Spring is the Time of Plans and Projects!
Hard to believe, but the Thanksgiving holiday is already over, and it’s time to start thinking about the spring semester! If you’d like to reuse a class and its assignments for your class this year, follow these tips:
- Update the name of your class (if needed) by clicking “Edit Class Details” on the Class Details tab.
- Make any adjustments to your assignments.
- Remove previous semesters’ students from the Students tab – this will not affect their access! It merely keeps your reports current.
If you’d prefer a new class section, need a quote, or have other questions about getting ready for the spring, just let us know!
Helpful Tips from Fellow Instructors
As you’re creating assignment, keep these tips in mind to help you integrate SolidProfessor in your classes:
- “Don’t bite off too much! Chunk the material by applying only about 15 minutes worth of videos.” –Jeremy Farner, Weber State University
- “Make assignments mandatory. They help guide students’ time.” –Dan Riffell, University of Colorado-Boulder
- “Take your time when possible: reflect, return, and get students to share their budding skills with you and each other.” –Ryan Griggs, Francis Parker Upper School
- “Make SolidProfessor assignments equivalent to the length of a reading assignment – not more work or less work, just work in a different modality.” –Andy Anderson, University of Southern Maine
Curious to learn more about these instructors and how they use SolidProfessor in their classes? Click below to read more!
Updated Lessons for Inventor and SOLIDWORKS
We just released our updated 2016 Inventor for Beginners course this week! Students who complete this course will gain a solid foundation upon which to build their CAD modeling skills. This course is 2.5 hours long and has 13 hands-on exercises for students to practice.We also released our updated 2016 SOLIDWORKS for Beginners course this month. This course is basic enough for users with no CAD experience, but comprehensive enough to be used by those who need a refresher on the basics.
This year, the course has a fresh, new feel. We rerecorded the audio, and the hands-on exercises are presented in an updated format. The walk-through explanations are now included as part of the hands-on exercises – you no longer have to add both lessons separately! We’ve also added a menu within the exercise to help your students easily navigate the goals, instructions, self-check and video portions of the exercise.
Want to take a look at either course? Let me know!
CAD in Bionics
It has been a fascinating week at Autodesk University – it was great seeing those of you who stopped by our booth! One of my favorite opportunities of the conference was hearing Hugh Herr, head of the MIT Media Lab’s Biomechatronics group, talk about the possibilities of using CAD to design bionic limbs that help people overcome disabilities. Having had his legs amputated following a climbing accident, developing bionic limbs that function as biological limbs is a deeply personal mission.
To see and hear more, check out Herr’s TED talk from March 2014.
