Development and Implementation of
Teaching Aids to enhance the
Understanding of Control Systems
Dr Mahmoud Abdulwahed
Prof Zoltan K Nagy and
Dr Adam R Crawford
Loughborough University
Background
• Control systems is a multidisciplinary subject which is
taught in many engineering degrees
• The general aim was to enhance the learning experience
and offer tools for revision and reflection
• Resources consist of a virtual labs, computer simulations
and video tutorials
• The resources were piloted with 50 control systems
undergraduates at Loughborough University
• These educational resources are freely available for use
by other lecturers and students
Rationale
• Engineers tend to have experiential, visual and
kinesthetic learning styles
• Control systems depends on mathematics to a large
extent, making it less suitable to some engineers’
preferred learning style
• Computer simulations and interactive media may help in
making control systems more appealing and accessible
• Builds on previous research work (PhD thesis) at
Loughborough University between 2007 and 2010
Overview of project plan
• Aims and Objectives:
– Refine existing computer simulations and a virtual lab developed using
Matlab/Simulink and LabVIEW
– Develop video tutorials to support Simulink exercises
– Develop, using LabVIEW, new educational software to help learn about
control systems analysis
• Outcomes and Deliverables:
– Stand-alone Simulink exercises for control systems
– Stand-alone Process Control Virtual Laboratory (PCVL)
– Stand-alone Control Systems Analysis Toolkit (CSAT)
– All resources are available online with associated WebPages
– Case study
Simulink Tutorials
•
•
•
•
Seven tutorials (4-6 minutes each) with
interactive descriptions
Multiple choice questions for assessment
Ideal for preparation, revision and selfregulated learning
Can be used online or with a VLE
Analysis Toolkit
•
Stand-alone freely
available educational
software for control
systems analysis
•
Friendly user interface
through LabVIEW Virtual
Instrumentation
•
Useful for self-regulated
learning
•
Can be used as a
classroom demonstration
tool of theory to facilitate
conceptual understanding
Virtual Laboratory
•
Stand-alone freely available virtual laboratory
•
Standard undergraduate control systems
demonstration (Tank level control)
•
Comes with a hands-on laboratory manual
Dissemination
•
Simulink activity manual
and assignment
•
Virtual laboratory
(PCVL) manual
•
CSAT manual and
control systems analysis
exercises
•
Associated WebPages
on www.ilough-lab.com
Ongoing usage
• Simulink simulations and video tutorials continue to be used with
3rd year Chemical Engineering students
• The Process Control Virtual Lab has been used with 2nd year
Chem. Eng. students since 2008/2009
• The Control Systems Analysis Toolkit continues to be used from
the beginning of the next academic year
• All of the teaching and learning aids from the project are made
available nationally / internationally via web dissemination (e.g.
Open Jorum)
Evaluation
• Final course questionnaire, used to measure the students’
perceptions:
– Videos were helpful in preparation, revision, etc;
– Simulations helpful for conceptual understanding, motivating
towards theory, making math less abstract, etc.
– Students asked for more resources!
• Comprehensive evaluation of the impact of virtual labs
was conducted from 2007 to 2010 indicating significant
enhanced learning outcomes. For further details, see
(Abdulwahed and Nagy, 2008; 2009; & 2011)
Concluding remarks
• Computer simulations and interactive media are suitable for engineering
students learning styles
• Software to develop video tutorials e.g. Camtasia, were easy to use and
liked by students
• LabVIEW offers a platform with great potential for developing engineering
education software applications
• Free open education resources can have pedagogical impact and avoid
reinventing the wheel
• To download and use the resources: www.ilough-lab.com