Industry oriented education

Industry Oriented Education has been applied to vocational education. It was only offered to sub-degree education and industry training until 2004. Since 2004 Industry Oriented Education has been introduced to undergraduate degree.

Industry oriented education is an approach to learning from an industry perspective. With traditional technical teaching methodologies in educational environments, the conventional pathway is to build the foundation learning through subject based teaching of maths, physics and science independently. Subjects based on the knowledge required for the discipline usually follow on from this. The problem with this traditional methodology of learning is that there is no close relationship with industry requirements.

Students may well graduate with no industrial oriented learning experience prior to their first job. Industrial oriented methodology is an approach to learning from an industry perspective. As an example, the course of Electronics Technology in the Bachelor of Applied Technology is directly linked to industry and the focus is on an industrial product such as a Switch-mode power supply. Initially students will receive a demonstration and the product enclosure will be opened to investigate inside. The internal components form the topics for study: this includes the mechanical design for the enclosure, electronic design including the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and embedded software design. The focus for learning is product design, application and operation of electronic components and circuitry. The industrial product will be activated under simulated industry conditions where students will gain invaluable insight of design technology, operational procedure and programming techniques. All foundation skills can be achieved within these studies and the students are well prepared to develop further knowledge and skills required for their industry project required in their final year through cooperative education with industry. Mathematics is not taught here as an independent course of study, but totally integrated into the compulsory technical courses. As an example, the course of Electronics Technology taught in the Bachelor of Applied Technology uses Fast Fourier Transform series to explore the method of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) in Switch-mode power supplies. Initially students will receive a demonstration and the product which is a commercial product, will be opened for internal investigation of the enclosure. The internal components form the topics for study: this includes the mechanical design for the enclosure, electronic design including the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and embedded software design. The focus for learning is product design, application and operation of electronic components and circuitry.

References

*Qi, Ziming, & Cannan, James. (2007) An Industrial Oriented and multi-discipline undergraduate degree, in The 15th World Conference on Cooperative Education, 26 June-29 June, Singapore.
*Qi, Ziming, & Cannan, James. (2007) Industrial Oriented Project based learning: Exploring a model for real world learning from the laboratory to the workplace, in The 15th World Conference on Cooperative Education, 26 June-29 June, Singapore.
*Qi, Ziming, & Cannan, James. (2007). The Changing role of the Lecturer in Industry Orientated Education, Tenth Annual NZACE Conference. Rotorua, 19 April-20 April, Rotorua, New Zealand.
*Qi, Ziming, & Cannan, James. (2006). Engineering Mathematics in Industrial Orientated Teaching and Learning, Proceedings of WACE Asia-Pacific Regional Conference 2006. Shanghai: WACE Asia-Pacific Regional Conference, 26 June-28 June, Shanghai.
*Qi, Ziming, & Cannan, James. (2006). Student/Industry Project in Industrial Oriented Undergraduate Degree in Electro-technology. In R. K. Coll (Ed.), Conference Proceedings: New Zealand Association for Cooperative Education Annual Conference. Queenstown: NZACE. Paper presented at the NZACE, 27 April-28 April, Queenstown.
*Qi, Ziming, & Cannan, James. (2005). Engineering Mathematics teaching methodology in Bachelor of Applied Technology (Electro-technology). In I. Electronics New Zealand Conference (Ed.), 12th Electronics New Zealand Conference (pp. 225-230). Auckland: Electronics New Zealand Conference, Inc. Paper presented at the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Manukau Institute of Technology, 14 November-15 November, Auckland.
*Qi, Ziming, & Cannan, James. (2004). Industrial oriented teaching and learning strategies, 5th Asia Pacific Cooperative Education Conference. Auckland, New Zealand, 1 December-3 December, Auckland, New Zealand.

ee also

*Vocational education
*Higher education