Empowering Educators and Engaging Students

Transitioning from learning engineering and science theory to actually implementing that knowledge in the real world can be challenging for students. NI works to remove that barrier by providing complete education solutions that include hardware, software, courseware, and support. Through these solutions, NI empowers educators to focus more on teaching engineering concepts and less on teaching the tools, which gives students engaging, interactive learning experiences that stay with them long after they transition to real-world projects. NI also provides many free resources for educators to enhance their classroom offerings. Initiatives such as K12Lab.com for primary and secondary school teachers and the NI courseware portal for university professors feature effective content that educators can use directly or adapt to their learning environments.

Year In Review

2011 Highlights

Released two new NI LabVIEW software packages designed for the high school classroom

Created the NI courseware portal and made 368 courseware elements available to professors

Introduced the first complete education solution on the market for teaching RF and communications

2011 Challenges

Obstacles to implementing a hands-on, project-based approach to teaching and learning include cost, access to equipment, and student-to-technology ratios

2012 Commitments

Provide cost-effective technology solutions to educational institutions

Deliver a complete curriculum solution for the electrical engineering course continuum

Develop and pilot an energy and power course for secondary schools

What Is "Do Engineering"?

Dr. Danielle George

Senior Lecturer, The University of Manchester

To prepare undergraduate students for industry and research, they need to be engaged early on with hands-on learning experiences. Through practical laboratory assignments and projects, students can reinforce theory by applying engineering concepts. Using the NI Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS), NI myDAQ, NI Multisim, and LabVIEW, students are engaging with real signals and experiencing real results. Students at The University of Manchester are exploring engineering principles and gaining a deeper understanding of engineering topics.