My experiment of a FACEBOOK-BASED courses - "Mechanics of materials and Machine Design", and "FEM in mechanical design"

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Tue, 2010-03-23 07:56.

Dear Imechanica friends

given the success of imechanica, and Zhigang's courses on this portal, I thought, to do something even more modern and friendly, to move to Facebook platform my courses. Unfortunately in italian.

Given Obama's program to open to Education (see www.sciencedebate2008.com) and MIT opencourseware, and university of Phoenix success, and also given my own interest as founder of www.sciencedebate.it , I was inspired experimentally to open to facebook.

Maybe it is the first attempt worldwide? I doubt it. Maybe in mechanics of materials perhaps? Please let me know, so that we could share on facebook some infos.

I am not sure what I will do next year -- keep the students of former years there? Too much chaos?

Some of this I guess is similar to Zhigang's courses on imechanica.

Unlike Zhigang however, the course is much more "free-to-learn", with my input being only limited in the REAL WORLD classes, to orient and direct the students towards the best online material, including Imechanica of course.

Most of the videos are in italian for the teaching, for FEM and Ansys also in English.

Who wants to register,

CORSO DI PROGETTAZIONE ASSISTITA DI STRUTTURE MECCANICHE

http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#!/group.php?gid=340844696276&ref=ts

MECCANICA DEI MATERIALI & COSTRUZIONE DI MACCHINE 2009/2010 TARANTO
http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#!/group.php?gid=350193616242&ref=ts

Mike Ciavarella

Mike Ciavarella's blog
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I will ask my students if they can build applications on it

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Tue, 2010-03-23 22:06.

For example, they could build educational versions of FEM on Facebook. What do you think? Some Venture Capitalist is already jumping on the idea? ;)

Stanford gets a
Facebook course

by
Chris
Gilmer (RSS
feed) Sep 12th 2007 at 3:00PM

By
now we realize that some of us really cannot live without social
networks. Great places like Facebook keep us in touch with friends and
contacts, even though those little applications might distract us from
work for an hour or two, its all good.

Stanford University has
jumped into the Facebook game and opened up a course for students to
learn how
to build Facebook Applications. Given that there are a number of
people that are developing tools for the social network it seems like a
great idea. The course will not focus on building the applications
themselves, it will focus on designing persuasive and engaging user
experiences within Facebook.

The Stanford course is still in an
experimental phase, and will not be rolled out over videocast or podcast
sessions like some Stanford courses do until it gets sorted out and
fine-tuned. It is being taught by Dave
McClure, the well known software developer, angel investor, internet
marketer and of 500 hats fame, and BJ
Fogg who operates a Stanford lab and runs YackPack an online group
connector.

My students found very nice videos in Italian however...

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Thu, 2010-03-25 22:08.

Lez 03 - Lo Stato di Tensione
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5VRK63SA

Lez
04 - Lo stato di tensione in tre dimensioni
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OZEYG0IK

Lez
05 - Cinematica del corpo deformabile
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HHY84EON

Lez
06 - Cinematica del corpo deformabile nel piano
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OJW0CLW1

Lez
07 - Equazioni del materiale (materiali isotropi)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Z1UU3ZCA

Lez
08 - Calcolo Delle Tensioni - La Flessione Semplice (Parte 1)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XXT4L2GS

Lez
09 - Calcolo delle tensioni - La flessione semplice (parte 2)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HESUQ794

Lez
10 - La flessione composta - geometria delle aree
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=LHJE9EVQ

Lez
11 - Torsione E Taglio Comportamento Meccanico Dei Materiali
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FRQUR8HQ

Lez
12 - Torsione II
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DHT3H7U9

Lez
13 - Flessione e Taglio (I parte)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=V2T2WASO

Lez
14 - Flessione e taglio
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AGD246DS

Lez
15 - Principio di De Saint Venant - caratteristiche di sollecitazione
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=E22ZONSU

Lez
16 - Vincoli e gradi di iperstaticità
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=K35DWZID

Lez
17 - Reazioni vincolari
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=R08KWSU1

Lez
18 - Diagrammi delle caratteristiche di sollecitazione
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=P7GVLL25

Lez
19 - Ipotesi di cedimento
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=D2ILIV7C

Lez
20 - Esercizi sulle ipotesi di cedimento
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8UGNEMAN

Lez
21 - Calcolo delle tensioni - verifica di resistenza e calcolo di
progetto (parte prima)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SVJFJAZ2

Lez
22 - Calcolo delle tensioni - verifica di resistenza % calcolo di
progetto
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=LGATZ1KB

Lez
23 - Calcolo delle tensioni - verifica di resistenza & calcolo di
progetto (III parte).avi
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HSU6ESUI

Lez
24 - Effetto Di Intaglio
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UGDX3GI0

Lez
25 - Spostamenti locali (equazioni della linea elastica)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZIT8EF9W

Lez
26 - Spostamenti locali - comportamento a taglio - cenni sulle
strutture iperstatiche
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T9TK685T

Lez
27 - Strutture iperstatiche - Carico di punta
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8QF1LFYB

Lez
28 - Carico di punta eccentrico - Effetti termici
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZYEG0DA2

Lez
29 - Il comportamento a fatica dei materiali
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JUIYZLIF

Lez
30 - Il comportamento a fatica dei materiali. Effetto della tensione
media
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FTAS03A8

Lez
31 - Il comportamento a fatica dei materiali. Ipotesi di rottura
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9QWGLGV0

Lez
32 - Il comportamento a fatica dei materiali - Miner ed altro
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EOLVXX4N

Lez
33 - Fatica- danno cumulato ed effetto di intaglio
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NHSPIQX2

Lez
34 - Calcolo Di Fatica
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J81ZIWUW

Lez
35 - Meccanica della frattura lineare elastica
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7P1IRM69

Lez
36 - Meccanica Della Frattura Lineare Elastica
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WHJN0K3C

Lez
37 - Estensimetria elettrica a resistenza (I parte)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=X19WIBRX

Lez
38 - Estensimetria elettrica a resistenza (II parte)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QUSE5590

Lez
39 - Prove estensimetriche, misure di durezza, misure di resilienza
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PPNBDDVR

Lez
40 - Dischi e tubi
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FHOEIKS8

In order for them not to get too bored with 40 hours of video...

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Thu, 2010-03-25 22:10.

I suggested as "excercise" to give me a "summary" in a single sheet of paper, written by hand!!!

they are all mad doing that now, since 40 hours videos are not easy to collect in 1 page. But I think it is worth to combine the latest of the technologies, with the oldest one. Since otherwise they watch the videos but after a little while they start to sleep.

In fact, the Napoli University has done something different, Videos of PPT presentation commented by teachers. This is already better, and more "interactive".

I will keep you posted about my "experiments" to motivate my students.

Harvard too is on iTunes

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Fri, 2010-03-26 06:24.

The new Harvard iTunes channel is up ...

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/03/harvard-launches-on-itunes-u/

Harvard launches on iTunes U
University’s content will showcase research, educational material

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

two_laptops605

Harvard Staff Photographer

Harvard on iTunes U distributes free, downloadable material, created
by a wide range of Harvard’s Schools and professors. Harvard offers
users more options to stay connected to their interests at the
University, while enhancing opportunities for learning beyond the
classroom. iTunes U offers free educational content, including lectures,
lab demonstrations, and campus tours, all available for download in the
same way that individuals access music and movies using iTunes.

Launching on iTunes U is part of an overall digital-dissemination
strategy for the University, which is committed to providing access to
innovative content platforms and devices.

To access Harvard on iTunes U, start at http://itunes.harvard.edu/.

Overview

Harvard on iTunes U allows the University to distribute
world-class educational content to the Harvard community and to the
world at large. Watch Michael Sandel give his famous "Justice" lectures,
tour a freshman dorm, learn about HIV prevention from scholars at the
School of Public Health, or listen to Yo-Yo Ma perform Bach’s First
Suite for Solo Cello.

Experience the full range of iTunes U features with the latest
version of iTunes — download
here.

Frequently Asked
Questions »

If you have more questions or any feedback, contact us at digitalcomms@harvard.edu

A facebook group to push all italian Professors to use facebook!

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Sun, 2010-03-28 11:39.

potreste unirvi e lavorare su un gruppo, che ho creato ora e vi lascio in eredità da gestire e sviluppare...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=104096272962096

Un movimento che spinga i docenti a modernizzare le loro lezioni con piattaforma Facebook, in modo da avere il piu' comune dei social network, dove gli studenti sono comunque collegati ormai 24h su 24h, come ambiente dove si scambiano tutte le informazioni, i files, le discussioni, le modalità di esame, e dove rintracciare il docente anche 24h su 24h, quando lui e' disponibile e ha qualche secondo di tempo, ottimizzando entrambi i lavori....

--
Prof. Michele Ciavarella, Politecnico di BARI
web page http://poliba.academia.edu/micheleciavarella
see blogs http://rettorevirtuoso.blogspot.com/
see YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/RettoreVirtuoso
http://www.facebook.com/group.php

I hope you join you from imechanica even if you are not italian!

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Sun, 2010-03-28 13:41.

I am hoping you also join the group if you are not italian -- we can always modify the group to make all "Engineering courses" or "all mechanics of materials" -- what do you think? As long as my courses are the only ones... We can choose!

YouTube even faster than Facebook for teaching !!

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Fri, 2010-04-16 21:42.

Lehigh Professor Advertises Course on YouTube

He wanted to generate some buzz
on campus about the course he’ll teach next fall, so he made a video
about it before registration. The tactic seems to be working.

Michele Ciavarella, http://poliba.academia.edu/micheleciavarella
Editor, Italian Science Debate, www.sciencedebate.it
blogs http://rettorevirtuoso.blogspot.com/
YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/RettoreVirtuoso

CampusBuddy: Another Tool for Colleges and Universities on Faceb

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Sun, 2010-05-02 09:24.

CampusBuddy: Another Tool for
Colleges and Universities on Facebook
April 29th, 2010

By Sara Inés Calderón

1 Comment »

Facebook may have gotten its start on college campuses, but the
service has moved away to focus on building a generally useful product
for the general public. The company got rid of features like Courses (which
let you list your class course schedule) years ago in favor of letting
developers build their own, for example. A few companies have been
working on tools for colleges and universities, but a new competitor has
gone live on Facebook’s platform: CampusBuddy.

Similar to competitors, it provides an application that can be
included as a tab in a college or university’s Page, that comes with
education-focused features.

The market here is still open. For whatever reason, universities have
struggled to rack up fans and provide meaningful services on Facebook.
According to our metrics tool PageData, the university with the largest
Facebook fan base is Texas
A&M, with about 174,000 fans — not a whole lot, considering that
the school says annual enrollment is 48,000 students every year on its
web site.

CampusBuddy has
launched a free Facebook application aiming to give universities another
tool to tap social networks for current students. The company
already creates communities for students on its own web site, and lets
users sign in with their Facebook identities; the Facebook app that
launched last week essentially recreates the web site’s interface in a
tab on a university’s Page. So far, our metrics tool AppData shows that
the app has about 67,300 monthly active users to date, although it’s not
clear how those users are distributed across Pages and the home site.

Universities like USC, UCLA, UC-Berkeley, Ohio State, Texas A&M
and the University of Texas have signed up for the web site version of
CampusBuddy. It allows students to set up a profile and interact with
other users/students, find people in specific classes and majors, read
user reviews of colleges and professors, see class and grade
distributions, as well as other school data such as admissions and
school statistics.

USC was the inaugural school to include CampusBuddy’s tab on its
official Facebook Page, which amounts to a re-creation of the web site’s
interface on the tab but allows users to search for CampusBuddy users
from elementary, junior and high schools. The Facebook app includes ads
for CampusBuddy’s other services, such as: paying for grade
distributions, scholarship contests and buying textbooks (an external
site).

Previously we wrote about another university-focused
company, Inigral, which developed an education-themed app called
Schools designed as a closed-system where potential or new students
could get to know their universities better. Features included
information and photos of clubs, groups, activities, dorms, majors,
departments and lots of places for users to share information. In
December, Schools had about 6,000 monthly active users and about a dozen
universities had signed up.

Although universities have a lot to gain by creating a strong
Facebook presence for current students and alumni, CampusBuddy’s tab
provides basic interaction that its probably not useful for anyone but
freshmen or people new to the school since admission, housing and
fraternity/sorority stats are things acclimated students are likely to
know. Features include a way for users to post questions in categories
like housing or nightlife, post comments, and see what other students
have registered for an account with CampusBuddy and also search
majors/departments, professors and courses.

While there’s no doubt universities are scrambling for ways to make
Facebook work for them — not only would it help them save money on
alumni recruitment but also with fundraising — companies like
CampusBuddy don’t appear to have solved that problem. There’s really
nothing new with this app; it creates venues for users to add content,
not any new content, but that user-generated content could be added to
Facebook with the network’s current interface.

Another element is a type of game awarding users Honor Points for
inviting friends, completing reviews or answering questions for “premium
content,” but it isn’t promoted heavily. CampusBuddy users can use
these points to: gain recognition by attaching Honors Stars to their
profiles, get “priority access” to new features and resources, be the
first to see new official grade distributions before their release to
everyone else, and access to “elite features” like lists of the easiest
graded classes and best reviewed professors. Users can only receive
points for inviting friends through the company’s web site.

In many ways CampusBuddy, like Inigral before it, have built features
similar to Facebook’s own interface and not really added anything
groundbreaking in terms of interactivity. Furthermore, while such
programs have attracted thousands of users, the potential student-alumni
pools amount to millions, many of whom have not come out in force for
their alma maters on Facebook.

Another conundrum facing universities seeking to build communities on
Facebook is the issue of privacy. Facebook has reset privacy control
several times this year alone while universities have an interest in
creating more closed communities, especially when it comes to insecure
new students. Inigral’s interface was partly-public and partly-private,
whereas CampusBuddy seems to be completely open, as those with no
affiliation to USC can view and post information. This setup would make
sense if schools were trying to build larger communities around their
sports teams, the University of Texas for example has a huge football
following even among people not affiliated with the institution, but
CampusBuddy doesn’t state that as its goal.

As companies like CampusBuddy and Inigral continue to develop
solutions for universities on Facebook it’s likely we’ll see some more
configuring around Facebook’s privacy issues and more innovative ways
for Facebook users to interact with the schools’ own web sites. In the
interim USC’s running total of 35,000 students (not to mention alumni)
is represented by 1,430 on the CampusBuddy Facebook app.

Michele Ciavarella, Politecnico di BARI - Italy, Rector's delegate.
http://poliba.academia.edu/micheleciavarella
Editor, Italian Science Debate, www.sciencedebate.it
Associate Editor, Ferrari Millechili Journal, http://imechanica.org/node/7878

perhaps it works for the Ferrari Millechili journal also !

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Sun, 2010-03-28 18:00.

Maybe even the running of the online journal we just launched could be run from Facebook platform :)

Call for papers for the
Millechili Journal -- weight reduction in vehicle design. In
collaboration with Ferrari SpA

Recruiting students for the FEM or the MechMat FACEBOOK courses!

Submitted by Mike Ciavarella on Sat, 2010-04-03 20:39.

I am receiving a few requests to enter the courses on facebook.

So far, I have not decided exactly which politics to follow, since these course are really just for my students (about 20 each course, but I already find myself with more than 60 members of the facebook group for each course!!).

Since I am being very open and I want my students to partecipate as much as possible, there are many administrators, and hence this number is growing.

Therefore, I have to decide, since all this is already WITH NO PUBLICITY except Imechanica. And the courses are in principle in italian -- although a lot of the material is in english.

Which politics to follow? Should I wait next year to open the courses to the world? Perhaps changing them into english?

Already in 1 month, the group has grown to many discussions

Torre
Eiffel, Gustav Eiffel, Frattali

14 posts. Created on April 2, 2010 at 10:26am

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My experiment of a FACEBOOK-BASED courses - "Mechanics of materials and Machine Design", and "FEM in mechanical design"