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Mode Reform of Sensor Courses Teaching in Civil Engineering Based on CDIO Education Concept [Sensors & Transducers (Canada)]
[July 17, 2014]

Mode Reform of Sensor Courses Teaching in Civil Engineering Based on CDIO Education Concept [Sensors & Transducers (Canada)]


(Sensors & Transducers (Canada) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Abstract: Based on education concept of CDIO (Conceive - Design - Implement - Operate) engineering, and combined with the requirements of the educational reform in colleges and universities, aimed at some problems existing in the Sensor course teaching of civil engineering, this paper suggests the reform approach from the prospects of teaching methods, teaching content, teaching environment, curriculum assessment pattem and so on, in order to enhance students' ability of applying software in drawing construction map, thus improve the teaching effect of this course. Copyright ©2014 IFSA Publishing, S. L.



Keywords: CDIO, Sensor course of civil engineering, Teaching mode.

1. Introduction The rapid development of computer graphics and Sensor technology has made a profound change and exerted great influence on traditional artificial calculation and designing approach of manual drawing in civil engineering field, its advantages of decreasing designing and drawing amount, shortening the designing cycle, easily setting up and using standard atlas and improving drawing quality, enhancing design and management level, reducing the design cost and so on, have obtained the recognition of vast number of designers [1]. Due to the gradual expanding of computer's application field, the Wireless Sensor today is no longer limited to the individual phase or part of aided design project, but organically applies computer technology into each stage and all links of design [2]. Engineering field has suggested relatively higher requirements for computer's application ability of college graduates. They generally want university graduates of civil engineering can skillfully use computer graphics, master the use of popular software and some typical professional software; some units also want university graduates of civil engineering can occupy the ability of using compilation function of some small application procedure. Therefore, how to do a good job in Sensor course teaching, improve teaching quality and efficiency, and better develop the students' ability in practical work is an important subject which is worthy of our serious thinking and exploration. However most of the teaching mode of Sensor course in civil engineering exist many shortcomings, such as old teaching methods, singular teaching contents, unreasonable teaching plan and curriculum appraisal system etc, which make the Sensor teaching course of civil engineering gains little success [3]. While education mode of CDIO engineering is the latest achievements of current international engineering education reform, it not only requires teaching knowledge, but also pays more attention to the cultivation of personal ability and quality, and lays emphasis on the cultivation of adapting to the actual engineering environment capacity and promotes personnel training mode of "learning by doing" etc, all these characteristics have aroused people's wide research [4-6]. This article puts forward the mode reform scheme of teaching Sensor curriculum in civil engineering from perspectives of teaching methods, teaching content, teaching environment, curriculum assessment mode and so on based on education concept of CDIO engineering, hoping to effectively improve the teaching quality of such curriculum ,thus output more professional engineering and technical personnel for our country and society.


2. The Problems Existing in Sensor Course Teaching of Civil Engineering Sensor course of civil engineering is a professionally basic course of civil engineering specialty. The course's goal is to develop the students' ability of computer graphics and aided design, lay a solid foundation for the future through studying Sensor application software. The author finds there are extant such deficiencies in Sensor course teaching of civil engineering, and it is necessary to make reform.

2.1. Teaching Method is Traditional Fairly At present, some colleges and universities have cut credit hours with the requirement of professional development. Sensor courses of civil engineering are generally planed for 32 hours (16 credit hours of theory and 16 credit hours of computer), whose credit hours are relatively short, and the teaching materials associated with Auto Sensor are compiled in accordance with the basic operation module, teachers in teaching mostly carry out their analysis in accordance with the functional modules, while ignoring the cultivation of students' comprehensive design ability.

In addition, the Sensor course teaching of civil engineering are like other theoretical courses in many colleges and universities, which are all taught in the classroom with multimedia [7]. The teacher demonstrates all the operating process through projection in class, and students watch it on their seats. Although such teaching method is convenient, the teaching effect is not good. First, the teacher should systematically teach theoretical knowledge in class, while it is limited by the credit hours' requirement, the speed is fairly faster in some places throughout whole analysis process, the students could not write down the knowledge point in time; secondly, as the students has been watching the projection screen closely to look at teacher's operation, mental stress would generate feeling of fatigue, and they could not fully concentrate, students' learning interest has decreased a lot, which resulted into that they have to ask teacher and students for help about some operation. The third is that students' computer practice is arranged in machine room when it is idle. If students could not board the computer for practice and consolidation in time after the class, it will cause the link of theory and practice are detached, it is not easy to master the operation of relevant command, these knowledge will fade from students' memory long time after the class.

2.2. The Teaching Content is Relative Single Many colleges and universities now basically solely adopts Auto Sensor software to perform Sensor teaching of civil engineering, in fact, computer aided design of civil engineering are applied in structure design, design of water and electricity, preliminary engineering budget and so on, there are many relevant design software, such as structure calculation software PKPM which is generally used in civil engineering industry. While students have only learned the Auto Sensor drawing software in university undergraduate course education, so they think Sensor is equivalent to Auto Wireless-Sensor [8], and they involve little with or even don't know other structure design software, when they go to work after graduation, they need to study related professional software again, only by that way they can engage in engineering design. It is visible that single teaching contents could not broaden students' knowledge, which is not conducive to their future development.

2.3. The Constraints of Teaching Plan At present in most of the school's teaching plans, it will establish the civil engineering drawing and civil engineering Sensor as a separate course respectively. In drawing course of civil engineering, the focus of drawing skills training is still on the drawing by hand, but while teaching civil engineering Sensor, it will involve a lot of standards and regulations about the engineering drawings, due to the time interval is longer, students does not grasp knowledge securely, drawings is not up to the drawings standard of national construction design, thus results into that teachers would reteach related knowledge about drawings in class, which influences the progress of course.

2.4. The Curriculum Evaluation Method is not Reasonable In recent years, assessment way of some Sensor course in civil engineering of colleges and universities has always given larger proportion to theoretical examination scores, and neglects the importance of online examination; the problem of "heavy theory, light practice" is prominent. The assessment of Sensor course in the civil engineering exist this kind of condition. The constitution of curriculum test is as follows: theory exam (80 %) + computer assignments (10 %) + usual grades (10 %). The traditional examination method is a kind of simple and feasible evaluation methods, but for a course of very strong practicality, this test method is not reasonable, which is difficult to reflect the real level of students.

3. Education Concept of CDIO Engineering To achieve genuine "regression project", and explore an engineering education mode which could balance the relationship between theoretical knowledge and practical ability, in 2004, Massachusetts Institute of Technology joined with Sweden Chad's technical school, Linköping University in Sweden and Royal Institute of Technology to cooperatively develop CDIO, which is a new engineering education mode. CDIO mode takes the life cycle from development to operation of project as the carrier, and let students learn and achieve engineering capabilities with organic relationship among curriculum actively and practically, including individual science and technology knowledge, lifelong learning ability, communication and team work ability and ability of constructing products, processes and systems under social and enterprise environment. It emphasizes the connection between knowledge and ability, and better solves the balance between theory knowledge and practice ability in engineering education.

CDIO is the abbreviation of four words including Conceive (idea), Design (Design), Implement (implementation) and Operate (run), which basically contains each stages of engineers' leading or participating in products, processes and systems in whole life cycle [9].

The first stage is the conceiving phase, including identifying customer needs, considering technology, enterprise strategy and related regulations, developing idea, technology and business plan.

The second stage is the design phase, focusing on creating design, including plans, drawings and methods, algorithm of describing product, process and system implementation.

The third stage is the implementation phase, referring to the transformation process from design to finished product, which includes hardware manufacturing, software programming, testing and validation.

In the final operating stage, provide users with the expected value through using achieved products, processes and systems, including the system maintenance, reconstruction, recovery and scrap. The specific details of life cycle process including conception, design, implementation and operation are shown in Table 1.

Look from the table, the four stages of conception, design, implementation, operation constitute the core part of the project cycle process. It almost covers the whole process of a project life cycle. In addition, the conception, design, implementation, operation is also the main line of whole education mode, from the training objectives to the integration of curriculum design, then to the teaching method, and finally to education evaluation and other aspects, are running under this background of conception-design-achievement-operation, it connects the whole education mode into an organic whole.

Look from the educational concept of CDIO engineering, it requires not only imparting knowledge, but also pays more attention to the cultivation of personal ability and quality, gives priority to training the ability of adapting to the actual engineering environment capacity and promoting personnel training mode of" learning by doing" [10], CDIO model composition and mutual relations are as shown in Fig. 1.

4. Reform Teaching Mode of Sensor Course in Civil Engineering through Applying the Concept of CDIO Engineering Education 4.1. Refining Training Plan and Teaching Course Syllabus [11-13] How to make civil engineering graduates have the required knowledge, skills, and quality of civil engineering within the limited length of schooling and credit hours is the key point that education reform of civil engineering needs to explore. With reference to the maturity level characteristics of each capacity in CDIO, refine teaching outline of Sensor course in the curriculum setting during four university years, see details in Table 2. Cultivate students' basic knowledge of this major, core knowledge of engineering basis, social sense of responsibility, good professional ethics and the humanities spirit in primary and junior years. Learn professional knowledge through the engineering project in the third academic year, the teaching syllabus of each course highlights the concept of "learning by doing" combing with various engineering project, forming the basic engineering ability of autonomous learning, teamwork and system organization of project and management, make students occupy the professional knowledge and basic ability that required for entering into practical engineering.

In the curriculum set of the fourth academic year, the cultivation of professional skills is the key, it should create opportunities for providing practical training for students, make students have good professional experience in engineering practice, and have the ability to find out and solve practical engineering problems, learn other knowledge spontaneously according to project need, update their professional knowledge, develop their professional skills.

4.2. The Reform of Teaching Methods 4.2.1. Instances of Teaching Methods Inspired by the CDIO teaching idea, in order to strengthen the student to study the basic knowledge of Sensor course in civil engineering, teaching methods through instances is adopted. It requires to break through the traditional teaching method of scripted pattern, combing with the basic knowledge of Sensor course in civil engineering and related command, select drawing instances with pertinence and high enlightening, conclude the knowledge points contained in the instances, and rearrange the teaching contents, make gradual analysis step-bystep, and then highlight the analysis of emphasis point focusing on detailed operation in instances demonstration, finally the students make some practice about related command combining with instances. Through case teaching, it can make students aware of the significance of the study, stimulate students' study enthusiasm, improve students' ability of knowing chart and draw, meet the demand of students' learning and use, so as to improve the teaching effect.

4.2.2. Project Designing Method [14] With the gradual deepening of the teaching content, students' ability of drawing has improved constantly. At this point, introducing program design method into the teaching process and applying the process of conception, design, implementation and operation put forward by CDIO into specific project design could improve students' ability of computer drawing and cultivate students' individual ability and the team cooperation ability at the same time. Teachers could group the students in every class (a set of every 3~4), each group is arranged with different design projects (such as according to the specification requirements, draw a ground plan of teaching building etc.), and they require students to complete corresponding project within the prescribed period, its concrete implementation process is shown in Fig. 2.

After the students receive project assignment book, they engage in planed and methodical practice of conception, group discussion, scheme design, drawing and so on through collecting information, which makes them experience the application of Sensor software in the practical engineering design, that not only can mobilize students' subjective initiative, but also can cultivate students' ability of innovation, analysis for solving practical engineering problems, communication and coordination, and truly realize the original intention of "learning by doing" and "applying in learning" of education concept in CDOI engineering.

4.3. Practice Teaching Contents 4.3.1. Integrating with the Drawing Course of Civil Engineering When revising the teaching plan, we can consider integrating the content of civil engineering drawing with civil engineering Sensor, which is beneficial to solve the disjointed problem between traditional civil engineering drawing and modem Sensor technology. Students complete the big job of drawing by hand and computer respectively on the basis of grasping drawing specification, which can not only improve the students' interest in learning, but also can integrate theory and practice, combine tradition and modem times, it contributes a lot to the digesting of these two curriculum's knowledge.

4.3.2. The Introduction for Design Software in Relevant Profession CDIO concept emphasizes the industrial needs and cultivation of individual vocational skills, in order to adapt to the demand of constmction industry for talent, improve the actual work ability of graduates, we should further design the unit, understand the features of various software and feedback information, choose the appropriate Sensor software. 1) The choice of software must avoid blind pursuit of "new" word; 2) professional software teaching should give full consideration to cooperating with other types of work; 3) professional software should fully embody the design needs, the operation is as simple as possible; 4) choose popular software as far as possible. In our Sensor teaching, we focus on two aspects of architecture and structure design, choosing products with intuitive interface, easy operation and good interface, in order to make sure it could improve design efficiency. Such as: general Sensor software chooses Auto Sensor 2004 software; architectural Sensor software chooses TArch.6.0 of Tian Zheng constmction software; structural Sensor software selects PKPM series. At the same time, for the student with spare capacity and interest, we use 3D Studio VIZ software and PhotoShop software to guide them to perform 3 dimensional modeling design and graphics rendering, and draw scheme for rendering. Enable students to have preliminary understanding about applying Sensor software into structural calculation and drawing the whole process of the constmction drawing, stimulate the student to study the software with enthusiasm and initiative, so as to expand students' knowledge.

4.4. Improve the Teaching Environment Set the teaching site of Sensor course in civil engineering at the machine room with projector, so as to realize each teacher and student could have one projector, thus improve teaching environment. When teachers are explaining command operation, students look at the screen while operating on their own computers, teachers' demonstrating velocity should not be too fast, they should set aside enough time for students to practice just taught knowledge. Such way of teaching can arouse students' interest in learning, and it will get twice the result with half the effort, and teachers also can timely analyze and answer questions which students have encountered in the process of operation. Through this interactive classroom, theory will merge with practice easily, which is advantageous to realize the integration of teaching and learning, learning and doing, so as to achieve a better teaching effect. This is what CDIO concept advocate to pay attention to the cultivation of students' practical ability.

4.5. Construct Practice Base in and Around Our School, Establish Mating Hardware Facilities.

On the basis of guaranteeing the experimental teaching course, they should gradually update and improve hard environment of practical teaching, construct experimental practice base in school through organizing team innovation activities for students, all kinds of competition for college students and independent innovation design of multidisciplinary subjects in cross team and so on. By relying on the cooperation between colleges and enterprise, constructing off-campus practice base to make the students understand the social demand for people, professional requirement for knowledge structure and skills requirements of post in real environment of society and enterprise.

4.6. The Assessment Method of Course Reform Actual operation proficiency of the software is one of the indexes which can reflect students' practical ability most, the author suggests to performing reform to the appraisal of Sensor course in civil engineering. Grade composition of course is as follows: theory test accounts for 20 %, usual performance and complete assignments on computer accounts for 20 %, grade of project design accounts for 30 %, the final exam on computer accounts for 30 %. Among them, the theory examination can perform more comprehensive appraisal for the condition of students' mastery about basic knowledge and drawing skills, computer operation at ordinary times can fully reflect the students' mastery condition of each part of knowledge and ability to draw, project designing grade reflects students' innovative ability and the team cooperation ability, exam on computer is to perform the appraisal for students' independent ability of graphics drawing. Through this reform, it makes practical appraisal become the main body of assessment, which can fully mobilize students' learning interest in this course, and better grasp the actual drawing skills.

5. Conclusion In this paper, it has put forward series of reform methods focusing on Sensor course of civil engineering under the guidance of advanced education concept of CDIO engineering, in order to improve students' ability of computer drawing and the ability to solve practical problems, thus improve the teaching effect, so as to achieve the goal of modem engineering education reform. Admittedly, the reform of teaching mode also needs to constantly explore and innovate in practice .We also need to make continuous efforts, and gradually perfect the Sensor course of civil engineering in every link of the process in course teaching, thus cultivate real talents of engineering design who are suitable for construction industry and have true practical and innovative ability.

Acknowledgements Funding projects: Zhejiang education project (Y201120696). Education department project in Zhejiang Province (2013 jg04). Natural science fund project in Zhejiang Province (Q12E080026) References [1]. X. L. Miao, G. Song, Graphics theory and application technology of Computer, Machinery Industry Press, Vol. 13, Issue 2,2010, pp. 21-29.

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Yanru Wang, Shuqin Zheng, Maoyu Zhang, Bo Li Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China E-mail: [email protected] Received: 30 April 2014 /Accepted: 27 June 2014 /Published: 30 June 2014 (c) 2014 IFSA Publishing, S.L.

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