Development of a Smart Grid Course in an Electrical Engineering Technology Program

Electric power systems courses have been traditionally offered by electrical engineering technology programs for a long time, with the main objective to introduce students to the fundamental concepts in the field of electric power systems and electrical to mechanical energy conversion. A typical electric power systems course covers a variety of topics, such as general aspects of electric power system design, electric generators, components of transmission and distribution systems, power flow analysis, system operation, and performance measures. In the last decades, electric power systems have significantly modernized alongside with requirement of improvement in system efficiency, reliability, cybersecurity, and environmental sustainability. The current modernized grid is called “Smart Grid,” which integrates advanced sensing technologies, control methods using machine learning approaches, and integrated communications into current electric power systems. Consequently, offered electric power systems courses are required to update in electrical engineering technology as well, to meet the industry needs of a workforce prepared to integrate smart grid technologies, such as advanced sensing, control, monitoring, communication, renewable energy, storage, computing, cybersecurity, etc. However, such updates of the course content are not always easy to implement due to the complexity of smart grid technologies and the limited number of instructors having knowledge of those technologies. In addition, smart grid courses should include a hands-on component aligned with the theoretical upgrades introduced in the course in the form of term projects. Such projects can be on a variety of topics, such as smart home/building, smart meter, smart distribution system, microgrid, communication infrastructure, Distributed energy resources (DERs) (e.g., rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV), wind), electric vehicle (EV), customer engagement, energy generation forecasting, load forecasting, and others. This paper will discuss the details of introducing a new course on smart grids in an electrical engineering technology program, including detailed examples of project selection

Integration of OMNeT++ into a Networking Course in an Electrical Engineering Technology Program

Networking courses are an integral part of electrical engineering technology programs as the majority of electronics in the modern day are required to communicate with each other. They are also getting more attention in manufacturing engineering technology programs because of the development of emerging technologies in Industry 4.0 arena. From laptops, computers, cellphones, modern day vehicles and smart refrigerators, these devices require a certain level of networking in order to communicate with other devices, whether it be locally, or even across the other side of the world. The objective of networking courses in an electrical engineering program is to demonstrate concepts such as local-area networks (LANs), wide-area networks (WANs), network topologies, data transmission, wireless communication protocols, supporting industry-related devices such as radio frequency supported devices and wireless sensors. Within the fields of electrical engineering technology and manufacturing engineering technology, these topics became essential for emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), computing systems, and cyber-physical systems. Therefore, these concepts have to be integrated in modern curricula, including nontraditional electrical-related courses. Most of the time, course material in networking classes is dispersed through lectures and textbooks since the concepts may be difficult to demonstrate and implement with hands-on activities in the classroom. However, simulation tools may prove beneficial in learning about topics in networking. One of these tools is OMNeT++, a powerful and flexible simulation environment with the ability to display a variety of communication networks. This paper discusses the significance of networking classes and modules within electrical and manufacturing engineering technology programs, the advantages of integrating the OMNeT++ simulator within networking courses, as well as sample cases of communication network simulations

Development of a Data Science Curriculum for an Engineering Technology Program

Data science has gained the attention of various industries, educators, parents, and students thinking about their future careers. Statistics departments have traditionally offered data science courses for a long time. The main objective of these courses is to examine the fundamental concepts and theories. However, teaching data science courses has also expanded to other disciplines due to the vast amount of data being collected by numerous modern applications. Also, someone needs to learn how to collect and process data, especially from industrial devices, because of the recent development of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Hence, integrating data science into the curricula of different engineering branches becomes a matter of relating the statistics background to the specific discipline. There are several reasons for this transition. Firstly, as the increased computational power and massive availability of the data make the use of statistical theories possible in more engineering applications, there is a growing need for engineering students to build knowledge in data science concepts. Secondly, the wide availability of libraries and models allows for the implementation of diverse solutions to engineering problems. This paper will discuss introducing a new data science curriculum in an Engineering Technology (ET) program with a focus on Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) program

Sensing and Measuring the Environment Workshop as Exposure to Engineering Technology for High School Students in a Summer Residential Camp

Summer programs are the latest trend in extracurricular STEM education programs offered by universities. Efforts are made towards residential summer programs, which have the ability to expose students not only to specially designed STEM activities but to the university campus environment and student life, as well. These types of programs are expected to have better success in getting students engaged and to capture their interest in STEM fields. This paper presents one example of designing and implementing a summer residential workshop in order to expose high school students to the field of engineering technology, specifically to electrical circuits, electrical prototyping, microprocessor based design, sensing and measuring the environment, and the Internet of Things. The camp includes other workshops that are focusing on other areas of STEM, specifically science and mathematics. The paper presents the workshop setting, the activities organized, and the feedback received from students

A Look into Increasing the Number of Veterans and Former Government Employees Converting to Career and Technical Cybersecurity Teachers

The current state of technology with recent explosions in the digital processing of paperwork, computer networking use, and online and virtual approaches to areas, which until very recently had traditional and non-computerized ways of operating, led to a steady increase in the demand for jobs in the area of computer science and cybersecurity. The education system, the pipeline for the incoming workforce, needs to keep up with this tremendous pace in technology and the job market. The current K-12 school system has been extensively challenged to fill out necessary positions in order to address the increasing need for programs that respond to industry and government entity gaps in employment. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a large segment of the economy to swiftly move to virtual working and virtual learning. This further increased the already large demand for cybersecurity jobs and accelerated the pace at which the development of necessary education pathways is required. The education system, on all different levels, needs to adjust to this pace in order to enable a large number of future graduates to fill these new jobs. There is currently a large gap in the number of K-12 level teachers available in the area of career and technical education. One possible solution to this problem may come from a specific segment of the workforce, veterans. This paper will provide an overview of different challenges that many veterans are facing after joining career switcher programs for future teachers

An Initial Look into the Computer Science and Cybersecurity Pathways Project for Career and Technical Education Curricula

Computer science and cybersecurity have gained the attention of various stakeholders, industry representatives, educators, parents and students who are thinking about their future careers. Teaching computer science courses has moved into K-12 education, no longer introduced in the college classroom. There are various reasons for this trend. One is that in this way more children have access to the curriculum that integrates computer science principles, not just those undergraduate students in specific STEM majors. Other industries need different levels of computer science and cybersecurity education. There are various programs across the nation that are focusing on introducing these topics as early as elementary school through various outreach programs or even in the regular curriculum. In 2014, Governor Terry McAuliffe (Commonwealth of Virginia) established the “Cyber Virginia and the Virginia Cyber Security Commission” with recommendations that a cybersecurity workforce pipeline should start in K-12 education and that various pathways should be developed and implemented across the Commonwealth. This paper will provide an initial look into a project funded by the Department of Education that is focused on the Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways in Computer Science and Cybersecurity. It is the first year of implementation

Mentoring Prospective Engineering Students Through the After School Program Girls in Engineering Focused on Building an Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle

A number of studies by engineering education researchers have pointed out that all-female teams, rather than mixed teams, result in better forms of participation and interaction in engineering related after-school programs and clubs. In particular, for after-school programs or clubs that form in response to a STEM competition, all-female teams have better chances of developing. One such competition, which will be discussed in this paper, is a regional Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) competition in which students from Blind_Review High School have been participating for many years.For each year’s competition, an all-female team of students enrolled in the Career and Technical Education program at Blind_Review High School, City, State build an underwater autonomous robotic vehicle, for which the robot specifications and competition rules are formulated each year by the MATE regional competition. Any team participating in the competition must have a mentor, and the students must be enrolled in courses within the engineering studies program. This paper will discuss the collaboration developed between the high school and college students, how the mentorship program was delivered, and how the program successfully helped future engineering students to establish their engineering and future STEM identities

Optimal behavior of responsive residential demand considering hybrid phase change materials

Due to communication and technology developments, residential consumers are enabled to participate in Demand Response Programs (DRPs), control their consumption and decrease their cost by using Household Energy Management (HEM) systems. On the other hand, capability of energy storage systems to improve the energy efficiency causes that employing Phase Change Materials (PCM) as thermal storage systems to be widely addressed in the building applications. In this paper, an operational model of HEM system considering the incorporation of more than one type of PCM in plastering mortars (hybrid PCM) is proposed not only to minimize the customerâ s cost in different DRPs but also to guaranty the habitantsâ  satisfaction. Moreover, the proposed model ensures the technical and economic limits of batteries and electrical appliances. Different case studies indicate that implementation of hybrid PCM in the buildings can meaningfully affect the operational pattern of HEM systems in different DRPs. The results reveal that the customerâ s electricity cost can be reduced up to 48% by utilizing the proposed model.The work of M. Shafie-khah and J.P.S. Catalão was supported by FEDER funds through COMPETE and by Portuguese funds through FCT, under FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-020282 (Ref. PTDC/EEA-EEL/118519/2010) and UID/CEC/50021/2013, and also by the EU 7th Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under Grant agreement No. 309048 (project SiNGULAR)

Evaluation of the effectiveness of training with nebulizer type toy in three-six year old children receiving nebulizer therapy [Nebülizatör tedavisi alan üç-altı yaş grubu çocuklarda oyuncak tipi nebülizatör ile verilen eğitimin etkinliğinin değerlendirilmesi]

Objective: The application training given to the mothers of 3-6 year old group nebulizer by toys type nebulizer determines the maternal application skill behavior, level of anxiety and the effect of the child on anxiety. Material and Methods: The randomized controlled study was carried out in the children’s services of Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital in İstanbul between February 2017-January 2018. The sample of the study consisted of 60 children and their mothers aged 3-6 who took nebulizer treatment. In the collection of research data, descriptive information form, Children’s Emotional Manifestation Scale, State and Trait Anxiety Scale, steps to evaluate the patient’s ability to use devices, nebulizer training brochure, toy type nebulizer was used. Results: The mean anxiety scores of children in the experimental group were decreased during inhaler treatment, and the anxiety scores of children in the control group were increased during the operation. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the control and experiment group pre-training application and evaluation stages, the second and the third evaluation. There was no statistically significant difference between pre- and post-treatment anxiety scores of mothers in the working and control group. Conclusion: Educational training with toy type nebulizer was found to have positive effects on children’s anxiety during nebu-lization treatment, it was determined that there was an increase in the mothers’ post-training skills and no effect on their anxiety. Copyright © 2019 by Türkiye Klinikleri