Augmentation of Electrical Power Laboratory Students Learning Experience Through Simulations Software Enhancements During COVID-19

Author

Anthony Duran Hill, Prairie View A&M University

Date of Award

8-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Degree Discipline

Electrical Engineering

Abstract

The quest for experienced Electrical Power Engineers in today's workforce is increasing as Supervision Control and Data Acquisition-Internet of Things (SCADA- IOT) systems continue to be integrated into the power grid, thus making the grid smarter. The overall electric power network is undergoing changes due to the industrial use of smart machines incorporating power electronics devices and the deployment of renewable energy resources such as photo-voltaic and wind power generators. The challenges that have been generated as a result of this power grid modernization require universities and technical education institutions to modify their power engineering curriculum to include more of engineering students' hands-on practical laboratory experience.

Additionally, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of the year 2020 has created the awareness of the importance of necessary changes in the way laboratory classes are taught to improve student's learning experience as well as achieve the desired learning objectives before the students graduate into the industry. Face-to-face laboratory courses need to be modified to satisfy mandated COVID 19 social distancing and other requirements. While the quest for experienced Electrical Power Engineers in today's workforce is increasing as Supervision Control and Data Acquisition-Internet of Things (SCADA- IOT) systems continue to be integrated into the power grid. The grid smarter recent COVID-19 based limitations imposed on face-to-face teaching is most likely to adversely affect adequate delivery of laboratory instructions to engineering students. This study focuses on an electrical power laboratory course conducted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic using Electro-Mechanical System (EMS), where experiments with simulations, practical modules implementation and Data Acquisition and Control Interface (DACI) method are utilized to enhance the Laboratory experience. Electromechanical Systems Simulation Software, a web-browser based application, is used in the EMS simulations.

The study examines the effectiveness of the simulations method together with remote practical demonstrations of power laboratory experiments. Every experiment conducted remotely to familiarize students with the operation of the power industry is accompanied by students' computer simulations. The laboratory reports submitted by students are used to assess the result of the remote course delivery which is found to be satisfactory and more engaging to students than the traditional face-to-face teaching method.

Committee Chair/Advisor

Penrose Cofie

Committee Member

John Fuller

Committee Member

Warsame H. Ali

Committee Member

Kelvin K. Kirby

Publisher

Prairie View A&M University

Rights

Date of Digitization

4-13-2022

Contributing Institution

John B Coleman Library

City of Publication

Prairie View

MIME Type

Application/PDF

Recommended Citation

Hill, A. D. (2020). Augmentation of Electrical Power Laboratory Students Learning Experience Through Simulations Software Enhancements During COVID-19. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/pvamu-theses/1481