Dr. Chen Xi has worked as ateacher at the School of Electrical and Information Engineering for twelve years. He lectures on several courses such as Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, Principles and Applications of Microcomputers, Design and Practice of Intelligent Electronic Makers,etc. He has won the second prize of the National Teaching Case Design Competition on Electrotechnic Experiment, and the second prize of Undergraduate Teaching Competition of Tianjin University.
As the university is striving to promote emerging engineering education (3E for short), Dr. Chen made great efforts to cultivate students’ innovative spirit and enhance their practical ability to solve problems. He put forward the idea of building a “Maker” intelligent electronic course and adopted a brand new education model-- “creation+”, which emphasizes the purpose of creation and guides students to think of various new methods to realize the creation.
In 2019, Dr. Chen opened the course Design and Practice of Intelligent Electronic Makers for freshman. During the teaching process, he further proposed a “6P method” for electronic teaching of Makers, namely Project, Place, Portable, Package, Patulous and Passion. The project-oriented teaching motivates students to conceive their research topics independently, and encourages them to utilize “black technologies”. Freshmen as they were, students showed great capability of using what they have learnt creatively to make various novel smart devices that were applicable to multiple fields, from smart living to energy-saving travel, from benefiting the general public to improving the public welfare of the disabled, and from convenient medical care to emergency services.
One of the main aims of emerging engineering education is to enhance students’ practical ability. In addition to classroom teaching, Dr. Chen attaches great importance to practical teaching. He has developed a variety of new experimental models to effectively improve students’ ability to solve complex engineering problems.
As COVID-19 broke out, the most urgent task for teachers is to ensure that theoretical teaching and experimental classes were both carried out online. Dr. Chen, leading a group of teachers who teach Introduction to Artificial Intelligencedeveloped the first remote physical artificial intelligence laboratory in China, and realized the revolutionary experiment model of “Internet + Physical Experiment”. The model combines remote experiment, remote teaching guidance and remote experiment assessment together and forms “TJU Program” of artificial intelligence distance teaching -- “Internet + Artificial Intelligence + Automation”.
While designing the course of Principles and Applications of Microcomputers, Dr. Chen developed a virtual reality experimental practice platform that includes three parts -- smart home, smart factory and smart city, so that students can fully grasp the comprehensive characteristics of experimental entities, exclusively enjoy the experimental objects in the virtual platform and effectively improving their ability to solve complex engineering problems independently. The platform won the second prize in the National Teaching Case Design Competition on Electrotechnic Experiment.
Online experiment operation at home for students all over the country
Distance Learning Software Dr. Chen guides students to experiment.
When referring to “Emerging Engineering”, Dr. Chen said, “Industrial demands, teaching and practical experiments are the three important driving forces for the construction of emerging engineering. Students must be the center of education. We must focus on the frontiers of industrial development and keep updating the teaching content continuously. The “TJU Project” we proposed intends to put 3E idea into action and cultivate diverse and innovative engineering talents.”
By the School of Electrical and Information Engineering
Editor: Eva Yin
