Reusable assessment modules

This paper describes a Web-based Test, Examination and Assessment system that can be used via the Internet. It is therefore suitable for both local and remote examination preparation as well as examination within a lab course (entry test). This solution is also intended for the use in lectures dealing with the design of complex digital control systems within the newly created European Master Degree Program “Remote Engineering”. Actual Learning Management Systems (LMS) include mainly tools for authoring multiple choice or cloze questions and the like and use very simple assessment mechanisms. We also describe Web-based scenarios to assess higher levels of knowledge

A mixed-reality environment for digital control systems

Learning the design of control systems requires not only deep theoretical but also practical experience that can be get in laboratory work. Goal of the projects "JGIFT" and "FIPS" - created by members of the Institute of Theoretical and Technical Computer Science of the Technical University of Ilmenau - is to examine and implement new techniques for a development and training system based on Finite State Machines (FSM). In our contribution we would like to present means and methods required for providing this tool set web wide for a large user base and independent from the operating system

Learning management systems: coupled simulations and assessments in a digital systems course

Purpose – The content, provided in learning management systems (LMS), is often text oriented as in a usual textbook, extended by some animations and links. Hands on activities and experiments are not possible. The paper aims to give an overview about the concept to couple smart simulation and assessment tools with an LMS to provide a more explorative approach to the learning content. Design/methodology/approach – Interactive components, such as smart design tools and online laboratories are added to an LMS that allow exploring the learned content additionally to text parts interactively. The objective of this teaching concept is to empower the students to solve complex design tasks for digital systems and to validate the results. This requires on the one hand site knowledge about the mathematical background of the algorithms used by design tools, and on the other hand, experience from as much as possible examples. Commercial tools are too complex for teaching purposes and hide mostly the algorithms they use for the several design steps. That is why we have developed smart special tailored tools for each single design step that should be learned during a lesson. Findings – These smart tools are very useful to support the process of understanding and learning by doing. Learners can explore the several design steps with own examples and get immediately feedback about the correct solutions. Practical implications – The connection to an LMS allows us to record all students’ relevant actions in the design process and to evaluate the student or to give individual tailored hints. Originality/value – The paper introduces a new teaching concept that allows exploring the learned content interactively additionally to text parts

Rapid prototyping modules for remote engineering applications

This contribution describes a concept for an integration of microcontroller- and FPGA-based Rapid Prototyping modules into a Remote Lab system and its implementation. The implementation enables a Web-based access to control electro-mechanical models. The electromechanical models can be controlled by different platforms (microcontroller or FPGA-based) Students have the possibility to test a designed control algorithm directly within a hardware environment by uploading a source file to the Remote Lab server. That way the students can compare architectures of different control-platforms as well as different design approaches to control electro-mechanical models. The paper starts with an introduction into the design process and describes the tool set, which is provided to the students. After that the different platforms and their integration in the Web-server are introduced. Finally we would like to give examples of such complex design tasks and show, how the students can use different tools during several design steps

Integration of remote and virtual laboratories in the educational process

This paper describes a new holistic approach to integrate remote and virtual laboratories in the educational process. Aim of the integration is to test students’ knowledge not only on lower levels as usual multiple choice tests and the like are doing, but also on higher-order thinking skills. Based on these tests the students should get a detailed feedback about their strengths, weaknesses or mis-conceptions. Therefore Learning Analytics methods are applied to a database, storing learning activities of the students during their online work- phase in the educational process. The paper discusses the actual approach as well as the architecture of a prototype implementation

The remote experimentation as the practical-oriented basis of inclusive engineering education

The challenges and solutions for inclusive engineering education are discussed in this paper. We propose remote experimentation as the practical-oriented basis to train engineers with disabilities in the fields of Computer Science and Information Technologies. The structure and the functionality of international GOLDi network that unites partner universities from Germany, Australia, Ukraine, Armenia and Georgia is given. The possibilities of REIoT complex for studying the features of embedded systems design and Internet of Things technologies as well as an overview of ISRT laboratory for embedded software development and testing are given. The presented Remote Laboratories are successfully used to improve educational services quality and accessibility as well as to strengthen the practical component of the learning process

Integration of remote and virtual laboratories in the educational process

This paper describes a new holistic approach to integrate remote and virtual laboratories in the educational process. Aim of the integration is to test students’ knowledge not only on lower levels as usual multiple choice tests and the like are doing, but also on higher-order thinking skills. Based on these tests the students should get a detailed feedback about their strengths, weaknesses or mis-conceptions. Therefore Learning Analytics methods are applied to a database, storing learning activities of the students during their online work- phase in the educational process. The paper discusses the actual approach as well as the architecture of a prototype implementation

IT infrastructure for research and teaching combining an online lab, a UAV and audio-visual communication

From previous experiences with student work, we figured out that an interesting real studying object highly motivates students to understand the theory by hands-on experiments. Based on our former work, this paper introduces a new concept, which combines three of our research topics to one complex infrastructure. We start with our existing online lab "REAL" and describe how it can be used in order to provide an experiment environment, which is available independent of laboratory opening times. Based on this, we explain how a new experimental platform can be integrated, which is focused on the stabilization of a gimbal-mounted UAV. In this context, different control techniques from different engineering disciplines such as control theory, fuzzy control, neuronal networks and reinforcement learning can be applied. Furthermore, we describe how the video conferencing tool "Homer-Conferencing" can be used as audio-visual platform to coordinate experiments. This approach enables the teacher to give direct feedback to the students. In general, our approach is intended to provide a flexible infrastructure, which can also be used among different experiment locations

Expanding the remote experiment set with the 3Axis Portal physical model

The problem of insufficient variety of experiments with physical models in laboratory workshops for distance learning in the design of control systems is posed. It is caused by the limited operations with the physical model when using the interface at the level of electromechanics control. The way of solving the problem is substantiated: the transition from electromechanics control of physical models of devices to control systems for the processes of using these devices. The proposed way to increase the number of types of experiments is illustrated with examples of systems for using popular physical models of an elevator, storage warehouse and production cell. However, the main focus is on expanding the functionality of the physical model 3-Axis Portal. These possibilities are realized by equipping the portal head of the base model with new sensors and actuators, improving the loads with which the portal works and using new types of active surfaces in the working field of the portal. Based on the aggregation of the proposed nodes with the basic portal model, sixteen types of systems for setting up remote experiments are described. The structures of these systems, elements of implementation and variants of experiments are described, which relate to the design of digital control systems, visualization of sorting algorithms, technical diagnostics of electronic assemblies, pattern recognition and other relevant topics for teaching students of engineering specialties