ONLINE LABORATORIES IN PANDEMIC TIMES: CASE OF STRUCTURES/STATICS USING THE ZEEMAN’S MACHINE

Authors

  • André Luiz Andrade Simões Universidade Federal da Bahia
  • Harry Edmar Schulz Research and Development PhD at Hydro-Engineering Solutions (Hydro LLC), Auburn, AL, USA, hschulz@hydro-engineering.net; Adjunct Instructor at Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
  • Jaime C. Schussler Doctor Student and GTA at Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
  • Mary Hughes Lecturer at Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

Keywords:

Remote learning, online laboratory, online Engineering education, Zeeman’s machine, didactic catastrophe machine

Abstract

The Engineering Education is a strategic branch of the educational system of any organized State that aimsto maintain an adequate interaction between the development and application of new technologies, and thetransmission of concepts used to build the physical environments of their societies. These educationalactivities involve the controlled observation of facts and their correct interpretation, usually conductedduring in-person experimental classroom lectures. The blooming of viruses in the highly concentratedmodern societies, which the recent experience showed that may conduce to pandemics, exposes the need ofexperimental lectures or activities in the context of online, or hybrid online/in-person Engineering classes.This study presents a successful application of an experimental learning activity, which required students tolaunch a theoretical investigation, collect experimental data, compare theoretical and experimental results,interacting effectively to present a report with their understanding of the experiment. The study wasconducted joining two hybrid Statics classes (with online and in-person students), a fundamental disciplineof Civil Engineering, using as challenging motivator an adaptation of the Zeeman’s machine. A competitionwas organized for the students to present solutions of questions related to the machine. The equations anddata obtained by the students are described in this study for further applications. Aspects of didactics,students’ reception, feasibility of the activity are discussed, showing the adequacy of this initiative inexperimental learning for remote and hybrid teaching models.

Author Biographies

  • André Luiz Andrade Simões, Universidade Federal da Bahia

    Professor, Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental da Universidade Federal da Bahia. Atua em Hidráulica, Fenômenos de Transporte, Mecânica dos Fluidos, Dinâmica dos Fluidos Computacionais, Ensino de Engenharia.

  • Harry Edmar Schulz, Research and Development PhD at Hydro-Engineering Solutions (Hydro LLC), Auburn, AL, USA, hschulz@hydro-engineering.net; Adjunct Instructor at Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

    He obtained Full Professorship in Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics by the University of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2002. His academic history includes a PhD (1990) and a MSc (1985) in Hydraulics and Sanitation, a Specialization in Teaching Transport Phenomena (1985), the three titles obtained at the University of São Paulo, Brazil; a BSc degree in Civil Engineering (1982) obtained at the Regional University of Blumenau, Brazil; and a BSc degree in Philosophy (2015), obtained at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil. Post-doctoral fellow (1992-93) at the Karlsruhe University, Germany; Visiting Professor (1998-99) at the Karlsruhe University, Germany; Visiting Professor (2007-08) at the University of Minnesota, USA; Visiting Professor (2016-2017) at the University of Alberta, Canada.

    He is presently a Research and Development employee at Hydro Engineering Solutions, a division of Hydro LCC, Auburn, AL, USA. He also had a function of Instructor of the discipline of Statics at the Auburn University, AL, USA during the period of this study (2021). He was Director of the Centre for Water Resources and Applied Ecology of the São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (1999-2001), Head of the Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation of the São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (2001-2005), and for many years the Coordinator of the Laboratory of Environmental Hydraulics of the Centre for Water Resources and Applied Ecology.

    Prof. Schulz is author of books in Portuguese language in Hydraulics, Turbulence, Transport Phenomena, Porous Media, Sediment Transport in Basins, and Editor of books of Fluid Mechanics. Prof. Schulz was honored by his students as best teacher in classes of the Civil Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, and Mathematics courses of the University of São Paulo, Brazil, which he considers the best recognition that a teacher can receive.
  • Jaime C. Schussler, Doctor Student and GTA at Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
    is a graduate research and teaching assistant in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Auburn University, AL, USA, where she is working toward her Ph.D. Prior to her doctoral studies, she completed her M.S. in Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at Iowa State University (2019) and B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at West Virginia University (2018). Her research is focused in stormwater management, primarily in construction and post-construction practices. Ms. Schussler is a member of ASCE and IECA, where she sits on the standards and practice committee. Additionally, Ms. Schussler is a licensed EIT (West Virginia).

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Published

2022-06-19

Issue

Vol. 41 (2022): Revista de Ensino de Engenharia

Section

Artigos