Board 69: Project-based Teaching Approach of a Combined Undergraduate and Graduate Course in Power Electronics

Power electronics, a fast-developing technology within the engineering fields is multidisciplinary and complex subject in its nature. The design, modeling and analysis of power electronics circuits include circuit theory, electromagnetics, semiconductor devices, microprocessors, signal processing, control, computer simulation, heat transfer, electromagnetic compatibility and even artificial intelligence. The classical instruction approach is based on lectures and laboratories assisted by teachers. Teaching power electronics it is not an easy task, due to subject complexity and student motivation related to the subject difficulties. A natural and efficient way of teaching power electronics is the problem-oriented and project-based learning (PBL) approach. PBL, as a problem-centered teaching approach motivates students to learn actively, bringing the real professional world and requirements closer to the student, it is widely applied into engineering education. PBL relies on the paradigm of conceive, design, implement, and test, while the students are encouraged to consider the whole system, in order to obtain hands-on experience. PBL gives students the ability to transfer their acquired scientific knowledge into industrial practice. It has the great potential to help students cope with engineering field complexities, and those problems that they are facing into their future careers. For this reason, we consider the PBL to be a suitable method to obtain the desired results, improve the student learning and interests. The underlying methodology, task planning, project topics, planned assessment, and difficulties are presented and discussed. This paper presents the issues and challenges to develop and implement combined (undergraduate and graduate) course power electronics, as part of our new power and energy engineering minor. The rationale, ideas and experience of applying project-based learning on a course in power electronics are discussed. The paper also presents the course structure and content to implement and develop power electronics concepts, as well as the motivation for the inclusion of course projects with renewable energy topics.