Abstract
KEYWORDS:
Computer Aided Learning, Education, Instruction, Tutoring Tool
ABSTRACT
The paper presents some considerations about the theoretical aspects in the field of computer aided learning and some easy methods developed and used by the author, as a computerized tutoring tool for, theory and applications, computer aided instruction in thermodynamics. But the ideas of these methods are mostly very simple to be generalized in many other fields (not only in thermodynamics). It is well recognized and accepted that the study, the update and the evolution of knowledge and competence will be very significant for the future success of the students. The acquisition of new knowledge, updated and the evolution continues knowledge is thus very significant for engineers.Preparing the engineers and their environment for a life of learning requires close operation between the different actors involved in engineering education. The integration of computers and telecommunications into engineering training has become a priority for universities. How teachers learn to use this tool, as well as the development of new learning and thinking processes based on representations is one of the great challenges now facing educators. Additional challenge of training a core of teachers, and support staff, that understand how to use the technology, when to use the technology, and the types of technological applications. The theory and applications of thermodynamics and heat transfer, as an important part of the automotive engineer education, have many processes and products which are not so easy to present in a classical manner. The methods presented in this paper, mainly based on the appropriateness offered by the familiar software as World, Excel and Power Point, are used not only to help the understanding of some specific notions and phenomena that are difficult to explain and understand in the classical teaching but also to check up the accumulated knowledge and solving problems abilities of the students. In this method the use of computer as a sequential textbook is completed by schematic colored images (static and dynamic), real-time construction of diagrams, sounds and analogical schemes. In order to demonstrate how accessible these methods are some concrete examples are presented, as case studies.