Abstract
The main objective of the laboratory classes that take place in educational domain is to learn new content through practical methods. Computers programs or other electronically devices that are accompanying most of the nowadays equipments are beginning to be more and more indispensable tools in technology field. Learning their practical handling, starts to become a necessity in order to accomplish the tasks that are required to achieve new knowledge.
Knitting is a well-known technology in making clothing products but also for producing industrial apparel (medical, sport, protective articles, geotextiles, car upholstery, etc.). From simple to complex designs, the patterns can be created with the help of the computers, with so called CAD systems (Computer Aided Design). Their role is to provide, by using its input tools, the easiest way to create the desired knitted pattern with various shape and delivering output information, required for the knitting machine programming.
The most important skills that the students must achieve in the laboratory classes, are concerning the: designing structures, creating fabric shapes, setting the knitting parameters, and programming the knitting machine, for gaining the final product.
The learning rhythm and the way how of achieving new knowledge differs from one person to another. The paper presents an interactive lesson, developed by using the “Course Lab" educational platform. The subject is dealing with the CAD stages for designing a 3D weft knitted fabric, produced on the computer controlled double needle bed flat knitting machines, CMS 530 E6.2, Stoll Germany. The lesson content is presented to the student as printed information, accompanied by images and videos, that can be instantly accessed by the students.
The process of learning is sustained by using a simulation of the knitted structure in the real shape, doubled by the knitted sample. Each step from the knitting programming is demonstrated by videos, which contain commands and tools that must be followed by the learner in order to perform the task. Used as video tutorials, the steps can be easily accessed by the users accessing the sliding sidebar, which has all the lesson’s content as hyperlink. In this way, the students are engaged to interact with the content in every step of their work. Consequently, a systematic and logical content is distributed to the student, to be used in his own way, without been stressed by the learning rhythm of the others. |