Complementary virtual and hardware labs for teaching control systems to undergraduate mechanical engineers as a textbook alternative.

Brendan Smith

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Mechanical Engineering: Demos and Interactives
Page Count: 11
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41513
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/41513
Download Count: 288

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Brendan Smith Loyola Marymount University

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I'm a 5th year assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. I primarily teach control systems and mechanics of materials and conduct research in using robotics and driving simulation for neurological rehabilitation (and yes that is my COVID co-instructor on my shoulder).

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Abstract

This paper addresses the question of whether simulation-based control systems labs may serve as effective scaffolding for subsequent hardware-based labs, in a manner that better allows students to engage the myriad abstractions of control system dynamics and implementation, i.e., by engaging these abstractions one at a time. I have developed a sequence of Simulink-based “virtual lab” assignments and an Arduino-based DC motor control lab for teaching control systems to undergraduate mechanical engineers, which are being shared through the MIT License.

The results of a survey about students’ experience of the DC motor lab suggest that the scaffolding from the virtual labs supported their learning during this hardware lab. Students reported believing that it did, and also reported strong perceived learning in all topics covered by the lab, implying that their learning was not impeded by the various levels of abstraction posed by the lab. Regression analysis, while inconclusive, suggests that students who began the hardware lab with a greater understanding of the material (i.e., from the virtual labs), believed that they learned more through it. Most students reported that they enjoyed the Arduino implementation and understood what was causing the motor’s behavior, while also reporting that they experienced frustration during the lab. This combination of enjoyment, understanding, and frustration suggests that this approach achieved an appropriate difficulty level that both challenged students and empowered their learning.

Given the already intensive workload of a lecture-based control systems course with outside-of-class laboratory and project work, I have stopped recommending that students purchase a textbook for this course. Instead of relying on a textbook to provide a secondary perspective on the material, the written instructions for the labs guide students through an experiential learning environment where they can practice applying methods from the course lectures. Survey results indicate that few students would have preferred to have a course textbook, while the vast majority were glad that there was no additional expectation to read from a textbook. This result suggests that control systems, a subject those poses unique challenges for bridging theory and practice, benefits from guided, experiential learning opportunities that place theory alongside application, and that ease students through one layer of abstraction at a time.

Citation
Format

Smith, B. (2022, August), Complementary virtual and hardware labs for teaching control systems to undergraduate mechanical engineers as a textbook alternative. Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41513

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This paper addresses the question of whether simulation-based control systems labs may serve as effective scaffolding for subsequent hardware-based labs, in a manner that better allows students to engage the myriad abstractions of control system dynamics and implementation, i.e., by engaging these abstractions one at a time. I have developed a sequence of Simulink-based “virtual lab” assignments and an Arduino-based DC motor control lab for teaching control systems to undergraduate mechanical engineers, which are being shared through the MIT License.

The results of a survey about students’ experience of the DC motor lab suggest that the scaffolding from the virtual labs supported their learning during this hardware lab. Students reported believing that it did, and also reported strong perceived learning in all topics covered by the lab, implying that their learning was not impeded by the various levels of abstraction posed by the lab. Regression analysis, while inconclusive, suggests that students who began the hardware lab with a greater understanding of the material (i.e., from the virtual labs), believed that they learned more through it. Most students reported that they enjoyed the Arduino implementation and understood what was causing the motor’s behavior, while also reporting that they experienced frustration during the lab. This combination of enjoyment, understanding, and frustration suggests that this approach achieved an appropriate difficulty level that both challenged students and empowered their learning.

Given the already intensive workload of a lecture-based control systems course with outside-of-class laboratory and project work, I have stopped recommending that students purchase a textbook for this course. Instead of relying on a textbook to provide a secondary perspective on the material, the written instructions for the labs guide students through an experiential learning environment where they can practice applying methods from the course lectures. Survey results indicate that few students would have preferred to have a course textbook, while the vast majority were glad that there was no additional expectation to read from a textbook. This result suggests that control systems, a subject those poses unique challenges for bridging theory and practice, benefits from guided, experiential learning opportunities that place theory alongside application, and that ease students through one layer of abstraction at a time.
AU  - Brendan Smith
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Complementary virtual and hardware labs for teaching control systems to undergraduate mechanical engineers as a textbook alternative.
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/41513
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--41513
ER  -