Study-related Use of Instructional Videos by Undergraduate Engineering Students

[EN] In this paper, a questionnaire-based survey on the use of online videos by undergraduate engineering students for study-related purposes is presented. Over the last few years, a large number of instructional videos has been uploaded to websites such as YouTube. Due to the widespread distribution of high-speed internet connections and (mobile) devices, such as smartphones or laptops, which are nowadays routinely used by students, online videos are also frequently used in higher education. While much research on this subject focuses on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) or flipped classroom approaches, this survey examines use of videos for self-study, complementary to traditional face-to-face courses. Furthermore, we analyze the acceptance of a characteristic video production style, which uses specific 3D animations to clarify complex connections between technical and mathematical aspects. The results indicate extensive use of short videos which address subjects that are particularly difficult for the students. This survey can help educators to develop an impression of current video use by undergraduate engineering students. In this paper, a questionnaire-based survey on the use of online videos by undergraduate engineering students for study-related purposes is presented. Especially over the last few years, a large number of instructional videos has been uploaded to websites such as YouTube. Due to the widespread distribution of high-speed internet connections and (mobile) devices, such as smartphones or laptops, which are nowadays routinely used by students, online videos are also frequently used in higher education. While much research on this subject focuses on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) or flipped classroom approaches, this survey examines usage behavior concerning the apparently much more common use of videos for self-study, complementary to traditional face-to-face courses. Furthermore, we analyze the acceptance of a characteristic video production style using specific 3D animations to clarify complex connections between technical and mathematical aspects. The results indicate that short videos addressing subjects that are particularly difficult for the students are extensively used. Additionally, this survey can help educators to develop a realistic understanding of current video use by undergraduate engineering students.http://ocs.editorial.upv.es/index.php/HEAD/HEAD18Hennig, M.; Mertsching, B. (2018). Study-related Use of Instructional Videos by Undergraduate Engineering Students. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1377-1385. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD18.2018.8207OCS1377138

Innovative 3D Animations for Teaching Electromagnetic Field Theory and its Mathematics in Undergraduate Engineering

[EN] In this work, an innovative approach for the design and structuring of teaching videos systematically using 3D animations is presented. The approach focuses on the quantitative description of electromagnetic fields and the mathematical methods and competencies required for this purpose, exemplarily with regard to an undergraduate electrical engineering course during the initial phase of corresponding degree programs. An essential part of this course is the spatial and time-dependent description of electromagnetic fields. For this purpose, students have to work with multiple integrals in 3D space and in different coordinate systems. Such subjects are typically covered only later in mathematics courses and without a technical context, therefore leading to major difficulties for many students. The videos presented in this work are intended to support students and lecturers to work with these subjects in an instructive fashion. The 3D animations allow for effectively clarifying complex connections between technical and mathematical aspects. The videos and their specific design are discussed with regard to didactic and technical considerations. Additionally, their integration with existing interventions for the course is described.Hennig, M.; Mertsching, B. (2017). Innovative 3D Animations for Teaching Electromagnetic Field Theory and its Mathematics in Undergraduate Engineering. En Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 625-632. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD17.2017.532762563

Pop-out and IOR in Static Scenes with Region Based Visual Attention

This paper proposes a novel approach to construct the saliency map by combining region-based maps of distinct features. The multiplication style feature fusion process in the natural visual attention is modelled as weighted average of the features under influence of the external top-down and the internal bottom-up inhibitions. The recently discovered aspect of feature-based inhibition is also included in the procedure of IOR along with the commonly implemented spatial and feature-map based inhibitions. Results obtained from the proposed method are compatible with the well known attention models but with the advantages of faster computation, direct usability of focus of attention in machine vision, and broader coverage of visually prominent objects

Pop-out and IOR in Static Scenes with Region Based Visual Attention

This paper proposes a novel approach to construct the saliency map by combining region-based maps of distinct features. The multiplication style feature fusion process in the natural visual attention is modelled as weighted average of the features under influence of the external top-down and the internal bottom-up inhibitions. The recently discovered aspect of feature-based inhibition is also included in the procedure of IOR along with the commonly implemented spatial and feature-map based inhibitions. Results obtained from the proposed method are compatible with the well known attention models but with the advantages of faster computation, direct usability of focus of attention in machine vision, and broader coverage of visually prominent objects

Evaluation of attentional control in active systems using a 3D simulation framework

In active vision systems, attentional control is used to determine the relevant parts of a scene and to direct perception towards these parts. To test and evaluate active vision systems, we have implemented a 3D simulation framework capable of simulating a broad scope of environments from simple block worlds to complex photorealistic scenes. The simulator allows full control of all aspects of the simulation, acting and moving inside virtual environments. In this paper, we demonstrate its use for evaluating our attentional control system. The attention model is based on a novel two-stage selection mechanism and especially focuses on the dynamic and three-dimensional aspects of its environment