Curricula Updates Through Students’ Participation in International Competition

The paper discusses developing a new optional course at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), Estonia inspired by international competition focused on autonomous driving algorithms. As a part of the curriculum, the course was designed to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical skills, fostering interdisciplinary understanding and preparing students for the competition. The course structure combines traditional and active learning methods, emphasizing collaborative group work and independent problem-solving. The course outcomes cover key mechatronics concepts, including control algorithms, feedback systems, and image processing. Students work with a custom mobile platform designed for the course. Feedback indicates positive evaluations of the course content and structure. The course successfully aids students in recognizing interdisciplinary connections of educational mobile robotic platforms within mechatronics, simplifying navigation through the learning process. Challenges identified include the course duration and the fragility of platform components, prompting suggestions for more examples, longer sessions, and platform improvements. The paper concludes that the course achieves its goals, guiding students in recognizing interdisciplinary connections and cultivating a holistic understanding of mechatronics.