Developing multimedia training materials for use with small robot controls at Chubu Polytechnic Center in Japan

This paper discusses the development of a multimedia training material for use at a high-level public vocational training center, run by the Employment Promotion Corporation (EPC) in Japan, and reports on the educational merits of this material. The instructional material was developed to assist trainees in acquiring programming skills needed for small robot control. It allows self-paced learning in a laboratory situation by means of multimedia audio and visual information and is much more effective than the sole use of conventional textbooks in helping people working in the technical fields to understand robot motions and their control methods. Our system differs in that self-paced learning is introduced mainly to facilitate and improve the quality of the communication between the instructor and students. The response of those attending the seminar using this material shows that we have succeeded in this goal. The material’s use results in increased trainee motivation, leading to enhanced learning, and suggests one direction in multimedia practices for engineering education.