The LEGOPardo Experience: Motivational Control Demonstrations for Cadets [Focus on Education]

Given the variety of topics that compose a bachelor´s program, even the most motivated students may find themselves uninterested in a particular subject. A relevant example is the service academies, where students usually have a strong military vocation but their interest in other apparently unrelated but mandatory topics cannot be taken for granted. In these situations, teachers face the challenge of engaging the interest of students and promoting the usefulness of the subject for their careers. Videos with possible applications [1] or laboratory experiments with real systems [2] are some of the multiple resources a teacher can use to stimulate student interest. However, making the theoretical lessons appealing is also important.