Exchange of Course Modules across Universities Axel Jantsch

Exchange of Course Modules across Universities Axel Jantsch Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Fundamental Challenges Ø Ø Ø Competition in research and education drives specialization → increase in number of specialized courses → labs have increasingly higher and more narrow competence profiles Peak competence is very expensive Education is under economic pressure Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Exchange of Courses and Modules Ø Ø Ø Enlarges the economic base for peak competence Increases the selection of specialized course Increases the quality of specialized courses Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Practical Challenges Costs and inconvenience of travelling Ø § Should the teacher or the students travel Course delivery over the internet Ø § Does not deliver the live classroom experience § Professional equipment and operation is costly as well Ø Lab equipement and tools Ø Verification of exam results; Student authentication Ø Cost Model ? Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Exchange of a Course Module Partners: Ø Ø § Royal Institute of Technology § Danish Technical University (Prof. Jan Madsen) Course: System Modeling Supported by SOC-Mobinet (EU) and SOC-SME (Nordic Industrial Fund) January 2004 - May 2004 Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Objectives Ø Ø Ø Keep the pedagogic quality Reduce costs of course operation Share a course among multiple organizations Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Essence of Good, Traditional Courses Excellent textbook Well designed organization Ø Ø Ø § Labs § Exercises § Sequence of activities § etc. Inspiring teacher Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Main Principles Ø Ø Improve the textbook with internet technology Provide an elaborate course organization which leads the student through the course Give the student control within the course limits Exploit opportunities of new technology Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Course Template Ø Length: 16 weeks Ø 3 Phases (Preparation, Interaction, Labs) Ø Provider, Lecturer Ø Local Organization, Host Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Phase 1: Preparation Ø Ø Length: 4 -6 weeks Self study of material Homeworks Interaction with lecturer via web/email Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Phase 2: Interaction Ø Ø Ø Length: 1 week Lecturer is present at host Lectures Exercise hours, joint discussion of problems and key issues Tutorials to labs Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Phase 3: Labs Ø Ø Ø Length: 8 -10 weeks Labs and projects Self study Homeworks Interaction with lecturer via web/email Exam Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Lecturer’s Responsibility Ø Ø Ø Ø Provide course material Exercises, homeworks Tools, accessible to the student at the host Labs, projects Exam Check exams and rate students Commit to high on-line availability for students and respond within 24 hours to every question and request from the students EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006 Axel Jantsch, KTH

Host’s Responisbility Ø Ø Provide local organization Computer infra structure, net access Provide local responsible person Execute the exams Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

The Student Controls Progress The course consists of 5 - 10 chapters For each chapter the student repeats: Ø Ø § Step A: Read lecture notes § Step B: Interact with teacher § Step C: Solve Exercises and labs § Step D: Explore tools § Step E: Pass check point Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Student - Teacher Interaction Ø Ø Ø Email Internet based chat rooms In person Teacher responds to requests within 24 hours 30% as traditional lectures 70% in dialog form Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Tools and Labs Tools readily available via the internet Ø Ø Ø § Easy to install and license, or § Operated by a host and aivalable via the net Labs to support the self-study process Labs for each chapter of the course Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Organization Options Free self-study Ø § Relative schedule with milestones and check points Controlled self-study with certificate Ø § § § Absolute schedule (2 -3 month) with registration Milestones, Homeworks, labs, project Physically controlled examination Campus based exchange course Ø § § § Preperation phase Interaction phase (teacher presence) Lab phase Campus based course Ø § § § Preparation phase (teacher presence) Interaction phase (teacher presence) Lab phase (teacher presence) Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Course Template Summary Ø Ø Ø Course template to accommodate new needs and opportunities Higher preparation costs but lower operation costs Gives the student more control while still providing a study skeleton Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Experience KTH’s System Modeling course given at DTU Jan. 2004 – May 2004 3 part template applied Elements: Ø Ø § Reading instructions § Home assignments § Lectures § Labs § Exam Student numbers: Ø § 26 students registered § 17 eventually passed the exam Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

System Modeling Course Survey and systematic development of Models of Computation Ø Ø § Introduction § Behaviour and Concurrency (FSMs and Petri Nets) § The Untimed Model of Computation § The Synchronous Model of Computation § The Timed Model of Computation § Mo. C Interfaces § Tightly Coupled Process Networks § Nondeterminism and Probability § Applications Course Book: ”Modeling Embedded Systems and So. Cs”, Morgan Kaufmann, June 2003 Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Part I: Home Reading Ø Ø Ø Home reading and home assignments 6 weeks Module schedule with deadlines Exercise server Interaction via email Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Part II: Lecture Monday Ø § 13 -15: Lecture on Untimed models of computatio § 15 -17: Individual questions and discussions Tuesday Ø § 8 -10: Lecture on Synchronous models of computation § 10 -12: Individual questions and discussions § 13 -15: Lecture on Timed models of computation § 15 -16: 30: Individual questions and discussions Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Part III: Home Assignments Ø Ø Ø 10 weeks Home reading Home assignments, exercise server Exam preparation Intensive contact by email and phone Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Exam Course provider: Ø § Design of exam § Grading of exam Host: Ø § Organization of exam: room, student authetication, etc. § Course approval Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Student Feedback 12 students answered Overall impression (1 -5): 3. 58 Ø Ø § In line or slightly lower than for traditional courses Comments: Ø § ” There's no similar course at DTU so without your effort we would not have covered the subjects!” § ” I think it is not really possible to have … on topics which are not always straightforward, using the distance learning method” § “It was no problem that the course was distant learning, as the deadlines made you go through the book as the semester went forward” § ”Solving exercises during the course is very good way to get a better understanding of the topics. Automatic checking of exercises is a very nice feature. ” § “Many of the exercises are too "computer generated" “ Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006

Conclusion The exchange of course modules is possible and useful, but Ø § § It must be very carefully planned, structured and organized There must be a clear benefit Main obstacle is the cost model Ø § § § Costs for external and internal courses are calculated radically different Many Universities are not able to invest in education Universities and the education system is not prepared to outsource courses Axel Jantsch, KTH EWME - Stockholm, June 8, 2006