Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAMLena Bothur studied bionics and applied materials science and has been working at the Fraunhofer IFAM in the Training Center for Fiber Composite Technology since 2022. She is responsible for supervising the online learning platform as well as the manufacturer and remanufacturer courses at the training center. This year, together with Milan Kelch, she is supervising the English-language advanced training course for fiber-reinforced plastic specialists, the “Fiber Reinforced Plastic Specialist Online”, in blended learning format.
3 questions for... Lena Bothur about the “Fiber Reinforced Plastic Specialist Online”
What makes the FRP Specialist so special?
For the first time, we will be running a course in a blended learning format. Instead of coming to Bremen for three individual weeks at a time, we are enabling participants to learn a large part of the theoretical content digitally from home. To this end, we provide an online platform on which the content can be worked through at your own pace, but of course can also be repeated and consolidated in exchange with us as teachers. We have also developed a range of interactive learning methods, e.g. quizzes, to help consolidate and apply theoretical knowledge.
However, to ensure that it does not remain too theoretical, the participants will complete a 10-day attendance phase in Bremen after the online learning phase, in which all theoretical content is put into practice on site. This gives participants the opportunity to familiarise themselves with all processes and materials and to ask any questions that are relevant in their individual professional context. The course thus offers a unique combination of theory and practice, repetition and application and combines the advantages of online learning with getting to know each other and networking on site.
Who is the course aimed at?
The FRP Specialist is aimed at both instructors who already work with fiber-reinforced composites and newcomers who have not yet had any contact with these materials. This course provides you with a detailed overview of the entire process chain of materials, manufacturing processes and the repair and maintenance of FRP components. The high proportion of practical units ensures that the theoretical knowledge can be transferred directly into practice and internalized. The course is therefore also suitable for engineers who want to deepen and apply their knowledge in practice.
As the course is held in English, it is aimed at English-speaking specialists from German companies as well as employees from international composite companies.
How is the learning quality of a blended learning course assessed in comparison to a face-to-face course?
The content of our face-to-face and blended learning courses is completely identical, with the only difference being the presentation of the content. Both course formats conclude with an identical examination in which an oral and a practical examination must be passed in order to receive the FRP specialist certificate.
During the course, participants can practise independently via the online learning platform and work on their own weak points or knowledge gaps with quizzes. Further questions can be discussed directly with the lecturers in live sessions. This means that at the end of the course, participants are not only optimally prepared for the exam, but also for all the challenges of working with FRP.