Modified Blended Learning in Engineering Higher Education during the COVID-19 Lockdown—Building Automation Courses (Poland)

The blended learning method with its supporting electronic tools is a very well-known approach in academic education. In most of its practical applications, direct face to face contacts between students and the teacher as well as students with each other in groups are important elements in the organization of lectures and classes. This is of particular importance in conducting laboratory classes in teaching process for engineers. However, the COVID-19 lockdown in the spring of 2020 closed schools, universities and completely eliminated the possibility of direct interpersonal contacts. These extraordinary circumstances forced changes in the organization of the teaching process, in particular the introduction of distance learning. Therefore, in Poland a modified blended learning method  was proposed and introduced in the education of building automation engineers at a technical university in Krakow. At the link provided below, the new organizational structure of this modified method is presented, with discussion of tools and methods of active distance learning, introduced during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Finally, some experiences, general reflections along with the identification of the preferred forms of distance learning by students are presented. The future works are briefly described as well.

English, Polish

Small to medium-sized groups

Blended learning

Laboratory classes through distance learning

1 semester

University professors and students in the areas of interest, engineering professors and students, IT Learning and Education developers, technicians in the area of automation

Higher education competences, teaching competence, IT skills, engineering skills, competence in automation techniques

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/10/10/292