806 5258 E-mail: [email protected] Barbara Hutchings and Shane Moeykens Fluent Inc. 10, Cavendish Court, 03766 Lebanon, NH, USA Fax: 603 643 3967 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] 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; teaching module; computational fluid dynamics; experimental fluid dynamics; uncertainty analysis. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Stern, F., Xing, T., Muste, M., Yarbrough, D., Rothmayer, A., Rajagopalan, G., Caughey, D., Bhaskaran, R., Smith, S., Hutchings, B. and Moeykens, S. (2006) ‘Integration of simulation technology into undergraduate engineering courses and laboratories’, Int. J. Learning Technology, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp.28–48. Biographical notes: Frederick Stern is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering with more than 20 years of experience in teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in the mechanical engineering curriculum. His research interests include modelling, computational fluid dynamics code development, towing tank experiments and uncertainty analysis, all in support development simulation based design for ship hydrodynamics. Tao Xing received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in 2002. He is a Postdoctoral Associate at the C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulic Laboratory at The University of Iowa.30 F. Stern et al. Marian Muste received his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from The University of Iowa in 1995. Currently, he is a Research Engineer with IIHR – Hydroscience and Engineering and Adjunct Assistant Professor. He oversees the Fluids Mechanics Laboratory of the College of Engineering where he applies his research expertise in experimental methods and measurement techniques. Donald B. Yarbrough, PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Georgia, 1982, is Director of the Center for Evaluation and Assessment and an Associate Professor of Educational Measurement and Evaluation in the University of Iowa College of Education. His most recent research focuses on program evaluation methodology and the use of standards in student evaluation in higher education. Alric Rothmayer is a Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics with 17 years experience in teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in Aerospace Engineering. His research interests include viscous flow, computational fluid dynamics, asymptotic methods and boundary layer theory, and aircraft icing. Ganesh Rajagopalan is a Professor of Aerospace Engineering with 20 years of experience in teaching. He has developed a number of undergraduate courses with emphasis on integrating experimental techniques with theory. Dr. Rajagopalan’s research emphasis has centred on computationally efficient techniques to study the flow field and operational characteristics of rotating machines such as helicopter rotors, wind turbines, propellers and ducted fans. David A. Caughey is a Professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University. He has more than 30 years research experience in developing computational fluid dynamics algorithms, most recently applied to turbulent, reacting flows. He and Professor James A. Liggett coauthored the first interactive text book for Introductory Fluid Mechanics. Rajesh Bhaskaran is Director of the Swanson Engineering Simulation Program in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University. He is leading efforts in the Sibley School to integrate contemporary simulation technologies into the mechanical and aerospace engineering curriculum. He received a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University in 1996. Sonya T. Smith is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Howard University and the Director of the Computer Learning and Design Center (CLDC) in the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Sciences. Her research interests are in the areas of Computational Fluid Dynamics applied to aerodynamic applications. She received her PhD in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia in 1995. Barbara J. Hutchings is currently the Director of Strategic Partnership at Fluent Inc., the leading
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