introduction to problem based learning – the aau way
DESCRIPTION
Introduction to Problem based Learning – The AAU Way. A Course given by: Mona Dahms Department of development and planning Fibigerstraede 13, DK - 9220 Aalborg East Phone: + 45 96357205 , e-mail: [email protected] Lars Peter Jensen Department of Control Engineering - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
1
Introduction to Problem based Learning – The AAU Way
A Course given by:
Mona DahmsDepartment of development and planningFibigerstraede 13, DK - 9220 Aalborg East
Phone: + 45 96357205, e-mail: [email protected]
Lars Peter JensenDepartment of Control Engineering
Fredrik Bajers Vej 7C, DK - 9220 Aalborg EastPhone: + 45 96358740, e-mail: [email protected]
URL: http://www.control.aau.dk/~lpj
Both Associated Professors at Aalborg University
2
Introduction to Problem based Learning – The AAU Way
Program for day one (29th of august):
8.30 Introduction and presentation of participants10.00 The Aalborg model of PBL:
– Problems, Projects, Team work11.30 A little theory on learning11.45 Structure and conditions12.00 Lunch13.00 Role play about communication13.15 Intercultural Communication14.00 Mini project15.00 Presentation of projects16.00 End of day one
3
Introduction to Problem based Learning – The AAU Way
Program for day two (30th of august):
8.30 Role play of a supervising situation12.00 Lunch13.00 Supervision14.45 Courses15.15 Unanswered questions15.45 Until next time ?16.00 End of day two
The Aalborg model 4
The Aalborg model- one way of dealing with PBL
Key words:
• Problems
• Projects
• Team work
The Aalborg model 5
Team work
What ?
• A group of students working together on a project
• They have to both carry out the project and document the results
• Based on the documentation an oral group examination is held, but the marks are individual
The Aalborg model 6
Team work
Why ?• A survey in 1997 showed that 75% of the
companies wanted new employees to have good skills in team work
• Most engineers work in teams• The individual student in the group learns
from the others (peer learning)• Responsibility towards the group leads to
very hard work• Group members provide social support, thus
lower drop-out rate
The Aalborg model 7
AAU students on team work
• ”I think that it becomes easier when you learn technical matters in groups. Normally we use the blackboard to discuss things. … You gain more from the time you have to spend in the university in this kind of education when you work in teams. We are getting energy in this way.”
• ”Working in groups we get mental support from each other; it is also a responsibility so that we won’t drop out easily.” (Xiangyun Du 2005)
The Aalborg model 8
Team work
How ?
• Each group has a group room
• Group size of 6-8 students first year, 2-3 students last year
• Students are in charge of forming groups
• New groups formed every semester
• Team building courses:– Roles, communication, co-operation, conflicts
The Aalborg model 9
Projects
What ?
• A unique task
• Have a lot of complex activities
• Needs several people with different skills
• Have a final goal/objective
• Limited resources (time, money, people)
• Have to deliver a result at a given time:– As a minimum a written report
The Aalborg model 10
Projects
Why ?• More and more companies use project
organization• Much engineering work is performed as
projects• Motivates the students and increases
student activity• Secures deep learning in subjects
covered in the project• Improves documentation skills
The Aalborg model 11
Projects
How ?
• One project each semester
• Necessary theories and methods given in project courses
The Aalborg model 12
Semester structure
Project - min. 50%
Project courses (PE) - supporting the project work – min. 25 %
Study courses (SE) – general knowledge – max. 25%
Examination
Examination
50% - 33%
50% - 67%
1 semester = ½ year = 15 + 5 weeks = 900 hours = 30 ECTS
The Aalborg model 13
Semester timing – an example
Mm. 1 Free study activity Free study activity Free study activity
Mm. 2 SE-course 1 SE-course 2 Project work
Mm. 3
Mm. 4 PE-course 1
Mm. 5 PE-course 4
Mm. 6 PE-course 2 Project work
Mm. 7
Mm. 8 PE-course 3
Mm. 9 Project work
Mm. 10
10 m
inim
odul
es/w
eek
– 1
mm
= 4
hou
rs o
r ½
day
5 uger 5 uger 5 uger
The Aalborg model 14
Projects
How ?• One project each semester• Necessary theories and methods given in
project courses • Each group has (at least) one supervisor• Documentation:
– a written report, oral defence, (construction)
• Courses in: – project management and planning
The Aalborg model 15
The four phase model of a Project
Analysis
Design
Implementation
Test
Industriel Project
StudentProjecttoo broad
Student Projecttoo narrow
The idealStudent Project
The Aalborg model 16
What is analysis?
Get an overview of the problem • Asking Questions• See Perspectives
Divide into different aspects• Top Down• Bottum Up
Look critically at all aspects• Estimate• Measure• Compare
The Aalborg model 17
How to start analysing – presentation of two tools
• The six W- model
• Post It Brain storm1. Everybody writes keywords on Post It notes for 5 min
2. All notes are placed on the blackboard
3. All notes are read out
4. Everybody goes to the blackboard and structures the notes together
ProblemWhom?
Why? What?
Where?
When?How?
The Aalborg model 18
Problems
What ?
• Three different types of problem based projects at AAU:– The task project– The discipline project– The problem project
The Aalborg model 19
The task project
• Considerable planning and control by the supervisors
• The problem and the subject as well as the methods are chosen beforehand
• The educational objectives are easily controlled
• Being a supervisor is easy in that the supervisor knows exactly what is going to be explored in the project and can direct the students' choices in the planned direction.
The Aalborg model 20
The task project
Problem Discipline
The Aalborg model 21
The discipline project
• The disciplines and the methods are chosen in advance
• The students have to identify and define a problem within the described disciplines
• The educational objectives are mostly formulated for each discipline
• Being a supervisor in this process may be a bit uncertain, because the students are allowed to make some choices on their own. However, the scientific field is described well and hardly any surprises occur
The Aalborg model 22
The discipline project
DisciplineProblem
The Aalborg model 23
The problem project
• Based on problems as the starting point• The problem will determine the choice of
disciplines, theories and methods• The educational objectives emphasises ability
to analyse and methodological skills • The problem has to be chosen within a
broader social and technical frame• Being a supervisor in this process may be
difficult because it is a self-directed learning process and the supervisor may find him/herself at the edge of capacity
The Aalborg model 24
The problem project
Problem Discipline
The Aalborg model 25
Common features of project work
• For all three types of projects, a problem has to be analysed and solved by means of different theories and methods
• The phases of the project are common to all three project types
The Aalborg model 26
Problems
Why ?
• Real world problems are interdisciplinary and complex
• It is a learner-centred process
• It meets the learners' interests and enhances motivation
• It emphasizes development of analytical, methodological and transferable skills
The Aalborg model 27
AAU students on problems
• ”We are engineers – our responsibility is to solve real technological problems.”
• ”This is the first time we found a real problem ourselves rather than getting something from supervisors. It is really exciting. It fits my way of learning. I learn better when I find the way myself. This way of learning is much better than only attending lectures, because I have to know why I need to learn this. When I know the objective clearly, I learn much better.”
• ”When working on a problem, I am strongly motivated and attracted. We need to solve this problem.”
Xiangyun Du, 2005
The Aalborg model 28
Problems
How ?
• The project groups choose their own problem to work with in the projects
• The problem has to be analyzed within a relevant context before it can be solved or analyzed further
• The problem determines the choice of methods and theories to be used
The Aalborg model 29
Who is in control of what ?
Problem Discipline Results
Task Project
Supervisor + + +
Students + (?) ?
Discipline Project
Supervisor (+) + (+)
Students + (?) +
Problem Project
Supervisor ? (+) ?
Students + + +
Learning theory 30
Learning principles at AAU
– Participant directed learning– Action oriented learning– Experiential learning– Theory <-> practice interrelation– Exemplarity– Contextualisation– Interdisciplinarity
Learning theory 31
What is ’learning’?
Yes, it’s actually true – you can get a degree by repeating everything the teacher says.
The psychological mistake in learning:
”We pretend that there is co-incidence between what is being taught and what is being learned” (Knud Illeriis, 1998)
Learning theory 32
Passive versus active learning
• A study performed by Socony-Vacuum Oil Company shows that students learn:– 10% of what they read– 26% of what they hear– 30% of what they see– 50% of what they see and hear– 70% of what they say– 90% of what they say and do
passive
active
J. E. Stice, 1987
Learning theory 33
Who is active and
who is passive in traditional
teacher-centred education?
Learning theory 34
• ”Teaching is to set up a situation from which a motivated learner cannot escape without having learned something” (Cowan, 1998)
Learning theory 35
Experiential learning- Kolb’s learning cycle
Test
Generalisation/conceptualisation
Reflection
Experience
Cowan, 1998
Learning theory 36
Experiential learning – the Cowan loopy diagram
Reflection for in on action
Time
Cowan, 1998
Structure of Aalborg University 37
• Project work• Course activities
• Secretary and labs• Research• Teaching
Structure of Aalborg University
University SenateRectorate
Faculty of Humanities
Faculty of Engi-neering and Sc.
Faculty of Social Science
Institute of Elec-tronic Systems
Computer Eng.Electronic and .
Structure of Aalborg University 38
Working tasks for VIP’s
Professor Associated Professor
Assistent Professor
Ph.D.
student
Research 40% 40% 45% 83%
Teaching 60% 60% 55% 17%
Teaching
In hours
504 h 504 h 462 h 142 h
Directing the studies 39
Directing the studies
Study Regulations:
• General regulations
Directing the studies 40
Directing the studies 41
Directing the studies 42
Directing the studies
Study Regulations:
• General regulations
• Sector’s, lines or specialization’s– Objectives and
content
Directing the studies 43
4.6. INTELLIGENT AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
Objectives and contents of the specialisation
The objectives of the specialisation in Intelligent Autonomous Systems are summarised as follows:
to provide students with knowledge in modelling of mechanical systems such as spacecraft, ships, and mobile robots, enable the student to apply modern methods of control to problems related to autonomous systems, to analyse methods of state observation, parameter estimation and sensor fusion in mechanical systems, to provide students with a comprehension of supervisory control, fault-tolerant control and fault detection, to let students analyse software architectures for autonomous systems.
The courses include necessary general theoretical topics within process control forautonomous systems but modules are also made available in scientific communication and proficiency in English language for those who need it.
Directing the studies 44
Directing the studies
Study Regulations:
• General regulations
• Sector’s, lines or specialization’s– Objectives and content
• Specific semesters– Theme
Directing the studies 45
SPRING Semester – Intelligent Autonomous SystemsTHEME: Modelling and ControlPERIOD: 1 February - 30 June PURPOSE: To give knowledge and comprehension of optimal and robust control theory. To give the students the ability to analyse modern control methods for multi input/multi output systems. To give students the ability to apply modelling methods and control synthesis for advanced mechanical systems.CONTENTS: The project is based on a problem of control and supervision of an autonomous system. The model of the mechanical system has to be derived. The vital part of the project is the choice of the set of actuators and sensors for onboard application. Different control strategies have to be investigated and compared. The supervisor system responsible for autonomy onboard has to be designed. The chosen solution has to be implemented on a real time platform and tested, either by the computer simulations or dedicated hardware.COURSES: Courses will be given in the field of modelling of mechanical systems, supervisory andfault tolerant control, and modern control theory. EXAM: The external oral examination is based on the prepared project documentation. Each student is marked according to the 13-scale.
Directing the studies 46
Directing the studies
Study Regulations:
• General regulations
• Sector’s, lines or specialization’s– Objectives and content
• Specific semesters– Theme– Projects
Directing the studies 47
Model based tracking for navigation
Background As part of an ongoing research project (with Computer Science AAU and The Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences) an autonomous vehicle is developed which navigates autonomously in the field. The aim is to reduce the inputs to the field and monitor the growth of the individual plants, thereby providing obvious environmental and economic advantages over more traditional farming.
PurposeIt is important in such applications to both navigate accurately in the field but also to be able to identify individual plants. The aim in this project is to use perspective images captures from a camera mounted on the front of the vehicle to provide estimates of structure of the crop rows as well as position of the individual plants. The focus will not be on the image analysis but on sensor fusion with non-vision sensors mounted on the vehicle e.g. wheel encoders, differential GPS as well as integration of information about the known structure of the field.The aim is to use all available information on the autonomous vehicle in order to achieve the best possible estimates of the vehicle and individual plant position (in the order of cm).
MethodsThe project will include:•Modeling of vehicle system and plant pattern in the camera image •Prediction of the crop structure based on the system models as well as previous measurements (images anddata from sensors) •Estimation of vehicle position and orientation as well as plant position •Algorithms are simulated in the laboratory on simple setup. •If possible the algorithms are applied to data acquired in the field.
Directing the studies 48
Directing the studies
Study Regulations:
• General regulations
• Sector’s, lines or specialization’s– Objectives and content
• Specific semesters– Theme– Projects– Courses
Directing the studies 49
Study related courses (SE):
Fault Detection and Automated SystemsModelling of Mechanical SystemsController StructuresModelling of Mechanical Systems IIEngineering Responsibilities
Project related courses (PE):
Robust ControlOptimal ControlSupervisory ControlNeural Networks and Fuzzy Logic
Structure of Aalborg University 50
Teaching task’s
Project
Project courses lectures seminar
Study courses and lectures
Examination
Examination
50% - 33%
50% - 67%
Lecturer/instructor
Lecturer/instructor
Supervisor: Advisor and facilitator
Examinor/censor
Examinor
Structure of a semester:
51
Lunch until 13.00
Intercultural communication 52
Role play about Communication – 10 minutes
Holiday is coming up and you have decided to travel together.
• Discuss where to go ? And why ?
• What do you want to learn about the culture in the country you visit ?
Play your role and enjoy the game !
Intercultural communication 53
Intercultural communication in teaching and learning
Intercultural communication 54
An overview
1. What is culture?
2. Why is culture important for you?
3. The ideal ‘multicultural’ teacher
Intercultural communication 55
What is culture?
• Many definitions – one of them is:
• “Culture is shared learned behavior which is transmitted from one generation to another for purposes of promoting individual and social survival, adaptation, and growth and development” (Marsella 1994; here quoted from Samovar & Porter 2004)
Intercultural communication 56
A cultural model
Intercultural communication 57
The cultural dimensions
1. Environment
2. Time
3. Action
4. Communication
5. Space
6. Power
7. Individualism
8. Competitiveness
9. Structure
10.Thinking
Intercultural communication 58
Why is culture important for you?
• Increasing internationalisation of higher education leads to
• more and more foreign students studying in Denmark, and therefore
• increasing demand on teachers to teach in international study programmes with students from many different backgrounds
Intercultural communication 59
Why is culture important for you?
• Without cultural awareness miscommunication between foreign students and Danish/foreign teachers will happen more frequently
• Miscommunication arises when behaviour of a person from one culture is judged within the framework of another culture
Intercultural communication 60
Discussion• Have you experienced intercultural communication
episodes – funny, strange, annoying, chocking etc.? – What did you think in the situation? – How did you react in the situation? – How do you think about the situation and its consequences now?
• Have you experienced situations where cultural differences have influenced the teaching/learning situation –positively or negatively?
• How can we as teachers ensure that the multicultural diversity becomes an advantage rather than a disadvantage? How is the ideal ‘multicultural’ teacher?
Intercultural communication 61
The ideal ‘multicultural’ teacher?
• Is aware of her/his own cultural background• Is interested in learning about the cultural
background of the foreign student(s)• Is open-minded towards persons from other
cultures• Considers cultural diversity an advantage
rather than a problem• Avoids stereotyping based on culture
62
Mini Project
• In a Danish brewery there is too much noise emitted in the production hall, due to the bottles. Plan how to find the noise sources and how to find solutions.
• Prepare a short presentation (10 minutes) of your results to be given afterwards