EDEC TLTP3 Good Practice Guides

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EDEC TLTP-3 Good Practice Guides

• Erik Dagless and Peter Hicks
• University of Bristol and UMIST

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Overview of talk

• Outline what the EDEC TLTP-3 project was about
  and
• To introduce briefly the Good Practice Guides
  which are the deliverables of the project
• They are
• UMIST- Embedding Simulations into Electronic
  Design Courseware
• Bristol- Progress tests using WebCT
• Newcastle- Replacing Lecturing with Courseware
• Oxford Brookes- Flexible delivery of courseware
  (chunking)

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Brief history of EDEC

• Project started in 1992 under TLTP-1 1M
• Produce Electronic Design Educational materials
  to support teaching especially in area of ECAD
  based on Authorware
• 74 modules ( 1hr duration) have been produced
• TLTP-3 project aimed at demonstrating EDEC
  materials embedded into learning materials
• Porting EDEC to web based browser delivery all
  74 done
• (Now have e-trading shop where modules can be
  purchased)
• Here are the main outputs of the work

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Embedding Simulations into Electronic Design
Courseware (UMIST)

• Simulation - a valuable aid to learning
• Encourages experimentation
• Self-discovered knowledge endures
• Useful for modeling real-world situations
• Safe, cost-effective

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Web-Based Simulation

• UMIST have embedded simulations into web-based
  applications
• EDEC computer-based learning software
• SPICE circuit simulator
• Early versions used a CGI interface
• Latest work uses XML as an intermediate form

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Flow Diagram for the Web-Based Simulation
Environment
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(No Transcript)
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(No Transcript)
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System Flow Diagram using XML as an Intermediate
Form
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Progress tests using WebCT

• Progress tests needed to get students developing
  study skills
• Paper versions used wanted to automate more
• Progress tests used in formative and summative
  assessments
• Little interest in the former
• WebCT features used were quiz within course
  structure
• Contents added in htm files
• Digital Electronics progress test implemented in
  WebCT
• Data sheet used to mimic real situation never
  have blank paper
• Wanted to use graphics but could not really
  replace it

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Response of students

• No negative response from students happy to do
  tests
• Must be some marks awarded, very little interest
  in formative use
• 1st test done under exam conditions
• Too staff intensive, cheating possible
• Now question have alternates i.e. no two students
  get same test
• Cheating much harder, relaxed conditions 900 to
  1700 in lab
• In Spring 2001 105 students did the test.
• The average mark was 57.1
• SD of 31.6 fifteen got 100, while thirty six
  got below 40.
• So there is little evidence of such a test being
  easy.

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Observations and comments

• Staff time to convert questions the first time
  can be significant
• Need methodology if someone else enters questions
• Once familiar process can be quick, making
  alternates can be easy
• Staff should be able to manage quizzes themselves
• Problems initially with fonts and images now much
  better
• Mathematical equations need some skill
• Cheating tempting time logs help observing
  stops most of it
• Alternates must be compatible easy to make some
  harder
• Future keen to continue price becoming
  serious problem

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Replacing Lecturing with Courseware

• EDEC material in small modules
• Very flexible in use
• But must maintain variety
• mix CAL, lectures and practicals
• Time saving from CAL vs lecture

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• Role of lecturer changes
• students learn basic facts themselves
• lecturer freed to interact individually
• But CBL-based course requires
• careful integration into syllabus
• extensive resources needed
• detailed logistical planning
• careful monitoring during use

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Flexible delivery of courseware chunking

• EDEC modules made into smaller Chunks
• These embedded into web delivered materials
• Highly flexible use of material
• Lecturer orders content
• supplements with own notes and other materials
• Analogue System Design course was developed

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Observations about process of chunking

• (i) an appropriate contextual setting is provided
  for the chunk
• (ii) an exit summary is added to ensure that the
  outcomes of the material are clear
• (iii) cross-referencing to material outside the
  chunk removed
• replaced with hypertext or additional courseware
  pages to ensure that the chunk is self-contained,
  
• (iv) formative interactions/assessments work
  correctly within the confines of the chunk
• (v) the chunk runs correctly when extracted from
  the original EDEC module.

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The end . but
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You can now explore

• Look at EDEC material and buy from the shop-
• http//www.edec.co.uk/
• See examples of simulation at-
• http//a19c1.ee.umist.ac.uk/
• Transistor simulation (better one to look at)
• And diode simulation
• Explore WebCT progress tests and other materials
• http//info.een.bris.ac.uk8900/
• Login ltsn2002 password ltsn2002
• EENG14000 Quizzes Content Boolean algebra EDEC
  hunks
• EENG20400 Quizzes in different format assessing
  lab work
• EENG38040 Contents with EDEC embedded
  (Addressing modes)
• However to see any EDEC material need AW player
  V5 or V6!!!!!