Abstract:

When teaching coupled inductors in Engineering degrees, we detected that the students encounter several difficulties in learning the main features of this kind of element such as the placement of the corresponding terminals or the sense of the inducted voltages. In order to ease this learning process, we have designed a class with a sequence of activities to make the students focus on the most difficult aspects of this technology. To start with, the teacher asks the students about the possibility of using their car without any petrol. This question is used to encourage students in the area of coupled inductors. Then, students are shown a video where the use of coupled inductors is illustrated in inductively coupled power transfer system such as the one powering electrical vehicles. By means of some questionnaires, the students are also helped to understand the theoretical aspect of this technology, which are explained in the next phase. Finally, an exercise is proposed to validate the effectiveness of the methodology. This paper describes the followed methodology and analyses the results obtained when applied in a group of 32 students.

Keywords:

Coupled Inductors, Methodology, Engineering School.