Search

This paper presents several methods for motivating students taking a power system protection (PSP) course. The paper reviews the laboratory activities developed for the PSP course at Curtin University, Australia; these methods are applicable and can be used for PSP course instruction at any institution. These activities were developed to improve the learning experience of the electrical engineering undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in this course. Initially, the PSP course at Curtin University consisted of lectures and tutorials accompanied by two sessions of software-based simulations and one session of laboratory demonstration. To motivate the students, several computer-based simulations and practical laboratory experiments were developed. PSCAD and ETAP power system analysis software tools are introduced and used to demonstrate the performance and coordination of different protection relays from steady-state and dynamic points of view. Also, a practical setup composed of a LabVolt power system simulator and industrial relays is used to carry out several practical experiments. The experiments help students observe the performance of protection systems for transformers and induction motors during faults and abnormal operating conditions. Finally, the concept of relay testing and commissioning is introduced by relay standalone experiments using a secondary injection relay test set. The results of these activities were evaluated according to the students’ satisfaction, comments, total scores, and interest in PSP. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Some education specialists are challenging the use of traditional strategies in classrooms and are calling for the use of contemporary teaching and learning techniques. In response to these calls, many field experiments that compare different teaching and learning strategies have been conducted. However, to date, little is known on the outcomes of these strategies specific to the context of engineers and engineering education. The debate on traditional versus contemporary strategies continues, with many traditionalists holding firm to the view that contemporary techniques diminish the academic quality and integrity of teaching and learning. This paper adds to the current debate by assessing the outcome of interactive lectures, a contemporary teaching strategy, in the context of engineering education. Specifically, this paper examines the effect of interactive lectures on student academic achievement and the learning environment. This paper supported the quantitative survey responses with self-reported student reflections. The findings contradict the traditionalist view of teaching and learning; student performance was not significantly different when interactive learning strategies were employed. However, students held a more positive view toward the learning environment and felt that interactive learning enhanced their overall learning experiences and spurred interest in the subject area. This paper concluded that interactive lecturing can be an effective approach in teaching business management in engineering education. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article is an extension of a work in progress paper originally presented at the conference FiE 2020, Frontiers in Education by (Schirichian et al., 2020), as a result of Schirichian’s master’s in science dissertation. It studies the relations between academic performance, protection factors, life at university, and personal characteristics to understand how they influence students’ academic success in undergraduate engineering programs in Brazil. In this challenging environment, several students overcome these issues and graduate, which indicates that some protection structures allow students to face challenging situations and be successful in their studies. Current research studied the relationships between academic performance, self-efficacy, causal attributions, personal characteristics, and life at university, with a group of 30 students. Models were studied by combining the different variables and aspects evaluated in the research, and the findings show relationship between academic performance and: 1) self-efficacy, causal attributions, and personal characteristics (such as leisure activities, living with their parents, or college accommodations) and those who attended private schools during basic education; 2 protection factors self-efficacy and causal attributions with advancing in the program and the time of enrolment in the university; and 3) the dimensions initiation and persistence, success/internality and failure/internality, indicating that those who perceive themselves as playing a major role in their academic journey tend to have better outcomes. Further results show the influence of social inequalities, particularly for those students who declared themselves brown and who conducted their basic education in public schools (which are generally of lower quality than private ones in Brazil). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a study of teaching a programming language in a C programming course by having students assemble and program a low-cost mobile robot. Writing their own programs to define the robot’s behavior raised students’ motivation. Working in small groups, students programmed the robots by using the control structures of structured programming. Over the course, there was a significant improvement in students’ academic performance and motivation. The approach took into account four of the motivational factors that feature in the ARCS model: 1) attention; 2) relevance; 3) confidence; and 4) satisfaction. The main achievements of the approach were to be able to: 1) catch and hold students’ attention throughout the course; 2) increase students’ confidence in the learning process; 3) achieve a high student satisfaction level with their acquired skills; and 4) demonstrate to students the practical usefulness of the knowledge they had learned. This paper also determines the extent to which this strategy was effective in meeting the teaching goals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Presents information on the career profile of various editors who have contributed in writing various articles published in the September 2005 issue of the journal "IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems." Professional background of Sajal K. Das; Research papers published by Das; Academic background of Timothy Davis; Awards received by Stephan Olariu, a world-renowned technologist in the areas of parallel and distributed systems, parallel and distributed architectures, and networks.

This paper reviews some significant achievements in the research activity and academic career of Paolo Corona, with particular focus on electromagnetic reverberation theory and measurements. An annotated selection is presented for some of his celebrated publications as well as some lesser well-known unpublished works.Some of his recorded views on issues and directions for future research on reverberation chambers are also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer programming is notoriously difficult to learn. To this end, regular practice in the form of application and reflection is an important enabler of student learning. However, educators often find that first-year B.Sc. students do not readily engage in such activities. Providing each student with a programmable robot, however, could be used to facilitate application and reflection since, potentially, robots facilitate engaging learning experiences while providing immediate and intuitive feedback. This paper explores whether an introductory course centered upon programming personal robots in preparation for an end-of-course event day—a Robot Olympics—can help students to, first, engage in programming practice more frequently and, second, improve the quality of their code. A survey was conducted to examine the students' programming practice behavior, and students' final coursework submissions were also reviewed for aspects of program quality. The findings from this cohort were compared to a reference group from a previous cohort that shared similar learning objectives and entry requirements, but had focused on Web programming instead of using robots. The results reveal statistically significant increases in programming practice compared to the reference group. Furthermore, being enrolled in the course that culminated in the Robot Olympics was a significant predictor of two aspects of program quality: functional coherence and sophistication. This suggests that robot-centered courses can promote engagement with, and enhance some aspects of, programming practice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Hardware-based courses in computer science studies require much effort from both students and teachers. The most important part of students' learning is attending in person and actively working on laboratory exercises on hardware equipment. This paper deals with a specific group of students, those who are marginalized by not being able to regularly attend lessons and perform the laboratory exercises. This group of “busy students” includes older students, and those who travel, are employed or are parents. In particular it describes how such students achieved impressive results in a hardware-based course by using Open Educational Resources (OER). These facilitated students' learning process and gave busy students the opportunity to organize their learning time so as to work on the hardware courses remotely from home when they had time and opportunity. The results of the evaluation show significant improvements, both in grade distribution and course throughput, after implementing the new Open Educational Resources approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a significant advance in a reactive blended learning methodology applied to an introductory control engineering course. This proposal was based on the inclusion of a reactive element (a fuzzy-logic-based controller) designed to regulate the workload for each student according to his/her activity and performance. The contribution of this proposal stands on the inclusion of elements related to motivational factors in the students. Student motivation has been widely identified as a key factor for the academic success of every teaching–learning activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the benefits and costs of providing students with unlimited access to programmable boards in digital design education, allowing hands-on experiences outside traditional laboratory settings. Studies were conducted at three universities in two different countries—Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN; Washington State University, Pullman; and Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania—to measure the effect on student learning and student performance of students having their own programmable hardware systems and unrestricted access to the most commonly used design tools. The results of the studies, supported by assessment data from various sources, suggest that the overall learning process is improved, and students gain a better knowledge of modern technologies and design methods if they are given full time access to programmable logic boards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the question of how to use project-based learning to increase student performance and satisfaction in a power electronics course addressing the topics of dc/dc and dc/ac converters, the assembly of a dc/dc converter, and the use of a commercial speed drive. A detailed presentation of the methodology is shown, and the results are analyzed by comparison to previous academic years and by satisfaction surveys. The new course design applies the jigsaw cooperative learning strategy to have students learn the theory of converters, solve problems, and perform simulations, before carrying out projects that solve real-world problems, such as the power converter for a competition solar vehicle (2014/15 course) and power converters for an air conditioner with inverter technology (2015/16 course). Rubrics were used to evaluate the students’ work reports and the simulations. The project deliverables are presented and assessed in two design reviews, the first version covering the design and an open loop simulation, and the second covering the closed loop simulation and verification of specifications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes the development of an aero control experiment apparatus (ACEA) for use in aerospace control practical courses. The ACEA incorporates a systematic multihierarchy learning and teaching method, and was designed to improve aerospace engineering students' understanding of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control systems. It offers a number of standard experimental modules at three levels: component, system, and simulation and evaluation. The software and hardware design methods used in the modules were chosen to allow students to conduct experiments in a simple, more hands-on manner. As a result, they were able to select or reconfigure their experiments and so continuously improve their skills and extend the ACEA itself. The practical curriculum modules—grouped in three skill levels of basic experiments, case study, and independent design—were applied in a 3-year M.Sc. course, UAV Control Systems. The marking criteria created to evaluate students' achievements are presented, along with some results of this evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to demands from industry and the profession for more graduates, first-year engineering numbers have grown considerably over the last decade, matched by an increasing diversity of academic backgrounds. In order to support first-year students effectively, and ensure the courses they take remain appropriately pitched, the academic preparedness of these students must be determined. Since 2007, the lecturers in the compulsory first-year Electrical and Digital Systems course at the University of Auckland (UoA), Auckland, New Zealand, have administered a short diagnostic test to determine the level of conceptual understanding of electricity and electromagnetics possessed by the incoming students. This paper presents and discusses student understanding of dc circuit theory as revealed by the diagnostic test and subsequent investigations. The evidence is indicative of both flawed conceptual models and context-triggered misapplication of fundamental rules. Parallels are drawn with the results of research conducted elsewhere, indicating the misconceptions are robust and pervasive, crossing institutional and national boundaries. Not only are concepts such as current and voltage poorly understood, but even more basic concepts such as series and parallel connections are confusing for a significant number of students. Understanding the incorrect models that underlie these basic misconceptions is the first step to correcting them. Only then can students proceed to the more advanced concepts that engineering graduates are required to master. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Contribution: From prior studies on models and strategies used to study the academic performance of university students, it is evident that none of them either evaluates T-shaped degrees or does so according to the profile of the students’ high school provenance. The study provided in this article employs a well-established model and strategy to show the monitoring of university students’ performance in the first academic year with the premise that their heterogeneity in terms of the modalities of their high school provenance may be a determining factor as regards their performance in the various disciplines on a T-shaped degree. Background: Universities are beginning to offer T-shaped degrees in response to the growing demand for professionals with this profile. The variety of disciplines taught on these degrees means that the students enrolled on them originate from various high school modalities, which implies a difference in their respective knowledge that may affect their performance. Research Questions: Are a student’s high school provenance modalities a determining factor in their performance in various disciplines on a T-shaped degree? Methodology: This study has employed the goal-oriented, context-aware, measurement, evaluation and monitoring strategy to monitor students’ performance on a Service Science, Management and Engineering degree. The five years of monitoring has made it possible to characterize students from the different modalities of provenance. Findings: It was possible to characterize the performance in the different high school modalities using the model attributes evaluated, with the objective of proposing instruments that could help improve the students’ performance when unsatisfactory indicator results are detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the proliferation of mobile devices and online video services, mobile learning has grown both in popularity and complexity. New challenges include the multitude of mobile devices with different characteristics and limitations, as well as the exponential growth in educational multimedia content. Streaming multimedia content to mobile devices is a resource intensive task that requires significant resources such as network bandwidth, with demand expected to increase beyond future networks capacity as users adopt new technologies such as UHD, AR, VR, 3D and 360-degree video. While a number of adaptive m-learning systems have been previously proposed, none of these have thoroughly addressed the adaptation of educational multimedia content. This article proposes the novel DQAMLearn framework that aims to support mobile learner’s seamless access to educational multimedia content from a variety of mobile devices with different characteristics. Moreover, as mobile users are increasingly becoming quality-aware, the framework integrates novel mechanisms for decreasing the video quality in a controlled way, with the aim to support a good learner quality of experience (QoE) even in resource constrained situations. A comprehensive subjective study was conducted to evaluate the proposed framework. The results showed that the framework enables both high learning achievement from educational multimedia clips, with 12% and 83% correct response rates for pre and post-test questionnaires, respectively, and high learner QoE with a mean video quality rating of 79.19 on a 0–100 acceptability scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research problem: The purpose of the study was to fill gaps in our knowledge about technical editors’ work practices and perceptions, knowledge that might be useful for teachers and practitioners, as well as current and prospective students. Research questions: (1) What work activities do technical editors engage in? (2) How do people become and progress in careers as technical editors? (3) What do technical editors perceive about the complexity of their work and its value to themselves and others? Literature review: The literature review focuses on previous surveys of technical editors, which have tended to focus on technology-related issues and been largely limited to samples obtained from the Society for Technical Communication. Methodology: A link to an online survey was sent to 32 professional organizations for technical and other professional, nonliterary, and nonjournalism editors. The leadership of each organization was asked to forward the link to its members; 12 complied, with a resulting 253 respondents. Responses to closed-ended questions were tabulated, while responses to the open-ended questions were analyzed thematically. Results and conclusions: The results revealed a broad range of job titles, disciplinary and professional fields, genres and media, editing-related tasks, and extent and type of collaboration. Respondents perceived as useful several forms of academic preparation, personality traits, and attitudes. About half the respondents had become editors through deliberate preparation during college (direct route) and half had not (indirect route). Thus, one implication of the results is that college students majoring in the sciences and other technical fields (indirect route) might be attracted to complementary minors and certificate programs in technical communication/editing. The sample was obtained from among a broader range of technical editors than samples used in previous surveys but was relatively small and, therefore, nongeneralizable. Future surveys should strive for a larger sample size and include questions about a wide range of demographic variables that can be correlated with the independent variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When students learn collaboratively, they generally learn better when they complement one another in knowledge. Both cooperative and collaborative learning strategies involve group discussions. However, when group members meet face to face, they may be influenced by interpersonal relationships and peer pressure, which can cause group members to interact in less desirable ways. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether peers engaged in group discussions for the purpose of collaborative learning interact differently in face-to-face or anonymous conditions. The study examines how peers assess one another, to identify group interaction patterns. Different interaction patterns may result in different learning achievements, and this study shows that anonymous group discussions tend to generate better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the life and works of physicist of James A. Van Allen. He is one of the great pioneers of space research and best known for his discovery of intense belts of radiation encircling Earth. He has played a leading role in the development of the field heliospheric physics and provided instruments on spacecraft. He graduated at Iowa Wesleyan College with a major degree in physics and earned his doctoral degree at the University of Iowa. He has received a Carnegie Research Fellowship and worked in the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism.

David Samuel Notkin, whose technical, educational, and social contributions to computer science and software engineering research made him a major figure in the field, died on 22 April 2013, at his home in Seattle, Washington. He was 58 years old. The cause of his death was cancer. David is best known for his research, with his many graduate students, on software evolution. He asked why software is often so hard and expensive to change, and he worked to reduce the difficulty of software evolution to an essential minimum. This focus came from his belief that the ability to change software - its softness - is where its true but under-realized potential resides. He asked questions such as whether we can identify and close the gap between Brooks' notions of accidental and essential software complexity? How much should rather than does it cost to develop, test, and evolve software? Can we make the cost of change proportionate rather than disproportionate to the apparent complexity of changes to be made? Can we design software analysis methods that realize the best properties of both static and dynamic analysis techniques? Beyond technical contributions, David is widely recognized and admired for his exceptional skill as a research mentor for graduate students and as a powerful and unwavering advocate for improving gender diversity in computer science. A brief biography is given highlighting Notkin's professional achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]