Laboratory sessions play a crucial role in engineering education by providing students with the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings. In the course on Electric Machines and Drives, these sessions are designed to allow students to implement and test control systems for various types of electric machines. However, the limited number of laboratory hours, the availability of equipment, and the growing number of students present significant challenges. As a result, many key concepts and control techniques discussed in lectures cannot be practiced, hindering the acquisition of essential competencies and increasing the gap between academic training and industry expectations.

In order to address this issue, an interactive simulation tool has been developed using MATLAB- Simulink. It allows students to autonomously explore and test several control strategies for electric drives in a virtual environment, emulating realistic scenarios. By integrating this tool, we aim to overcome the limitations of time and resources, and offer a more inclusive and flexible learning experience. Students can interact with the simulation tool to investigate system behavior, modify parameters, and visualize the results. This fosters deeper conceptual understanding and encourages experimentation, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The tool is designed to be user-friendly and progressively guides students from simple exercises to more complex control scenarios. This approach aligns with modern educational practices that emphasize student agency and active participation, which have shown positive outcomes in other engineering fields. Our implementation extends this concept to the domain of electric drives, where practical exposure is often constrained.

As an example of its application, we present a case study based on a dc motor that allows students to explore its operation from simple to more complex controls. In this scenario, students, guided by the tool itself, can manipulate certain parameters, visualize waveforms, and analyze the impact of different control strategies on system performance. This type of guided experimentation illustrates the broader potential of the tool: enabling the simulation of various control strategies and power conversion systems in an accessible and pedagogically sound manner. This, in turn, helps to bridge the gap between the knowledge acquired in the classroom and the skills required in an actual professional environment.

Keywords: Active learning, simulation tool, digital technologies, control engineering, student engagement.