I started this project (under a different name at the time) when I was still an apprentice, so that I could always have my documents with me wherever I went and could quickly and easily exchange information with my colleagues. Since I was a mechatronics trainer from 2013 to 2022 and had already noticed during my school career that our school system was showing increasing weaknesses in teaching the basics, I decided right from the start to programme an e-learning platform to give learners the opportunity to fill in the gaps in their knowledge and quench their thirst for knowledge.

Why this project?

During my school career, I realised that the biggest problem in imparting knowledge is the preparation of teaching materials, because some documents go into too much depth too quickly and get lost in the details, which can quickly overwhelm a newcomer, or the documents are kept simple and are therefore often not formulated correctly in technical terms, which later causes confusion or conveys incorrect information.

Before new knowledge can be imparted, existing knowledge must be reviewed and it must be ensured that the necessary basic knowledge is in place. It is then important to clarify the connections, as it is important to understand these and learn how to combine them in order to develop independently and not simply memorise something for the next test.

Knowledge can only be imparted if the learner is motivated to acquire it, so an interest in what is to be learned must be created. My approach is to establish an existing connection to the subject area and build on that. Ideally, this should be linked to the trainees' hobbies.

It is very important to set a goal so that it is clear why you are learning this and where the journey is leading.

I often see the problem of routine with many teachers, who simply present their subject matter in a frontal manner and do not take into account the learners' existing knowledge, interests, strengths or weaknesses.

A good teacher responds to their students and adapts the lesson to the learners in order to ensure that the lesson is interesting, comprehensible and goal-oriented.

The goal should be to teach in a sustainable way, i.e. you have to establish a connection to what you have learned and understand the material; only then can you fall back on what you have learned even after a long time.

The site should fulfil all these points:

• Present knowledge clearly, i.e. define goals precisely
• Highlight connections between topics
• Link to basic principles (prerequisites for acquiring new knowledge)
• Provide small practice examples with easy-to-understand solutions

Implementation

When developing the site, I made sure that technical terms were explained in a balloon, so that users do not have to leave the site to quickly review individual terms or ensure that the content is understood correctly. Great care was also taken to ensure that the material is presented in a clear sequence and that the entire scope is clearly visible.

The inclusion of educational videos makes it easy to review the material and also allows animations and experiments to be shown effectively. The use of animations (GIFs) helps to illustrate processes more clearly and makes the site more appealing.

At the end of each article, there are practice examples with sample solutions so that users can quickly apply and practise what they have learned.

Various simulators have also been integrated into the site so that practical exercises can now be carried out digitally and calculations can be checked independently.

To test your knowledge, there are tests for each topic that allow you to check the learning content in a concise manner. (currently not working as desired)

To ensure that not everything is spoon-fed, there is also a separate area for preparing for the final apprenticeship examination, which lists test plates and collections of questions without exact answers, so that apprentices can work out the answers with the help of their documents and the homepage.

Tips on learning and how to best prepare for exams are also available in a separate category.

The site was developed not only to present knowledge in a structured and professional manner, but also to offer the apprentices in my class an easy way to study the material on their own when they are ill, so that they can catch up more easily after their sick leave.

The logo

The first version was rather bland and ill-conceived, because I was focused on functionality. Over time, I realised that it is very important for the website (and the documents) to be visually appealing so that they are appreciated and used.

So I wanted to create a kind of mascot that would be seen as cute, but also serve as a clear distinguishing feature.

After much deliberation, I wanted to create something that reflected the versatile profession of mechatronics. So I began to think about how to create a figure, or at least a face, with technical components from all specialist areas – mechanics, electronics, IT/programming – but also with a small human touch.

After much trial and error, MR. Mechatronics was born.

A circuit board as the basis, on which gears are attached as glasses (computer scientist nerd), an electrical safety helmet and, finally, blue eyes and a beard for the human component.

Did the site have an impact?

I notice time and again that I provide young people with more and better materials, but they often don't use them at all. So just having good materials and a link to a great site is useless. The materials and websites are still tools; if you don't use them, then it's good to have them, but they are worthless. Whenever I prepared my apprentices for the LAP, there were always a few who answered every question with, ‘I still need to look at that, I have the materials anyway.’ But they couldn't find the information because they had never worked with it.

It was only when I prepared my documents so that the script and the exercise folder were combined and links to the homepage were also included via QR code that I realised that the documents really did have added value. Because we worked with the documents from the very beginning, the apprentices always found what they were looking for in the script quickly. The videos I showed in class were launched directly from the site, so the apprentices could immediately see where to find the video and knew right away if I had more videos on the topic, which they often watched during the break afterwards or to prepare for the next day on their way to work.

In case of sick leave

Since the large training companies I worked for held classes in 2-6 week blocks, it was always a problem when an apprentice was sick for several days, because it was impossible for them to follow the lessons, especially if it was at the beginning of the course. Fortunately, I had a few cases where course participants missed the start of the course due to illness, but thanks to the homepage, they had prepared themselves so well through self-study that they were able to follow the lessons without any problems. So the extra effort on my part was definitely worth it, as it made the lessons much less stressful.

Saviour in the coronavirus pandemic

When the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020, everyone was overwhelmed because they had to switch to teaching via video chat from one day to the next. Until then, most of the materials and lessons had been tailored entirely to analogue, on-site training, and it was impossible to set up an e-learning system from one moment to the next. Thanks to my website, I was able to continue teaching seamlessly and distribute my teaching materials easily and conveniently, even when the official LMS platforms were down. In the process, I also started adding sound to the videos, which are still not on YouTube, but hopefully that will change soon.

The goal

With this website, I want to create a central point of contact where you can get a good overview of apprenticeships in mechatronics and related fields (plant operations technician, energy technician and similar) and highlight the specialisations within each profession. Furthermore, the content should ensure a good, quick and complete understanding of the subject matter, because only competent skilled workers who can apply their knowledge correctly are of interest to the labour market, and the work is more enjoyable and easier to do.

Since I myself was taught some things incorrectly during my apprenticeship and repeatedly come across websites that disseminate false information, I would like to create a platform here that summarises the most important information in a compact and easily understandable way and links to correct and detailed sources so that motivated learners can acquire knowledge quickly and easily.

I would also like to make a statement here that teachers bear a great deal of responsibility for whether learners can and want to follow the material! I plan to create a separate area for lecturers so that I can share my experience as a teacher. In this context, I would also like to make my teaching methods, preparation and exercises available, because it would be a shame to just let all that work gather dust on my hard drive.