Media-Rich Blended Learning Lesson Plans
We’ve done the hard work for you and made teaching Engineering and Physics fun.
MechNet has created a complete set of blended learning lesson plans so the teacher does not have to teach the theory. The lessons also include a great deal of videos to show the student how various things actually work. The Graphics screens to illustrate how they work and the math to prove it. Finally, we animated the algebraic formulas to show the students how the formula is manipulated to come up with the correct answer. The fact that there is a reason for doing the formula and that all of the variables in the equation relate to something tangible really helps in understanding why they are doing the formula. We also use 3-D animations to illustrate the operation of sensors and other things.
A 5 Minute Video Introduction To MechNet
Watch a quick video to show how MechNet will use the fascinating subjects of Aerodyamics to teach technology. It will also cover the importance in today’s society of understanding aerodyamics. Like what you see? Get Free Demo Access to watch more videos.
Software Based Laboratory Experiments
What we have done at MechNet is produce a software program that allows students to conduct laboratory experiments with software. The data the students are seeing is real data recorded from an actual wind tunnel test in progress. This is not a virtual reality CFD program of what we think the data should be. This is the real data. The presentation of the recorded data is very similar to working on the actual equipment. It is even using most of the actual program that was used to collect the data.
The experiments that are conducted on the actual lab equipment are extremely repeatable. Allowing the student to control the inputs to the recorded data experiments, they will produce the same results as if they were right next the actual equipment. The obvious advantage of this approach is that the “equipment” is always available to as many students that need it from either the school lab or their home computer. It does not need any maintenance or changeover time.
View Our Labs to learn about some of the lab experiments we have available.
Recorded Data
With the recorded data program again the student controls the wind tunnel velocity and angle of attack of the airfoil in the exact same way. They also get to view the airfoil in the wind tunnel with a video screen. When they rotate the angle of attack of the airfoil, they see the airfoil rotate as they move the slide bar and also see the tuffs show a stall in the exact same way.
This is what a virtual reality CFD program of an airfoil definitely can not do. They cannot show the student with a video what is happening to the airflow over the surface of the airfoil. This is very important when it comes time for the professor to explain what is happening.
They take the lift data in the exact same way and they can also see if their calculation is correct by comparing their answer to the lift data on the screen. The big difference is when it comes to taking the data from the other 2 airfoils. With the recorded data program, the student just selects the other airfoils and can conduct the experiment with the NACA 0015 and the 4415 airfoils. There is no extensive maintenance required for the changeover.
We were also able to show the data from all three airfoils on the data screen at the same time by putting 6 individual data boxes on the screen. This allows the students to see how the camber affects the lift by allowing them to see the lift data from all 3 airfoils at the same time. This is an excellent way to allow the student to visually see how the shape of the airfoils affects the lift. This can not be done with an actual wind tunnel only with the recorded data lab. The students can also custom design their own data screen by putting any data presentation they want in each of the 6 boxes. Each individual data box has its own pull-down menu.
We have also included 4 different flap settings on the NACA 2415 to show the students how the flaps are used to change the lift and drag of the airfoil at takeoff and landing. Plus, we have attached 2 different 3-D printed edge ice shapes to show how icing affects the lift and stall of the airfoil. Both of these experiments will be very popular with the flight school ground training.