Zona Kostić

Web-based laboratory for collaborative and concurrent CAD designing, assembling, and practical exercising on distance

Original scientific paper Collaborative CAD of distant modelling is a today’s necessity for realization in a timely manner. This need arises even within educational institutions, where investments in the development of technologies to support collaborative distance learning are still trivial. Most CAD programs used in engineering have modules for collaboration. However, these solutions are expensive, especially for educational institutions that have a large number of students. The mentioned modules generally work within a specific CAD platform and support import and export of a limited number of CAD formats. In this paper, we present an open-source solution that overcomes these problems. It implements practical work at a distance by combining most commonly used CAD platforms in engineering. In this paper, we describe how to use virtual laboratory for rapid designing through execution of practical exercises. The architecture of the proposed solution, the modelling of the laboratory and methods for creating its functions are described. Also, given is a tangible example of collaborative aircraft assembly between distant students, with parts modelled in different CAD packages, and the usability of labs presented through prototype builds on 3D printer and the final test in the wind tunnel. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations were conducted. Conclusions set the direction of the future development using various technologies for building virtual assembly laboratory.

Assessment based on Serious Gaming Interactive Questions (SGIQ)

The case study presented in this paper describes the pedagogical aspects and collected experience in using e-learning tool named IPA-PBL. Improving assessments in the preparation for AMETs (Air Medical Evacuation and Transport) complex task of transfer of injured or sick patients from the place of accident to the hospital or between hospitals represents the main motive for developing this tool. In IPA-PBL, the problem-based learning is applied as a pedagogical strategy as well as a set of concrete methods implemented in the software. Together with the pedagogical model, specific domain ontology is designed. This way, the learners knowledge can be analysed in order to collect the data necessary for dynamical adaptation of system behaviour. The results collected during the exploitation of IPA-PBL are compared without using the system. Statistical analysis as well as considerations and conclusions about them are also presented in the paper. The predominant number of trainees who participated in the survey expressed positive attitudes about the new interactive type of questions. Therefore, it is considered to extend using such questions not only in assessments but in other parts of the training process.

Virtual Educational System and communication

The lack of fully integrated real and virtual classrooms or labs which provide interactivity between participants has recently become an important issue. We also noticed that a specific pedagogical approach based on the feedback from participants in the educational process has not yet been described in the literature. These are two important motivations for dealing with this problem. In this paper we present Virtual Educational System, through integrated real and virtual labs (VirLabs). System enables interactivity between students which work contemporarily on the same project. Virtual Network Computing (VNC) system and protocol has been used as a platform independent system. We are working on research a completely new communication protocol, which depends on the behaviour of the proposed educational system.