In this paper, we report a case study of applying puzzle solving as a programming practice. There are many students, who have attended computer programming language courses, have had difficulties in accomplishing the course assignments. It is because just following and citing the programming language course materials is not sufficient for constructing computer programs. Many professional developers have stated that computer programming for small problems is an art of puzzle solving, where developing enterprise-size computer programming projects involves architectural insights which are already dealt in software engineering literatures. Following those backgrounds, we have explored the applicability of puzzle solving in a C++ object oriented programming course and have reported the results. The experimental results show that puzzle solving is effective to the students who are interested in computer programming and have at least beginner-level knowledge and expertise, but it turned out that puzzle solving assignments still does not draw much attention of the students who are not seriously interested in computer programming.

As the development of the computer and communication technologies, the ubiquitous society can be realized to the world early in the future. Thus, the localization system in Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) is required for many users of ubiquitous society to provide the ubiquitous computing based applications in respective of anytime and anywhere. In this paper, we propose the distance measurement scheme that is based on the distance measurement using RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) of sensor module considering of two distance conditions for the localization system using Zigbee in WPAN. Also, the localization errors of the proposed scheme are analyzed in the three scenarios that the mobile module tracks in the in $6m{\times}6m$ scaled experimentation area. In addition to this, the monitoring subsystem is developed using GUI (Graphical User Interface) in order to monitor the location of the moving objects accurately and user-friendly.

Learning community is one of the important pillars of the education in knowledge-based society. How to encourage students' spontaneous participation to the learning community is one of the actual problems to solve for the revolution of the education scheme. In this paper we introduce a strategy to boost the activity of the learning community, which works in the on-line space. The keys for the on-line supporting system for the learning community are to have communication space, trading space and connection with industry. To support activities of each space, we provide an on-line web site which includes a community module, a knowledge market module and an industrial commentary module. Students can start their self-leading study in the communication space, and they can also practice skills for the knowledge management in the knowledge trading space. Through the connection space, they can learn more from the real world critics with help of industry.

The objective of this study was to evaluate Environmental microbiology (EM) as a basic course for the environmental engineering program of Korea Maritime University which has been accredited by Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea (ABEEK). Evaluation result of the lecture objectives was more than the average (3.5/5.0). The overall score for learning achievement assessment was more than average level of learning achievement (3.4/5.0). Interestingly, engineering design implementation regarding a specific topic as an extensive learning process has proven to be more effective (3.5/5.0). Some of effective class improvement strategies suggested were to encourage students to participate in the class with self-motivation and accountability: preview and review of the lecture, team presentation in English-speaking settings, and submitting project report written in English. In the future class of EM, test and evaluation of application capability of EM and environmental biotechnology (EB) theories to engineering problem solving should be emphasized.

From a lot of survey, it is obvious that most students in universities lose their desire for learning just after entering their universities. In order to solve this problem, we developed a novel educational tool for the students, named "The thinking method based on matrix diagram". If they try hard with the help of this tool, they will be able to learn how to design and manage their splendid university lives in addition to get the basic knowledge and to improve their basic abilities. It is also found that they can earn the shared knowledge mutually after learning a common method, which supports to make them to improve their communication abilities drastically.

The mechanical clock was designed and produced by students as a trial theme of PBL class. The limit of making time is three weeks and main material is limited to paper. Only a basic mechanism drawing is given. As the principle of mechanical clock is not complex and does not need the special knowledge of mechanical engineering, even lower grade student seems to understand enough. This subject can train the skill of knowledge composition, creativity and the problem-solving ability. After execution,the validity and performance as the theme of PBL class was evaluated. As a result, the following findings were obtained. The paper made mechanical clock could be produced in three weeks. And, by additional improvements of the product, the enough strength and stable movement were achieved. Students can learn that many kinds of knowledge through actual experiences of design and making were required in manufacturing the real products. The proposed PBL style class is suitable as an introduction and training subject for lower grade student in department of engineering.

This paper deals with the introduction of capstone design project by team activities in Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Korea Maritime University. This course is referred to as Creative Engineering Design for spring semester of 4th-year undergraduates. The course focuses on creative thinking and cooperative mind to students by learning engineering design skills, realizing their idea through design project and recognizing practicality of their systems. The intent of the course is to provide a true "capstone" experience, where students can combine their skills to achieve the successful completion of a project. This paper describes class process and evaluation method, and cooperative works with mentees and industrial mentors connected through Hanium network for IT mentoring activities.

It is necessary for lower grade students to study the correct usage of tools as a base of the technical education for dismantling and assembling various machines. However, enough understanding has not been obtained though the usage of these tools when training first grade students. So, we started to develop a teaching text and materials within the students' practice curriculum based on the dismantling and assembly of all-terrain vehicle [ATV]'s, which is a very motivating for lower grade students. This practice makes the student learn both how to use the tools and the steering mechanism of cars through the dismantling and assembling of the ATV. It is possible to not only have the student learn about the knowledge obtained through the practice, but also they also acquire wider and deeper knowledge through making the text and teaching materials for the practice. The textbook and secondary educational materials of this practice curriculum were created in cooperation with a fifth grade student as part of their graduation research. As a result, an effective teaching and learning text and secondary educational material regarding manufacturing practice could be developed from the student's point of view. Making a teaching text and materials is effective for promoting the study and experience of engineering.

We have constructed three characteristic internship programs which were based on the different aspects of view by the grant in aid from MEXT of Japanese government. The most outstanding program is what we call "Market Internship", where the students directly approach the market in which the engineering technologies are utilized. Then they must find out the problems and advantages of engineering technologies from the view of consumers. The experience would result in the enhancement of motivation to study the engineering technologies. It would be substantially effective in engineering education curriculums that the engineers of private companies in which university students will get their own jobs in near future could take important roles to conduct them. We believe that this activity would effective in reducing gaps they would feel between before and after getting jobs in practical society, and lowering the ratio of unemployment after getting jobs.

The architectural engineering is regarded as the non-IT related field. But as growing the domain of IT industry, the students who major in the architectural engineering have to keep the programming ability to deal with the architectural engineering problems. In this paper, It will be discussed the development of the application program for architectural engineering problems by using the programming skill, and how can it enhance the non-IT related field's students to solve the problems.

The Asian Conference on Engineering Education has organized and is held in Busan. This paper tells the steps for the process of planning of this conference. Firstly, the Innovation Center for Engineering Education in Korea Maritime University and the Center for Innovation and Creativity Development in The University of Tokushima signed the mutual interchange agreement on engineering education in 2005. The interrelation of both centers has made a continuous relation by mutual visiting of teachers and students. The first symposium on engineering education between the two universities was held in 2006. Three symposia were succeeded until now. By the way, the Japanese five-university coalition of engineering education was composed in 2004. This five-university coalition annually held the symposium on engineering education. Two teachers and two students of each university participated in the symposium and introduced their activities. Annual symposium was held every year from 2004 to 2008. Based on these two kinds of symposium, we have planned to enlarge the relationship by including partner universities in both countries. The capstone design coalition on engineering education between the Center for Innovation and Creativity Development in the University of Tokushima and the innovation center for engineering education in Korea Maritime University are introduced. The interrelation of both centers has held by mutual visiting of teachers and students during four years. The capstone design activities of Korea Maritime University and the students' creative design projects of the University of Tokushima were introduced each other. This coalition is planned that it needs to be enlarged by including partner universities in Asian countries.

A survey was conducted on 300 working women(one woman/company) who specialize in STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the Busan region(south of Korea) to determine their job satisfaction. The overall response of women working in industry is relatively positive although they do experience a certain limit as female workers. The serious difficulties are long work hours and restriction of behavior in consequence of being the minority. Respondents anticipate an increase in number of working women in the STEM field due to the enforcement of women resource policies in Korea. Survey results about career development show that some of the most important factors in professionalism are responsibility, gumption and cooperation. The expectation of promotion is very low. Sexual discrimination is distinctly appearing in wages and promotions. If they decide to quit their job in the midstream, the key reason is in the difficulties of compatibility between home and occupation. Survey results about job satisfaction to work in industry reveal that 31.0% of respondents are satisfied because their job is consistent with their specialty; 30.7% of respondents are working where they wanted. Among respondents who intend to change their job, only 20.7% of respondents wanted to keep their specialties. Two factors involved in the respondents' satisfaction during work are special technical achievement and practical application of their knowledge. But, they are unsatisfied in terms of implementing their leadership.

Electronics machines make daily human life more convenient and comfortable and try to ease burdens. When designing and manufacturing such mechatronic systems, the engineers need to have a wide range of knowledge. The purpose of our education is for students to learn to use mechatronic techniques. To realize our goal, we regard "an interest in creation" of our student as an important educational method. In this paper, we propose and try an educational method for mechatronics creation using "their interest". The method is to hold robot competitions between 1st and 3rd year students as a regular curriculum. In order to confirm the progress of our students in our engineering course, in the last year, some students entered the Rescue Robot Contest held in Kobe Japan. As a result, our student team got second place, a great honor considering it was our first attempt. We confirm that the robot competition is a useful method to make students study by themselves.

The practice named "Creative Design and Production" has been given to train the students'ability to find and solve problems. Students are expected to design and fabricate creative artifacts in the practice. The practices focusing on perfection and creativity of the products have been executed for the past few years. We have reviewed the relationships between these abilities and the qualities of products of the students in the practices. It seems that the products lacks of originality and creativity when focused on the perfection. And on the contrary, the perfection of the products is low when focused on the creativity. We have employed the new three trials in order to solve these problems in the practice. Among trials, the cooperation with veterans has been the most useful for students through "Creative Design and Production".

This article proposes to examine how the study of failure differs from other technical subjects, and how to turn failure experiences to one's advantage. The authors surveyed the properties of failures in PBL (Project Based Learning) and also examined students' interest and understanding of failure, after introducing failure examples. To investigate how students communicate failure experiences to third parties, reports of the failure experience in PBL were evaluated. From above mentioned surveys, we get the following results. The typical causes of failure in educational institutions are lack of skill in manufacturing and inadequate planning, which conversely are minor causes of failure in the industry. A knowledge database on failure, employed commonly in industry, is not effective in PBL, because projects in educational institutes are usually changed every year. Case studies in failure can be approached from many points of view including causes, processes, effects and safety measures. While teachers should emphasize the notable points in the failure examples in introducing examples of specific topics in machine design, teachers should explain the multiple aspects in the failure examples to educate students about the complexity of actual accidents.

This paper introduces the Tokushima Robot Programming Club. This is a robot manufacturing class for elementary and junior-high school students. This club is planned and managed by university students. First, we show the organization of our club. And, robot kits and software development systems we use are introduced. And then, we describe the activities of this club and show its educational effectiveness for both the children and the university students.