Topic outline

  • Course Overview

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    Vocational Education and Training at EQF 3 and 4 is gaining special attention across Europe and beyond, thanks to its relevance for the labour market and, consequently, high employability rates. Specialized technicians combine digital skills with solid sector-specific expertise.

    Target audience: 

    VET teachers working in the field of mechatronics.

  • Problem to solve - Learning Situation

    VET teachers in mechatronic face the situations when the VET students at the beginning of the course struggle in understanding the principles of functioning and operating of the mechatronic system. In seeking to solve this problem it is recommended to apply simulators, microcontrollers and electro-pneumatical control equipment with visualization of the control process.

  • Overview of the scenario

    EQF levels 3 and 4 This VET teacher training scenario deals with the didactic problem of how to fill in the gaps of VET students abilities and skills to understand the principles of functioning and operating of the mechatronic system.

  • Competencies covered by DigCompEdu

    02. Digital resources

    2.2 Creating and modifying digital resources

    To modify and build on existing openly-licensed resources and other resources where this is permitted. To create or cocreate new digital educational resources. To consider the specific learning objective, context, pedagogical approach, and learner group, when designing digital resources and planning their use.

     C1 Leader

    Creating, co-creating and modifying resources according to the learning context, using a range of advanced strategies.

    I create and modify digital resources and activities adapted to the learning context and the group of trainees, using innovative strategies such as online assessment sheets, online surveys, thematic games, collaborative platforms.

    I use tools like h5p, Padlet, Mentimeter, Kahoot, and others to create interactive activities for my graduates.

    03.Teaching and Learning

    3.1 Teaching

    To plan for and implement digital devices and resources in the teaching process, so as to enhance the effectiveness of teaching interventions. To appropriately manage and orchestrate digital teaching interventions. To experiment with and develop new formats and pedagogical methods for instruction.

      B1 Integrator

    Integrating available digital technologies meaningfully into the teaching process

    I can integrate the use of several different digital technologies and tools in the theoretical lesson and in supporting the independent learning of students.

    I can integrate several different digital technologies and tools in practical training and work based-learning environments.

    3.3 Collaborative Learning

    To use digital technologies to foster and enhance learner collaboration. To enable learners to use digital technologies as part of collaborative assignments, as a means of enhancing communication, collaboration and collaborative knowledge creation.

    B2 Expert

    Using digital environments to support collaborative learning

    I can use online (Internet) learning environments to support collaborative learning of the VET students in the classrooms.

    I can apply digital environments used for the collaboration and communication in the work processes for the purposes of collaborative learning. 

    I can initiate and implement the training projects which involve using of digital technologies for the active engagement of the VET students and apprentices in the acquisition of vocational knowledge, skills and competence.

    C2 Pioneer

    Innovating digital strategies for active learning.

    I can design the new methodical-organizational approach of active learning for the VET students and apprentices based on the application of digital technologies.

    I can develop new technological solutions of digital applications for the active learning for the VET students and apprentices.

    05 Empowering Learners

    5.3 Actively engaging learners

    To use digital technologies to foster learners’ active and creative engagement with a subject matter. To use digital technologies within pedagogic strategies that foster learners’ transversal skills, deep thinking and creative expression.

    To open up learning to new, real-world contexts, which involve learners themselves in hands-on activities, scientific investigation or complex problem solving, or in other ways increase learners’ active involvement in complex subject matters.

    B2 Expert

    Using digital technologies for learners’ active engagement with the subject matter.

    I can explain and demonstrate to VET students and apprentices the advantages of using digital technologies for the active and effective acquisition of vocational knowledge, skills and transversal skills in the classrooms and practical training environments.







  • Curriculum Construct(s)

    According to Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001), the learning scenario applies to four areas

    Level

    Description

    Coverage

    Creating

    Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating, planning, or producing

    FL

    Evaluating

    Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and

    FL

    Analyzing

    Breaking material into constituent parts, determining how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose through

    FL

    Applying

    Carrying out or using a procedure through executing or implementing

    LP

    Understanding

    Constructing meaning from oral, written, and graphic messages through interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, and explaining

    LP

    Remembering

    Retrieving, recognizing, and recalling relevant knowledge from long-term memory

    LP

    LP = Learning Prerequisites, FL = Focus of the Learning Scenario

    Source: Anderson & Krathwohl (2001)


  • Requirements

    Teaching/learning infrastructure and technology: equipped mechatronics laboratory with computers, CAD-CAM or equivalent software, platforms for programming/controlling the microcontroller and monitoring its processes, simulators Festo FluidSIM Pneumatics, CADeSIMU or equivalent.




  • Analysis of the electropneumatic diagram

  • Independent design of electrical circuits with a simulator

  • Coding of microcontroller and testing the code.

  • Assessment of/for learning

    Observation of the teaching process and communication between the VET teachers and students.

    Methods used to assess learning outcomes:

    - Theoretical testing of knowledge. The assessment of knowledge is based on the assessment of knowledge.

    - Practical test of knowledge. Computer-aided design of the drawing provided and printing of the model.

    - Cumulative. Cumulative grading is a convenient way to motivate students by monitoring and recording their motivation, initiative and progress, as well as their independent learning. 

    Cumulative assessment is used throughout the process.

    - Formal assessment can be used to assess the results achieved.

    Formal assessment is used at the end of each of the following three stages (one mark for the first two activities and a second mark for the third activity): a mark for describing and testing the operation of the scheme in the simulator and a mark for constructing and testing the real scheme.





  • Our notes from practice

    The learning scenario consists of three parts (activities): 1 - Task analysis, in which students analyse the devices used in the circuit, learn about the design requirements and develop a possible algorithm for the operation of the circuit. 2 - Designing an electrical control circuit. After familiarising themselves with the requirements of the task, the students design an electrical control circuit (creating a sequence of operation (algorithm) for the devices to be triggered), create the principle electrical control circuit and check its operation using a simulator. One of the students is responsible for designing the algorithm and the other is responsible for designing the control scheme. 3 - Design of an electronic control system using a microcontroller. One of the students programs the microcontroller (generates the code and loads it into the microcontroller's memory) based on the electrical control scheme designed by the other student and the similarity between the LD language and the principle electrical scheme. Assessment: students are assessed on their independent work or part of their work according to criteria set by the teacher. The algorithm must be designed to be executed in a consistent and logical manner. The electrical control scheme designed and tested in the simulator must be operational and constructed using a minimum number of components.
    The program code shall be verified and tested. This scenario encourages students to think analytically, solve problems, communicate and cooperate (students can consult with each other and solve the problems related to the tasks together). Below there is illustrated an example of the task (Figure 1), an example of the design of the electrical part (Figure 2) and an actual schematic and code element (Figure 3).

  • Resources and more info