sharing of control teaching - 1 session at control 2008 © dr richard mitchell 2008 on teaching of...
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Sharing of Control Teaching - 1Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
On Teaching of Control in UK
Led by Dr Richard Mitchell
Cybernetics, School of Systems EngineeringUniversity of Reading, UK
Sharing of Control Teaching - 2Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Background
At Control 2006 a session was organised led by Anthony Rossiter (Sheffield) and Derek Atherton (Sussex) about the teaching of Control in UK Universities
This useful discussion led to an application for funding from HEA for a Special Interest Group to look at Control Curricula and to consider how ideas, methods, labs, etc could be shared.
Addresses problem that in UK we tend to write own materials – there is poor record at sharing
There is much on the WWW, but no quality control.Aim of SIG .. Bring people together, develop embryonic
web site for sharing of control … have annual meetings
Sharing of Control Teaching - 3Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
SIG First Meeting : Reading 2007
Syllabi of Control Courses consideredMuch commonality (with different packaging)Most first courses included signals and systems with
analysis by Laplace Most second courses covered the analysis of control
systems with different control strategies Subsequent courses vary – depends on research
interestsWeb site produced, mainly aimed at second courses –
some lecture-type material and case studies – some MATLAB code – examples which work with SISOTOOL
Questionnaire sent out to Control academics
Sharing of Control Teaching - 4Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Second Meeting Glasgow 2007
Looked at syllabi in more detailwondered about third courses, PID, non-linear
Analysed questionnaireWondered how to maintain web site in longer termAgreed to have a meeting at Control 2008Noted IFAC have a similar initiative
(but UK may have different perspective)
Sharing of Control Teaching - 5Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Subsequently
Meeting co-organised with the IEEE Control Systems Chapter, Sheffield, April 20089 PresentationsDiscussion -> Agreed to arrange Today’s session
Paper at IFAC World Congress“Typical control curricula and using software for teaching/assessment: a UK perspective”J.A Rossiter, D. Giaouris, R.J. Mitchell, P. McKenna
IFAC Initiative – IFAC Control Resources ICRkick started by session at IFAC
Sharing of Control Teaching - 6Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
http://controleducation.group.shef.ac.uk/Summary of aims and objectives
Typical curriculae
Minutes of meetings and membership
Resources page
QuestionnaireComments on curriculae and assessing with MATLABMarch 19th 2008 meeting
and presentations and discussions
ICR initiative of IFAC
Network for new academics in control and website
Details of sharing event at IFAC world congress 2008
Sharing of Control Teaching - 7Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Workshop Apr 2008Using jet stream data to support modelling and simulation with MATLAB and simulink
Alastair Cooke Cranfield.
Modelling the Eye-Brain-Hand Motor Response in Transfer Function form: An Active Learner Approach
Aidan O'Dwyer Dublin Inst Tech
Internet Based Real-time Control System Laboratory
Guoping Liu, Wenshan Hu, Senchun Chai and David Rees, Glamorgan
Modelling Project at Reading Richard Mitchell Will Browne, Reading
Experiences at teaching advanced control at Reading using Matlab based computer assessment
Victor M. Becerra, Reading
Sharing of Control Teaching - 8Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Continued
Bode plots, why bother? Paul McKenna, Glasgow Cal
Using peer assessment and MATLAB within the control curriculum and for large groups
Anthony Rossiter Sheffield
Experiences of using MATLAB for teaching and assessment
Damian Giaouris, Newcastle
Graduate Process Control Skill Requirements – Are we satisfying them?
Diane Rossiter, Sheffield
The special interest group on control education and its future (Discussion)
Sharing of Control Teaching - 9Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
IFAC Control Resource ICR
Aim : gradually generate a reputable control systems data base, one-stop internet shopping point providing quality response to web based enquiries about control systems, their underpinning theories and applications.
The ICR will: serve future teaching and research needs of the
community members; stimulate increased interest in control among young
minds, students and young researchers. maintain vitality of IFAC efforts in a manner
attractive to current members and new generation.
Sharing of Control Teaching - 10Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Information on ICR
Details on ICR at IFAC World Congress – or SIG pagehttp://controleducation.group.shef.ac.uk
Overview at/ifac2008.htmMore details at/ifac2008b.htmPresenters at session in Korea/ifac2008_presenters.htm These were from Germany, France, Spain, UK,
Netherlands, India, USA, Australia
Sharing of Control Teaching - 11Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Network New Academics in Control
http://www.newace.org.uk/EPSRC Funded … from Oct 2007
Objectives: to provide a platform for the members to exchange
ideas, experience and practices to develop and strengthen long-term collaboration
activities, including joint applications and collaborations with industry
to support potential future leaders in control engineering and related areas
to develop and sustain a strong future for control engineering in the UK
Sharing of Control Teaching - 12Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Some Material from Anthony’s Talk
Typical control curricula and using software for teaching/assessment: a UK perspective
By J.A Rossiter, D. Giaouris, R.J. Mitchell, P. McKenna
1. Background to SIG2. Aims and objectives (already covered here)3. Curriculae4. Software5. Conclusions
Sharing of Control Teaching - 13Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Background
UK contextRapid increase in profile of teaching and learningSome universities trying to reintroduce formal recognition of teaching contributions
International contextRapid growth in potential of technology. Web allows for sharing best practice.EDCOM (IFAC education TC) asked to look at a
repository of control resources.Global adoption of tools such as MATLAB/SIMULINK
UK has some unique characteristics, hence SIG
Sharing of Control Teaching - 14Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
CurriculaeTypical UK First course in controlTends to cover core maths and thus might be called
Signals and Systems. It coversLaplace transforms, transfer functions, poles and zeros, system responses,damping and resonance, basic block
diagrams,Fourier series and transforms,Introduction to feedback (no analysis), Modelling and dynamics. NOTE no state space
Sharing of Control Teaching - 15Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Curricula – Second Course
Typical Second Course – prob no design + labs (simulate?)
Why feedback? Open and closed-loop, block diagrams, 2nd order systems (damping, overshoot,...). Steady-state errors, the effect of disturbances, position
of the integrator in the loop, Poles, zeros stability, characteristic eqn and root loci, Frequency response, Bode, Nyquist, gain/phase
margins, Lead and lag compensators, PID. Velocity feedback. Routh-Hurwitz, Nichols charts, Zeigler Nichols are still
in many syllabi BUT de-emphasised or phased out.
Sharing of Control Teaching - 16Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Remarks/notable omissions
Less emphasis on sensitivity and thus fundamental arguments as to why control is important.
No need for students to do design (lead, lag, PID, root-loci and pole-placement)
No digital control, state-space, Kalman filters, No sensitivity (noise and disturbance rejection) and
robustness, No feed forward, relevance or significance of zeros, PLCs, measurement (sensors and transducers) and
time delays.
Sharing of Control Teaching - 17Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Industrial perspective
The industrial view point collected via a small survey was very close to the academic one.
the emphasis is on deep understanding of, and the ability to use, basic traditional concepts rather than the need to be broad.
No demand for introducing state space into first courseOr for a greater emphasis on loop sensitivity at this
level.Some Details :
PID must be taught (as commonly used), Also Fourier – helps re signals Great value in Bode/Nyquist
Sharing of Control Teaching - 18Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Using software for learning/assessment
Software be used actively for teaching and assessment. Many methods of 30 years ago assume paper and pen. Students must understand how to sketch Bode/Nyquist/
root-loci, but less concern for numerical details. Using software, can put more emphasis on interpretation
and designUse interactive software to illustrate key points.Do only necessary computations by hand (saves time).Balance assessment between traditional exams and
software laboratory.Logical to base around MATLAB and sisotool
Sharing of Control Teaching - 19Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Some Case Studies
Open ended coursework with real industrial dataStudents must understand before use computers
30:70 split coursework/exams. Labs must include real systems (we use QUANSAR) not just simulation
MATLAB assessment popular (can take time to set up – invigilators must know MATLAB
Check exam equations using Control KitStudents positive on lab assessments; they must prepare
before hand; get them to keep a log – sketch graphsNew module: how an engineer would use various
methodsExams – partly use computer, partly write answers
Sharing of Control Teaching - 20Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Conclusions
General agreement within the UK about topics covered during introductory control modules. Excludes several topics, e.g. robustness/state space.Routh / Nichols charts, are being dropped.
A significant move towards using software, specifically MATLAB/SIMULINK, for teaching and assessment. Student feedback indicates students more confident in
basic principles and thus potentially ready to re-engage with the topic later in their studies.
Some minor conclusions on best practise in using computer based assessment seem to be widely shared.
Sharing of Control Teaching - 21Session at Control 2008 © Dr Richard Mitchell 2008
Discussion Items
Developing the existing web site further
Suggestions for other resources which could be added to the site
Can we better evaluate some material that is available, on the internet for instance, to help lecturers developing new courses.
Potential further events (such as that held at Sheffield in April 2008) for sharing ideas on Control Teaching
Any other comments