In this paper we discuss how to set up an electrical problem through a problem-based learning (PBL) constructivist approach. PBL is the learning which results from the process of working towards the understanding and the resolution of a problem. Our aim is to show that PBL can be used effectively in teaching electrical engineering. To put this process into effect, two groups were formed at the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering at Kocaeli University and the students were asked to sort out an ill-defined problem. In our paper, we explain how the groups conducted the study and arrived at the resolution of the problem through PBL.
Engineers today are required both to have traditional technological skills and to be competent with a variety of soft skills such as team-working and the ability to present or sell their ideas. Changes in professional requirements impose demands on the teaching methods in universities.In this day of mass information, the ability to fi nd and fi lter out the right information is a necessity in all walks of life. Success in professional life requires one to be able to work independently and as part of a team, always being ready to take the initiative, and to acquire new knowledge. Acquiring these professional skills requires good social skills and learning abilities, which employers emphasise. A good engineer is able to identify and defi ne a problem and fi nd a working solution. Our paper shows that the problem-based learning (PBL) approach is an effective method to cope with these changes and demands.While engineering technology changes at such a rapid pace, students, on the other hand, face the challenge of developing multidisciplinary skills and knowledge due to the multidisciplinary nature of the fi eld. Success in professional life requires one to be able to work independently and as part of a team, always being ready to take the initiative, and to acquire new knowledge. Acquiring these professional skills requires good social skills and learning abilities, which employers emphasise. A good engineer is able to identify and defi ne a problem and to fi nd a working solution to this problem. This paper describes a novel problem design with a cooperative, enquiry-based learning approach allowing both technical and soft skills to be developed in a supportive environment. To cope with these changes and demands, the problem-based learning approach, a promising approach that emphasises authentic problem solving, has been in use since 1999, in teaching the elementary circuit analysis courses in parallel to the traditional lecture-tutorial method at the Helsinki University of Technology. 1 Problem-based learning (PBL) draws on constructivist pedagogy, which assumes that learning is the product of both cognitive and social interaction. The PBL tutorial, as the learning environment is called, consists of a group of no more than eight students, a problem to be solved and a tutor/facilitator. The classic PBL version used in medical education utilises rich authentic medical problems, and encourages free inquiry. This freedom stimulates student-directed learning and learning motivation. [2][3][4] In the Electrical Engineering Department we have adopted a similar version of PBL for electronic circuit lessons where students tackle complex real problems in teams of eight with the guidance of a tutor. Students
Robot manipulators have gained popularity in the past few decades with successful implementation for intelligent manufacturing in many industrial areas. This is why many colleges are now offering robotics courses. Understanding of a manipulation in robotics is difficult for engineering students because there is no direct and obvious link between what the end-effector needs to do in physical space and what the actuator does to move it robots are usually equipped with internal position sensors in order to measure the relative position of two neighboring links. So, teaching students a robotic manipulator in a laboratory, or training technical staff, is time consuming and may be an expensive task. This article presents an educational tool for robotic with flexible structure and graphical interface by using a new and useful algebra, quaternion algebra. System parameters can be changed easily under different operating conditions. Then, students may perform experiments to verify learned theory and to interpret and discuss the results without a detailed programming knowledge. Six degree of freedom (6-DOF) robot manipulators of general architecture can be solved easily with the help of this educational software with reducing general robot laboratory costs.
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