The Trials of Practical Education in Malaysia
Jun ISHIMATSU
Now, many programs aiming at studying in the university of technical industrially advanced nations, such as Japan, are performed in each country of Asia. Usually, only the foreign students centering on Japanese is the present situation. The authors performed practices of manufacturing for students who aiming at studying in Japan for four months twice in 1999 and 2000. The main contents are a manufacture of the robot having easy structure, and implementation of a contest. The lesson was performed in Japanese also in consideration of the improvement in a foreign student's Japanese available. The authors report implementation of practice of manufacturing in the environment where thing making experience, consciousness, a language, etc. differ from Japan, its meaning, and problems.
Key Words: Malaysia, Practical Education, Manufacturing
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1. Introduction
Recently, preparative education for abroad studying is carried out in students' mother countries. Especially, after economic crisis in 90's, situation around student to study abroad had been changed. Twinning program is one of methods. In this program, students study first year's undergraduate subjects. Japanese language and basis of science are mainly contents in preparative education. Therefore field experience is needed for student because they entrance into 2nd grade directly. A practical education is tried at JAD program in Malaysia.
Table 1 Comparison of scheme.
| - | Befor | Current |
| 1st year | Diploma
(in Malaysia) | Diploma
(in Malaysia) |
| 2nd year | 1st grade of Japanese Univ.
(in Malaysia) |
| 3rd year | 1st grade of Japanese Univ.
(in Japan) | 2nd grade
(in Japan) |
| 4th year | 2nd grade
(in Japan) | 3rd grade
(in Japan) |
| 5th year | 3rd grade
(in Japan) | 4th grade
(in Japan) |
| 6th year | 4th grade
(in Japan) | - |
2. JAD
Department of Information and control engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology,1603-1 Kamitomioka-machi, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188, Japan JAD is deletion of Japan Associate Degree programs. JAD is especially formed to introduce twinning programs with selected Japanese Universities that will be conducted here in Malaysia. Formerly, students need to undergo 2 years of matriculation program in Malaysia before proceeding to Japan for their undergraduate studies. Now the 2 years program in Malaysia is equivalent to diploma and comprises of one year of accelerated matriculation and another year of first year undergraduate studies implemented under the advice and guidance of the Consortium. The establishment of JAD will reduce the duration of studies in Japan to only 3 years now that the 2-year Diploma Program is conducted in Malaysia.
3. Job training
At Nagaoka University of Technology that authors belong to, students who are decided to entrance into a master course, have to take a subject that is named the 'Job Training'. It's most unique point of this university. Students work at real company for four months and can experience important things. Recently, working areas are expanding to foreign countries. And job fields are expanding to various fields that is not engineering only. The work described in this paper is one of topics in the subject.
4. Manufacturing
The purpose of this class was that student experience in real field that is not in the classroom only. Main contents are the making of remote control car that has simple structure, and the race. Fig.1 shows one of cars really made.
Fig. 1 Made car.
The car is controlled by remote control. Two sets of motor and tire base plastic plates are given to students. Students build up the car freely. Most students position the motor, into both side of car. By do so, the car becomes possible to run ahead and back, and to turn to left and right. In addition, student can choices the gear ratio of gearbox. Of course, for winning the race it should be high-speed ratio. But if high-speed ratio was choice, then controllability will be low. The race is held as the tournament style of 1 to 1. The course of race is drawn on floor. After race, student remodels the car into line-tracer due to add circuit. Added circuit includes photo-interrupter, relay and SSR. And this one has functions that detect line, which is drawn on floor and make the car follow the line. At this time, gear-ratio problem rise up again. Even if student can control the car manually with high-speed ratio, automatic circuit cannot control car. Because circuit response is not so fast. Student must improve the car and adjust the several points. Important points are position of sensor, balance of weight and distribution of tires, etc.
5. Problem
Several problems that are unexpected happened. These are as follow.
5.1 Supplying materials
In Malaysia, hobby such as plastic model not so popular. Buying materials such motor, gear, and tire is difficult.
5.2 Students' background
Most students have no experience about manufacturing. Therefore they work without safety mind.
5.3 Schedule
When it was assigned to a class was only 1 hour of every week.
6. Conclusion
This trial was carried out. Students' impressions were almost favorable. It will need to be checked that this class influence for their study.
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