Development of a Web-Based Interactive Learning Platform for PID Control

This study focuses on the development of an interactive web-based learning platform for Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control systems, aimed at addressing the conceptual challenges faced by electrical engineering students when learning PID through conventional teaching methods. Despite its foundational role in control theory, PID remains difficult to grasp without practical visualization and hands-on experimentation. To bridge this gap, the research introduces a practical and accessible platform that enhances conceptual understanding through real-time simulations and physical interaction. The proposed system integrates key hardware components including an ESP-32 microcontroller, DC motor, rotary encoder, BTS 7960 motor driver, and I2C LCD. The platform’s web interface is built using HTML, Tailwind CSS, and JavaScript, enabling intuitive user interaction. Motor response data is captured via the ESP-32 and transmitted to the web interface using the WebSocket protocol, allowing users to instantly visualize system behavior as PID parameters (Kp, Ki, Kd) are adjusted. This dynamic feedback mechanism enables students to observe changes in system characteristics such as rise time, overshoot, and settling time in real time. To evaluate the platform’s feasibility, practicality, and educational effectiveness, beta testing was conducted among electrical engineering students using Likert-scale questionnaires. The results demonstrated that users were able to successfully interpret the impact of PID tuning on system performance. The average evaluation score reached 75.13%, indicating strong agreement regarding the platform’s educational value and its effectiveness in enhancing learning outcomes. In conclusion, the study affirms that the developed web-based platform offers a feasible, engaging, and pedagogically effective alternative to traditional learning approaches. By combining interactive simulations with physical experimentation, the platform significantly improves students’ understanding of PID control systems.