Ansys Innovation Courses Spread Simulation Education Far and Wide

The innovations of tomorrow depend on the education the next generation of engineers is receiving today. As the development of autonomous vehicles, 5G infrastructure, electric powertrains and artificial intelligence continue to grab headlines, educators are faced with daunting challenges. They have to prepare engineering students for a drastically different future and engage them in practical applications while instilling a solid understanding of physics. And now, in the midst of a global pandemic, educators need to convey those lessons remotely.

The Innovation Courses integrate real-world simulation case studies with physics theory short courses. Students are guided through practical applications of physics via simulation.
 

Visual Learning Takes Center Stage

Educational institutions worldwide found themselves pivoting to online learning as COVID-19 disrupted in-person, classroom-based instruction. Online learning requires a different approach on both sides of the screen. Lectures to rooms of students can fall flat when at-home distractions take students out of the lesson. Successful online curricula feature engaging visuals and make use of the interactivity inherent in an online education model.

Simulation-based lesson plans address the challenges of online learning by allowing students to see the results of mathematical models via simulation visualization. They can then apply that knowledge by practicing using Ansys software, and then test their understanding with quizzes and homework. Free student software is available through the Ansys Academic Program.

The Ansys Innovation Courses are not commercials for Ansys software. Courses are built upon online lecture videos, handouts, homework, tutorials and quizzes. Some are led by Ansys experts, while others feature Ansys' academic partners, including Cornell University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC).
 

Democratizing Simulation Education

The on-demand nature of the Innovation Courses allows students to choose what courses interest them most, go back and review any topics they choose, and pause and resume their studies as their time allows. The courses are offered both individually and as part of broader learning tracks. Each track is organized by physics subjects, such as fluid dynamics, structural dynamics, electromagnetics, aerodynamics and more.
 

Visit the Ansys Innovation Courses website

Simulation has been widely used by professors as a building block after theory is taught, but Innovation Courses provide the path for educators to understand how simulation can be introduced earlier in the curriculum in a more on-demand manner. Additionally, they provide a great resource to be assigned out as homework or out of the classroom learning resources.

The courses have been developed for students and early-career engineers, but they are available to anyone. Professional engineers can use the courses as a refresher, or to expand their knowledge of different disciplines to better understand and collaborate with their colleagues.

Find out more and take a simulation course.