SMRCEK, Juraj, SALOKY, Tomas & TULEJA, Peter
Department of Robotics, Technical University of Kosice, Sturova 31, 080 01 Presov, Slovakia, Tel: ++421 91 723412, smrcek@kpr.po.sanet.sk
Abstract: University graduate's starting special practice is connected with the time of his/her adaptation process. The analysis of the problems and their reasons was used as an input for the solution and creating the model of non-standard form of teaching based on closely tied teaching with practice starting in the process of University graduates preparation. Given model realties one of the possible approaches now to solve the problem of adaptation process of the graduate. Further working out the given model it its supposed to create a practical model of teaching for wider application use.
Keywords: adaptation process, study profile, model teaching
University graduate's starting special practice is connected with the time of his/her adaptation process. The graduate can meet the conditions of concrete practice environment which differ from those of University and personal expectations of him/her. How "long and how difficult" this time of his/her adaptation process would be depends on readiness of employee's organization (adaptation program, starting practice program etc.) and also personal abilities (knowledge obtained during studies, creativity, etc.) and faculties (character, psychic faculties, etc.).
The analysis of these problems and their reasons was used as an input for the solution and creating the model of non-standard form of teaching based on teaching closely tied with practice starting in the process of University graduates preparation.
The adaptation process and the problem of the graduate to be prepared for the praxis has been widely discussed. Recent teaching process at Universities can not influence positively the whole range of needs of the graduate in praxis. The analysis of knowledge, experience, and real application space shows mainly that:
the methodology of teaching does not always leads to independent creative work, the tasks (applications, projects, etc.) are solved according to relatively narrow approach set by the pedagogue
the methodology of teaching does not lead to the habits of team work, while such tasks prevail in praxis
separating learning from praxis does not allow to understand the problems of praxis, does not secure the contact with experts form praxis, and not all pedagogues at University have personal experience from praxis
the graduate does not prepare for the communication with the environment, he/she is not prepared for the analysis of the relations with economy, technical and production solutions
professional profile of the graduate does not always correspond with recent requirements of the work market
passivity at the work market, or adaptation process respectively, follows also possible needs for his/her re-qualification. To finish studies and at the same time to think about a new professional special orientation is a social, psychological (resignation) problem, and also the problem of fulfillment of personal aims and ideas.
the offer of recent work market, mainly in industrial branches and especially in engineering, is very "weak".
As one of the solutions, the world practice presents profiling wider study majors, for example manufacturing engineering technologies. The study is characterized by wide basic knowledge, wider professional (profiling) basis and decisive knowledge form the fields of management and business. The process of teaching is connected with praxis, the students in last years are directly connected with praxis (solving tasks form praxis, topics of thesis, realizing some practices, etc.).
The recession of world economy and the growth of graduates' unemployment in Western European countries contributed to a qualified interest of the state authorities and Universities about the problem of the graduates' adaptation process and employment. The interest led to establishment of permanent institute services of "employment counseling" at schools, or state authorities. These offices offer information, advice and service for the graduateson the base of their own surveys (knowledge of the environment of the region, priorities of the state development of the economy politics, following the development activities of the regional industrial background, etc.), then they offer activities (study stays, topics of thesis and post-graduate works respectively, topics of topical works, companies' presentations, etc.) between the praxis and school.
Developed employment organizations have completed programs for the graduates' adaptation prepared (program of starting praxis, complementary courses and trainings, motivation systems, employment relation's stabilization, etc.).
The model that is similarly connected has still been missing here, or its parts has not been realized yet. Basic changes are not yet supposed to be done recently, therefore the problem of adaptation process is shifted to the competence of Universities.
The model realized at the workplace of the authors of the paper, evaluated by 10 years of practice (the workplace was established i 1988) and the range of students (total 170), Fig. 1, modifies given experience at the conditions of our teaching process and industrial environment.
The model was prepared and realized for the study major 23-19-8, "Production systems with industrial robots and manipulators" (according to ISCED UNESCO 5445000 Control engineering/Robotics). The solution, on the base of the analysis of relevant relations and conditions, Fig. 2, aims at the innovation of the professional profile and the innovation of organization and working model of teaching.
The trend of robotics development, which is characterized by coming of biorobotics and mainly dynamic coming of robotics to non-industrial branches, required the innovation of the professional profile. This fact considerably influences global trends of the development of robotic-technical means, Fig. 3, and at the same time it brings about innovation new requirements on robots, which are connected with effect of their use mainly in non - industrial environment.
Fig. 1. Graph of graduates
Fig. 2.
Parallel with following realization of traditional robotic-technical means, there are new categories
Fig. 3. Graph of graduates (categories/years)
of intelligent robots in the beginning of development which are set for brand new working applications and for economically new environment. This starting and yet realized trend should be secured by the preparation of new professionals who will take over and develop it in praxis and at the same time they will work out the "answer" for the questions of further robotics development, Fig. 4.
Fig.4
The innovation of the organization and working models of teaching required the aim of its closer connection with praxis. Department working, Fig. 5, is divided into three blocks (construction, projecting, working), with the following characteristic features:
Fig.5
Department is composed of "stabile" and "free - non-addressed" pedagogic jobs. The stabile jobs are occupied by the pedagogues employed full-time. The free jobs are occupied by the form of part-time jobs (for term, academic year) by chosen professionals from practice, at the same time, through these jobs the cooperation with practice (know-how, labs and special workplaces, thematic tasks and topics, etc.) are secured
Stabile pedagogues are the heads of the different blocks; their task to organize and manage teaching of all subjects in their block follows their responsibility
Gradual building of the knowledge base of students (4th and 5th years) in different blocks, up to profiling the graduate according to their majors is based on brick-box principle, Fig. 6. Through this the continuity of subjects, and variability of the choice of optional subjects were reached without influencing necessary relations.
Fig. 6
Following the experience with this model working, from the point of view of the adaptation process, these knowledge can be given:
chosen engineering and production organizations directly participate in teaching, and consequently secure the connection of the praxis with the process of teaching, and at the same time they create a potential space for the employment of the graduates, the organizations choose the graduates during their study
the portion of the external load is up to 54% (according to the term and year) from the whole range of teaching, considering seminars it is up to 30% of the topics realized at specialized workplaces of chosen organizations
small number (cca 10) students in major enables the pedagogue to approach the students individually, and the students to contact the topic of a seminar actively, the tasks are solved as models of technical tasks in practice (independence in the problem, team work as a whole)
capacity of "free" places enables to employ 8 - 10 external pedagogues (4-6 subjects), it is possible to adjust them flexibly (personally, qualitatively), the Department needs lower finance sources for the total number of pedagogues (effective load)
operation model at the same time enables to realize partially also the function of "employment counseling"
the model is connected to all levels of University studies, it means Bc (23-19-7 "Automated equipment operation") and post-graduate (39-1-9 "Automation and operation", major "Robotics"), which is secured directly through the Department.
Presented model shows the possibilities of the realization of the problem of graduate's adaptation process with the connection of the possibilities of recent solution of his/her potential employment. Recent experience confirm the suitability of such an approach of tying teaching and professional practice. Through further adjustment of the model, mainly because of developing outer influences and conditions (industrial economy politics, social politics, legislation, education development, etc.), we hope to create a practical model of teaching for wider application use.
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UNESCO. ISCE - International Standard Clasisfication of Education