Shelving the Hardware: Developing Virtual Laboratory Experiments
T. Hannigan, K. Koenig, V. Austin, E. Okoro
Mississippi State University
Abstract
Time is at a premium in a crowded aerospace engineering curriculum, and offerings of
laboratory classes in lock step have become a stumbling block to students who deviate from the
traditional paths. Students who participate in cooperative education programs, internships, and
those who transfer into the upper division from other disciplines and colleges have often suffered
graduation delays from limited course offerings. These delays often arose from prerequisites for
and sequencing of laboratory courses. However, a survey of activities typically accomplished in
the laboratory environment revealed that many of the experiments could be accomplished in
virtual fashion. Virtual equipment can be accessed, and virtual instruments can be used to make
measurements, with little difference from the experimental setups used previously. Typical
physical laboratories utilized computers for all data acquisition and control, with development of
virtual instrumentation as a primary focus and LabVIEW as a programming environment. Thus
extensive and expensive benches of signal generator, measurement, and analysis equipment have
been supplanted by inexpensive yet fully capable virtual instruments, even in the physical
laboratory spaces. An introductory course in laboratory fundamentals is being offered on-line as
a test to both traditional and non-traditional students. Plans are formulated to extend the utility
of offering such laboratory exercises to other classes as well. Traditional classroom instruction
is being supplemented with laboratory assignments tailored to the individual subject matter, and
made available through a standard web interface, WebCT. The primary purpose of this work is
to document the continued progress made in updating the MSU aerospace engineering degree
program.
Background
As technology has developed and matured, particularly with regards to computers and related
peripherals, engineering curricula have been expanded and revised to encompass new fields of
knowledge. In an effort to insure that our students possess the necessary skills to be of benefit to
employers, and to keep them at the forefront of the applicant list for narrowing numbers of entrylevel engineers, many changes have been made in our program over the past decade. As courses
were added to cover newer technologies, while desiring to keep the depth and breadth of the
aerospace engineering education, an increasing emphasis on analytical and computational
methods of problem solving was inevitable. It comes as no surprise then, that with the
capabilities and speed of computers being extended almost exponentially, their use would be
emphasized in order to keep up with the technology and to prepare the students to extend its
reach.
Even with recent revisions of the curriculum detailed by Rais-Rohani1, and with the addition of
introductory courses to insure that the computer initiatives continued to benefit the students by
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
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both preparing and motivating them, there continues to be more hours in the typical engineering
program than oversight or accreditation boards will allow in a four-year program, and
departments are reluctant to advertise that a bachelor of science program would normally take
five years to complete. When courses are tied to a particular sequence, and that sequence
extends into the lower division of the sophomore or even freshman years, it becomes
increasingly difficult to accommodate students who do not fit the four-year curriculum outline.
Since many of the aerospace engineering courses are only taught once a year, falling out of lock
step through poor performance in just one or two classes can push a student a full year behind in
their progression toward graduation.
For a few years, co-op and intern positions were few and far between for our aerospace students,
but there has been renewed interest and recruitment into such programs for our students in recent
years. Taking a semester off for work can put students much further behind than they intended
in their studies if courses are not offered during both primary semesters, particularly if there is no
provision for taking courses out of the set sequence. With a number of students choosing to
complete their initial year or two in a community college, an additional challenge is the
assimilation of such students into the upper division without requiring those students to complete
a year “catching up” with material that has been pushed down into the intro courses. Delays that
arise from prerequisites for and sequencing of laboratory courses can be avoided if the lab
sequence is rearranged or made more flexible so they can be offered every semester. Specific
prerequisites by course are vibrations and electrical systems, while prerequisites by topic range
from aerodynamics and structures to propulsion. These courses cannot be offered every
semester; therefore, a concerted effort to avoid linkages must be pursued, and courses that
straddle the curriculum, such as laboratory courses, must either be distributed into the topical
courses, or separate lab classes must be offered in a different manner. The distribution of labs is
discussed in a separate effort,2 while the latter is the crux of the current endeavor. The elements
of two previously taught laboratory courses have been separated and rearranged so that the
introductory laboratory experience may be offered as a web-based course, but in a manner such
that the experiential nature is maintained.
Alternatives based on web-based instruction in engineering science are not new. They have been
discussed in various forums with increasing frequency over the past several years. It is difficult
to pick up a single copy of a journal, such as those published by the ASEE Computers in
Education Division, without finding several articles that specifically detail an individual
laboratory exercise being offered via the web, or in some cases, articles summarizing such
alternatives at length. Details concerning the possible initial negative reactions of students, the
reluctance of some faculty to accept web-based activities as “real labs” and the assessment of
learning in such web-based classes compared to traditional classes have been presented by
Goldberg and Lansey3, et al. Results of such efforts have included comparisons to traditional
classes, and the extent of such offerings has been reviewed and summarized at length in research
journals, including summary articles detailing necessary changes in the way laboratory classes
are administered. Feisel and Rosa4 elaborate on the necessity of formulating objectives for
laboratory experiments, and the role of these objectives in evaluating the success of endeavors to
substitute simulations for experimentation. They discuss distance learning and its related
isolation of the individual, and the impact of isolation on learning. The quality and scale of
online offerings, and the breadth of such courses has been discussed by Bourne, Harris and
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Mayadas5, including the dispersion of such myths that persist indicating individuals participating
in online courses are on their own in working through the myriad details in a self-paced program
devoid of supervision and assistance. In fact, since feedback to the individual from their online
activity is just that, feedback to them alone, the perception of individuals participating in such
courses closely administered and monitored by teaching assistants and faculty may actually gain
the notion of increased individual attention! The preponderance of evidence indicates that online education is effective, both from a learning standpoint, and from a cost-effective standpoint
is about the same as traditional classroom instruction, with the added convenience, in some
cases, that the course offering can be extended beyond the usual limits of the traditional
classroom schedule.
The conversion of the introductory course in laboratory fundamentals is being tested prior to
releasing as an on-line offering. The course will continue to be conducted in both physical
classroom lecture and offered for accomplishment through a web interface. Several students
with schedule conflicts were allowed to enroll in the course specifically to test the web-based
modules. Several additional students who had already completed the course in a traditional
setting were recruited to test remote equipment operation. An ongoing assessment will be made
of the progress and accomplishments of students in subsequent laboratory classes. However, this
is not considered an experiment in developing such a class, but rather the application of what has
become a generally accepted practice, albeit rather new. It is intended that the utility of offering
such laboratory exercises will be extended to other classes as well, as laboratory teaching
assistants and instructors work to incorporate web-based lab assignments into other than
laboratory classes. Traditional classroom instruction is to be supplemented with laboratory
assignments tailored to the individual subject matter, and made available through a standard web
interface, WebCT. The university has invested considerable effort in developing standard portals
through which access to classes on-line may be offered, and it is intended that the maximum
benefit of this effort be pursued.
Surveying the Experiences
A survey of activities typically accomplished in the introductory aerospace engineering
laboratory class at MSU reveals that many of the experiments could be accomplished in virtual
fashion, or accomplished remotely through a web interface. Hannigan previously described
these common laboratory experiments6 accomplished by all MSU aerospace engineering students
during their first laboratory course. A three-hour lecture, three-hour laboratory course is
intended to teach fundamental laboratory methods, while developing skills that will allow more
focused experiential endeavors in the following course. Previously, this course has also included
an individual research effort, with presentation of results in a seminar at the end of the course.
Recent course modifications included separation of that individual research effort from the
introductory course, with the seminar presentation moved to the second laboratory course
normally taken in the senior year. A survey to determine if these and other exercises could be
assimilated into this course or other classes was conducted by the authors, who have been
diligently working during the past year to convert all reference materials and handouts into
online segments for use with WebCT7. The current and projected use of this standard web-based
learning environment in laboratory classes will be explained in a later section. Here a
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”
description of each exercise is followed by specific comments concerning the adaptation of the
task as a web-based assignment.
Data Analysis: A set of calibration data is read into memory from a sequential data file, then
output to a formatted file. In EXCEL, the data set is plotted, a linear regression is performed,
statistical properties of the data are examined, and then a report is written. Programming for
data reduction and analysis is performed with BASIC, Fortran, and MathCAD. All students
initially use their choice of one of the three programming methods, and then all three methods
are reviewed in detail. Each student is required to submit a presentation to the other students in
the class, explaining the program and method used. The students are then tested on knowledge
of all the programming environments used and presented. The students are also graded on the
program presentations.
This laboratory has been presented through a web-based lecture and presentation made available
for review through classroom websites. A self-study quiz, followed by a timed, graded exercise
has been administered to insure that the initial material was understood prior to continuing with
the data analysis segment. Submission of results in report form has been accomplished,
followed by release of detailed analysis programs. Targeted discussion forums, bulletin boards,
traditional email, and the telephone have been used to insure that questions and problems arising
during this lab were addressed in a timely manner. This task was readily adapted to the web
environment. Review of tests and reports from students using strictly the web-based instructions
versus traditional classroom instruction have indicated no significant difference in the success of
either.
Data Manipulation: A more lengthy and complex data set taken from a wind tunnel experiment
with a pressure wing is manipulated to provide data in a format for analysis for pressure
coefficient calculations, and force coefficient determinations. Programming languages are used
to manipulate the data into proper format for use with EXCEL.
Though more complex in scope, this task was similar to the prior one, and has also been adapted
for the web. Through the use of a multi-media presentation, an effective introduction to this
laboratory and the task itself has been accomplished through WebCT. Again, there was little
difference in the ability of students introduced to this lab via the web to accomplish the specified
tasks, versus those in the traditional classroom setting. There were problems initially insuring
that all details that are given in the classroom were fully documented in the labs and expounded
upon during self-study exams. For example, the instructor might expound upon certain points in
response to a student question during the lecture class. All students present in the lecture benefit
from the answer, therefore that question must be documented on the web as well, for the benefit
of all. Thus, clarification of exercise requirements is provided, and students are better prepared
for graded exercises by the emphasis of experiment details and methodology.
A Laterally Vibrating Cantilevered Beam: In this exercise, students examined analytical
methods for determining vibration modes and nodal positions of a structure using Finite Element
Analysis with Unigraphics, and Mykelstad’s Method implemented in a BASIC program. An
experimental evaluation was conducted using a shaker apparatus. Results of experimentation,
numerical analysis using classical methods and finite element analysis were to be compared.
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”
The introduction to this task was accomplished through WebCT, and the actual conduct of the
experiment was digitally recorded. In the future, this exercise will be observed through a web
seminar, pictures of the experiment setup, and animations. The conduct of the experiment can be
presented through digital video in a multi-media presentation, including a review of the 3-D solid
modeling and structural modal analysis. The introduction and initial testing were demonstrated,
and the use of the appropriate software was reviewed. Students were then able to utilize their
own laptops to perform the computational analysis required. Beyond assistance with computer
program configuration, demonstration of the details of model construction, and structural
analysis environment configuration, neither traditional or non-traditional students required much
assistance.
A Vibrating Propeller: More complex vibrations involving torsion, bending, and mixed modes
were examined in detail. Although in the past this activity has been primarily experimental, the
computational methods commonly used in classical analysis have been explained and
demonstrated. Programs written in BASIC and Fortran have been presented.
This more complex problem was documented in a manner similar to the simple vibrating beam
experiment, and programs were provided to generate propeller cross sections based on
manufacturer supplied specifications. A solid model of the propeller was developed in
Unigraphics, and finite element analysis was compared to observations made and documented
via digital media during the actual experiment. WebCT was effectively utilized for
accomplishment of this experiment, in the dissemination of instructions, computer programs, and
demonstrations of software, as well as the collection of student results and reports.
LabVIEW: In the classroom, programming for data acquisition with LabVIEW8 was
demonstrated, and students conducted an analysis of data acquisition results. They determined
minimum sampling frequencies and sampling durations required for accurate determination of
frequency and magnitude apparent in signals. Standard analog/digital trainers9 were used to
generate signals, with observations of those signals utilizing a Windows-based digital storage
oscilloscope10 in addition to LabVIEW displays in a traditional laboratory setting. Additionally,
all students completed the six hour Introduction to LabVIEW course available at no cost, which
can be downloaded from the NI educational website.
For web-based instructions, current hands-on wiring of these trainers and digital analysis tools
could have been effectively simulated with virtual setup of the equipment, or small portable
bench accessories such as the NI ELVIS11 could have been utilized. Instead, a detailed
introduction to the setup and use of such equipment was followed by making a LabVIEW
program available through remote access on a PC connected to the equipment using web export
tools available in LabVIEW. Since a number of workstations are available, this lab could be
accomplished simultaneously by several students. A web seminar format might yet prove
particularly useful for this experiment. The standard NI six-hour introductory course was
accomplished by each individual, using their own laptop computers. The documentation for this
introductory class was provided by NI through their website, and was modified to tailor the
exercises to the available data acquisition equipment which the students utilized to test the
programs they developed. “The NI Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”
ELVIS) is a LabVIEW-based design and prototype environment for university science and
engineering laboratories. NI ELVIS consists of LabVIEW-based virtual instruments, a
multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) device, and a custom-designed bench-top workstation and
prototype board.8” Given the portability of the ELVIS, these courses could be completed off-site
with minimal supervision if experience shows that this can be done in a reliable and effective
manner. This alternative of making a number of National Instrument NI ELVIS stations and NI
PCMCIA data acquisition cards available for use by students under supervision of a lab teaching
assistant during designated periods was delayed due to budgetary constraints. The purchase of
the necessary peripherals will continue to be pursued.
The use of the standard NI introductory course was considered a resounding success, particularly
for those individuals completing the course without the benefit of classroom introduction. For
those who had a common lecture intro, individual accomplishment of each exercise was then
observed and verified, as small classes went through the exercises under supervision. It was
noted that individuals completing the task with only web-based background introduction and
instructions tended to pay more careful attention to those instructions, and made fewer mistakes
due to taking shortcuts observed over the shoulder of another student than did the traditional
students. The depth of programming covered in the introductory lab course included the
collection of programs into library files for future use as a standard practice, which helped to
reinforce the building block nature of programming in the powerful LabVIEW environment.
Transducer Calibration and Use: Strain gage, potentiometric and solid state transducers were
examined, and DACS programs were written, or revisions were made to existing programs, to
accomplish calibration and use of these transducers. The collection of physical inputs during the
calibration was correlated with voltage measurements made with a data acquisition card.
A sequence of experiments previously conducted has been replaced with a more general, yet
focused introduction to the use of transducers for measurement of physical phenomena.
Following the introduction to the topic, setups for calibrations with various standards have been
presented, and data were collected by each student for preparation of calibration documentation
in lieu of a report on the procedure. For those students not attending the lecture class, complete
demonstrations of the calibrations were followed by providing data sets for reduction into
calibration reports. The actual use of the transducer calibrations was effectively tested by
presenting measurements from the transducers for subsequent analysis in quizzes, and by
focusing on transducer design decisions, such as selection of transducers of appropriate range
and gain, and selection of the correct corresponding calibration standard. Web-based instruction
was used to present this lesson and related application exercises.
For the remainder of the exercises listed in this section, the method of introducing and
conducting the projects in the classroom are detailed, followed by information on plans to
incorporate these activities into the web-based offering. For each of the exercises that have been
modified to date, comparisons have been made of the quizzes and assignments completed by
those in the classroom and those who completed the projects with minimal direct instruction. As
in the many previous such endeavors reviewed by the authors prior to initiating this
implementation, little difference was found between the end results produced by both student
groups. Where differences existed, the individuals under pressure to actually follow written
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”
instructions and examples on their own did better than those in a classroom setting who paid less
attention and tried to rely on the efforts of their neighbors working in the lab. In some cases,
those individuals who were incessantly asked questions by their classmates who did not pay
attention in the classroom requested permission to complete the exercises on their own in remote
or private locations. This was arranged under controlled supervision in teaching assistant
offices and classrooms, with immediately favorable feedback from those students released from
typical classroom distractions.
Strain Gage Measurements: A study of mechanics of materials with a strain gage mounted on
a cantilevered aluminum beam included the use of a LabVIEW program to collect data relating
load, deflection, and strain at points on a beam. This assignment began a series of data
acquisition and control system (DACS) programming assignments considered incidental to a
primary task.
Although the use of strain gages, and the experiment itself could be effectively demonstrated via
a web-based format, unless the loading and deflection measurements were automated, the actual
experiment was too tedious for effective web accomplishment in its previous form. An effective
alternative was to provide an online demonstration of the experiment, with step-by-step
documentation of the procedures utilized and data generated. Through the use of self-study
quizzes concerning the procedures and results, the accomplishment of the exercise was reviewed,
and then application of the principles taught in this exercise was assessed with graded problems
based on conclusions from the experimental study. For example, during this exercise, the load
versus strain and load versus deflection relationships were determined. The output of the strain
gage amplifier circuit was then to be modified by the student through the specification of
parameters such as excitation voltage and gain, such that the magnitude of deflection at a point
on a beam under load produced a voltage display on a multi-meter that matched that deflection in
magnitude and signed direction. Thus, the design of a transducer measuring deflection was
effectively demonstrated. The program operation for this experiment was accomplished from a
remote location via the web. Values for the appropriate parameters were specified by the student
with actual adjustments made by a teaching assistant monitoring the equipment, then the actual
operation of the transducer could be observed in real time by the student utilizing a LabVIEW
program that had been exported.
The testing of features such as the remote operation of laboratory equipment was done utilizing
students who were already familiar with the equipment initially. Students who had actually
completed programs for control of a portable wind tunnel12 showed no reluctance to operate the
tunnel remotely. As a result of testing their control program, changes to the program such as the
addition of feedback indicators from a local operator were added to insure adequate communication between the remote operator and individuals onsite who were monitoring the operation of
the equipment. These feedback mechanisms were necessary to allay the concerns of students
called upon to operate equipment remotely who were not as familiar with the actual operation of
equipment onsite. However, with the addition of these mechanisms, the remote user of the
equipment was able to proceed successfully with confidence in the safety of operation. Details
of a test of this tunnel are listed below.
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”
Students were asked to use a program
that was previously written by them to
control a wind tunnel from a remote
location. Modifications to the
procedure followed by these students
in their original development of
DACS programs for this tunnel were
few. The LabVIEW program had to
be posted on the web, by the use of a
tool that allows publishing to the web.
The task is done by choosing the web
publishing tool option. The web
publishing tool identifies the program
that is being used and allows the user
to insert text before and after the front
panel. The text inserted is used for
instructions, warnings and final
comments. The most important and
difficult part of setup is making the
Figure 1: LabVIEW Web Publishing Tool
program interfaceable from a remote
location. It is important that the user
be able to understand what is going on with the tunnel as he controls it. Buttons are more clearly
labeled than would be done for common use. Message screens are detailed and must update as
each task of the operation is
performed. Indicator lights are
set up so that when a task has
been accomplished, the user is
notified. Students reported
that they initially did not
under-stand when they were
supposed to take the next step.
This was overcome by adding
indicator lights and a specific
message. For instance, the
student must clear the ports
before the tunnel can be
powered. He clicks the Clear
Ports button, an indicator light
comes on that symbolizes the
ports being cleared and a
message tells him the next
step. Also, students
communicated reluctance to
take steps for fear of harming
the hardware. This was
Figure 2: Portable Tunnel Remote Front Panel
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”
remedied by adding a step where the student is notified to proceed only after the tunnel monitor
has readied the tunnel for operation and powered the tunnel. Again, an indicator light and
message are used to inform the student of his ability to gain control of the vi. The student must
initially ask for permission to control the vi. Once the monitor has control, it must be unlocked
for the student to regain control. During these steps, the student is made aware of a very
important and reassuring thing: the tunnel monitor (a lab teaching assistant) may gain control of
the tunnel at any time, both by controlling the program and by controlling the actual mechanical
setup of the tunnel. Students found the remote use “very cool” and expressed excitement over its
applications. Since the data updated to the remote screen in real-time, the results of tunnel
operation were immediately available to the remote operator, in the form of a data array and a
graph of pressure data measured with a scanner.
Computer Peripheral Control: The control of computer peripherals is illustrated, and control
programs are written in BASIC and LabVIEW for a fundamental project involving digital input
and output through the standard parallel port interface common on most computers13. Though
heretofore considered “standard”, the parallel port is rapidly being supplanted by the Universal
Serial Bus (USB). Low cost USB devices and software are commonly available, so this
experiment may be replaced with a similar setup using digital input and output through such a
device. Another option is to combine this project with one that has been developed to compare
analog and digital signals from a circular potentiometer and an optical encoder used to measure
angular rotation of a shaft connected to a motor previously controlled as a peripheral. This
experiment could be setup for remote operation with a LabVIEW program, as previously
described.
One common aspect of most of the typical laboratory experiments currently conducted is that
computers are utilized for all data acquisition and control, with development of virtual
instrumentation as a primary focus and LabVIEW as a programming environment. It has been
determined by reviewing the possibility of making experiments available through the web that
virtual equipment can be accessed, and virtual instruments used to make measurements, that
differ little from the actual experimental setups now commonly used. In many cases, the actual
experimental setups currently used can be made available for remote operation using the
standard export tools with LabVIEW, negating the requirement for students to come to the
facility to conduct a lab. However, given the limited resources of the lab in terms of manpower
and equipment, all labs cannot be made available 24/7. With the built-in features of WebCT,
however, labs can be made available automatically during certain periods of time, and with a
fairly large window of equipment availability, students should have ample time to conduct labs
in a reliable and effective manner. While in previous years extensive and expensive benches of
signal generator, measurement, and analysis equipment were used to conduct experiments, they
are being replaced by inexpensive yet fully capable virtual instruments, even in the physical
laboratory spaces. It could be considered a natural consequence that the virtual environment be
extended into training in the conduct of experiments. While not every laboratory experience can
be simulated, it is thought that if students are introduced to the experimental environment
through their introductory courses, their knowledge of experimental methodology can be
effectively increased and exercised through laboratory classes that are not necessarily tied to the
physical facilities.
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”
Summary of Course Modifications and Future Plans
The individual research and seminar component from the initial upper division laboratory course
has been moved into the latter course. Additionally, the content of the initial laboratory course
has been expanded in scope and detail to make this course more independent of other courses.
Increasing the fundamental content of this course will open it to students who have progressed
only through the introductory courses of the freshman and sophomore years. The content of the
instructions for the lab experiments has been expanded to include additional background material
since students might not have courses that were formerly prerequisites, such as electronics or
vibrations. The need for further study in those areas has not been eliminated; however, the direct
dependence upon those courses to set the context of experiments has been eliminated. It is
considered that exposure to well-documented lab tests illustrating principles to be studied later
will likely improve the motivation to study those principles, since a connection to the real world
has already been established. Informal surveys of students who were exposed to experiments
during the introductory sequence, for example, indicated a clear connection between those
experiments and their interest in specific courses later in the curriculum. If there is no
presumption of detailed knowledge, and all supportive analytical material is reviewed at the
appropriate level, the challenging nature of the laboratory class will be lessened, while the depth
of experience eventually obtained in laboratory exercises will be increased. Completion of this
introductory course, combined with increased laboratory experiences in core aerospace classes,
and an independent laboratory research experience, will result in the students having a greatly
increased exposure to practical illustrations of aerospace engineering compared to the previous,
all-encompassing, two course laboratory sequence. At the same time, the nature of the classes
will be changed from that of a hurdle on the path toward graduation to a more general support of
analytical studies.
The primary purpose of this work has been to continue the process of updating the laboratory
component of the MSU aerospace engineering degree program. Adapting this introductory
laboratory course for web-based instruction will completely alleviate a stumbling block that is
known to have limited past students in completing degree requirements in a timely manner.
Additionally, having a web-based course means that even students on co-op or internship, or
other non-traditional students could complete these courses while physically away from campus.
The offering of this course online does not necessarily represent a savings of manpower required
for laboratory supervision. Even students working remotely must be monitored. By actively
reviewing student completion of web-based assignments, and by providing ready instructions via
bulletin boards, email, and direct feedback on remotely operated experiments, the lab teaching
assistants continue to provide necessary oversight. Provided adequate resources continue to be
available, this course, once fully developed, may be offered every semester with minimal prep
time, and a faculty member would provide oversight and supervision of the teaching assistants.
A larger base of experience will be obtained as more students complete each exercise, and
eventually the number of direct interventions and communications from the TAs should
diminish. The evaluation of learning and the monitoring of the students to insure that cheating
does not occur and that effective learning does occur must be accomplished by active and
continued TA and faculty interactions with the students completing exercises, whether in the
classroom or via the web.
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”
Impact of Changes
An effort has been underway for more than a year to convert all documentation and resources
into WebCT and to test the implementation of each exercise. The final development of this webbased course is nearly complete. Rather than continuing to march in lock-step fashion with
known negative consequences, de-coupling the two laboratory courses and increasing their
fundamental content was necessary. If the second course is also developed in similar fashion,
the utility and effectiveness of the laboratory instruction will be further extended. It is
recognized that some hands-on experience is necessary for effective instruction in experimental
methods. Laboratory exercises have been extended down into the first semester freshman
experience for the past five years, along with increasing experiential endeavors of many other
classes, so it is concluded that an effective experience is being maintained. The focus of the staff
is being broadened to include efforts to spread the labs across the curriculum, offering more
effective utilization of limited resources.
The lab classes have not been intentionally held up as an obstacle. During the past five years
since the advent of the three course introductory sequence and the beginning of the computer
initiative, there have been many changes to the way laboratory experiments have been
approached. Previously, when the lab experiments were introduced after the associated
analytical material had been covered in other classes, little time was spent detailing the theory,
but rather the experiments were conducted with only cursory introduction to the theory.
Reference was made to the appropriate texts used in other classes, but the correlation of the
theoretical and experimental was largely left to the individual student based upon their limited
understanding and experience. There was a broad range of failure and success in the assimilation
of the actual experiment. Where certain topics were covered with varied depth or breadth due to
changes in textbooks and instructors in their analytical classes, the students knowledge, or lack
thereof became readily apparent in their attempts to analyze results of experiments. With
courses only repeated on an annual basis, closing the loop on student understanding, and
providing a more cohesive and positive laboratory experience has been difficult.
Particularly during the past two semesters, a concerted effort has been made to introduce the
analysis necessary to understand an experiment in detail, with theoretical results calculated and
presented prior to the conduct of the experiments. Requiring theoretical predictions in advance
has clearly provided deeper understanding of the experiments, while experimental validation has,
in turn, made the students more confident in applying associated fundamentals. One example
was manifested during the design phase of a design-build-fly competition. Students who had
already had a lab on determining sectional airfoil properties used the same theoretical tools and
experimental methods to determine a wing design. Theoretical predictions were made utilizing
programs introduced in the analysis portion of the lab, followed by modifications and tests using
methods learned in the experimental portion of the lab. Much of the analysis and testing was
conducted by students who had not yet had classes covering these topics, yet they were able to
utilize tools that had been demonstrated to them in the context of the lab exercises, and were able
to apply their experience to a related task.
It is anticipated that the offering of the laboratory experience through WebCT will remove a
potential stumbling block in the schedule of non-traditional students, such as those students who
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miss a semester of coursework for co-op or for other reasons. Although a survey of the course
and testing to date indicates that students can accomplish the objectives of the course through
web-based learning, there are no illusions that it does not take concerted effort to make the tools
available--students still have to accomplish a great deal of coursework. There is little difference
in the substance of the course content, and the primary focus of the course is maintained.
Students’ own computing resources are more effectively utilized. The course will continue to
offer greater flexibility in timing of coursework, but individual responsibility will increase.
Extending availability of the lab facilities through the web will make it easier to incorporate lab
experiences into other classes as well. WebCT sites dedicated to each course are automatically
created by university ITS personnel, and an instructor for a particular course need only authorize
the lab teaching assistants developer access to their site to allow them to administer related
laboratory experiments. Supplementing analytical instruction with virtual laboratory experience
will offer better understanding of physical phenomena than analytical coursework alone. The
laboratory component of the MSU aerospace engineering degree program will continue to be
effectively updated to meet departmental objectives through this web outreach activity.
Bibliographic Information
1. Rais-Rohani, M., Koenig, K., Hannigan, T., “Keeping Students Engaged: An Overview of Three Introductory
Courses in Aerospace Engineering”, Proceedings of the 2003 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Nashville,
TN, June 2003.
2. Hannigan, T., Koenig, K., Austin, V., Okoro, E., “Increasing Undergraduate Laboratory Experiences”,
Proceedings of the 2005 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, OR, June 2005.
3. Goldberg, J., Lansey, K., “Web-Based Alternatives for Learning Engineering Science”, Computers in Education
Journal, Vol. XIV, No. 4, Oct-Dec 2004, pp 2-11.
4. Feisel, L., Rosa, A., “The Role of the Laboratory in Undergraduate Engineering Education”, Journal of
Engineering Education, Vol. 94, No. 1, pp. 121-130, Jan 2005.
5. Bourne, J., Harris, D., Mayadas, F., “Online Engineering Education: Learning Anywhere, Anytime”, Journal of
Engineering Education, Vol. 94, No. 1, pp. 131-146, Jan 2005.
6. Hannigan, T., Koenig, K., Gassaway, B., Austin, V., “Revision and Translation of Existing Programs as a Tool
for Teaching Computer Data Acquisition and Control Systems Design and Implementation”, Proceedings of the
2004 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Salt Lake City, UT, June 2004.
7. WebCT – web based classroom technology, http://www.webct.com
8. National Instruments LabVIEW, http://www.ni.com/labVIEW
9. ELENCO Electronics, Inc., Analog – Digital Trainer, http://www.elenco.ws/manuals/xk-550.pdf
10 Velleman Oscilloscope, Spectrum Analyzer and Recorder, http://www.Velleman.be
11. National Instrument Elvis educational platform, http://www.ni.com/pdf/products/us/ni_elvis.pdf
12. Hannigan, T., Koenig, K., Gassaway, B., Austin, V., “Design and Implementation of a Computer Data
Acquisition and Control System for a Portable Wind Tunnel as a Benchmark Task in a Senior Aerospace
Engineering Laboratory Class”, Proceedings of the 2004 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Salt Lake City,
UT, June 2004.
13. Beyond Logic Web Site, Interfacing the Standard Parallel Port, http://www.beyondlogic.org/spp/
Biographical Information
THOMAS HANNIGAN
Thomas Hannigan is an Instructor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. He received his BS and
MS degrees from Mississippi State University. His interests include introductory engineering mechanics, airplane
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”
flight mechanics, and he coordinates laboratory activities for the department. He holds FAA Gold Seal Flight
Instructor Certification for single, multi engine and instrument airplanes.
KEITH KOENIG
Keith Koenig is a Professor of Aerospace Engineering. He received his BS degree from Mississippi State
University and his MS and PhD degrees from the California Institute of Technology. Prof. Koenig teaches
introductory courses in aerospace engineering and flight mechanics, and upper division courses in aerodynamics and
propulsion. His research areas include rocket and scramjet propulsion and sports equipment engineering.
VIVA AUSTIN
Viva Austin is a second year graduate teaching assistant in the aerospace engineering laboratories. She obtained her
BS degree in aerospace engineering from Mississippi State University, and is currently enrolled as a candidate for a
master of science degree. She assists in teaching upper division laboratory classes as well as assisting in the conduct
of laboratory activities for three lower division introductory classes.
EMMANUEL OKORO
Emmanuel Okoro is a first year graduate teaching assistant in the aerospace engineering laboratories. He obtained
his BS degree in aerospace engineering from Mississippi State University, and is currently enrolled as a candidate
for a master of science degree. He assists in teaching upper division laboratory classes.
“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”