From Chalk Talk to Tablet Talk: Pedagogies for Control Engineering

Abstract

Individual disciplines, and even subfields within those disciplines, typically exhibit distinctive pedagogical approaches that have developed over time, influenced by the content of the discipline and technology. In control engineering, mathematical symbolic and diagrammatic forms are a key element, and have been traditionally taught using oral and handwritten approaches (so called chalk-talk). The widespread use of computer display technology and PowerPoint has influenced the way in which the development of ideas is presented, leading to mathematics presented as solutions, rather than a process, and the isolation of the mathematics from the control engineering context. This paper reviews educational trends and personal experience that suggests the use of digital pen-enabled tablet technologies can facilitate the reintroduction of elements critical to developing an effective pedagogy for control engineering.