Course Model Based Distance Higher Education of Engineering Modeling
IMRE J. RUDAS and LÁSZLÓ HORVÁTH
John von Neumann Faculty of Informatics
Budapest Tech Polytechnical Institution
Népszínház u. 8., Budapest H-1081
HUNGARY
Abstract: -The paper introduces a new approach and method for course modeling in education for engineering
modeling. Model based activities of engineers are supported by CAD/CAM systems. These systems have open
architecture that allows development of extensions for distance application purpose. In the new style of their work,
engineers use Internet by CAD/CAM portals. Utilizing this possibility, virtual laboratory can be established and
integrated with an Internet based course management system. The authors propose an integral feature based modeling
of courses in higher education of modeling in CAD/CAM systems. Paper starts with an outline of the scenario and
related methods in the CAD/CAM practice. Following this, application of earlier results by the authors is discussed.
Next, the proposed approach and method is explained and detailed. Finally, implementation issues are discussed and
capabilities of the proposed teaching are emphasized.
Key-Words: - Virtual classroom, Course model, Distance education of engineering modeling, Extension of CAD/CAM
systems using open surface, Education on Internet.
1 Introduction
Both distance learning and Internet technology belong to
key techniques of advanced higher education. Advanced
distance learning or using its popular name Virtual
University had a great career during the last decade. On
the other side, development of CAD/CAM systems was
extended to tutorials and other teaching materials, as
well as learning and working in globalized and Internet
based systems. While engineering design, analysis, and
manufacturing planning use advanced integrated
modeling and sophisticated models, distance education
courses are mostly ad-hoc and not well organized.
Therefore, the authors focused to modeling in distance
education. They made efforts for modeling of distance
education courses by using of methods similar as applied
in engineering processes, products, analysis, and
production. This gives a chance for integrated industrial
modeling/higher education learning environments. The
resulted approach and method can be implemented for
solving education problems both in industrial companies
and in higher education institutions.
The extending field of virtual universities (VU) [1]
motivated the authors to adapt VU principles at teaching
of engineering purposed virtual technologies. The
authors propose in this paper a model representation that
describes virtual classroom and allows for integration
with engineering modeling. Internet technologies and
proven methods of computer based training are key
elements of the reported research [2]. Internet portal for
advanced distance learning offers services similar as of
campus based university but its purpose is not simply a
solution to replace it [3]. Existing virtual universities
have been established for various purposes and programs
in higher education. Virtual university related research
and teaching program development projects are around
topics of cyberspace based campus and learning
community as well as virtual classroom [4], [5]. The
authors would like to contribute to methodological
basics of virtual universities by a model-based approach.
Different aspects of a comprehensive virtual university
concept and methodology by the authors are included in
[6] and [7] as earlier results utilized by the reported
research.
The proposed approach and method can be featured
as virtual in virtual, referring an integration of virtual
engineering and virtual classroom techniques by a virtual
communication system called as Internet. The authors
were encouraged to do the reported research by the
availability of advanced software tools in each cited
area.
High number of excellent, powerful, efficient and
well-proven modeling techniques can be applied together
with proven methods from the area of intelligent
computing. Simple production rules and checks can be
applied for the purpose of control of teaching and
learning procedures. The method proposed by the
authors opens the door for knowledge and machine
intelligence related developments in the future.
Because in the new style of their work, engineers are
working on Internet using CAD/CAM portals, it is
relative easy to integrate the virtual laboratory with an
Internet based course management system. The authors
propose an integral, feature based modeling of courses in
higher education of modeling in CAD/CAM systems.
Paper starts with an outline of the scenario and related
methods in the CAD/CAM practice. Following this,
application of earlier results by the authors is discussed.
Next, the proposed approach and method is explained
and detailed. Finally, implementation issues are
discussed and capabilities of the proposed teaching are
emphasized.
Conventional distance education
Teachers
Teaching functions
Teaching programs
2 Internet based teaching of engineering
modeling
Groups of engineers use Internet in their work on
product and production development and managing tasks
both for local and distance communication. Although
alternative communication solutions are available, the
widely accessible, inexpensive and powerful Internet
gained wide application in communication of engineers.
Prevailing method of engineering is modeling (Fig. 1).
Well-proven sets of modeling procedures and model
descriptions are integrated in CAD/CAM systems. Also
integration of Internet with application related operations
and deep search in database has been established.
Engineers are able to join to these systems at any
Internet access point. Functionality of CAD/CAM
systems can be extended by using of their open surface.
Recently, Internet and modeling functions are
coordinated and enhanced by dedicated CAD/CAM
portal software products. The authors consider virtual
classroom functionality as a coordinated extension of
Internet and the CAD/CAM environment. Extensive
application of existing software allows for a manageable
amount of implementation work.
Teaching materials
Teacher contact
Consultations
at campus
Manual
administration
Teaching materials
package (books,
media)
Students
Conventional virtual classroom
Teachers
Teaching functions
Programmed
functions
Teaching programs
Teaching materials
On-line electronic
administration
Teacher contact
On-line hours
Chat
E-mail
Download
electronic, interactive
teaching materials
Internet
Students
The proposed virtual classroom
Teachers
Virtual classroom extension
Course
Engineering portal
Remote model
data base
Course model
creation, handling
Teaching functions
Teaching programs
Open system tools
Modeling
procedures
Engineering modeling system
Deep
search
Special
browser
Configured course
models
Teaching materials
Model
data base
Application
servers
User station
Fig.1 Internet environment for model based engineering
activities
Integrated resources
Off-line configured hours
On-line hours
Chat, E-mail
Teacher contact
Electronic, interactive
teaching materials
On-line electronic
administration
management
Internet
Linked outside resources
Students
3 Problem of configurable distance
courses
Distance education has a greater chance for establishing
student group or individual student demanded teaching
programs than campus based teaching.
Fig.2 Comparison of the past, the present and the proposed
approaches
Modeling techniques have the potential of multiple
teaching program variants. This requires well-organized
information for teaching resources as well as processing
resource information, student demand, and constraints
into personalized but purposeful teaching profiles. Fig. 2
gives a comparison of the conventional distance
education, the conventional virtual classroom and the
proposed model based virtual classroom as an
introduction to the approach by the authors. Key
activities are teaching program, teaching function,
teacher contact, and teaching material related. The main
issue still is an efficient communication between teacher
and student.
Conventional distance learning use campus arranged
consultations, written and mediated teaching material
packages. Conventional virtual classrooms rely upon less
or more organized Internet portal functionality. Teaching
functions can be programmed and e- mail contact, live
chats, on-line lectures, and other hours are available.
Teaching materials can be downloaded or browsed and
interactive materials enhance the quality of teaching.
This system works appropriately. However, elaboration
of site processes is time and human work consuming. It
has not flexibility enough for handling of high number of
variants and changes for both changed student demand
and knowledge. The proposed virtual classroom
integrates generic teaching functions, programs and
materials as resources. Using these resources, arbitrary
courses can be defined and described in advanced
models. Flexible configuration of on-line and off-line
teacher contact is intended as a great value of this
approach. Teaching materials can be similar to ones as
applied in conventional virtual classrooms. However,
modeling gives a good opportunity to change to virtually
composed materials. All functions are under the control
of course management. Models handle linked outside
sources and deep searches are also can be integrated.
C o u rse
manager
C re a tio n
manager
V ir ttu a l c la s s r o o m
R e s o u rc e d a ta
L e a rn in g
manager
M a n a g e r s fo r
fu n c tio n a l a r e a s
M o d e lin g a n d o th e r p ro c e d u re s
M o d e l d a ta
R e g is ta r
manager
C o m m u n ic a tio n
manager
C o n ta c t
manager
T e a c h in g
m a te ria ls
manager
D a ta
s e c u rity
manager
Fig. 3 Course management
C re a tio n
o f c o n te n t
C u sto m c o n fig u ra tio n
fo r stu d e n t p ro file
V a ria n t d e fin itio n
M u ltip lic a tin g
G e n e ric
G e n e ric c o u rse
D o m a in
G e n e ric m o d u le
P ra c tic e
G e n e ric a p p lic a tio n
fe a tu re
R e so u r c e s
C o u r se m o d e l
G e n e r ic e n tity d e fin itio n
Fig. 4 Custom configured modeling of course
Course management is detailed in Fig. 3. Resource
data, model data, and modeling and other procedures are
managed by managers organized for main functional
areas in the virtual classroom. Course manager handles
structure and elements of teaching programs. Registrar
manager works with administration, credits of student
work, and fees. Communication manager organizes
multilateral communication of teachers and students.
Learning manager has a special task of interactive
optimizing of directed and individual learning. Teaching
material manager downloads materials, offers on line
services, sends materials by E-mail automatically, and
gives links to outside sources of materials. Data security
and privacy issues are coordinated by the data security
manager.
Courses are selected as predefined ones or sets of
course elements (Fig. 4). A generic course or course
element involves a set of similar entities. Its instances
are arranged in course model. Constraints may be
defined in the classroom model by any participant of the
higher education system as previously decided
relationships, fixed entities, links, and attribute values.
Teachers define basic requirements and content.
Legislation and government act through higher education
related laws, etc. Accreditation related constraints are
necessary for degrees. Internal measures within an
institute control teaching activities in virtual classrooms.
Prospective or actual employers of students may also
define constraints. Considering constraints and student
demands, custom configurations are generated for
student profile. Instances are arranged in variants, then a
multiplication function groups similar student profiles.
4
Integral feature based course
model
Classroom model, course instance model and outside
world model are integrated by using of relationships and
communicate teachers, students and outside sites through
the Internet (Fig. 5). Virtual classroom is active in an
environment where students, teachers and related
humans and objects from the outside world are
integrated.
The starting point for virtual classroom is an existing
curriculum. Virtual classroom consists of curriculum,
teaching procedures, teachers, students, and virtual
laboratories (Fig. 6). Curriculum is an organized learning
experience. It describes content of a degree program,
provides conceptual structure and time frame to get that
degree. Nevertheless, individual elements of a teaching
program can be attended without need for any degree.
The curriculum in the proposed virtual classroom
concept consists of courses. Course is an organized
learning experience in an area of the education. A
curriculum is composed using courses. Alternatively, a
course is defined according to predefined curriculum.
Curriculum involves a choice of modules, blocks, and
topics. A course is a sequence, or a network of modules.
Module involves blocks and is included in courses or
applied individually upon student requests. A block
involves topics. Core studies contain basic and essential
knowledge. They are modules or blocks.
C la s s ro o m
re s o u rc e s
T e a c h e rs
C o u rs e
R e la tio n s h ip s
m o d e ls
In te rn e t
S tu d e n ts
co m m u n i c a t i oLn i n k e d
re s o u rc e s
O u ts id e w o rld
c o n n e c tio n s
P a rtn e rs
Fig. 5 Main structure of course model
Curriculum
Courses
Modules
Core studies
Fees
Blocks
Topics
Virtual laboratories
Objects
Arrangements
Results
Teaching procedures
Lectures
Seminars
Assessments
Teachers
Topics
Modules
Materials
Students
Courses
Credits
Fees
Fig. 6 Classroom resources
Teaching procedures are lectures, seminars,
consultations, assignments, and assessments. Other
implementation based teaching procedures can be
defined in classrooms. Credit information involves
degrees and certificates as defined by requirements as
well as financial condition information. Students are
featured by course, credit, and fee related information.
Virtual laboratories involve objects as software modules,
arrangements of the objects and results of student work
as assignments and degree works.
Course instance is created for a student request. At the
same time, a student may have multiple course instances.
Course instance can be a complex structure or even a
single topic. Topic, as basic unit of the course, consists
of concept, method, implementation, equipment, and
opinion entities associated with teaching material and
publication entities.
Predefined classroom features are used for
modification of modules to create module instance for
custom teaching programs. Fig. 7 summarizes a possible
set of classroom features. Structural, contact, assessment,
content and handout groups of features have been
defined by the authors. Structural feature modifies
structure of a module by introducing a new block or
topic. Contact features place course elements on the
module to establish contact activities between students
and teachers. Consulting and discussion are inherently
interactive while lectures, laboratories and seminars can
be also interactive. Content feature contributes to
teaching content of the module by purposeful
explanations, description of principles and methods,
representative examples, putting questions with or
without answers and relating things by relationships.
Assessment features complete module by description of
requirements, composition of assessment, assignment,
marking schemas, and examinations. Handout features
include materials, instructions, literatures, and links to
outside materials.
Modeling applies Internet methods together with
feature based virtual methods (Fig. 8). Internet
environment provides connections, browsing, surface
and deep search engines, services, and special services
for application software operation. Features are defined,
attributed, related, and applied for modification of course
models. Basic mechanism of modification is illustrated
in Fig. 8. A base course feature (BCF) is modified by a
series of course features (CF). For this purpose, a
reference interface (RI) is provided by the BCF.
Reference connections (RC) connect CFs to the course
model. RC also can be defined for modification of a
previously connected CF.
Fig. 9 illustrates feature based course model by a
simplified example. Base course feature (BCF) Visual
reality is modified by block, topic and handout features.
Block Visualizing surfaces is modified by topic Shader
model. An examination question feature is defined for
the topic. Examination question is modified by a
marking feature. This topic is also modified as a
structure feature by lecture feature Textures in
visualization of surfaces. A lecture is constructed by
purposeful definition of an actual set of lecture
modification features considering existing knowledge
level and optimal learning method of students. Content
of the lecture is configured using four modifications by
relationship, explanation, principle, and method content
features.
As it was mentioned above, course model is created
taking constraints into account. Constraints represent
various intents. Sources of these intents are often are
placed in a hierarchy as in case of Fig. 10. In most of the
cases of practice, multiple sources are in the same level
of hierarchy, requiring discussion during planning of
courses. Constraints are defined for prerequisites,
features as well as relationships and attributes of
features. After a control of priorities, constraints are
placed in the course model.
Internet methods
Administration
Application services
Definition of features
Service providing
Attributing of features
Search by engines
Managing relationships
Deep search
Course modification features
Structural features
Block
Topic
Interfacing of modifications
of course model
BCF
Principles
Base course feature (BCF)
RI
Content features
Explanation
Principle
Method
Example
Question
Relationship
Contact features
Feature based virtual methods
Browsing pages
Methods
Reference interface (RI)
Relationships
RC
Examples
CF 1
1
RC
i
RC n
CF i
CF n
Questions
RC i1
Materials
CF
Reference connections (RC)
Course features (CF)
i1
Instructors
Fig. 8 Methods in feature based course modeling
Lecture
Laboratory
BCF: Visual reality
RI
Seminar
Consulting
RC
Discussion
Block: Visualizing surfaces
Assessment features
RC
Requirements
CF: Explained animation
(digital video)
RC
Assessment
Assignment
Marking
Topic: Shader model
RC
CF: Examination question:
What is texture mapping?
RC
Examination
Handout features
Material
Instruction
RC
CF: Lecture: Textures in
visualization of surfaces
Contact feature
Marking: 3
RC
Literature
Link
Fig. 7 Course model composed by features
Relationship: Prerequisity
Topic: B-spline surfaces
Block: Basic geometry:
Explanation: Characteristics
5 Implementation issues
Two main areas of implementation of the proposed
approach and method are teaching and software product
environments. The John von Neumann Faculty of
Informatics of Budapest Polytechnic starts with a new
BSc program in informatics within the Bologna
agreement in this year. As part of this program, the
course Virtual information technology has been prepared
for systematic teaching of advanced concurrent
engineering applications of advanced computer
modeling. Based on earlier results of research in virtual
university, the authors intend to apply the proposed
approach and method as an extension to the campus BSc
program.
Principle: Positioning by parameters
Method: Description of textures
Fig. 9 Example for feature based course model
Campus based and virtual areas of teaching are
considered as substructures of an integrated and flexible
teaching program. Teaching processes and their
relationships must be undergone to further analysis in
order to establish a model-based structure and
integration of teaching with engineering modeling.
Implementation of proposed virtual classroom system
is considered as an extension to existing modeling and
Internet portal software products (Fig. 11). The main
advantages of this solution are affordable system
development, work of students in an environment similar
to as in the industry, and good chance for active
contribution by industrial companies. Industrial
engineering modeling system consists of a set of
modeling procedures, a model database, a user interface,
tutorials, Internet based group work procedures, and
application programming interface (API). API serves
development of extension to the system by new
programs written in own development environment of a
modeling system or by using of one of the development
tool sets. Other program products for the engineering
purposed virtual classroom environment are configurable
virtual university software and Internet portal software
tools. New elements to be developed to this system are
virtual classroom extension to the industrial modeling
system and virtual classroom modeling extension
(VCME). VCME utilizes functions of modeling, virtual
university and Internet software. As an alternative, it can
be developed into an independent virtual classroom
system working under the control of a portal.
Sour c e of inte nt
H ighe r le ve l
G ove rnme nt
Le gisla tion
D e fine c onstra ints
Pre re quisitie s
Fe a ture s
R e la tionsh ips
A ttribute s
A c c re dita tion
H ie ra rc hy
In stitu te
Te a c he r
C ontrol p riority on th e
ba sis of sourc e h ie ra rc hy
Employe r
Low e r le ve l
Stud e nt
Pla c e c onstra ints in
c ourse mode l
Fig. 10 Hierarchy driven HCI
6 Conclusions
Internet portals are applied in education for online
collaboration both in group work of engineers, and
distance education. The authors propose a modeling in
this paper that describes virtual classroom in an
integration with virtual engineering modeling.
Teaching processes and contents are customizable and
configurable according to demands from students and
course instance specifications. Lectures and tutorials are
structured for different level of teaching and student
knowledge. Student profile can be configured according
to an initial test or remote discussion. It can be changed
to a lower level if this is advised by teacher or demanded
by student. Called as virtual laboratory, students prepare
on-line assignments by using of modeling programs. The
authors discuss basic approach and methodology of the
proposed course modeling and structure of course model.
The reported work is based on earlier works by the
authors in university functionality based virtual
classroom modeling. Features and their attributes are
defined for a classroom and constrained to describe
relationships and prerequisites.
Industrial engineering
modeling system
Modeling
procedures
Internet
Internet portal tools
Model
data base
User
interface
Configurable
virtual university
software
Tutorials
Interned based
group work
procedures
API
Virtual classroom
modeling extension
Virtual classroom
modeling extension to
industrial engineering
modeling system
Fig. 11 Implementation in Internet communicated modeling
environment
7 Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the grant provided
by the OTKA Fund for Research of the Hungarian
Government. Project number is T 037304.
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