Sie sind auf Seite 1von 7

In Proceedings of the Tomorrow's Education in Electrical Technologies; Revisited Methods and Tools for Renewed Motivation, European Power

Electronics and Drive Association, pages 159-165, Liege, Belgium, 14-16 March 2001.

The Role of Computer Simulation in Electric Energy Systems Education


Parviz Doulai School of Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering University of Wollongong Wollongong, Australia
parviz@elec.uow.edu.au

http://edt.uow.edu.au/ Keywords: Computer Simulation, Engineering Education, Student Evaluation and Assessment Abstract
This paper discusses the concept, pedagogical principles and potential benefits of computer simulations when used in electric energy systems education. Students' perception on computer literacy and educators' commitments to computer-oriented approaches are considered in details. A computer simulation-based teaching method incorporated into a web-based learning environment was adapted for a traditionally analytical subject in this discipline. The general course design and supporting material are highlighted. The main focus is given to students' evaluation survey of teaching. A qualitative analysis of students' learning and their favorable perceptions on the change in pedagogy to achieve the subject objectives are presented.

Introduction

In engineering education, computer simulations are used to represent the essential features of a real system so that learners can test their analytical and design skills in a convenient and safe environment. In power engineering education, computer simulation provides a unique way of creating stimulation and challenge, along with an opportunity to work on realistic case studies that could not be achieved otherwise. It is argued the use of computer simulations for pedagogical purposes is very effective in helping students to develop conceptual and intuitive understanding of the subject matter [1][2]. In electric energy systems education, a successful implementation of a simulation-based teaching/learning approach requires supplementary resources including specially tailored assignments, tutorial and assessment tasks [3]. The availability of modern computers and widespread usage of computer-aided products in tertiary education have already introduced significant changes in teaching/learning practices in engineering. However, the effective use of digital technology has not yet been taken up in most power engineering schools. Data collection from 25 Australasian universities [3] and recent site visits from 12 Australasian tertiary institutions revealed that the vast majority of electric power schools are committed to an analytically oriented teaching paradigm that uses the computer in a casual ad hoc manner and rarely integrated in the teaching and learning processes. The overall consensus was that traditional methods are educationally outdated and technically removed from the realities of the practices of the profession. The development of a computer simulation-based teaching method,

incorporated into a web environment to deliver extensive supporting material, was a response to the needs of the power engineering profession. Modern electric energy systems encompass a variety of new technologies. This project illustrates that the use of a technology-enhanced power engineering education brings favorable learning outcomes for students, and more effectively conveys the importance of computers in the power industry. As new and emerging educational technologies are integrated with traditional teaching methods, the face and culture of teaching and learning will be irrevocably changed. Students take more responsibility for their own learning, and instructors become more like coach and mentor for a new generation of professionals [4]. Students will acquire, as part of their everyday practice, skills in individual knowledge gathering, filtering, analysis and synthesis, which are immediately applicable to work in the information society of a new century. The potential benefits of computer simulations, multimedia and Internet/web in power engineering education have already been explored at some universities with strong undergraduate power curricula, mainly in North America. Examples include; incorporating extensive use of simulation technology to improve students learning and to reduce classroom teaching time [5], using computational hypermedia (combined simulation and multimedia) approaches to enhance students understanding of the subject matter [4], the application of multimedia, visualization and simulation modules in undergraduate courses [6], and the use of Internet and web in form of a distributed learning environment and virtual classroom [7][8]. The University of Wollongong offers a combined final year elective undergraduate and postgraduate subject in electric energy systems. To investigate the impact of computer simulation on students learning, half of the subject was taught using a computer oriented method. The other half of the subject was conducted using the traditional calculator approach. Students teaching evaluation data was gathered to analyse their perception on the change in pedagogy. The results are briefly reported here to support the claim that the use of the new pedagogy and assessment procedures has increased learner motivation and confidence and developed a program more closely related to work place problem solving demands of the power systems engineer. To facilitate the delivery of subject materials, including course notes, simulation programs, sample simulation runs, help and hints and to provide tools for students communication and collaboration, a web-based learning environment was set up. This site also was used to distribute subject resources among power systems educators in Australasian power engineering schools [3].

Computers in Electric Energy Systems Education

The use of software application tools in day-to-day operation of electric power utility and power industry started a few decades ago. Since then, power systems engineers have had to develop a wide range of sophisticated digital computer software for large complex systems. These tools are now playing an indispensable role in every aspect of power systems planing, control and operation. Power systems educators have been slow to incorporate digital computers in electric power systems curricula. Several reports during the early 1980's suggested that university educational programs in power systems engineering were far from healthy [9]. At some universities with strong undergraduate power curricula, attempts were made to re-energize power engineering education. These changes have not only targeted the needs of industry but have also tried to boost student enrolment in power electives. A wide implementation of these changes at engineering schools worldwide are yet to be initiated. In broad terms, the current power engineering education context can be characterized by the reluctance of many power systems educators to adapt new educational delivery technologies, declining student enthusiasm for the subject, difficulty in attracting high-calibre students, and hence the shortage of competent graduates. Another related issue is the reluctance among average power students to become involved, not only in algorithm and operating code development, but also in actual use of application programs. The review of current educational structures of many Australasian power engineering schools [3] suggests the following problems:

oversimplified theory and no realistic industry case studies, no built-in mechanism to engage students in an active learning, poor progression and completion rates, insufficient stimulation and challenge with the risk of losing less capable students and not sufficiently developing more capable ones, endorsement of the students' ill-shaped perception of their future role as not being computer based, and no glamour and no fun.
Perhaps, the fundamental question still needing attention is the very concept of computer technology utilization in electric energy systems education. Is it just another fancy extra or is it vital for helping students to fit into today's highly advanced power systems industry? There is a pressing need to look at ways to increase students' motivation to choose the electric energy systems strand. This can be achieved by offering exciting approaches for learning systems design, operation and control, as illustrated by the project discussed in this paper. An encouraging factor in promoting computer simulation integration into power engineering curricula is the widespread availability of computer platforms in most post-secondary teaching institutions. For instance, during the past few years, Australian universities have been keen to adapt a generous strategy to continually support the use of computer-assisted learning and teaching. This has been further encouraged and financially supported by different Government funding schemes. Regardless of the size and geographical location of today's teaching institutions in Australia, typically all have a modern teaching laboratory equipped with networked digital computers.

Simulation-Based Paradigm: A Case Study

Problems mentioned above pushed forward the development and implementation of a computer simulation-based teaching and learning method for electric energy systems education at Wollongong University in mid 1990 s. The availability of web-based instruction (WBI) tools that support instructions regardless of the pedagogical theory or methodology have made it possible to offer this subject via an integrated web environment over the past two years. Currently the subject utilizes educational computer simulation programs along with students communication and collaboration tools to increase the level of interaction and involvement on the part of the students. In brief, the project aimed to achieve two fundamental learning outcomes. These are development of intuitive and conceptual understanding of real electric energy systems. Intuitive understanding refers to the immediate sense a situation has for the student, and the way he or she discerns, delimits, and relates central phenomena in the situations in which they appear. This kind of understanding is supposed to be developed through experience, the more extensive and the more varied, the better. Conceptual understanding, on the other hand, refers to the way in which concepts are discerned and delimited from, and relate to the relevant domains of knowledge [1]. In a simulation-based approach to engineering education, conceptual understanding aids the development of intuitive understanding (or vice versa). Using widely available computers to tackle problems much closer to those encountered by industry professionals will give students a strong motivation and confidence and hence will boost their learning outcome. A crucial issue has to be considered is to what extend the underlying theory should be simplified or even compromised to make room for introducing software application tools to cover the topics that are of fundamental importance in the discipline. This case study aimed to provide a brief coverage of the main topics in modern electric energy systems design, operation and control. The supporting teaching material has been tailored such that to maintain a balance between the underpinning theory and the use of power systems software tools. Like most engineering schools,

regrettably, hardware experimentation in power engineering education has been diminished since late 1980 s, due to university budgetary constraints. The simulation component of the subject includes large problems, which exhibit the true nature of power systems and intends to compensate for the lack of hardware experimentation.

3.1

Course Design and Supporting Resources

Electric energy systems is offered as a sessional stand-alone subject (28 hours lectures and 14 hours tutorial in 14 weeks). The same subject is offered to postgraduate students. They are required to complete a higher level of assessment tasks. The first half of the course was run using the traditional calculator-based method, and the second half used a computer-simulation approach. The textbook that was chosen for both parts of the subject has a low cost accompanying computer simulation package [10]. The package can be run on the IBM-PC or any compatible personal computer, running MS-DOS or MS-Windows. It contains programs on transmission line design, load flow, short circuit analysis, systems transient and stability. The book is well written and maintains a desired balance between scaled down theory and concepts which are used in the real world. Nevertheless, it has few shortfalls. The questions and problems appear at the end of chapters are not seen to be integrated with a simulation-based approach to power systems education. This required carefully designed support materials to compensate the deficiencies of the textbook. Special importance, and consequently a great deal of effort, was given to setting the computer oriented assignments and tutorial tasks as well as design, analysis, and planning projects [11][12]. The textbook, its accompanying computer simulation package and the supplementary course material and assessment tasks were corner-stones for the successful implementation of the project. For each of the major topics covered, a set of "Case Examples" in the form of tutorial and assignments for undergraduates and medium to large size analysis, design, and planning projects for postgraduate students were prepared. Special attention was focused on running the simulation program under different operating conditions and compiling a report, observing not only the grammar but also the construction and organization of the report. Postgraduate students were required to investigate more complicated practical situations. These problems were also distributed among undergraduate students to give them an idea of the types of advanced studies which can be handled by computer simulations. In addition, a set of "Short Descriptive Questions" addressing major concepts, techniques, tools, applications, and terminology in modern electric energy systems was selected, complied and distributed along with the supplementary handout [11]. The main purpose of this initiative was to prepare a foundation for some of tutorial classes where the tutor conducts an open discussion on topics related to the most recent lesson(s). The summary of discussions gave students extra information for compiling their reports.

3.2

Assessment

During the computer simulation part of the subject, students were required to complete two assignments based on selected "Case Examples". They also had two short tests based on selected "Descriptive Short Questions". In conjunction with the final assessment of this part a simulation test with an oral exam component was conducted separately for each group of three students. Students were allowed to bring whatever material they wished, including floppy disks containing their sample data cases. The assessment for the traditional part was a standard written examination where students were offered simplified questions to be worked out using calculators. In the computer simulation exam, students were required to prepare input/output files for a given power network and compile a short report illustrating their simulation results and their own interpretations. This report was to be appended to the input/output file, stored on a floppy disk and submitted for marking. The oral test about the simulations intermediate results and relevant questions from the support materials was conducted while students were completing the simulation exam.

3.3

Observations about Student Computer Literacy

In general, students' perceptions were the first and foremost problem. They somehow believed that being a power system student would automatically exclude them from needing to be computer literate. Some chose a power system elective to avoid computers. The subject offered two distinct tutorial classes; four hours of computer simulations using networked computers and four hours of students led open discussions. The former enabled students to become familiar with the simulation program data structure, input/output format, interfacing, and its syntax and constraints. In the first tutorial hour, it became apparent that many students had little experience in running circuit oriented simulation programs for learning purposes. Even standard tasks such a using network facilities, creation of input data files, preparing the environment settings and collecting and compiling the program's output files needed explanation. As a consequence, the tutor mainly concentrated on explaining the network environment and its utility programs and helped students to establish the interface, to use network printer and to get the program up and running. Having overcome initial difficulties, the students were able to run simulation programs for their assignments and tutorial questions in their own time. The question here is how can power systems' educators change power students' perception and develop their computer literacy skills? The challenge is to convince power students that applying cutting edge digital technology to highly complex systems will be crucial in their future careers. The pilot study used computers as an indispensable part of the students' learning process. This approach appears to be an appropriate strategy to address the students computer literacy as well as other identified concerns.

Student Evaluation of Teaching

An independent student survey of teaching and learning was run by the University Staff Development Centre at the end of semester. In a class of 36 students 24 per cent were doing the subject as a compulsory unit, 56 per cent as an interest elective and 21 per cent reported that it fitted their timetable. Some 92 per cent of the class completed the core survey and 23 students (64 per cent) completed the open ended questions. For half the students, English was their second language and there was only one female student in the class. 90 per cent of the class were between 22 and 30 years of age. The overall findings indicated that the use of a simulation approach supported by specially tailored teaching materials was very useful and effective from the students' viewpoint. The resulting scores were well above university-wide average score obtained for established elective subjects. End of semester student surveys have a set of core multiple response questions. A five point Likert scale is used to rate the questions; the highest score is five and the lowest one. Table 1 shows the scores for this subject. The survey results showed that students were more enthusiastic in this subject as a consequence of the teaching method compared to their other subjects in the Faculty by a very good margin. On learning and subject assessment dimensions the lecture and tutorial scores were well above the Faculty average of 2.8. Table 1 highlights the students favorable perception of the new computer simulation approach as compared to the established calculator-based teaching method.

Simulation Approach Question Enthusiasm/Responsiveness Understanding Lectures 3.6 4.1 Tutorials 4.0 4.0

Traditional Method Lectures 3.3 3.6 Tutorials 3.3 3.6

Stimulation

3.7

3.8

3.4

3.4

Table I: Results from core multiple response questions


While the scores on the standard questions were encouraging, the responses to seven open ended and diagnostic questions were more insightful on the impact of the change in the way the subject was taught. Students were asked how they would like all the subject taught in the future. 37 per cent opted for an entirely computer orientated teaching and tutorial program, 7 per cent only wanted the traditional approach and 57 per cent indicated a mix with the more didactic approach as they felt the need for "theory", "practice of computational ability" and some students just preferred a variety of learning methods. Those who opted for a full computer orientated approach argued that it "was more realistic in industry", "allowed more complex computations", and "was a much more practical way of learning". The strengths of the computer orientated teaching approach were explored in the second question. The strengths of simulation of complex systems without the "tedious hand calculations" was most frequently ranked advantage by 42 per cent of the group and the "importance of real life (industry) simulations" was second ranked by 39 per cent of the students. The application of theory and concepts and the use of a software package were equally ranked as being an advantage of the section by 12 per cent of the class. Responses to weaknesses of the computer orientated approach were more varied and were mostly related to specific concerns in software and subject organization which were easily addressed in subsequent offering rather than the essence of the pedagogy. The most frequent response by 23 per cent of students was the lack of enough tutorial time or the number of problems to be solved. Linked to this issue was the need for more clarity about the assessment requirements (18 per cent) and concerns about the ease of running the software and its documentation support (18 per cent). One technical concern expresses by 14 per cent was the possible over reliance on the software package. A similar number of students were concerned about the cost of the textbook and computer simulation package. When asked if the computer simulation approach was more useful than the traditional engineering style, there was even balance (45 per cent) between who saw a distinct advantage in the simulation approach with those who advocated the use of both methods. Ten per cent were clearly "welded" to their calculators. The saving of time and the instant results of the simulation approach and its industry relatedness were the identified advantages of simulation, while the mixed mode group reflected the view of "that approach is useful to achieve final answers, but not as useful for the process of understanding the answers". The computer simulation tutorial was the preferred option of 72 per cent of the class, 14 per cent suggested a mixed or combination approach and a similar percentage preferred the traditional tutorial. For the assessment processes 75 per cent argued that they preferred a final exam that consisted of running a simulation program to be accompanied by an oral exam. Of the six students who were negative to the proposal, five had bad experiences with computer malfunctions or the marking system and one disliked oral exams. In summary this case study of the students' experience with a computer simulation-based approach to learning has reported the subject achieving the objectives by a majority of the class. With small modifications to the subject organization, more prior experience in the engineering program to computer assisted learning, many of the fears and apprehensions expressed by this final year class would not be relevant. The work also clearly showed improved progression rate throughout the

session, especially among average and below average students and improved class completion rate compared to previous years by 11 per cent where the simulation approach was not used but all other aspects of the subject were the same.

Conclusion

A computer simulation-oriented teaching method adapted for a final year elective course has been discussed. Some difficulties associated with using software application tools for elective subjects in power engineering education were identified. These include students' ill-shaped perception of computer literacy and the reluctance of many educators to adapt computer oriented teaching approaches. An independent student survey of teaching and learning was run to gather data on students' perceptions on the change in pedagogy, and their views on the computer simulation-based approach versus the traditional calculator-based method. The results showed that the use of computer simulation, supported by supplementary courseware materials, encourages students to learn by exploration and hence enhances their learning, contributes towards student satisfaction, and increases student progression and the class completion rate.

REFERENCES
1. D. Laurillard, B. Lindstrom, F. Marton, and T. Ottosson, Computer simulation as a tool for developing intuitive and conceptual understanding. Technical report, Department of Education and Educational Research, University of Goteborg, Report No. 1991:03, Sweden 1991. T. Ono, T. Ohashi, M. Akiyoshi and K. Seo, Design and visualization method for simulation-based power system education, Proc. of International Conference on Power Industry computer Application, May 1999, pp. 194-199. P. Doulai, A World Wide Web archive for electric power engineering education, Proc. of the Australasian Universities Power Engineering Conference, September 1995, Perth, Australia, pp. 168-174. P. Doulai and G. Ledwich, Integration of power engineering educational resources in a hypermedia environment, Proc. IEEE Second International Conference on Multimedia in Education, July 1996, pp. 465-470. M. Kezunovic, A. Abur and G. Huang, MERIT2000: A new concept in power engineering education, Proc. of the IEEE Energy Management and Power Delivery, March 1998, pp. 54-59. J. D. McCalley, V. Ajjarapu, J. De La Ree, A. G. Phadke, G. B. Sheble and S. S. Venkata, Multimedia courseware sparkes interest in the industry, IEEE Computer Applications in Power, October 1998, pp. 2632. M. E. H. Benbouzid, Internet, and interactive multimedia aid for teaching power systems, IEEE Power Enegineering Review, April 1999, pp. 52-54. P. Doulai, Recent developments in web-based educational technologies: A practical overview using inhouse implementations, Proc. International Power Engineering Conference (IPEC99), Singapore, May 1999, pp. 845-850. K. Pyko and G. Zorpette, Can power engineering education be reenergized? IEEE Spectrum, December 1986, pp. 26-31. J. D. Glover and M. Sarma, Power System Analysis and Design. PWS Publishing Company, second edition, 1994. P. Doulai, Computer Simulation Design, Analysis and Planning Tasks. Computer-Assisted Power Engineering Education, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.( http://edt.uow.edu.au/ ) Vol. 5(No. 4): November 1990, pp. 1390-1399.

2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

7. 8.

9. 10. 11.

12. J.D. Glover and L.F. Dow, Student design projects in power engineering, IEEE Trans. on Power Systems,

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen