@inproceedings{DiehlWolffFuhrmannetal., author = {Diehl, Andreas and Wolff, Lilli and Fuhrmann, Thomas and Niemetz, Michael and M{\"o}rtlbauer, Stefanie and Dirnberger, Sandra}, title = {Compact Freshmen Welcome Seminar for Engineering Students}, series = {Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences}, booktitle = {Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences}, number = {228}, publisher = {Elsevier}, doi = {10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.007}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-31034}, pages = {45 -- 52}, abstract = {The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology of the OTH Regensburg developed and implemented a compact freshmen seminar for the afternoon of the first day of study. The intention of this seminar is to help the freshmen during their transition between school and study without losing lecture time in the first semester. The concept was tested with one small study group at the beginning of the summer semester 2015. To rate the impact of the seminar and to find aspects for continuous improvement an evaluation method was developed and used. Due to the good student resonance during the first run, this introduction seminar was held again in the winter semester 2015/16. It is planned to integrate this seminar as a regular session for all freshmen of the faculty curriculum and monitor the long-term effects of student motivation and success.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{FuhrmannFarmbauerNiemetz, author = {Fuhrmann, Thomas and Farmbauer, Michael and Niemetz, Michael}, title = {Integrating GNU Radio into a Virtual Course about Communication Systems}, series = {44th International Convention on Information, Communication and Electronic Technology (MIPRO): 27.09. - 01.10.2021, Opatija, Croatia}, booktitle = {44th International Convention on Information, Communication and Electronic Technology (MIPRO): 27.09. - 01.10.2021, Opatija, Croatia}, publisher = {IEEE}, isbn = {978-953-233-101-1}, doi = {10.23919/MIPRO52101.2021.9596700}, pages = {1565 -- 1570}, abstract = {Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the course Communication Systems was transferred from presence to a virtual lecture. No hands-on lab experiments were possible. Therefore, a GNU Radio practical part was integrated into the lecture. A tutorial was written to guide students through the first steps with GNU Radio to decrease initial problems and increase student motivation. Several examples were given regarding digital signal processing, analogue and digital modulation and demodulation. Software Defined Radio receivers were set up in the amateur radio lab of the university and connected to the internet so that students were able to get real radio data to be analyzed and demodulated with their own GNU Radio models. This enables a knowledge transfer from simulated signal processing to the analysis and demodulation of real live signals. Students showed medium to high interest in practical examples during the lectures and tried their own GNU Radio simulations. Overall, the integration of GNU Radio and Software Defined Radio receivers into this virtual lecture gave additional benefits for the students to deal with signal processing and demodulation experiments. It is planned to use GNU Radio in the future for complementary practical examples to the hands-on experiments in the lab.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{AltmannBirknerHaeckletal., author = {Altmann, Andreas and Birkner, Wolfgang and H{\"a}ckl, Franz-Xaver and Hanner, Christopher and Liebhart, Peter and Metschl, Samuel and Weck, Florian and Farmbauer, Michael and Heiß, Manfred and Cuno, H.-H. and Fuhrmann, Thomas and Mandl, Roland and Mottok, J{\"u}rgen and Niemetz, Michael}, title = {Payload development and launch of a stratosphere balloon mission}, series = {IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON 2014), 3-5 April 2014, Istanbul, Turkey}, booktitle = {IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON 2014), 3-5 April 2014, Istanbul, Turkey}, doi = {10.1109/EDUCON.2014.6826065}, abstract = {During a student project a stratosphere balloon was developed and launched. This project included the definition of the balloon parameters and the scientific instruments for performing atmospheric measurements, the development of all mechanical and electronic parts, the administration of the project as well as the management tasks related to the balloon launch. The main challenge for the students was the high complexity of the project due to tasks involving many different knowledge domains and the long project duration from the initial definition to the launch.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{NiemetzFuhrmannFarmbauer, author = {Niemetz, Michael and Fuhrmann, Thomas and Farmbauer, Michael}, title = {Comprehensive Amateur Radio Education including Public Outreach}, series = {IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC), 16-16 March 2019, Princeton, NJ, USA}, booktitle = {IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC), 16-16 March 2019, Princeton, NJ, USA}, publisher = {IEEE}, doi = {10.1109/ISECon.2019.8882078}, pages = {98 -- 103}, abstract = {An amateur radio lecture was developed and is conducted within the general education program of the Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg. This course enables the students to participate in a variety of activities within the university. Different learning formats for communication engineering are carried out in combination with an amateur radio station of the university. Additionally, some of the projects serve as anchor points for increased visibility of the university in local society, e.g. by carrying out public events in connection with the local amateur radio community. It is seen that this course together with the amateur radio station have several positive effects for technical education and university visibility.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{FuhrmannNiemetz, author = {Fuhrmann, Thomas and Niemetz, Michael}, title = {Planned Chaos in Electrical Engineering Education}, series = {6th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'20): 02.06.2020 - 05.06.2020, Valencia}, booktitle = {6th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'20): 02.06.2020 - 05.06.2020, Valencia}, publisher = {Universitat Polit{\`e}cnica de Val{\`e}ncia}, isbn = {9788490488119}, doi = {10.4995/head20.2020.10989}, abstract = {This paper presents the idea to intentionally introduce planned chaos into electrical engineering lectures and lab courses to improve students' learning success. The reason to present this idea are several personal experiences in daily teaching. If students experience some uncertainty in their study program, it is seen that they have higher challenges and therefore higher learning success in managing uncertain situations. In these ways, students acquire methodical and social competences to deal with uncertainty and achieve productive results in an unstable working environment. If, however, the chaos is too large, students are over-strained with the situation, distracted from the actual learning targets and consequently learning results will be worse, drop-out rates will increase and they will be frustrated. The beneficial level of uncertainty depends on the student culture, academic progress and personality characteristics. The competence to deal with complex situations is essential for later professional life where unexpected circumstances occur regularly. Introducing planned chaos into lectures and lab courses has not to be confused with a missing didactic concept and is no justification for a bad preparation. Planned chaos is a demanding concept for professors to find the right implementation for an optimized learning outcome. These described findings are experienced from practical work and student evaluations.}, language = {en} } @article{SteinkirchnerFuhrmannNiemetz, author = {Steinkirchner, Alfons and Fuhrmann, Thomas and Niemetz, Michael}, title = {Channel Coded Processor for Enhanced Safety}, series = {International Journal of Future Computer and Communication (IJFCC)}, volume = {6}, journal = {International Journal of Future Computer and Communication (IJFCC)}, number = {2}, publisher = {International Association of Computer Science and Information}, address = {Singapore}, issn = {2010-3751}, doi = {10.18178/ijfcc.2017.6.2.489}, pages = {58 -- 62}, abstract = {Several concepts are known for improving processor safety, all of them having their pros and cons. Some are very resource intensive, others have limited capabilities regarding the provided error safety. In this paper we use research on channel coding of noisy communication channels known from communication theory as an analogy to random bit errors in processors. We incorporate this knowledge into processor design to suggest a new error correction concept by using channel coding in processors. The new concept of a Channel Coded Processor could provide effective implementation of redundancy by the channel coding that enables error correction. The concept could also create a complete chain of redundancy in all areas and components of the processor ranging from the code compiler through the processing hardware to the output of the information.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{FuhrmannNiemetz, author = {Fuhrmann, Thomas and Niemetz, Michael}, title = {Transdisciplinary Bachelor Course Connecting Business and Electrical Engineering}, series = {4th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'18), 2018, Universitat Polit{\`e}cnica de Val{\`e}ncia, Val{\`e}ncia}, booktitle = {4th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'18), 2018, Universitat Polit{\`e}cnica de Val{\`e}ncia, Val{\`e}ncia}, doi = {10.4995/HEAd18.2018.8056}, abstract = {The OTH Regensburg has a broad variety of study programs in technical, business, social and health sciences. Up to now there is no integral connection in the bachelor curricula between business and technical faculties except for some small subjects. The scope of this project is to develop a new course specialization which connects engineering and business thinking. Electrical engineering students should learn basics of business science and how managers think. Business students should vice versa learn fundamentals of engineering and how engineers solve problems. Students from both faculties work together in projects where they act like start-up companies developing a new product and bringing it into the market. It is seen a transdisciplinary effect: These projects gain innovative results between the disciplines compared to student projects of one isolated discipline. Evaluation results from the first two cohorts indicate high student satisfaction, high learning success as well as directions for further improvement.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{NiemetzFuhrmann, author = {Niemetz, Michael and Fuhrmann, Thomas}, title = {Wie k{\"o}nnen wir Professorinnen und Professoren ein {\"u}berfachliches Studium vermitteln?}, series = {Tagungsband zum 3. Symposium zur Hochschullehre in den MINT-F{\"a}chern (MINT-Symposium), N{\"u}rnberg 25. und 26.09.2017}, booktitle = {Tagungsband zum 3. Symposium zur Hochschullehre in den MINT-F{\"a}chern (MINT-Symposium), N{\"u}rnberg 25. und 26.09.2017}, abstract = {Die Transdisziplinarit{\"a}t ist als wichtiger Innovationsmotor in aller Munde, entstehen doch an den Schnittstellen und in den Zwischenr{\"a}umen der etablierten Wissenschaften neue Ideen und damit die zuk{\"u}nftige Wertsch{\"o}pfung unserer Industrie. Wir alle wurden in der Welt von gestern sozialisiert, f{\"u}r die meisten T{\"a}tigkeiten in der Industrie war tiefes und spezialisiertes Fachwissen essentiell und auch ausreichend. Wir wurden zu Spezialisten ausgebildet und aufgrund dieser Kompetenz in der Arbeitswelt gesch{\"a}tzt und auch auf unsere Professuren berufen. Doch ist dies eine ausreichende Basis, um unsere Absolventinnen und Absolventen auf die neue komplexe Welt ubiquit{\"a}r verf{\"u}gbaren und durchsuchbaren Wissens ad{\"a}quat vorzubereiten? K{\"o}nnen wir mit unserem Mindset aus der Vergangenheit die ben{\"o}tigten {\"u}berfachlichen Kompetenzen f{\"u}r die Zukunft vermitteln? Diese selbstkritische Auseinandersetzung ist schmerzhaft, doch nur durch diese Analyse k{\"o}nnen wir unsere alten Denkmuster in engen Fachdisziplinen ablegen und zu einem neuen vernetzten Denken f{\"u}r eine zukunftsgerichtete Lehre kommen.}, language = {de} } @inproceedings{BlankBrunnerFuhrmannetal., author = {Blank, M. and Brunner, Stefan and Fuhrmann, Thomas and Meier, Hans and Niemetz, Michael}, title = {Embedded Linux in engineering education}, series = {2015 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), 18-20 March 2015, Tallinn, Estonia}, booktitle = {2015 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), 18-20 March 2015, Tallinn, Estonia}, publisher = {IEEE}, doi = {10.1109/EDUCON.2015.7095964}, pages = {145 -- 150}, abstract = {With the availability of cost effective embedded Linux solutions and the increasing complexity of embedded devices because of growing calculation power and communication demand, Linux is getting increasingly interesting as an operating system for the design of embedded control solutions. This is the case for almost all technical applications in electrical engineering like energy distribution systems, high level communication, signal processing or industrial automation. In the engineering master courses at the OTH Regensburg, a lecture is offered introducing students to Linux with a strong focus on embedded applications. This paper describes the concept of the lecture including the laboratory set up and gives some examples of embedded Linux projects performed by students.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{FuhrmannNiemetz, author = {Fuhrmann, Thomas and Niemetz, Michael}, title = {Ideas on Digitally Supported Individualization of Teaching and Learning for Evolving Competency Requirements}, series = {Ninth International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd 23), Val{\`e}ncia, June 19, 2023 - June 22, 2023}, booktitle = {Ninth International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd 23), Val{\`e}ncia, June 19, 2023 - June 22, 2023}, publisher = {Universitat Polit`ecnica de Val`encia}, issn = {2603-5871}, doi = {10.4995/HEAd23.2023.16232}, pages = {1399 -- 1406}, abstract = {The world is changing rapidly, mainly due to the digitalization of all areas of living. A huge amount of information is accessible via the Internet, and since it is no longer possible for individual humans to keep track of it, artificial intelligence (AI) is analyzing this data. In this rapidly changing world, students have to be educated for a successful career during their whole working life. These boundary conditions lead to completely new challenges for the education of students that are unprecedented in this form. Digitalization in education can help to cope with these challenges but can only be a means, not a goal. Personal interaction with students remains the most important task in education to address individual weaknesses and further develop strengths and talents. With the increasing amount of openly available information and the consequently increasing diversity of experiences within the group of students, differentiation is advancing to become the key to successful education. Digitization can help with this challenging task and support communication between students and their experienced instructors. But computers cannot replace human interaction and attempts to improve teaching efficiency by replacing this communication with electronic means endangers the learning success for complex concepts. This article analyzes education demands and possibilities for digitally supported teaching and learning.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{FuhrmannNiemetz, author = {Fuhrmann, Thomas and Niemetz, Michael}, title = {Analysis and Improvement of Engineering Exams Toward Competence Orientation by Using an AI Chatbot}, series = {Towards a Hybrid, Flexible and Socially Engaged Higher Education: Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning (ICL2023), Volume 1}, booktitle = {Towards a Hybrid, Flexible and Socially Engaged Higher Education: Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning (ICL2023), Volume 1}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, address = {Cham}, isbn = {9783031519789}, issn = {2367-3370}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-031-51979-6_42}, pages = {403 -- 411}, abstract = {ChatGPT is currently one of the most advanced general chatbots. This development leads to diverse challenges in higher education, like new forms of teaching and learning, additional exam methods, new possibilities for plagiarism, and many more topics. On the other side with the development of advanced AI tools, pure knowledge will be less and less important, and demands from industry will change toward graduates with higher competencies. Education has therefore to be changed from knowledge-centered toward competence centered. The goal of this article is to use ChatGPT for analyzing and improving the competence orientation of exams in engineering education. The authors use ChatGPT to analyze exams from different engineering subjects to evaluate the performance of this chatbot and draw conclusions about the competence orientation of the tested exams. The obtained information is used to develop ideas for increasing the competence orientation of exams. From this analysis, it is visible that ChatGPT gives good performance mainly where knowledge is tested. It has, however, much more problems with transfer questions or tasks where students need creativity or complex insights for finding new solutions. Based on this result, exams and also lectures can be optimized toward competence orientation.}, language = {en} }