Learning automation by doing it – a case-study

1 Celina P. Leão , Production and System Dept., Minho University, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal, [email protected] 2 Pedro M. Silva , Industrial Electronics Dept., Minho University, Campus de Azurem, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal 3 Paulo C. Oliveira, Industrial Electronics Dept., Minho University, Campus de Azurem, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal 4 Nuno C. Carvalho, Industrial Electronics Dept., Minho University, Campus de Azurem, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal 5 Filomena O. Soares , Industrial Electronics Dept., Minho University, Campus de Azurem, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal, [email protected] Abstract This paper presents the trends in automation teaching based on the “learning by doing” paradigm. A new experience in a compulsory curricular unit for an engineering degree is described. Several project works, based on real world environments, were proposed and developed. The group of students involved has no previous knowledge on automation theoretical aspects. They were encouraged to profound their basic knowledge by, autonomously, reflecting on their observations of real experiments. The teacher role was of a catalyst, being the learning progress built by the students themselves. The students’ feedback was very positive and rewarding. They react quite well finding no difficulty in applying automation concepts before settling all the theoretical background. The successful results were not only in the learning progress on the automation field but also on the development of their creativity, encouraging them in their future decisions and promoting synergies in team work.