Robots as a Tool for Teaching Differential Equations
This paper describes experiences in teaching mathematics, in particular differential equations and mathematical modeling, as a part of the robot project at the Copenhagen University College of Engineering. Modern engineering students are difficult to moti
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1 Introduction In today’s industry and trade, there is an increasing demand for engineers who do not just have excellent competencies in their field but also a good understanding and practical experience in economics, management as well as team-based project work. Engineering education must therefore change its focus from purely scientific and technological, to be a mix of different disciplines, gaining access to scientific and technological innovations. Great emphasis is placed on a combination of formal education, whose role is to impart systematic knowledge of basic disciplines, and informal education which is especially effective in broadening horizons, fostering curiosity, and active learning. Success in today’s knowledge-based economy requires that graduates are educated on the basis of critical thinking and problem solving. Several studies carried out in many countries have proven that there still exists a gap between the range of skills that graduates are equipped with and the skills and qualifications that are sought after by employers [1-7]. At the same time the research confirms improvement of the learning outcomes in education when the theory is combined with practical training or projects. Usually the project-based courses are introduced after the students have passed the first 2-3 semesters of the engineering basics, like calculus, physics and computer programming. Students who wish to work professionally with electronics, computers and telecommunication, and who do not wish to continue P. Vadakkepat et al. (Eds.): FIRA 2010, CCIS 103, pp. 258–265, 2010. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010
Robots as a Tool for Teaching Differential Equations
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for Master’s Degree, are not motivated to use 2-3 semesters for purely theoretical studies. These students usually have high fail rate in mathematics and physics in the first 1-2 semesters and, as a result, many of them stop. Engineering faculties at the universities and colleges in Denmark have experienced decreasing number of applicants over the last 5-6 years, and do not want high drop-out rates of the students in their faculties. Once young people have shown an interest in technology and engineering, it is important to design the education to fit their expectations; the expectation of working on engineering projects and having the influence on the future development of technology. It will be a great benefit to all those involved: students, industry and the development in their countries. Considering the students’ desire to work on real engineering projects and the requirements to master the basics of mathematics and physics, the message is clear: the students will be more likely “to stick with derivatives and integrals” if we can offer them some evidence of how necessary these tools are in order to find solutions for engineering problems. If we use this strategy from the first semester the students will see that they are already making progress towards completing engineering work/projects and the positive influence will be shown in an increased pass
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