2.1

Introduction to PDOI

A scientific instrument is often a combination of precision mechanics, optical components, electrical systems and information processing unit like a computer. It is much more than a simple or complex physical principle, but a precise engineering product. The principle and design method for different instruments vary dramatically. However, something in common indeed exists in various instruments. These design criteria are the main content of the course PDOI.

PDOI is a course carried out in the fourth year for all the students in School of Optoelectronics, Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), China. The main content of the course include basic introduction, accuracy analysis and modern design methods, typical modules (optical sources, elements, and detectors) and typical optical instruments (interferometer, spectrometer, and microscope, etc.). Students are required to master the physical principle, actual structure and main function of several instruments and be able to do simple design. So the teaching sections in the course consist of lectures about the principles and typical examples, several demonstration experiments about classical optical instruments in the classroom, assignments about basic physical principle, measurement data processing, instrument structure and systematical parameter design, and the final examination.

2.2

Problems due to practice missing

As discussed above, an optical instrument is a comprehensive precise engineering product. Most people know that a positive lens can form a reduced image, but only those who are majored and experienced in optics, electronics, and mechanics working together can make a practical camera possible. After three years of study, the students in School of Optoelectronics, BIT, have acquired basic knowledge in optics, mechanics, electronics, and computer science. They are ready to make a comprehensive application of the knowledge they have learnt in something really important. Like most engineering courses, PDOI needs practical section to turn students from armchair engineer to a real one. Seeing and using instrument is the basic of analyzing and designing one. Without the practice section, theories in the textbook or on the PowerPoint slides will never turn into experiences and skills of the students. So fast as the modern scientific instruments develop that no textbook or prototype in store can be practical enough. Students will be attractive to novel instruments with advanced technologies because they are too familiar to textbooks and conventional instruments. Only explaining boring principles and equations is not the best way to teach engineering. Extracurricular practice may be a good solution to the urgent problem.

3.1

Introduction to the Exhibition

China International Exhibition of Lasers, Optoelectronics and Photonics is an important exhibition held in October annually in Beijing. It draws the attention of companies, universities, and research institutes in the field of lasers, optics and photonics. Similar with the contents of the PDOI course, the exhibition displays commercial optical parts and instruments from famous companies and also the newest relative technologies from universities and institutes. It is a wonderful extracurricular “example library”. Furthermore, development trend in both research and industry can be analyzed from the exhibition. Sometimes, even recruitment information is posted, which directly connects undergraduates and the industry.

3.2

Curriculum design

Since the exhibition is available every year at exactly middle of the course, it is set as a special classroom for PDOI. The content of the course and assignment are supplemented with new information from the exhibition.

4.1

Statistic data

Table 1 shows some statistic data about the course involving exhibition as extracurricular practice. In recent three years, 128 students went to the exhibition to learn more and experience more, taking more than 21% of the total student number. 10 new instruments have been added to the example library of the course including infrared imaging system, triangulation profiler, image measurement instrument, four-dimensional imaging system, transparent display, et al. Because these instruments are introduced with videos or photos taken by the hand of the students themselves, it is far more interested and convincible than characters on the textbook.

Table 1.

Data about the effect of the exhibition

4.2

Feedback from the students

Figure 1 shows some of the photos taken in the exhibition. Most of the students who went to the exhibition found it “excited” and “interesting”, and only a few were “depressed” because they realized they were too far away from a qualified engineer.

Figure 1.

Photos of students taken in the exhibition

The comments about the exhibition and the course from the students are excerpted and translated as follows. Because the comments about professional problems are not easily understandable to general readers, we only given the feedback concerning engineering course and learning.

These are two typical impressions of the exhibition, “interesting” and “depressing”. After all, both of them can inspire students to learn more actively and better. The instruments shown in the exhibition do serve as good examples. In the class after the exhibition, students who went to it would consider more about the application and with more open mind. They would think of the similar instrument they had seen in the exhibition. This is a good sign because the exhibition has extended the class to a broader field.