Abstract:

In recent years, there have been major changes in the approach to learning and teaching, especially in university teaching in STEM - oriented faculties. Traditional classroom teaching is increasingly being replaced by modern teaching methods. Teaching processes are oriented towards the paradigm of Education 4.0, and digital platforms are no longer just a tool, but a fundamental teaching tool. It should certainly be noted that the period of the pandemic has accelerated this process and it was necessary to adapt the educational system to the new conditions in a short time.

In this paper, we describe the modification and hybridization of the engineering mathematics course for students of electrical engineering and computer science, taking a closer look at the topic of Laplace transforms, which is mandatory for all students of these disciplines. In other words, we describe the transition of a course from a traditional face-to-face course to a hybrid course in which elements of face-to-face instruction and e-learning are interwoven.

The transition process itself was based on two basic principles. First, we wanted to retain the extremely important socialization component of face-to-face teaching, and second, we wanted to significantly digitalize the process of learning and teaching. The pandemic further accelerated the digitalization process, forcing us to experiment with new methods and approaches in situ and in vivo. This led to important insights that ultimately improved the entire teaching process, from knowledge delivery to validation of learning outcomes and assessment of students' knowledge and skills.

Ubiquitous learning, where learning can take place anytime and anywhere without spatial or temporal constraints, has become a fundamental teaching method. The benefits of innovative teaching approaches such as gamification and reverse classroom have also been explored, and these approaches have proven to be extremely useful in maintaining student focus and motivation.

In this paper we will describe what e-learning tools we have used in the teaching process, how they have been adopted by the students and what benefits they have actually had in the context of the knowledge acquisition process. We will list all the challenges we faced, be they pedagogical-didactic or technological. Special attention will be given to the digital process of valorisation of learning outcomes and continuous assessment of students' skills.

Although we will use the topic of Laplace transforms as an example, we will analyze the possibility of applying the established model to other course content and to other courses and study groups. In other words, we will present a sustainable and optimal model for a smooth transition from the old, classical approach to learning and teaching to the modern, hybrid approach that focuses first and foremost on the welfare of students and is oriented towards the needs of modern society.

Keywords:

Hybridization, new teaching approaches, digitalization, e-learning, STEM field, mathematics education.