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Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2002., Includes bibliographical references (p. 387-393)., This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections., Introductory Solid Mechanics has historically been taught using the traditional methods of blackboard instruction. In the Mechanical Engineering Department, we have undertaken an initiative to comprehensively transform the pedagogy of 2.001 (Mechanics and Materials I), an undergraduate course in Solid Mechanics. This transformation represents a radical shift in the teaching paradigm, one which is best described as an active engagement model. Through discovery-based and cooperative learning, it is hoped that students will develop conceptual understanding of the course material, that students will become comfortable working in teams, that student retention of course material will improve, that students will be able to engage in independent learning, and that student satisfaction will improve. There are several components to this new pedagogy: physical desktop experiments, Web-enabled learning modules, a portable computing initiative, a new classroom, and a change in the lecture format. This thesis will describe all of these, but will focus on the development of the Web modules, the synthesis of these elements in developing the new pedagogy, and preliminary assessment of the project. The thesis is dually intended as a presentation of original research and as a working document for others who may wish to undertake a project of similar scope., Jaspal Singh Sandhu., S.M.

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, February 1999., Includes bibliographical references (p. 33)., Standard bicycle seats inflict injury to the perineum, the center for arteries and nerves feeding the penis, through repeated compression loading. Though harmless in low cycles of loading, the result for many high-mileage, male riders is sexual dysfunction. Recum­bent bicycle seats prevent damage to the perineum by shifting the compressive loads to other parts of the anatomy. The object of this project was to design an upright bicycle seat that gave the same benefits as recumbent seats in terms of protection of male sexual functionality. A seat design utiliz­ing similar principles of the recumbent seat and preventing damage to the perineum was proposed. This design maximized stability and comfort, while maintaining the rider's abil­ity to generate pedaling power. Additionally, a streamlined process for rapid prototyping of bicycle seats was developed., by Jaspal Singh Sandhu., S.B.