Cybernetic Education Centre: Monitoring and control of learner's e-learning study in the field of Cybernetics and Automation by Coloured Petri Nets model

This paper presents the Cybernetic Education Centre (CEDUC) as a hybrid e-learning and training centre for higher education of Cybernetics and Automation fields. If we consider Cybernetics we consider basically (1) controlled systems and (2) control systems. In case of controlled systems learner is focused on the process of analyze, identification, design of the mathematical model and simulation of the controlled system. Therefore this paper deals with controlled models in the laboratories of our department (a) real laboratory models, (b) simulation models and (c) virtual models which creates one integrated hybrid architecture what represents one of new ideas in the paper (Fig. 1). Learner of control systems is focused mainly on design of control parameters, design of control algorithms, design of hardware, software and communication architectures of control systems. Overall control system is represented by Distributed Control System (DCS) which serves for learners to verify designed control systems. The verification of the control systems is very important from safety point of view to prepare learners for real production conditions. Second new idea of the paper is implementation of the Coloured Petri Nets as automata to control access to the resources (not only typical study resources but also access to the components of hybrid DCS architecture) as well as to monitor the learner activities during the study. CEDUC is supported by intensive industry-university partnership. Conclusion of the paper summarizes the results of the study process of learners in DCS environment.