Enhancing the course teaching of power system analysis with virtual simulation platform

Power system analysis (PSA) is the first comprehensive curriculum for the major of electrical engineering at the undergraduate stage. It helps students obtain an overview of the power system, and systematically learn about fundamental theories. However, the traditional teaching of PSA course excessively focuses on the class lecture, and is combined with hardware-based experiments that are restricted due to concerns of security and cost. Enhancing the PSA course has been attempted at Shandong University, China, since 2016, which combines class lecture, laboratory exercises, and practical activities into the daily teaching. In laboratory exercises, project-based learning (PBL) is carried out by using the hardware experimental equipment and self-developed teaching software, VTPCE, hence to enhance students’ understandings of knowledge, hands-on abilities, and researching skills. Practical activities are organized by visiting the topic-related institutes to establish the relationships between theories and practices. This paper introduces the architecture, the intended learning objects (ILOs), and the detailed arrangement of the reformed PSA course. The assessment procedures for students are also presented, as well as the satisfaction surveys.