HOW DOES IT WORK?
AS SIMPLE AS THIS...
The student downloads a desktop application with the virtual reality and learning environments. That’s the tool he/she will use to learn and to communicate with professor and group. Everything the student needs is in the platform: project/problem proposal, instructions, guidance, virtual environment to run the practices, links to download the required softwares and so on.
WHY DOES IT KEEP STUDENTS ENGAGED?
The courses in the platform are gamified and problem-based. That means that students are not students. They are trainees in the engineering team of a factory. And as trainees they have many projects and problems to work, the same way they would be if they had been hired as trainees in a real factory.
So by taking the student into a story which happens in a virtual reality environment we promote engagement and fun. In practice, the students feel challenged and motivated. This joy and challenging environment is what increases the learning process effectiveness.
VIDEO
LOGIN >> FIRST TASK >> CONNECTION WITH CODESYS SOFTPLC >> MACHINE RUNNING >> DELIVERY
Watch the video to see all the steps from login to getting the machine running on the first activity.
a step-by-step starting from the login
Downloading and logging into the platform
The student will download and log into the platform using the link provided by the educational institution, with the authentication information (username and password).
Navigate the course’s menu and access a course
When logged in the student sees the courses that the institution has subscribed him to.
He/she may navigate throughout the courses and see the details such as contents and skills that will be developed.
Navigate the challenge’s menu and access a challenge
By accessing the course, the student will se the challenge’s menu (bottom of the screen) as well as a description and the topics of the challenge (bottom-right).
Access the challenge
By accessing a challenge, the student will see its presentation.
Since challenges are mostly projects in the automation courses, the student will be welcome to the project team and will first learn about its goals, benefits expected to the factory, and the skills the student will develop by working on it
Challenges virtual reality environment
Every challenge takes place in a virtual reality environment. The case in the picture is a sorting line with conveyor belts.
This environment is controlled by a PLC or SoftPLC in case of automation courses, for example.
Accessing the tasks
Tasks are mostly project’s steps. So by doing the tasks the student is step-by-step developing the project. This is important to keep the student focused on developing “small pieces”, solving “small problems” and learning “small things”. That keeps him/her engaged since he/she sees clear progress.
Accessing the contents
Every task has detailed instructions on what to do, how to do it and what must be learned to get the job done.
Developing and testing the application
The student will work with both DL VFA4.0 and the development software required to do the course. In this case, it’s Codesys.
He/she will develop the application, and test using real time simulation, in the platform, as if they were in a factory.
Deliver a task
When the student comes to the conclusion that his/her solution meets the task’s requirements, he/she may press the “deliver” button so the platform can automatically test it in real time. If the solution meets the requirements, the student is allowed to pass to the next task. If not, a feedback is provided.
Ask a question to the professor or the group.
If the student needs help, he/she may ask questions to the professor, or to everyone in the course.
Besides, the students can easily see previous questions made about the tame task he/she is working on.
Anonymous question
That’s important because many students are shy or uncomfortable to make questions in public.
The student may choose to have
his/her name seen only by the professors and instruction team. So his/her question helps other students since it’s going to be public, but anonymously.
Question to
The student may make a question directly to the professor and request him/her to answer.
The whole instructors/monitors team may see it and anyone in the team may suggest an answer.
So if one of the monitors or assistant instructors in the course answer the question, the answer goes to the professor as a suggestion, and the professor may see it, request changes or only accept.
That means the student will receive a professors’ answer, but the professor do not need