New Development of Teaching Concepts in Multimedia Learning for Electrical Power Systems Introducing Sonification L. Fickert, G. Eckel, W. Nagler, A. De Campo, E. Schmautzer Institute of Electrical Power Systems University of Technology Graz Inffeldgasse 18, Graz, 8010, Austria Phone: (++43) 0316 873 7551 Fax: (++43) 0316 873 7553 E-mail: lothar.fickert@tugraz.at Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics University of Music and Dramatic Arts Graz Inffeldgasse 10, Graz, 8010, Austria Phone: (++43) 0316 389-3170 Fax: (++43) 0316 389-3171 E-mail: eckel@iem.at Abstract - In the following paper a review of previous and current progress in the field of e-Learning at the Institute of Electrical Power Systems of the University of Technology Graz/Austria is given. An introduction to already realised and implemented improvements – programming of a stand- alone e-Learning-course generator, optimisation of the successfully established ABC-layout and design for e- Learning courses – as well as yet started innovations in progress – simplification of the usability of course- management, enhancement of the multimedia and didactic spectrum by implementation of sonification methods – is given. Sonification is the perceptualization of information and data by means of sound, and it is a versatile complement to standard visual presentation and analysis methods. A research project at the Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics in Graz, SonEnvir, explores its uses in a number of scientific domains. In electrical power systems, the time behaviour of complex oscillating systems is studied, so auditory display and analysis with its superior time resolution is especially appropriate here, and can enhance understanding of the phenomena under study significantly. I. INTRODUCTION The improvement and representation of complex correlations within the special field of electrical engineering for learning purpose has always been a main focus of the Institute of Electrical Power Systems (IFEA) of the University of Technology Graz (TU Graz). First steps in the eighties go back to several programs for load flow- and short-circuit calculations as well as for inductive and ohmic interference. Due to the increasing availability of computer-based visualization the possibilities for graphic description and presentation of research and learning matter expanded alike (e.g.: a simulation program for a hydroelectric power station system). The usage of CD-ROMs as a data medium for offline learning content gained in importance whereas online learning options over the internet were of no importance or did not exist yet. Motivated by the initiative “New Media in teaching at universities and polytechnics in Austria” (NML) [1] of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture (bm:bwk) in spring 2000 the TU Graz started the project “MultiMediaLearning” (MML) [2] when founding a panel of experts, three task forces and implementing the e-Learning platform “eLearning Suite” (eLS by Hyperwave) also called “TUGwbt” (TU Graz web based training). Aim of this ongoing project is to improve the quality of teaching, the institutional and individual management of studies and the technical administration of the e-Learning system itself. IFEA has been one of the first partners of MML and still holds a leading position within that e-Learning project. Since spring 2001 IFEA undertakes its own e- Learning strategy. For this aim a brand new course- system (“ABC-course system”) with a specially designed layout (“ABC-layout”) for electronic scripts has been developed and evaluated by independent psychologists. The uniform structure and the high usability of the system allow a wide ranged application of the courses as for the lesson in classroom, for online eLS variant, for offline CD-ROM version and for the hardcopy paper script. Furthermore the modular character of multimedia interactive content units programmed in HTML let a teacher or course designer mix, change, update and create new courses very easily [3] [4]. II. THE IMPLEMENTED IMPROVEMENTS A. The “IFEA-Viewer” The “IFEA-Viewer” is a new developed tool for creating “ABC-courses” much more easily than before. To understand the importance of this step forward a short review about “ABC-courses” is necessary. The basic raw material of a course always is a well structured quantity of single HTML-pages of defined “ABC-layout”. After the course once was completed regarding the content the course got uploaded to the eLS by using the “JavaVirtualFolders”-System 1 (JVF). The course then was online. To generate an offline CD-ROM version the online course and all its HMI-files had to be downloaded again. By using the “wbt2cd”-tool [4] the offline version was generated indispensably requiring the HMI-files. The usage of the JVF needs a basic understanding of meta-data system which cannot be assumed ad hoc. Due to the structure of the eLS data base 1 The “JavaVirtualFolders” is an interface especially for up- and downloading to and from the eLS-data base with several additional options to specify meta-data to a course which are saved in separate HMI-files.