Web-Based Training - Web-Based Engineering Education: Critical Design and Effective Tools - page 195

6.1. cases engineering, textile engineering, composite and

material scientists. Polymer science which is in
fact the chemistry, rheology and processing of
macromolecules has intricate subjects for both
students (to learn) and professors (to make sure
that the taught subjects have been understood
by the students). American chemical society has
several short courses on chemistry and chemi-
cal engineering, including polymer courses.
The ACS Short Courses in Polymer Chemistry
targets industry professionals, chemists, ma-
terials scientists, and engineers with a B.S. or
higher degree seeking greater understanding
of principles governing polymer science and a
comprehensive, up-to-date overview of poly-
mer subjects. Since no assumptions are made
regarding the background of the participants,
the courses attempt to address a variety of
learning styles and knowledge bases through
lecture, demonstrations, laboratory exercises,
and computer-based independent study (ACS
2009).
The department of polymer science of the
University of Southern Mississippi has established
an on-line center, called Polymer Science Learn-
ing Center (PSLC). This center contents polymer
courses for different levels from beginners, even
kids to polymer explorers. As a multi-level,
multimedia polymer education resource, PCLS
is an interactive web site in polymer education
by pioneering an innovative hands-on, inquiry-
based, multi-faceted learning environment for
pre-kindergarten through researchers that will
result in all polymer education ventures originat-
ing by choice with the PSLC. The mission is to
teach polymer science to students of all levels in
the most memorable manner possible to better
prepare them for both chemical careers and life
(Mathias 2009).

Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics is the fundamental knowledge
of many branches of engineering such as chemi-
cal engineering, mechanical engineering, textile
engineering, polymer engineering and many
others. One of the fundamental lessons taught in
this course is Carnot cycle to make an example
of reversible heat engine. This cycle is defined by
several adiabatic and isothermal steps including
several changes in volume, pressure, enthalpy and
entropy of the system. It is a fairly complicated
introduction on second law of thermodynamic
inaugurating the headwords for more elaborate
concepts. As a pivotal subject, teachers usually
have to put a lot of time on it and even in this case
the students look still confused.
Professor Michael Flower from Department
of physics, university of Virginia, has an online
course on modern physics, entitled 'Galileo and
Einstein' at http://galileoandeinstein.physics.vir-
ginia.edu, contenting different fundamental laws
of physics such as Galileo's Compound Motion,
Kepler's law, Doppler Effect, Carnot Cycle and
many others. The advantage of his on-line course
is simplification of subjects providing animations,
graphs, definitions and states, and all these are
connected to each other. Through the visual and
virtual interface of this course, the student would be
able to follow easily the instructions. They would
have the opportunity to make the calculations on
each point of cycle, and view the correspondent
effects on states, graphs and the heat engine status
which they have to learn. Moreover it is easier
for the teachers to teach (Hwang 2004; Ion 2007;
Flowers 2008).

Polymer Chemistry

Polymer chemistry is the fairly new subdivision
of chemistry being taught in chemical engineer-
ing, polymer engineering, fiber production