Teaching control with Basic Maths: Introduction to Process Control course as a novel educational approach for undergraduate engineering programs

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel, accessible approach to teaching control theory to undergraduates using basic mathematics, practical tools, and open-source simulators, improving student motivation and success.

Contribution

It presents a new educational methodology for control theory that requires no advanced math, including practical tools and an assessment of its positive impact at UFSC.

Findings

Students showed increased motivation for control subjects

Higher success rates in control courses observed

Positive student feedback on the new approach

Abstract

In this article, we discuss a novel education approach to control theory in undergraduate engineering programs. In particular, we elaborate on the inclusion of an introductory course on process control during the first years of the program, to appear right after the students undergo basic calculus and physics courses. Our novel teaching proposal comprises debating the basic elements of control theory without requiring any background on advanced mathematical frameworks from the part of the students. The methodology addresses, conceptually, the majority of the steps required for the analysis and design of simple control systems. Herein, we thoroughly detail this educational guideline, as well as tools that can be used in the classroom. Furthermore, we propose a cheap test-bench kit and an open-source numerical simulator that can be used to carry out experiments during the proposed course. Most importantly, we also assess on how the Introduction to process control course has affected the undergraduate program on Control and Automation Engineering at Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC, Brazil). Specifically, we debate the outcomes of implementing our education approach at UFSC from 2016 to 2023, considering students' rates of success in other control courses and perspectives on how the chair helped them throughout the course of their program. Based on randomised interviews, we indicate that our educational approach has had good teaching-learning results: students tend to be more motivated for other control-related subjects, while exhibiting higher rates of success.