Hi.  My name is Mr. Hart – and I am the instructor for the Springs Valley Project Lead the Way Engineering Classes.  These classes are part of the Engineering Career Pathway, and introduce you to a wide array of technical skills needed in a variety of possible engineering careers.  From basic design concepts to building working prototypes of those designs – even designing and building 3D models of residential and commercial buildings – you’re sure to find something to spark your interest, and you can earn college credit through IVY Tech along the way.  

To start your engineering pathway, you will take Introduction to Engineering Design (IED) – where you learn the basic concepts of the Design Process that you can apply to various hands-on projects.  Here you will also learn 3D design and modeling software (Autodesk Inventor) and create and 3D print some of your own designs.  This is where you will also learn to produce and read technical drawings – and use those drawings as instructions to build prototypes in a variety of different class projects.  We have recently partnered with Kimball National Office Furniture to work with one of their top designers on a design project to construct a classroom chair out of nothing but cardboard.

The second-year class is Principles of Engineering (POE).  We get more in-depth in this class on some of the physics of structure and mechanisms – as well as expanding on the technical drawing skills learned in IED.  In addition to structural analysis – we dig into machine control systems – in particular – robotics.  You will build a VEX robot and program it to do various things.  Alternative energy is discussed at length in this class – and you will build and race actual hydrogen fuel cell cars that run on nothing but water!  There is also a study on ballistics and kinematics that investigate these concepts through building and launching some simple air-powered paper rockets.

The third-year class is Civil Engineering and Architecture (CEA).  This class investigates many of the elements and principles of architectural design, such as form, color, lines, symmetry, rhythm and proportion.  We study the history of civil engineering and architecture and explore various careers in those fields.  You will learn to use 3D design and modeling software (Autodesk Revit) used to create building plans for residential and commercial structures.  We investigate the effects of new construction on the environment in the form of storm water runoff, as well as residential and commercial waste water management.  We also investigate designing structures from sustainable materials and using environmentally friendly building practices.

Computer Science:

I am also the instructor for the Springs Valley Computer Science Classes.  These classes are part of the Computer Science and Information Technology Career Pathways, and expose you to a wide range of computer skills you will need in a possible career in Computer Science or Information Technology.  Starting with the basics of how a computer works to programming them to solve every day human problems – or to simply entertain – there’s something for everyone in the world of computing!  

Intro to Computer Science introduces you to some of the many facets of Computer Science.  You’ll learn the basics of computer hardware – learn some tricks on how to get around on a computer and different programs – and learn the “language” of computing – from becoming well versed in the Binary number system – to creating animated web pages.  You will learn to program in HTML, CSS and JavaScript – the code that’s used to create web pages and web sites.  You will research various careers in Computer Science – and work in teams to solve problems using computer programs you write yourself.

 

Expanding on the things you learn in the Intro Class, Computer Science I dives a little deeper into all aspects of computer technology.  You learn programming in Python, a computer language similar to the software used by Windows application developers and game programmers.  Here you will also be introduced to how the Internet came to be and how it works today.  You will also examine the role of technology in all aspects of life.

 

In Computer Science II – you will work toward some actual industry certifications, such as the CompTIA A+ certification – as well as the TestOut PC Pro certification.  These are recognized around the world as industry-standard certifications that most IT employers require of the people they hire.  

 

So – if you are considering a career in Engineering or Computer Science – I’d love to discuss it with you in more detail.  Feel free to contact me at bhart@svalley.k12.in.us or bhart@lrcc.k12.in.us – or stop by Room 203 and let me show you first-hand what we do!