Didactical aspects of mechatronics education

Transdisciplinary Approach of the Mechatronics in the Knowledge Based Society

“…The teacher is considering as acting from a top-down perspective, while the disciples from a bottom-up perspective, the ranks of authority of the teacher and the disciples being alternatively in a symmetrical and complementary interaction state, depending of the synergistic context, in order to avoid potential conflicts, building bridges, avoiding the barriers, working and living together, as human beings in a permanent connection between them and with intelligent systems, technologies and products, as well (Nicolescu, 1996;Berte, 2005;Lute, 2006;Mătieş et al, 2008;Pop & Vereş, 2010). It is necessary to develop in each student a balance between these top-down and the bottom-up perspectives on mechatronical approach of knowledge, studying in depth the key areas of technology on which successfully mechatronical design are based and thus lays the foundation for the students to become true mechatronicians (workers, technicians, engineers) (Day, 1992;Pop, 2009a) in the vocational educational training systems (VETS), as a knowledge factory (Stiffler, 1992;Alptekin, 1996, Lamancusa et al, 1997Rainey, 2002;Erbe & Bruns, 2003). To fulfil the demands for multi-skilled technicians and skilled workers, vocational educational training systems (VETS) together with industry are confronted with the need to develop theoretical sequences (top-down perspective) integrated with practical learning sequences (bottom-up perspective), in acquiring key competences and update the skills as a continuous all life learning process.…”

“…The design process could be finalized only by a team of specialists from different fields who must learn to communicate in a new transdisciplinary manner, each researcher working synergistically rather than sequentially, from his own field of research, with an obvious difference between the traditional, fragmented, sequential and the mechatronical integrative concurent design (Hewit & King, 1996;Lamancusa et al, 1997;9 Ertas et al, 2000;Habib, 2008;Doppelt & Schunn, 2008). The principles of mechatronical education can be applied successfully to all teaching levels, creating the necessary teachinglearning environment, as a teaching factory, as a mobile mechatronical platform, or as another educational systems (Stiffler, 1992;Alptekin, 1996;Lamancusa et al, 1997;Arkin et al, 1997;Rainey, 2002;Erdener, 2003;Erbe & Bruns, 2003;Quinsee, 2005;Papoutsidakis et al, 2008;Mătieş et al, 2008). It is necessary to define curricular areas with the possibility to switch from a unilateral monodisciplinary thinking, based on a single discipline, to a flexible, global thinking, which assures an integrating approach to the educational process, as a synergistic generative transdisciplinary way (Berte, 2005;Rainey, 2002;Grimheden & Hanson, 2005).…”

Educational Frameworks for Vehicle Mechatronics

“…Students must deepen their knowledge in these slightly related fields of engineering. Tasks and solving problems in mechatronics require cognitive and operational knowledge and practical experience in systems design and analysis [3]. All mechatronics-related curricular papers state that besides the formal teaching of basic techniques, such as sensors and actuators, software and hardware design or dynamics, certain kinds of practical material is needed in this field [4] [5] [6].…”

Design of an educational emulation framework for mechatronics control unit development

“…Students must deepen their knowledge in these slightly related fields of engineering. Tasks and solving problems in mechatronics require cognitive and operational knowledge and practical experience about systems design and analysis [2]. All mechatronics-related curricular papers state that besides the formal teaching of basic techniques, such as sensors and actuators, software and hardware design or dynamics, certain kind of practical material is needed in this field [3] [4] [5].…”