Resumen de Use of computers in mechanics education at Ohio State University
Computers offer opportunities for enhancing undergraduate mechanics instruction. Two approaches utilizing computers in undergraduate mechanics courses at the Ohio State Universityare presented herein. One approach focuses on requiring students to formulate the equations thatdefine general solutions to classical mechanics problems with variable parameters. Computers areused to solve these equations and plot the results. Students evaluate their results and answerquestions based on their solutions. The second use of computers involves mechanics tutorialsdeveloped at Ohio State for strength of materials. Tutorials contain theory, examples, and quizzesfor students to attempt. Both approaches appear to complement traditional in-class instructionalapproaches.
