Multiple Input Multiple Output Learning (MIMO Learning)

The project main goal are to enhance the effectiveness of traditional and novel pedagogical approaches (such as real-time collaborative design and project-based learning) including the extension of Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) communication concept to the learning process. In this case, every actor in the learning process is seen as a node in a knowledge network, being its portable wireless PC its basic interface to the network.

Rationale and objectives

The framework of this project is MERIT, a European Research Oriented Master on Information and Communications Technologies. The program is offered by 4 high level European universities with strong ongoing research ties and support from the European Union through the Erasmus Mundus program. The aims of the project are: to enhance the MERIT study program, to improve the teaching/learning activities, and to favour the joint use of facilities and expertise among MERIT partners.

Within this project, the TSC Department puts continuous efforts to develop and exploit a new Virtual Campus based on the Department and the School of Telecommunication educative servers and wireless networks. The laptops donated by the HP Technology for Teaching Grant Initiative and the installation of multimedia facilities in the department lecture rooms have been key factors in the project success. The availability of wireless laptops to both teachers and students has enabled remarkable improvements in teaching/learning methodologies of MERIT courses based on an intense interaction among students and teachers regardless of whether they are at a UPC campus, at home, or studying abroad while fulfilling the mobility requirements of MERIT. Moreover the project has allowed the proposal of very innovative and high level courses relying on flexible access to the latest design, simulation, processing tools.

Implementation (pedagogy)

With the support of granted students and the Virtual Campus most of MERIT courses have been redesigned in digital format. However due to the wide disciplinary coverage of MERIT including fundamental (core), specialised (concentration) and transversal courses several lines of pedagogic innovation are being studied depending on the type of subject and course objectives. Some reference cases are included as examples.

Some reference cases

In the case of some specialised technical subjects (Microwaves, Speech Processing, Antennas, Signal Processing, etc.) the project has allowed to configure powerful design, simulation and processing tools in the classroom with several objectives:
- Promote team-work and exchange of solutions and results
- Training in the use of cutting-edge research and technologically advanced tools
- Bringing the laboratory to the classroom to readily check the validity of theoretical concepts
- Allow new forms of students evaluation based on their participation and results.

In some core courses, like “IP Networks and Protocols”, the project has allowed the students to check the basic and specific concepts by performing measurements and experiments on the wireless data traffic created among the classroom computers and the access points.

In the case of transversal courses the project has promoted pedagogic innovation in a different way. For example “Critical Thinking” devoted to the improvement of oral and written scientific communication skills, after a short assessment, is making an intensive usage of video recording and playback analysis of student presentations. Thanks to the project infrastructure even a technical English corpus database is being completed to support the writing students learning (e.g: Technical presentations, Master and Ph.D. thesis, Conference and Journal papers).

Implementation (technology)

• Virtual Campus: based on specific development (Atenea) and Moodle, supporting both teaching materials and on-line discussion and communications, FAQ, etc.
• On-line materials: self-assessment questionnaries, calculation and design tools, exercises, key-word searchers
• On-line evaluation tools (tracking of user connexion access times)
• Multimedia equipment (video projector, audio equipment) in the department lecture rooms.
• Simulation and Analysis tools: Matlab, Agilent ADS, Empire, HFSS, ENVI, IDL
• Wireless access points in the departament classrooms and labs which have recently extended to the whole Campus Nord area.
• Network analysis software
• VPN allowing teachers world-wide mobility keeping all connectivity privileges and scientific software licenses.

Main impacts on teaching

• Modernisation and Internationalisation of the whole department MERIT Master program which is the entry step of the PhD program.
• The project has promoted several experiences of pedagogic innovation, most of them have resulted in stable substantial improvements and even new courses have been proposed based on the processing and interaction capabilities of mobile computing platforms. Specifically, the Department has undertaken initiatives funded by the UPC Institute of Science Education to promote the edition of on-line material related to the courses content and on-line evaluation and assessment tools. Those initiatives aim to prepare and publish on-line academic materials to promote MERIT students self-learning, critical-thinking and entrepreneur attitude, and to improve the integration and foreign students, as well as to track student academic progress. A number MERIT CORE subjects have already defined prepared their materials, consisting of on-line materials (self-assessment questionnaries, calculation and design tools, exercises, key-word searchers) and on-line evaluation tools (tracking of user connexion access times).
• The degree of communication between teachers and students has increased notably, implying a higher awareness of students progress and difficulties with impact on courses improvements both on contents and pedagogical methodology.
• Better national and international visibility of the program which have resulted in a remarkable increase of postgraduate and PhD students in the last 4 years.
• The internal policy based on incentives and technical facilities and support to the Faculty has resulted in very little resistance to change and our professorship is adapting quickly good examples and success stories to the MERIT program courses.

Teaching Impact evidences

“Modern Wireless Antenna Design Learning is a very precise combination of theoretical electromagnetic understanding and advanced numerical modelling tools that just the combination of a high performance laptop and group interaction can produce” Luis Jofre (UPC), professor of 'Compact Antennas' course delivered with Prof. Anja Skrivervik (EPFL), Dr. Dirk Manteuffel (IMST), Prof. Juan Manuel Rius (UPC), Dr. W. Simon (IMST), Prof. S. Blanch (UPC), in the framework of the European School of Antennas

“In my course, the availability of mobile computers for all the students breaks the barriers between lecture classes and laboratory sessions” Antoni Bonafonte (UPC) professor of 'Building Synthetic Voice: Theory and Practice in Producing Spoken Output' course, delivered with Dr. Alan Black (Carnegie Mellon University, USA)

Impact on student learning (recollir evidències)

- The interest and attendance of our students to lectures based on a high degree of classroom interaction through mobile computing technology have increased to practically all lectures.

- The elective courses which make a stronger use of mobile computing technology have benefited from a substantial student demand increase (30-50 % with respect to conventional courses.

 

- Student courses anonymous evaluations in the present 2007-08 (1st term) year have been very positive (37 % excellent, 60% good). Concerning lecturers, the anonymous evaluations also show very positive results (51% excellent, 34% good) (see pie charts above)

- Succes rate of students in passing the registered credits is stabilized in an average of 88% in the past two academic courses (2006-2007 and 2007-2008)

Quick facts

• Number of students impacted to date = 234
• Number of faculty involved = 60
• Courses impacted = 48

Some course examples: Communications, IP Networks and Protocols, Signal Processing, Antennas for Communications, Speech Processing, Critical Thinking, RF & Microwave Systems ofr Communications, Coding and Transmission of Multimedia Contents, Digital Video Processing, Imaging for Microwave Remote Sensing, Simulation of Radiocomunication systems.

References

L. Jofre, F. Sole, F. Sabate, F. Marques, J. Romeu, J. Torres,  "Knowledge infrastructures for collaborative learning",  Jornadas Internet de Nueva Generación, Cátedra Telefónica,
20 de Octubre de 2004, Madrid.

Available together with video presentation at: http://internetng.dit.upm.es/old/jing04.html