Abstract:

Field trips provide a valuable real insight for students, and define an efficient way of teaching electrical engineering at university level, as knowledge acquisition is considered not to be fulfilled until the concepts learned in the classroom are applied. The aim of field visits is to deepen and complement topics covered during standard lecturing and practical sessions. These trips shall be carefully planned concerning theoretical knowledge prerequisites, correct framing in the ordinary courses, previous student motivation techniques, technical documentation availability and logistics, among others. This paper provides an overview of the way field trips are organized at the Electrical Machines Section, Electrical Engineering Department, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, and shares a recent learning experience regarding a 2-day field trip to a high-voltage substation, a small hydroelectric power plant and a wind power plant, based on inputs received from the involved faculty members and students.

Keywords:

University, electrical engineering, field trips.