According to the characteristics of the course “Programmable Controller and its Application”, this paper introduces the project-based teaching method into its teaching practice, and explores the project-based teaching method from the aspects of teaching situation creation, task modularization, teacher guidance, team cooperation and task expansion. Practice has proved that this method is conducive to improving students’ability to analyze and solve problems, and to cultivating students’ autonomous learning ability and innovative logical thinking ability.
“Programmable Controller and its Application” is an elective course for automation specialty. It has the characteristics of strong practicality and close connection with engineering practice. It has become one of the core technologies in the field of industrial automation control. In the actual teaching process, some students can not fully grasp the knowledge structure of the course, and at the same time, their ability to solve comprehensive problems with the knowledge they have learned is poor. The prominent feature of project teaching method is that it closely links practical teaching with practical engineering.
By introducing comprehensive cases related to the knowledge points learned in practical teaching, students can grasp the essence of knowledge and apply it in solving practical problems, so as to improve their professional ability and comprehensive ability significantly. In the implementation of project teaching method, first of all, when teachers teach the corresponding basic knowledge, they choose the project to gradually guide students to design the control system of comprehensive projects. The principles that should be followed in choosing projects are: (1) close connection with real life; (2) moderate difficulty; (3) stimulating students’interest; (4) conforming to specialty, so that students can have a deeper understanding of professional knowledge. In practical teaching, teachers can stimulate students’interest in learning by creating corresponding teaching environment and putting forward problems related to the knowledge they have learned.
In explaining the chapter “Design of Digital Quantity Sequential Control System”, the “Design Method of Starting, Guaranteeing and Stopping” is widely used. Students should master it completely. In order to make students master this knowledge better, project teaching method is introduced. For example, by asking students, “Do you pay attention to the state of traffic lights when crossing the intersection?” arouse students’curiosity, explore the design of sequence control function diagram of traffic lights, and mobilize the enthusiasm of discussion through this question. Finally, it is proposed that “can we design traffic light control system by using ladder diagram of sequence control of start, stop and stop?” Through the front paving, students are interested in PLC programming. Guide students to determine the number of steps of traffic light control, and then design the sequence control function chart of traffic lights as shown in Figure 1. After determining the design idea of the project, encourage students to implement the project through teamwork. Students’grouping should be considered from many aspects, such as each student’s practical ability, logical thinking ability, knowledge structure, personality and so on. After grouping, each student assigns the corresponding tasks and clarifies the responsibilities of each student. Then the project manager completes his own tasks and coordinates the work of the team to ensure the smooth completion of the project.
Each student through the simulation software, improve the design of sub-tasks, and finally debug the whole project to complete all documents and reports. In the initial process of formulating the program, through discussion, to open up students’ideas.
For example, one student may propose a plan, another student may supplement it, or raise questions about it, and ultimately come up with one or more programs that are accepted by all. In this process, teachers should grasp the situation of each team and the dynamics of students in real time.
When problems are found, students should be guided or assisted to solve them on the basis of respecting their designs.
Students ultimately achieve the traffic light control procedures. Students can debug the program through simulation. Guide students to use simulation software to find program errors and correct them.
After each team completes the project design, the teacher should evaluate each team’s work. The members of the team show the group’s work collectively, thermostatic element and explain how to get the solution to the problem when they encounter problems in practice. The experimental verification is shown in Figure 2. After students complete the project, teachers should encourage students to expand the project, open up their thinking and achieve innovation. For example, according to the traffic lights of different intersections, what are the requirements of the students themselves for the control function of traffic lights, or through the form of questionnaires, we can understand the control requirements of the public for traffic lights, read domestic and foreign materials, understand the characteristics of traffic lights in other countries, and put forward the idea of meeting the public’s wishes and safety in accordance with the national conditions of our country. Reliable traffic lights at intersections. This not only deepens the understanding of the knowledge points of the course, but also improves the students’practical ability, practical application ability and innovation ability. In the teaching reform of the course “Programmable Controller and its Application”, the actual effect of students’learning has been significantly improved through the project teaching method. According to the corresponding knowledge points, projects are proposed to stimulate students’interest in learning. Teachers play the role of teachers as well as friends, guide and encourage students to find problems, and then through discussion to solve problems, fully mobilize each student’s learning initiative and enthusiasm. Practice shows that the project teaching method plays an effective role in the teaching reform and practice of the course “Programmable Controller and its Application” and in the training of applied automation professionals.