This article describes the similarities between the central role of a principal in school operations and the critical role of a controller in a mechanical system. It specifically addresses how school operations are connected to how mechanical systems are controlled, emphasizing their importance and effectiveness.
What are the differences between schools with and without a principal? Without a principal, school operations would be disorganized due to the lack of a central figure to lead, and it would be difficult to set and achieve goals. A school is not just a place to provide education; it is an important system that is responsible for the growth and development of students. At the center of this system is the principal, who is the key person who controls and strives for the comprehensive development of the school in many ways. The way the principal controls the school can make or break the school, or it can put the school at risk of closure.
In many of the machines and systems we encounter, the principal is also an important element. In mechanical systems, it’s called a “controller”. In mechanical engineering terms, a system is a collection of parts organized to accomplish a specific purpose, and the system itself can be thought of as a machine. For example, a school is a system. It has a big purpose of “creating excellent people” and is made up of many parts: teachers, classrooms, reading rooms, cafeteria, and the principal. Each part has its own purpose and functions, but the principal is the center that oversees and controls them all. In a mechanical system, a controller is like the principal: it controls the entire system and keeps it moving in the right direction.
In a mechanical system, there are two main ways a controller controls the system. The first is feedforward control, where the controller gives commands in advance of the outcome. The second is feedback control, where the controller issues commands in response to differences in how the system achieves its goal. Both of these control methods can be applied to running a school. A feed-forward principal creates a plan based on goals from the beginning and tries not to change it, while a feedback principal adjusts the plan as circumstances change and adjusts the curriculum to meet the needs of the students.
Feedforward controllers go according to plan, but unforeseen external factors can change the expected outcome. In this case, a feedback controller is more useful. Feedback controllers adjust the gap between the output and the goal in real time, ensuring that the system moves in the desired direction. This type of control is also effective in running a school: a feedback principal who monitors student learning outcomes and adjusts teaching methods as needed can drive the school forward.
There are three types of feedback controllers: proportional, differential, and integral. Proportional controllers give commands proportional to the difference, differential controllers give commands based on the rate of change, and integral controllers give commands based on the accumulation of differences. These three control methods can have important implications for school operations. For example, a principal applying proportional control would adjust instructional time based on students’ grades, a differential control would adjust based on the rate of change of grades, and an integral control would adjust based on the accumulation of grade changes over time.
In real-world mechanical systems, unwanted factors such as noise can be present, and to effectively eliminate them, PID controllers, which are a combination of the three control methods, are widely used. PID controllers play an important role in a variety of mechanical systems, including airplanes, satellites, and automobiles, and their application in school operations can help create a more effective educational environment.
