Goals and Scope of Institutional Partners Activities

Faculty members from the Partner Institutions have made a commitment to implement and assess the Structural Health Monitoring Education Unit during the 2017-18 Academic Year. Along with Louisiana State University and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, these institutions provide both breadth and diversity to assess the success of the project. Further, the project collaborators at these partner institutions have agreed to assist the project investigators in the following ways: review modules during developmental stages and provide suggestions for improvement; participate in an Internet-based “training session” on the implementation of the modules; implement use of modules in at least one course for two consecutive semesters with some flexibility as this may not be possible for all institutions; implement evaluation instruments as provided by the project investigators and share perceptions/data on student performance, attitudes and motivation; provide written suggestions for improvement of modules and implementation process at completion of first offering (formative) and second offering (summative): and meet online with project’s external evaluator along with representatives from other participating institutions at completion of both first and second implementations. Further, they will be invited to voluntarily develop SEMs and SAMs.

 

Each Partner Institution was awarded a contract for $10,000 to facilitate and support the implementation of the SHM Education Unit, with no specific stipulations on the use of those funds. In addition, each institution was provided a BDI SHM hardware/software unit with a retail value in excess of $5,000. The specific provisions of the contract are as follows:

 

(1) Participate in the FMM Project Training Workshop scheduled for June 30, 2017, either in person or remotely. If necessary, remote training can be arranged for an alternate date. However, this training must be completed in advance of the Fall Semester 2017.

 

(2) Request students to complete an existing online pre-treatment survey in the structural analysis course in advance of introducing the education modules.

 

(3) In accordance with the guidance received at the FMM Project Training Workshop and materials provided, implement the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) Education Unit as follows:

(a) the Foundational Education Modules (FEMs) in an introductory structural analysis course in Fall 2017 and

(b) the Structural Engineering Education Modules ((SEMs) and Structural Engineering Assignment Modules (SAMs) in a structural design course in Spring 2018.

 

(4) Complete construction of the SHM Demonstration Model in accordance with the plans and guidance provided at the FMM Project Training Workshop

 

(5) Submit a written report on or before June 30, 2018 that:

(a) summarizes their experiences and observations relative to the implementation of the FEMs, SEMs and SAMs and

(b) provides specific recommendations for enhancement/improvement of the education/assignment modules and  the education pedagogy.

 

(6) Agree for your report to be published, with attribution, on the FMM Project Web Portal.

 

(7) Participate remotely in a meeting of the FMM Project Advisory Panel at some future date.

 

(8) Recognize and publicize the source of the materials and the financial support in all project related documents.

 

(9) Agree to respond to questions that might be posed to you either via email or telephone from other potential adopters concerning your experiences and observations in implementing the SHM Education Unit.