Gold standard Matrix customers – TEF ratings 2017

Last week saw the first Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) ratings published in the United Kingdom, and whilst the results were a mixed bag, many of the institutions awarded with Gold status are users of Matrix learning solutions.

The TEF aims to recognise and reward excellence in teaching and learning, and help inform prospective students’ choices for higher education.

Of the 106 further education colleges in the TEF, 14 achieved Gold status, and many of the colleges who were awarded with gold accreditation are users of equipment provided by Matrix. For example, Blackpool and the Fylde College are users of our Automatics equipment for teaching pneumatic essentials, electro-pneumatics and control. Another college rewarded with Gold is Hugh Baird College who have invested in a range of equipment including Flowcode and E-blocks, for teaching of the new BTEC National Level 3 in Microcontroller Systems for Engineers.

Amongst other Matrix customers who were successful in achieving Gold status were City College Plymouth, Middlesbrough College and Exeter College. A Gold award means that an institution is of the highest quality found in the UK, providing “consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students”.

Meanwhile, the results for universities gave equally impressive results for institutions delivering teaching using learning solutions provided by Matrix. 45 universities received the Gold status, including the University of Huddersfield who have been users of Flowcode and E-blocks for Embedded Systems for many years.

Bruce Mehrdadi of the Engineering Department at Huddersfield explains more;

“Using E-blocks has allowed us to simplify the teaching of complex topics to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Matrix’s E-blocks has inspired our students to design innovative systems and products of their own.

Learners can use E-blocks to create an unlimited number of systems by mixing and matching various E- blocks boards.

The Flowcode development software makes programming complex systems by novices and learners possible. We use Flowcode for PIC and dsPIC family of microcontrollers to teach various topics starting from blinking LEDs to advanced digital signal processing (DSP) applications.”

Another University rewarded for their excellent teaching and learning was the University of Leeds. Matthew Buckley, of the Electrical/Electronic Engineering department explains more;

“I find that using ‘Flowcode’ is an invaluable tool, to clearly convey the embedded code to be used in applications with Microchip’s 18F4455 & 18F2455 modules.

Previously, the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering have introduced students to Matrix robotics, using the robot vehicle at their command.

The School of Mechanical Engineering students build their own buggy designs and students there also introduce Flowcode modules into their designs.”

As an educationally focused business, we’re extremely proud to say that we supply many of the colleges and universities whose hard work has meant their institution has been rewarded with Gold status.

If you are interested in how your institution can benefit from the integration of our learning solutions into your teaching, give us a call today on 01422 252380 or visit our website to learn more at www.matrixtsl.com.

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