Perceptions of Vocational Education and Training Teachers with regard to an Industrial Robot Training

In the last decade, industrial robots have been used in a variety of ways in manufacturing. Owing to the increasing demand for industrial robots, many institutions offer industrial robotic courses. However, industrial robots have been accepted as an emerging tool when it comes to teaching in the area of vocational education and training (TVET). However, it has proved difficult for teachers to adapt to teaching in this way. This paper presents the investigation of TVET teachers' perceptions of an industrial robotic training course in Thailand. This course provides inservice training for 67 teachers who teach electrical, mechanical, or mechatronic engineering in vocational colleges. The training course uses a four-phase learning cycle: preparation with regard to the concepts of industrial robotics, pedagogies for teaching and learning, presentation, and the professional learning community. The results show that teachers face barriers and have expectations prior to training. Teachers' satisfaction with the training course after training was also investigated.