A variety of teaching methods employed across all departments offer possibilities for active learning. These include case studies, project-based learning, problem-based learning, challenge-based learning, training, and simulated learning. Industry visits and practice placements are important features of the teaching and learning process. Opportunities for interactive learning are reinforced through project-based learning, case study analysis, visiting speakers, group work, and e-learning. The use of these teaching methods is enabled by a favorable teacher-student ratio and small classes, respectively “one to one” concept interaction.
Our emphasis on practical and relevant industry knowledge is a key feature of educational programs. The study methods and requirements for course completion will always be specified in the course syllabus available to the students before the course starts. Each course has a detailed syllabus, which is more detailed than a course programme and describes topics to be covered during the course – objectives, subject learning outcomes and content, organization of work, requirements for seminar and individual work, gives a list of required and recommended reading and sets of attendance and specific assessment rules.
The curriculum provides both a subject and design-oriented approach to education. In addition to the fundamentals of mechatronics-related and mechatronic essential subjects, the curriculum is geared towards mechatronics system analysis and design. The curriculum has hence included a process-orientation dimension intended to encourage students’ commitment to projects.
In order to outline management aspects associated with the educational technology the relevant organizational and management elements for the lab courses are as follows: teaching materials are placed into the Moodle platform (online learning), attendance to the tutorials and labs is mandatory, students can have access to the laboratory and wireless PC room, tight coupling between lecture and laboratory activity, technical support for tutorial and lab sessions which would be delivered by staff who understand problems and their solution, large whiteboards, flipcharts, LCD and projectors for presentations.