net.TUTOR
http://gateway.lib.ohio-state.edu/tutor/
This site from Ohio State University offers fifteen interactive tutorials that teach effective Internet practices and research methodologies. The tutorials can require up to 30 minutes each, since they provide many good examples and activities. The first few cover basic Internet tools, like Web browsers and email. Essential searching skills are introduced in the next section. A particularly valuable tutorial describes ways to evaluate a site's credentials and determine if the material is accurate. Citing Web resources and other research techniques are also given. People who are job hunting can find information on researching careers options on the Internet. [CL]
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The Semiconductor Applet Service: List of Simulation Applets
http://jas2.eng.buffalo.edu/applets/
This Web site of the University of Buffalo has an impressive collection of interactive Java applets for semiconductor education. Most of the applets are appropriate for electrical engineering students. They show diodes and different kinds of transistors operating in various configurations and with changing parameters. This allows the user to see how output values respond under different conditions. Virtual oscilloscopes display current-voltage characteristics and transistor operating regions. Some of the applets show how different semiconductor materials work at the atomic level, which could be especially useful for physics students. Others simulate reading and writing of recordable compact disks. [CL]
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Research of ICM: Interactive Demos of Mathematical Computations
http://icm.mcs.kent.edu/research/demo.html
The Institute for Computational Mathematics at Kent State University offers this very useful tool for complex calculations. Most of the demos given on this Web site range from beginning to advanced calculus; however, there are a few conversion utilities and function plotters. The interface of the demos allows the user to input a symbolic expression to be evaluated, and the result of the operation is displayed. Some of the functions include integration, limits, Taylor Series, and more. MathML is a type of markup language for representing mathematical expression, and many of the demos provide MathML code. [CL]
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Guide to Engineering
http://dilbert.cen.uiuc.edu/soc/tbp/eguide/
The Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society created this resource for helping college-bound students learn about different engineering disciplines. Operated at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), the site has information on thirteen areas of study. For each discipline, there is a definition of the particular field, what people with a degree in the field do for a living, what the career opportunities are, and why it is a valid option. A few of the more broad subjects, like electrical and civil engineering, have examples of specialty areas within the field. Some of the material is specific for UIUC, but most is applicable to anyone who is not sure about engineering as a career choice. [CL]
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CSU Engine Web Pages
http://www.engr.colostate.edu/~allan/engines.html
This resource on internal combustion engines comes from a mechanical engineering professor at Colorado State University. It is essentially an online textbook with three main chapters, which cover the topics of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics involved in engine operation. Users should have an understanding of basic engine components, and a background in calculus would be helpful. Some of the material is fairly conceptual, while other parts involve analytical derivations. Many sections of the site have Java applets that effectively illustrate physical properties and dynamic processes. [CL]
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Surgical Robot Competition: Introducing Engineering in Medicine to Pre-College Students [.pdf]
http://cisstweb.cs.jhu.edu/resources/publications/download/ASEE-paper-final-manuscript.pdf
This paper was introduced at the annual conference and exhibition of the American Society for Engineering Education in June 2002. It was presented by a group of students and a professor from John Hopkins University, who each specialize in different areas of engineering and computer science. They propose a method for integrating "off-the-shelf robotic technology with current real-world engineering challenges" to teach secondary school students about robotics and its applications in medicine. This is done in a competition, where teams of students use programmable LEGOs and sensors to design a robot that will perform a simulated tumor biopsy. Another challenge in the competition includes a camera that students use with the LEGOs to perform a telesurgery operation. [CL]
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Flash Kit [Flash]
http://www.flashkit.com/tutorials/
Flash, a Web browser plug-in developed by Macromedia, is one of the most common applications for creating animated objects and effects in a Web site. This site has a wealth of tutorials and general information about "Flash and related technologies." There are literally hundreds of tutorials for both novices and experienced users. The introductory items explain concepts like basic graphics and scene creation. Other topics include interactivity, audio integration, 3D graphics, and much more. There is also information on third party applications. Anyone who is interested in sharing their knowledge of Flash design can submit their own materials to be posted on the site. [CL]
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VESTAC: Java Applets for Visualization of Statistical Concepts
http://www.kuleuven.ac.be/ucs/java/index.htm
This collection of over 30 Java applets is quite impressive, both in content and in presentation. Operated at a university in Belgium, Visualization of and Experimentation with Statistical Concepts (VESTAC) is the title of the project that developed these educational tools. The applets are very intricate, with many functions and graphical capabilities; they are therefore quite large and can take some time to download on a slow connection. The four main categories of material are basic concepts, statistical tests, regressions, and anova. Some of the applets have versions for both continuous and discrete distributions and analysis. [CL]
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