The objective of this proposal is the development of a series of novel computer-based instructional units in key areas of engineering mechanics that serve as a national model for the development of similar materials throughout engineering and science. The units are centered on instructional programs written in the universally compatible Java programming language, and are made available to all engineering students and educators over the World Wide Web. They are focused, self-contained and independent so that they can be easily integrated into a broad range of engineering courses and curricula. The units are designed to have a significant impact on engineering students, providing them additional materials that promote their understanding of central concepts over a medium that allows independent learning at an individual pace from anywhere in the world. A broadly advertised site on the World Wide Web will contain these peer-reviewed instructional units and similar reviewed materials developed by others. Stimulating the development of similar materials by other instructors is a crucial goal to be accomplished by direct contact with educators at Virginia Tech and its many sister institutions as well as by providing supplementary information over the Web and through scholarly publications and meetings. Evaluation of the educational effectiveness of the units is an integral part of the project. Formative evaluation are used to improve and modify the units based on the responses of users. Both quantitative and qualitative evaluations are performed to assess the effectiveness of the units in terms of the cognitive gains of students who use them.
