Hands-on Mechanics

What's the purpose of this site?
The purpose of HOM is to encourage the use of 3D teaching tools in undergraduate engineering education. HOM is a resource for individuals who are interested in building these tools because it provides detailed instructions for how to do so.

Is HOM unique to McGraw-Hill?
Instructors everywhere have been using 3D teaching demonstrations for years, but Hands-on Mechanics is unique to McGraw-Hill in that this is the first effort to house all of these demonstrations in one place, and create an online community of interested instructors.

How do I use HOM?
HOM is set up so that you can decide how involved you want to be in the online community. On a basic level, visit the site, view the demonstrations, print them out, and gather the materials needed to use the demonstrations in your lectures. If you would like to participate in the community, all you need to do is register and you are granted the ability to submit your own original demonstrations for review and posting, serve as a reviewer for other demonstrations, and give feedback on the site. Be sure to consult the detailed guidelines for how to submit a demonstration.

How will this site benefit me in my class?
Illustrating mechanics concepts in class is difficult, especially when students are viewing them in a simulated environment like an online animation. Studies have shown that 3D tools resonate better with students. It is more fun to actually see a demonstration in class, with the variables manipulated to show different, real-time results, than view a simulation on a computer. In addition, students are more likely to "believe" a concept if they see it happen in front of them: we all "trust" live visual demonstrations more than computer-simulated experiments. HOM aims to make it easy for instructors to be creative in class.

What courses can I use Hands-on Mechanics with?
We are currently populating subject areas for the following courses: statics, dynamics, strength of materials, thermodynamics, materials science, fluid mechanics, structural analysis, and heat transfer. Check back frequently for updates to the site.

How do you ensure that demonstrations are safe and conceptually accurate?
Once submitted, each demonstration undergoes a vetting process before it is approved and posted on the site. Reviewers are third party (not affiliated with McGraw-Hill) experts who test each experiment to verify that it works and accurately demonstrates the mechanics concept. Some demonstrations do require that safety precautions be taken before the demonstration is used in class. See the Legal portion of this website for more information.

Why do I need to register and login?
You do not have to register to access and use any of the demonstrations on the site. However, registration is necessary to participate in the HOM community and submit original demonstrations, review demonstrations, and submit feedback. Note that all registered users are subject to McGraw-Hill’s privacy policy.

How do I go about participating in the HOM community?
You need to register on the site in order to participate in the HOM community. If you are interested in reviewing demonstrations, please click on Want to be a Reviewer? on the home page. You will be contacted by a member of the HOM team.

How do I submit my own original demonstration?
In order to submit your own demonstration for posting on the site you must be a registered user of HOM. Then, check out the demonstrations list for the course area you are interested in submitting to. If your demonstration is original (and not a duplicate of an already listed demo), you can use the Submission Guidelines for detailed instructions on how to submit a demo. Once your demonstration is submitted, it will be assigned a reviewer who will test it for accuracy and effectiveness. That reviewer will get in touch with you to let you know if any changes need to be made before the demonstration is posted to the site. The length of this process varies based on site traffic.

Will I be paid for demonstrations I submit?
No payment is offered for submitting your original demonstrations, but you are recognized by name and affiliation as the author of your work. Furthermore, by submitting your work, you are eligible to win prizes awarded each year by the HOM team at McGraw-Hill.

What does it mean to be a reviewer?
Signing up to be a reviewer means that you are interested in accuracy checking and testing demonstrations before they are published to the site to make sure they work. You will be responsible for communicating your comments to the author of the demonstration, reviewing their edits, and ultimately making sure the demo is in good shape to be published on the website. Click on “Want to Be a Reviewer” on the homepage if you are interested in participating in this process and you will be contacted by a member of the HOM team.

How often is the site updated?
Launched in the spring of 2006, HOM is updated continuously with new demonstrations and feedback. We also hope to update the site infrastructure and capabilities annually. Please contact a member of the HOM team if you are interested in giving us feedback about HOM.