Application of WEB based Interactive and Multimedia Technology in an Introductory Engineering Course

Statics, an introductory core engineering course was developed as a web based course. The course contains animated GIF, Java based animations, 3-D models using Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML), and interactive tutorials and examples to demonstrate the principles of mechanics in a more dynamic and interactive form. The primary emphasis was on using the site as a supplement to the regular class lectures. The web-based course is geared towards interactive problem solver (IPS) and analysis models where the student can actually solve myriad of problems on a specific topic till he/she has a better understanding of the concept. The interactive problem solver keeps a track of the number of attempts made by the student and the content of the trials. This facilitates the instructor in grading the student and structuring the course review as the course progresses. The web site also includes the lecture notes for review. (http://www.ent.ohiou.edu/~statics)