Tutorial for Using Website

1. To view virtual fieldtrip, click on marker of choice.
2. This will bring up a pop-up window where you will be prompted to click on “View Detail Page.”
3. There are localities that have multiple markers on the same spot (i.e., State Capitol Renovation and State Capitol Visitors Center). To get a closer look at what field trips these markers represent:

a) First, center the markers in the middle of the map by using the scroll button tool on the left-hand side of the map. This allows you to pan up, down, left, or right.

b) After you have the markers in the center of the map, use the zoom tool on the left-hand side of the map to zoom in on the markers. This will separate the markers and allow you to view each individually.

4. Other resources of interest:

a) http://earth.google.com/tour/

b) http://www.zeesource.net/maps/help.do

Website Overview

Engineering: The Built Environment is an interactive map database web site developed by the staff of the MathScience Innovation Center and the participants of the 21^st Century Fellows Program, summer 2007. This web site provides virtual field trips for students and teachers to learn about the different fields of engineering by visiting project sites throughout the state. Each trip project site includes a description, photographs, web links, video footage, and other resources and activities for students and teachers to explore. This web site is also designed to assist teachers to incorporate engineering related activities into their regular science and math curriculum. Students and teachers may even create their own virtual field of engineering feats in the Commonwealth of Virginia and post to the Google-based map for others to explore.

A partnership with the American Council of Engineering Companies of Virginia and The MathScience Innovation Center developed and implemented the founding Emerging Worlds Summer Institute focused on the next generation of civil engineers.

The purpose of this program, a part of the Center’s 21^st Century Fellows Program, is to train nominated teachers from Central Virginia (Engineering Fellows) in basic principles of engineering as they relate to the “built environment” and to assist the Fellows in the development of materials and strategies to incorporate more engineering related activities into the regular classroom with the end goal being the recruitment of more students into the field of engineering. Upon completion of all phases of the program, Fellows will become acknowledged specialists in their local school divisions.

Daily activities for the Summer Institute reflected the range of engineering disciplines related to the built environment including mechanical, structural, electrical, environmental, and civil engineering, as well as the process of design and build. A total of eight field trips, hosted by ACEC/VA member firms, were held at local engineering sites such as highways, bridges, buildings, water treatment plants, and manufacturing facilities to observe these principles in action. Fellows also conducted lab activities to model engineering principles and participated in lecture/discussion of course content. Thirty-nine ACEC/VA professionals, representing twenty-five firms, served as guest speakers to cover the topics of engineering fundamentals, the process of design and build, career paths to engineering, environmental engineering, and structural engineering. Fellows were also provided with resource materials from Virginia schools of engineering. As a culminating activity, participants were required to contribute to a virtual field trip of engineering projects.