Teaching Robotics at the Postgraduate Level: Assessment and Feedback for On Site and Distance Learning

Abstract

The MSc Intelligent Systems (IS) and the MSc Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISR) programmes at De Montfort University are Masters level courses that are delivered both onsite and by distance learning.The courses have been running successfully on-site for 7 years and are now in the fourth year with a distance learning mode.Delivering material at a distance, especially where there is technical and practical content, always presents a challenge but the need to deliver a robotics module increased the challenges we faced significantly.There are two robotics modules though the second one is only available to those on MSc ISR.We have chosen to make the first robotics module, Mobile Robots, the focus of this paper because it was the first that had to be delivered and it is delivered to students on both programmes.This paper describes the assessment of students' work and the subsequent feedback given to students within the course as a whole and more specifically, the Mobile Robots module.The approaches maximise the use of electronic methods and as such there is a specific focus on those students that are studying in distance learning mode.We believe it serves as a model for others attempting to assess students studying robotics courses at a distance.