Abstract:

Traditional methods of teaching are used in Electric Power System Course. This course relies mainly on textbooks, activities and assignments. Recently, simulation software is incorporated into the power system course. Professors show concepts and theories applied in simulation as a strategy to boost student’s learning. However, power systems have a bunch of devices, electrical and hardware components. Nevertheless, power system course is not integrating any laboratory experiments. UniGrid is a microgrid - UniGrid laboratory for educational and research purposes. This microgrid - UniGrid offers the possibility of implementing power system behaviour. In this work, authors present a laboratory-based innovative approach to developed new skills in electrical engineering students. The impact of laboratory-based innovative approach is measured with a pre-test and post-test design. Also, laboratory experiments were implemented with last year students as a preliminary group. This paper analyzes the benefits and challenges of laboratory-based innovative approach implementation in the classroom.

Keywords:

Engineering skills, pedagogical innovation, power systems, education in engineering.