Indiana
Partnership for Statewide Education Course Development Grant Proposal
ECT 444: Programmable Logic Controllers and Control Systems
Indiana State University
Abstract
The School of Technology at Indiana State University has a long standing position of innovation and excellence known throughout the industrial complex. In 1976, the Electronics and Computer Technology [ECT] program was established. It provides industry with qualified technical and managerial personnel who are capable of responding to the challenge of rapid change and developments found within modern society. The program is one of several authorized by the Indiana Commission of Higher Education to be delivered through mediated technologies statewide [DegreeLink] to address the needs for continuous learning, degree-completion study, and workforce development.
The purpose of this project is to develop a distance education course [ECT444, Programmable Logic Controllers and Control Systems] that is part of the ECT program and is closely related to DegreeLink objectives to address the needs of non-traditional students and industrial workforce development. ECT444 will be transformed into a distance education course with the support of this project. The department has given high priority to the transformation of this course, as well as others, and plans to offer it through distance in the near future. The primary media technology proposed for delivering this course will be a combination of Internet, Videotape, and Computer Simulation. The computer simulation of the circuits and PLC programs is a primary element to be developed through this project to facilitate the completion of the laboratory segments of the course.
The accomplishment of this project will significantly enhance ISU's ability to serve non-traditional students (especially Indiana residents) through asynchronous learning and expedite the process of developing an ECT program that can be completely delivered through distance education. It will also strengthen the program to help industries in workforce development
The proposed project requests a total of $ 37,463.00 funding with a $25,509.00 matching contribution by Indiana State University. It requests a total amount of $11,954.00 funding from Indiana Partnership for Statewide Education (IPSE), Course Development Grant Program (CDGP).
Project Narrative
Indiana State University has entered into a partnership with Ivy Tech State
College and Vincennes University to develop seamless program articulations.
This is more commonly known as DegreeLink. The main intention of DegreeLink
is to provide access to a baccalaureate degree for Hoosiers who are time-bound,
geographically-bound, and financially challenged. Students completing an articulated
program can either transfer to ISU as a residential student or as a community-based
student. Those students selecting the latter will receive courses through a
variety of distance education technologies. Presently, there are four approved
programs (Electronics Technology, General Industrial Technology, Industrial
Supervision, and Business Administration) being offered by Indiana State University.
The Electronics and Computer Technology Department (ECT) is a key part of the
ISU partnership with Ivy Tech State College and Vincennes University. The ECT
department has identified eight courses that need to be offered by distance
education technologies to meet this obligation. One of the advanced courses
to be offered by distance education technology is ECT444, Programmable Logic
Controllers and Control Systems. Since this course is an advanced senior level
offering, it should be offered to all ECT DegreeLink students.
Target Audience
The primary learners to be served with this program are people who elect to
enroll in the DegreeLink program. Additional people who may be served include
technical people currently working in industry desiring to upgrade their skills.
Enrollment in the courses already offered average twenty students per section
each semester. All students with a program major of Electronics Technology now
have this course as a requirement for degree completion. It is also a requirement
for the Process Control major which is currently being examined for distant
delivery. This will be the first offering of this material in a distance education
format.
The Instructional Design
During the present semester, the project director [PD] is developing a course,
ECT448, Industrial Electronic Current Control Systems, that is to be presented
during the Spring 2000 semester. The goal is to offer this course completely
via distance education. The development of the course is being accomplished
without external funding of any sort and will be presented on schedule to allow
students enrolled in the present DegreeLink program to finish their plan of
study. The course design will include the use of a software course development
package called “Blackboard CourseInfo 2.0.” A regular textbook and
supplementary materials are also included in the course design.
ECT444, Programmable Logic Controllers and Control Systems: This is a three
semester hour course that is taught by the PD, Mr. David J. Malooley. The course
was taught through traditional in-class methods during the Spring 1999 semester.
It is scheduled to be offered each semester. The next scheduled offering of
ECT444 will be during the Spring 2000 semester. This course is the focus of
this proposal.
ECT444, Programmable Logic Controllers and Control Systems is an upper
division course covering the application, configuration, installation, and programming
of programmable logic controllers. This device has a history dating back to
1968 when General Motors decided it needed to establish more flexible manufacturing
in order to compete in the emerging global supply of automobile manufacturers.
The PLC was the solution to the problem as it allowed for the first time a local
control computer to be placed on the line at the point of use rather than a
large mainframe computer located in an air conditioned controlled access room.
The PLC is the heart of almost every manufacturing process line today. It is
all pervasive in the automotive, plastics, pharmaceutical, power generation,
waste water treatment, environmental control, and food processing systems to
name a few.
The instructional design for ECT444 will be segmented into three areas; Internet
presentations, videotape lectures, and the computer simulation distance lab
concept. A brief description of each is provided as follows:
Internet presentations utilizing the CourseInfo platform will allow announcements, lectures, class assignments, exams, chat room discussions, and message board discussions. Each student will be required to log onto the course site at least three times per week to view announcements and e-mail from the professor. Lecture material will be presented each week to help guide the students learning. There will be at least three examinations given during the Internet session. Chat room discussions with the professor and fellow students will help reinforce student learning and retention of the concepts presented in the course. Chat room discussion between the students will help them develop viable programming techniques as they share ideas on how to execute the solution to the labs.
Videotape lectures will be developed for each lesson of the course. It is estimated that there will be from 10 to 15 videotaped lectures that will be developed for the course. Each distance student will receive the videotape lesson as they progress through the course. They will be required to view the videotape lecture and to respond to questions presented on the Internet course site.
Computer simulation distance
lab. There are several software packages allowing the construction of
the ladder logic programming commonly utilized in PLC programming. Part of
this project will be to determine the best fit software program for use in
the presentation of the course. As the students write their programs, they
will be able to send them to the professor for evaluation and correction.
There will be a substantial number of lab exercises to complete for the course.
The "Learning" Process
Students will log onto the course ISU Web site for complete information
about the course including the syllabus, textbook, professor information,
and grading procedure. Following this introduction, students will be required
to email the professor stating understanding of the requirements. This step
will also serve to establish whether proper communications exist between the
professor and students and allow any computer problems to be resolved prior
to the student missing any of the materials or lectures. Once comfortable
with the CourseInfo package and student interface, students will be required
to begin the first of 14 lessons in the course. Lecture information will be
presented to prepare them to view the videotape lecture. They will then be
advised to view the video material.
After viewing the videotape, students will be required to return to the Web
course site to respond to a discussion on the material presented in the lecture.
Each section presented will have a quiz that may be taken which will also
allow the students to receive immediate feedback upon completion if they so
desire. Each student will then be required to complete an examination on the
Web course site covering the material presented in the lesson.
Once the students have learned the basic concepts of PLC circuits and programming,
the laboratory exercises will commence. The professor will evaluate the student's
lab performance and return the evaluation to the student via an e-mail evaluation
message. Plans are to develop at least forty lab exercises. Although this
may seem like a large number, it is to be noted that programming begins with
very simple one input, one output exercises and progresses through increasingly
more difficult programs. By the time the last few exercises are presented,
the students will be actually synthesizing complete solutions to complex word
problems describing an industrial need or situation.
3.4
Course Evaluation
The formative and summative evaluation procedures
for this class will include several parts:
A comprehensive pre-test will be administered to all students. Tests will be administered on the course web site. This test will help establish the students’ entry-level skill and knowledge levels as well as clearly define the course content.
The class is divided into fourteen divided units of instruction. Each unit has lectures and demonstrations and several laboratory activities. Evaluation instruments will be developed to obtain student feedback on the effectiveness of each of the units of instruction. Particular emphasis will be placed on the coordination of the written instructional materials, video lectures, and the computer simulation materials. In addition to the instructional unit evaluation instruments, feedback will be requested for each lab assignment. These instruments will be carefully studied to see if immediate corrections or changes need to be made. All of the instruments will emphasize the presentation of content rather than the actual content. The student's performance on the content will be evaluated through methods mentioned earlier.
Each student will be presented on the web site the opportunity to provide feedback about their perception of the effectiveness of the course and suggestions for improvements at the conclusion of instruction. This may be provided anonymously, signed, or in person.
3.5 Project Schedule
Once the proposal has been approved, the project director will follow the
following schedule for course development.
Instructional design for ECT444 including syllabus development, lesson design for videotape lectures, and lab design.
Develop lesson plans (scripts) for the 14 videotaped lectures.
Begin work on the Web course site design.
Begin video taping each of the 14 lectures.
Begin design for the laboratory packages.
Work with major companies to acquire materials for the computer simulation laboratory exercises.
Complete Web site development.
Complete all videotaped lectures.
Complete laboratory packages.
Enroll students for the Fall 2000 offering of ECT444.
Complete summative evaluation exercises.
Final report generated to IPSE
3.6
Program Objectives
The major objectives of this proposal are (1)
to provide access for students who are time-bound, geographically-bound, and
financially challenged, (2) to engage students in critical thinking, problem-solving,
and writing skills, and (3) to assist students in gaining the competencies
needed to continue in the Electronics Technology program.
3.7
Institutional Support
Indiana State University provides its full cooperation
and supports the development of programs and courses for distance education.
Recently, DegreeLink has been established statewide to facilitate access to
all students desiring higher education throughout Indiana. The College of
Arts and Sciences is fully committed to distance education. The Division of
Continuing Education and Instructional Services, Center for Teaching and Learning
(CTL), Media technology Resource Services (MTR), Academic Computing and Network
Services (ACNS), and Faculty Computing Resource Center (FCRC) of Indiana State
University are committed to assist this project by various means including
videotaping, audio taping, providing graphic design support, designing Web
sites, providing hardware and software for Web course development. The PD
is a graduate of the Course Transformation Academy (CTA) and the Teaching
With Technology (TwiT) courses offered by the CTL. Both courses provided information
on the development of distance education courses
3.8 Key Course Development Personnel
The faculty member involved in the course development include:
Mr. David J. Malooley, Associate Professor of Electronics and Computer Technology,
will be the course creator, designer, and developer. He has the technology
experience necessary to develop this course. He has been a faculty member
for nearly twenty-one years at ISU. He developed this course, designed and
developed the laboratory, and has taught this course over six times. Professor
Malooley will serve as the Project Director for this project.
Additionally a Course Development Team will be formed. The team will consist
of the primary instructor, an instructional designer and development personnel
from the Faculty Computing Resource Center. Don Kaufman, ISU Instructional
Designer, will serve as Project Manager, coordinating the resources utilized
in the design and development of the course.
4 Budget Narrative
The proposed project focuses on the development
and delivery of distance education courses. The project budget request will
include: project director's salary, travel expenses, computer equipment, cost
of studio time, videotape editing expenses, videotape production, Instructional
design consultation, graphic design work, Web page development, student workers,
telephone, postage, and printing.
Budget Summary
PD's salary $9,334.00
Fringe benefit [9.15%] $1,087.00
Travel (Trips to vendors, seminars, and other institutions.)
$800.00
Student Workers (100 hours @ $5.65) $565.00
Fringe benefit [1.5%] $9.00
Phone calls, postage, duplication $98.00 Studio Time (40 hours
@ $200) $8,000.00
Editing Time (75 hours @ $150) $11,250.00
Tape reproduction ($6 for 1st tape, $3 thereafter
- 15 sets) $720.00
Instructional designer ($50/hr. @ 40 hrs.) $2,000.00
Graphic Designer ($25/hr @ 50 hrs.) $1,250.00
Computer Specialist ($50/hr @ 20 hrs.) $1,000.00
Special Equipment: (Digital Camera + software) $1,000.00
(Scanner) $350.00
Sub-Total $37,463.00
ISU Support $25,509.00
IPSE Request $11,954.00
APPENDIX A – Project Director
Professor Malooley has been a member of the faculty since 1979. During that time he has been instrumental in the development and revision of the curriculum for the electronics, bio-medical, and instrumentation and process control bachelor’s degrees. He has taught ECT 444 each time it has been offered by the ECT Department. Over the years, he has refined the materials, keeping them up to date and relevant.
He has taught many of the pre-requisite courses and also teaches courses in industrial current control and electrical construction. He serves on many school and university committees including the school Faculty Council (twice elected chair), the University Senate, the University Curriculum and Academic Affairs Committee (elected secretary), the advisory committee for the Center For Teaching and Learning, CTL, and numerous others. He is also a graduate of the Course Transformation Academy, CTA.
Prior to coming to ISU, he was employed by Zenith Radio Corporation as the Test Equipment Supervisor, responsible for a team of technicians. Before that, he was an officer in the US Army, serving in the Signal Corps.
From Student Instructional Reports Professor Malooley has had an average of ninety- four percent of his students rate the quality of his instruction as either excellent or good. He is a 1999 Caleb Mills Distinguished Teaching reciepient.
Since 1980, Professor Malooley has been the Summer Honors Assistant Director of the Electronics and Computer Hardware Technology Seminar. In this capacity he has had excellent reviews from participants and has consistently had outstanding seminars. This program has lead the university in the percentage of seminar participants who later enrolled at Indiana State University and the number of students that rate the seminar as academically challenging. Ninety three percent of students rated this class as either superior or above average in terms of academic worth.
Professor Malooley has created several training programs for local industry including Pfizer and DADC/Sony.
Professor Malooley has a B.S.
Degree in Electronics from Indiana State University (1975) and a M.S. in Adult
and Occupational Education from Indiana University, Bloomington (1981). He
completed the course work for the EdD. in Adult and Occupation Education with
a minor in Instructional Systems Design at IU, Bloomington.
Project Title:
Transformation of ECT444, Programmable Logic Controllers and Control Systems
for Distance Education
Institution: Indiana State University
Project Director: Professor David J. Malooley
Contracts Contact Person: El-Houcin Chaqra
Project Start Date: ASAP
Project End Date: August 2001
Proposal Title: Transformation
of ECT444 Programmable Logic Controllers and Control Systems for Distance
Education
Project Director: Mr. David J. Malooley, Associate Professor, Department
of Electronics and Computer Technology, School of Technology
Phone: 812-237-3395
FAX: 812-237-3397
e-mail: etmaloo@ruby.indstate.edu
