Implementation and Assessment of Interactive Power Electronics Course

In recent years interactive web based courses has become very popular among teachers and more attention has been paid to it at universities. In this paper a web based interactive software has been designed and implemented to teach power electronics subject at undergraduate level in Shahrood University of Technology. The proposed course has seventeen parts based on power electronics syllabus in Iranian university. Each part includes a brief HTML text to explain circuit and necessary mathematical theory followed by Java applet to simulate circuit. It has been tried to prepare Java applets more attractive and easier to use compare to other available interactive software. Output is also available in forms of graphics and data that can be exported into spreadsheets programs like Excel for producing diagrams. The web-based interactive course was evaluated in offline use with a group of undergraduate students. Participants in the trials reported that the materials were engaging and assisted their learning about power electronics converter. This version of the course design was found effective in learning, and with further development, it may promises to be a powerful and flexible approach to supporting learning for students in power electronics courses.