Optimal and Robust Control

There are two major new themes applied to the organization of this course

1. In this course we follow (at least partly) the so-called flipped learning strategy.
   
2. We structure our teaching and learning around explicitly enumerated learning goals (or competences or learning outcomes or specifications if you like). For every weekly topic we give a list of a few such learning goals (five to ten or so), which will guide students in the learning process.
   

Flipped learning

The course (or at least a parts of it) is realized in the format of so-called flipped (or inverted) learning. You may have already tasted it through Salman Khan's Khan Academy. From the perspective of the students, their studying every week will thus be structured into three phases:

• Video-lectures (or assigned reading) at home independently by every student. One or two days before the formally scheduled lecture, students watch the video-lecture(s) on Youtube in the comfort of their home and possibly also read the recommended sections in the provided lecture notes or a recommended textbook.  
• Examples and exercises during the in-person "Lecture''. During the in-person meeting with the lecturer in a lecture hall, which we will still call "lecture" for formal reasons, the lecturer shows a few typical examples or case studies. Being familiar with the definitions and concepts after watching the video (and/or reading a related text), students typically find it easier to follow the lecturer and possibly ask relevant questions. Occasionally, students will also be asked to work out some assigned exercises.
  
• Homework during the in-person "Exercise" session. The officially scheduled event called "Exercise" (in Czech: cvičení) here at CTU (or Seminar or Tutorials elsewhere) will be devoted to further exercising the knowledge and skills under the guidance of a teacher, mostly using a computer. After solving an assigned problem or two, a major part of the session can be used to start solving the assigned homework problem. Ideally, some students might even be able to submit the solutions towards the end of that dedicated 90-minute time slot. If some more time is needed, students can continue with the work at home and submit you solution later (through the web of the course).
  

Learning centered around learning goals (competences, specifications)

For greater efficiency of your learning, for every week (topic, lecture) we will display on the course web site a very detailed list of carefully specified learning goals or competences.

We will consider learning goals (competences) of two types:

• knowledge ("remember and understand") and
  
• skill ("can use the knowledge to solve a problem").

This list will guide students while watching the videos and reading the literature before the (online) meeting with the teacher.

Formative testing –⁠ online quizzes and homework problems

In order to make it easier for students to make sure you have correctly and fully understood the definitions and concepts from the list of competences (knowledge type), online quiz is avalaible on the course website every week. Students are expected to fill this in after watching the video(s). The quizzes should be accomplished before the in-person "Lecture".

Similarly, in order to verify mastering the new problem-solving skills, the submitted homework problem solutions will be evaluated by the teacher.

Binary assessment

Major characteristic of the assessment of the online quizzes and homework problem solutions in this course is that binary logic will be applied: reaching the specified learning goals has either been accomplished or not.

Possibility to correct for the failed online quiz or homework problem

If students fail to demonstrate acquiring the given competence on the first occassion, they can have one more try. No penalty for making mistakes while learning.

As for the online quiz, they can just take the same quiz once again. But note that the questions testing the particular item from the knowledge list can differ. Make sure you run the new try by the end of the following week. Correcting an online quiz later than that will not be allowed.

Concerning the homework problems, students may also be given a new opportunity to prove the given skill(s) but this will only be offered towards the end of the semester and upon request.

Semestral laboratory project

The students who aim at final grading A need to work on one laboratory project during the semester (details will be made available shortly after the beginning of the semester). Students with no ambitions for the A grade do not have to work on the projects.

At the end of the semester, a few-page technical report is expected. Its grading also follows the binary logis –⁠ either it is accepted by the teacher or not (no more bizzare grading such as "the project was accomplished at 73 %“). In case the report is not accepted, details will be given and the student can correct/improve/extend the report and resubmit. Note however, that at leas one week (5 working days) are needed for the teacher to evaluate the report. A report submitted a few days before the semestr stands no chance to be modified and resubmitted. While working on the reports, please have a look at our advices on technical writing as well as our attitude towards plagiarism.