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Questions are used to obtain information, stimulate thinking, and redirect reasoning. Academics in higher education use questions on a daily basis to stimulate thinking and reasoning in students. Final examination papers are used by academics to assess the retention and application skills of students. The assumption, however, exists that questions relating to application skills at universities of technology should start to dominate the higher academic levels in education, with a subsequent drop in questions regarding retention skills. These questions may be categorized as either higher order or lower order questions. This article attempts to distinguish between these two types of questions in light of Bloom's taxonomy, with similar concepts such as deep and surface learning being examined. The literature review is applied to an electrical engineering module titled Electronics, which serves as the case study. The results of this study indicate that a high percentage of the final examination papers dealt with the objective "Application," where students had to make use of numerous mathematical equations to solve various unknowns. The results also indicated that academics in electronics are using more lower order than higher order questions in their final examination papers. A balance is suggested between these two types of questions for various academic levels at universities of technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prospective authors are requested to submit new, unpublished manuscripts for inclusion in the upcoming event described in this call for papers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Contribution: A redesign of the Moodle platform to adapt digital educational content [learning objects (LOs)] to the specific needs of students with disabilities. The approach, extendable to a range of disciplines, was empirically tested with blind and deaf engineering students. Background: Previous studies identified difficulties that blind and deaf students face in accessing digital content for learning. General guidelines and specific tools are available to help educators adapt digital content and existing learning platforms for access by students with varying abilities/capacities. Such tools are usually for a specific disability rather than a range of capacities, and few provide empirical evidence of effectiveness. Intended Outcomes: The engineering-related digital content adapted using the techniques described in this paper should enable blind and/or deaf students to use an oscilloscope, understand communication channels, and distinguish the different types of telecommunication networks. Application Design: The Moodle learning platform was adapted using existing e-learning accessibility standards so that digital LOs could be automatically presented in formats accessible to blind and/or deaf students. This model is extendable for other types of disabilities, helping educators adapt existing content for access by students with differing capacities. The teacher adds content (in non-auditory and non-visual formats to describe content otherwise inaccessible to deaf or blind students) and students upload reusable profiles/metadata describing their specific accessibility needs to connect to suitably adjusted content. Findings: Learning improvement with the adjusted platform was evaluated via multiple choice pre- and post-tests. Students’ learning performance improved significantly across all groups: blind (45%), deaf (46.25%) and deaf-blind (87.5%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This paper found that design experiences can foster engineering identity and belongingness for early career electrical and computer engineering students. Students had different interpretations of what it meant to be an engineer (identity) and their belongingness in engineering. This paper provides novel insights into how students may be developing identities and belongingness in engineering, both critical for student retention and success. Background: Design experiences are crucial for engineering students, both for developing academic competencies and allowing students to see how they can become engineers. Existing literature has mixed results with respect to the influence of team-based design experiences on engineering identity and belongingness. Research Questions: 1) How do design experiences influence early career electrical and computer engineering students’ identification and belongingness in engineering? and 2) How do these students describe what it means to identify as an engineer and belong in engineering? Methodology: The beliefs of electrical and computer engineering students were examined using mixed methods to understand the intersection of design experiences, engineering identity, and belongingness. Findings: Students interpreted their engineering identity and belongingness differently, particularly, with respect to how design experiences can shape these attitudes. Whereas students interpreted engineering identity through their performance and interest in authentic engineering tasks, they interpreted belongingness as a means of comparing themselves to their peers. The findings have implications for engineering education researchers, and design instructors, to foster ways of being and belonging in engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This paper explores the factors contributing to the development of engineering identity in Latinx students at two institutions. A better understanding of these factors will support the development of more inclusive engineering education environments and experiences. Background: Persistence of Latinx engineering students is of particular interest due to their underrepresentation in the field. Identity is a lens for understanding student persistence, but Latinx students are underrepresented in prior engineering identity studies. This paper seeks to identify the unique factors, academic and professional, that contribute to engineering identity development, and potential means for supporting the persistence of Latinx engineers. Research Questions: 1) What academic and professional affect factors predict engineering identity development of Latinx students? and 2) What role does the institution play in Latinx students’ engineering identity development? Methodology: A mixed-methods approach was used to measure engineering identity based on a framework incorporating both academic and professional affect elements. Regression analyses were conducted on 892 responses to an online survey from Latinx engineering students, with additional insight from interviews with ten Latinx engineering students. Findings: Six of the nine factors analyzed (performance/competence, interest, recognition, analysis, framing and solving problems, and tinkering) were significant predictors of Latinx students’ engineering identity, as were institution, gender, and having a parent with an engineering degree. Engineering identity was higher for Latinx students at the Hispanic Serving Institution, but none of the interaction terms were significant, so the relationship between these factors and engineering identity is similar at each institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes lab work for learning fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) in mechatronic systems. These skills are important for engineering education because FDD is a key capability of competitive processes and products. The intended outcome of the lab work is that students become aware of the importance of faulty conditions and learn to design FDD strategies for a real system. To this end, the paper proposes a lab project where students are requested to develop a discrete event dynamic system (DEDS) diagnosis to cope with two faulty conditions in an autonomous mobile robot task. A sample solution is discussed for LEGO Mindstorms NXT robots with LabVIEW. This innovative practice is relevant to higher education engineering courses related to mechatronics, robotics, or DEDS. Results are also given of the application of this strategy as part of a postgraduate course on fault-tolerant mechatronic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some education specialists are challenging the use of traditional strategies in classrooms and are calling for the use of contemporary teaching and learning techniques. In response to these calls, many field experiments that compare different teaching and learning strategies have been conducted. However, to date, little is known on the outcomes of these strategies specific to the context of engineers and engineering education. The debate on traditional versus contemporary strategies continues, with many traditionalists holding firm to the view that contemporary techniques diminish the academic quality and integrity of teaching and learning. This paper adds to the current debate by assessing the outcome of interactive lectures, a contemporary teaching strategy, in the context of engineering education. Specifically, this paper examines the effect of interactive lectures on student academic achievement and the learning environment. This paper supported the quantitative survey responses with self-reported student reflections. The findings contradict the traditionalist view of teaching and learning; student performance was not significantly different when interactive learning strategies were employed. However, students held a more positive view toward the learning environment and felt that interactive learning enhanced their overall learning experiences and spurred interest in the subject area. This paper concluded that interactive lecturing can be an effective approach in teaching business management in engineering education. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Interdisciplinary projects in the industry typically require collaboration between professionals from various fields. However, this relationship is not generally addressed in the training offered by university programs, which often ignore this interdisciplinary approach. This paper offers an example of interdisciplinary interaction through joint laboratory activities in the curricula of two very different degree programs, i.e., Multimedia Engineering and Teacher Training in Primary Education. The programs' students formed an interdisciplinary team of multimedia engineers and trainee teachers to develop a Web product for children's cognitive development. The complexity of the task required students to engage in close and strong interdisciplinary cooperation and communication; in turn, they benefited from the synergy offered by collaborative work. The results of this paper, presented from the perspective of the multimedia engineering students, demonstrate a significant increase in their academic performance compared to the control group. This paper shows that university studies can incorporate an interdisciplinary perspective to engineering education without the need to introduce a specific course on the topic, thus avoiding further demands on the curriculum schedule. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Contribution: A semester-long project, geared towards a multidisciplinary group of undergraduate engineering students, to design and simulate a large-scale microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) 2-D optical scanner is presented. Background: MEMS component design and fabrication typically requires a cleanroom and costly high-vacuum equipment; these are not available at many small educational institutions. Conventionally, institutions without cleanroom access teach MEMS courses using lectures and videos, but this fails to engage and motivate students because of the absence of hands-on fabrication and design experience. Application Design: The mechatronics project has students use simple accessible tools, including 3-D printing, servomotors, a microcontroller, and mechanical simulation software to design and optimize a large-scale model of a MEMS optical scanner that simulates the 2-D motion of the actual device. Intended Outcomes: This project involves a hands-on approach designed to improve the participating students’ understanding of MEMS devices; its design and process constraints closely resemble aspects of the MEMS industry. Application Design: In addition to a detailed description of the various components of the project, this paper describes methods to assess student progress, and gives reflections on the project’s implementation. The effectiveness of the project is evaluated through assessment data obtained from a total of 65 students over three semesters. Findings: After introducing the project to the course, instructors saw a great increase in interest, and an improvement in performance. Students showed a significant improvement in their understanding of mask design and fabrication process description, as demonstrated by their final exam grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies electrical engineering learners’ preferences for learning methods with various degrees of activity. Less active learning methods such as homework and peer reviews are investigated, as well as a newly introduced very active (constructive) learning method called “slectures,” and some others. The results suggest that graduate students’ perception of the usefulness of the activity increases with its level of activity. For undergraduate students, an increased perception of the usefulness of the activity was observed for lightly active but structured learning methods. Group-based analysis focusing on two types of learners, defined as “instructor-dependent” and “instructor-independent” according to their perception of the usefulness of the classroom lectures, was also performed. The results suggest that instructor-independent learners may benefit more from active learning methods than instructor-dependent learners. For example, instructor-independent undergraduate learners were found to perceive the homework assignment as being more useful than the lectures. Such a preference was not seen in the average group data. In fact, no learning method was found to be perceived as more useful than the lectures, on average. Thus this paper illustrates the pertinence of group-based data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This paper qualitative research delineates the thinking and behavioral patterns that reflect students’ advanced level of epistemological thinking in project-based learning (PBL) activities and the associated impact factors. Background: PBL has been widely adopted in engineering education for its effectiveness in improving students’ problem-solving abilities, collaboration skills, and academic achievement. The four stages of Perry’s theory—Dualism, Multiplicity, Relativism, and Commitment (within Relativism)—depict students’ epistemological development from dualistic to contextual relativistic thinking. Prior research suggested that participation in PBL could benefit students’ development to relativistic thinking—the most revolutionary change in Perry’s model. Nevertheless, how epistemological thinking was exhibited in the context of PBL, and the relationship between students’ epistemological thinking and PBL learning activities both remain unclear. Research Questions: 1) What are demonstrations of students’ relativistic thinking in PBL activities? and 2) What are the factors in regard to students’ relativistic thinking in PBL activities? Methodology: Built upon quantitative results obtained using a modified Zhang’s cognitive development inventory (ZCDI) developed in the context of Perry’s theory, this paper explored demonstrations of students’ relativistic thinking in PBL in a qualitative manner, and analyzed the associated factors based upon one-on-one interviews with 17 engineering students. Findings: In PBL activities, students’ epistemological thinking is reflected in their solving problems within constraints, conducting feasibility analyses, exhibiting commercial awareness, having their thinking broadened, and more. Their epistemological thinking can be impacted by factors, such as guidance from professors, collaborations with peers, communications with other stakeholders, and complexity level of projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This paper reports engineering students ’ practical epistemic cognition by studying their interactional work in situ. Studying “epistemologies in action” the study breaks away from mainstream approaches that describe this in terms of beliefs or of stage theories. Background: In epistemology, knowledge is traditionally seen as “justified true belief,” neglecting knowledge related to action. Interest has increased in studying the epistemologies people use in situated action, and their development of epistemic fluency. How appropriate such approaches are in engineering and design education need further investigation. Research Questions: 1) How do students in the context of a design project use epistemic tools in their interactional work? and 2) What are the implications of the findings in terms of how students’ cognitive and epistemological development could be conceptualized? Methodology: A collaborative group of six students were video recorded on the 14th day of a fifth-semester design project, as they were preparing for a formal critique session. The entire, almost 6 h, session was recorded by four video cameras mounted in the design studio, with an additional fifth body-mounted camera. The video data collected was analyzed using video ethnographic, conversation analysis, and embodied interaction analysis methods. Findings: The results show that the students use a wealth of bodily material resources as an integral and seamless part of their interactions as epistemic tools, in their joint production of understanding and imagining. The analysis also suggests that students’ epistemological and cognitive development, individually and as a group, should be understood in terms of developing “epistemic fluency.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keeping up with novel methods and keeping abreast of new applications are crucial issues in engineering education. In brain research, one of the most significant research areas in recent decades, many developments have application in both modern engineering technology and education. New measurement methods in the observation of brain activity open a new frontier in engineering applications. Electroencephalogram (EEG)-based brain activity observation processes are very promising and have been used in several engineering studies, primarily for the implementation of control tasks. This paper presents the development, implementation, and assessment of an EEG-based engineering education project, in which engineering students applied the theory they had learned and improved their knowledge and skills in the area of observation and evaluation of electrical signals generated by brain activity and measured by biosensors. The main project goal was to develop and test a brain–computer interface that is able to measure the average attention level. The effectiveness of this project-based learning was evaluated by student questionnaire responses and analysis of students' exam results; students who had participated in the project were shown to have higher levels of acquired knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a series of course modules developed as a high-impact and cost-effective learning tool for modeling and simulating the microfabrication process and design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices using three-dimensional (3-D) printing. Microfabrication technology is an established fabrication technique for small and high-precision MEMS devices; these processes typically take place in a cleanroom with the use of expensive high-vacuum equipment. These course modules were developed to provide engineering educators a more affordable and effective method for teaching MEMS modeling in settings without a cleanroom, as is the case in many undergraduate institutions. Feedback from student evaluations as well as course grades all support the efficacy of these course modules. In these hands-on modules, by designing and building the MEMS prototypes, the students learn by experiencing the process of building a MEMS device from the specifications given. The results are also compared to similar assessments made in the course before the introduction of these course modules to verify success. The detailed description of the modules, the evaluation methodologies adopted, and reflections on the implementation are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Teaching electrical and computer software engineers how to configure network services normally requires the detailed presentation of many configuration commands and their numerous parameters. Students tend to find it difficult to maintain acceptable levels of motivation. In many cases, this results in their not attending classes and not dedicating enough time to acquire the required competencies. This paper describes a successful experiment that was able to improve student class attendance, performance, and motivational patterns by using mobile devices in class to provide students with contextualized learning pills. A learning pill is a simple exercise that summarizes some of the key concepts explained in class and promotes reflection and self-study. Each student attending a particular lecture or laboratory session automatically receives a learning pill on his or her mobile phone just after the related concept has been presented. This paper details the scenario used in the experiment and analyzes the performance and motivational patterns of 170 students at the Higher Polytechnic School, Carlos III University of Madrid, Leganes, Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper argues the case for emulation-based virtual laboratories in control engineering education. It demonstrates that such emulation experiments can give students an industrially relevant educational experience at relatively low cost. The paper also describes a particular emulation-based system that has been developed with the aim of giving students an introduction to real-world control engineering design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviewers performing systematic literature reviews require understanding of the review process and of the knowledge domain. This paper presents an iterative approach for conducting systematic literature reviews that addresses the problems faced by reviewers who are novices in one or both levels of understanding. This approach is derived from traditional systematic literature reviews and based on observations from four systematic reviews performed in an academic setting. These reviews demonstrated the importance of defining iterations for the eight tasks of the review process. The iterative approach enables experiential learning from the two levels of understanding: the process level and the domain level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project-based learning is a widely used pedagogical strategy in engineering education shown to be effective in fostering problem-solving, design, and teamwork skills. There are distinct benefits to be gained from giving students autonomy in determining the nature and scope of the projects that they wish to undertake, but a lack of expert guidance and of a clear direction at the outset can result in confusion, frustration, and unfulfilled goals. Moreover, engineering schools face the imperative of providing students with opportunities to engage with industry during their courses, which can be difficult to accomplish due to logistical and time constraints. This paper reports on a case study in which undergraduate students of electrical, computer, mechatronics, and telecommunications engineering interacted with representatives from industry to obtain feedback at the inception phase of their design projects. Students pitched their ideas to the industry guests at a virtual “trade fair” held within a hybrid video conferencing and three-dimensional (3-D) virtual world environment, in preparation for the assessable pitches that they had to deliver on campus to a faculty audience. Survey and assessment results attest to the participants' satisfaction as well as to the effectiveness of the approach in improving student self-efficacy and performance. The paper concludes with recommendations for engineering educators looking to implement similar initiatives and a brief outline of the authors' plans for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a network security laboratory to teach data analysis for detecting TCP/IP covert channels. The laboratory is mainly designed for students of electrical engineering, but is open to students of other technical disciplines with similar background. Covert channels provide a method for leaking data from protected systems, which is a major concern for big enterprises and governments. The inclusion of covert channels in the curricula of network security students and network data analysts is therefore considered a valuable extension. In the lab exercises presented, students learn how covert channels in TCP/IP network traffic can be hidden and detected. Since the detection of covert channels requires an in-depth understanding of protocol standards and typical behavior of TCP/IP flows, the lab also provides a “playground” in which students can deepen their communication networks knowledge. Students learn how to use and interpret statistical analysis to discover abnormal patterns and footprints in network data. They are also trained to deal with noisy scenarios that increase ambiguity and uncertainty. The laboratory was first implemented during the winter semester 2014 with a class of 18 students at TU Wien, Austria. This experience showed that students consolidated the targeted skills as well as increased their interest in the topics explored. All exercises and datasets for the introduced “Network Security Advanced” lab are made publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The inspiration for this paper comes from a successful experiment conducted with students in the “Mobile Robots” course in the fifth year of the integrated Master's program in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP), Porto, Portugal. One of the topics in this Mobile Robots course is “ Localization of Mobile Robots using the Extended Kalman Filter in a LEGO NXT,” which gives the students the opportunity to study the concepts of localization. This experiment comes within the framework of teaching localization concepts in mobile robotics and focuses primarily on explaining the Kalman filter concept. It involves a specific tool developed by the authors and based on LEGO NXT technology. The work presented here could be a helpful guide for teaching concepts related to localization in mobile robotics to ensure adequate understanding of the concept and of the use of the extended Kalman filter (EKF). The LegoFeup robot described here was built using a LEGO Mindstorms NXT and tested both in simulation and in real scenarios. Based on the results obtained, the authors concluded that the developed tool is effective in motivating students. The implementation of the tool, the structure of the Mobile Robots course, and the criteria for student assessment are described in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper discusses the results of a study of the requirements for developing a remote radio frequency (RF) laboratory for electrical engineering students. It investigates students' preferred usage of the technical content of a state-of-the-art RF laboratory. The results of this study are compared to previous findings, which dealt with other user groups (technicians in technical colleges and engineers in the RF domain). Based on the results of these analyses, seven essential principles for designing and developing such a laboratory were identified. As a case study, these principles were then implemented into a remote laboratory system. In this paper, the implementation examples are also provided and discussed. The primary aim of this study is to guide remote laboratory platform developers toward the most effective instructional design. This study also determined, from the remote laboratory system case study, what the requirements are of such a laboratory from the students' perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This paper demonstrated on a large scale that explicit articulation of creativity-related learning goals on engineering syllabi is quite limited, and primarily limited to the first year of study. Engineering educators may need to do more to ensure creativity is explicitly addressed as an expected learning outcome within engineering syllabi. Background: Prior studies have shown inclusion of creativity within engineering syllabi and course activities are generally limited. Students may perceive educators do not value creativity, and their studies have limited influence on their creative skills. Studies conflict on whether creativity skills increase over completing an engineering degree. Creativity has been demonstrated to be an important skill for engineering professionals, but one not necessarily appropriately addressed in engineering programs. Few studies have attempted to quantify coverage of creativity material on a nation-wide scale, as opposed to in a single or select few institutions. Research Questions: 1) To what extent do engineering educators explicitly articulate creativity and innovation-related learning goals and material on their course syllabi? and 2) To what extent do engineering educators explicitly articulate exposure to, or instruction in the use of, creativity heuristics within their course syllabi? Methodology: The online publicly accessible course outlines of 1109 compulsory courses from 42 degree programs accredited by two national engineering accreditation bodies were qualitatively analyzed in a two-stage approach using document analysis. Findings: Approximately 2% of compulsory electrical engineering course outlines explicitly articulate creativity-related material; only one course articulated engaging students in using creativity heuristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This paper shows that identification with engineering for engineering graduate students is positively and significantly predicted by engineering interest, competence, recognition, and interpersonal skills competence. Background: Prior studies of engineering identity on undergraduates identified several factors (e.g., engineering interest and engineering recognition) as positive predictors of identification of engineering. Engineering competence, achieved by participating in design projects, is a crucial part of students’ efforts to become more innovative engineers. Identity theory is used to understand undergraduates’ persistence in engineering, as students with stronger engineering identification are more likely to persist. More work is needed focusing on graduate students. Research Questions: Do engineering identity measurement frameworks studied for undergraduate students also apply to graduate students? Do they correlate with intention to complete the degree? What predicts the engineering identity of engineering master’s and doctoral students? Methodology: Interviews informed development and adaptation of a multi-scale survey instrument. Factor analyses identified four factors that relate to graduate engineering identity: 1) engineering interest; 2) engineering recognition; 3) engineering competence; and 4) interpersonal skills competence. Three sequential multiple linear regression models were used to predict engineering graduate students’ engineering identity. Findings: The final regression model, which includes student characteristics and the four factors resulting from confirmatory factor analysis, predicts 60% of the variance in engineering identity—substantially more than similar undergraduate engineering identity models. All four factors were significant and positive predictors of graduate students’ engineering identity. The engineering recognition factor in particular needed adaptation to emphasize peers and faculty members over family, although family remained important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This paper furthers understanding of how to use studio culture to develop instruction that supports learners’ epistemic development in the context of an engineering senior design course, with a focus on student development of epistemic frames. Background: Current capstone engineering design courses do not integrate the educational theories and practice of cognitive apprenticeship combined with studio culture. Combined, these can be useful constructs for developing instruction that encourages creativity and innovation in a situated, student-centered, and activity-focused environment. Prior research and evidence-based instructional methods from other non-engineering contexts were used to create an instructional environment that engenders epistemic change. Research Questions: How do instructional design methods based on studio culture impact the cognitive and epistemic development of engineering students in a Senior Design course? Methods: This exploratory case study examines the effects of instructional design methods based on studio culture to change an Engineering Senior Design course from lecture-based to activity-based instruction in a collaborative environment. The case study emerges from a design-based research intervention, and uses mixed methods data collection from multiple sources, including video interviews, classroom footage, and written debrief reflections. Data analysis applied an integrated thematic approach. Implications were developed through an emergent coding process. Findings: Cognitive apprenticeship methods used in a studio culture-based classroom provide learning experiences that benefit epistemic and cognitive growth for engineering students in a Senior Design course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an introduction to the main design features of a computer-aided educational package addressed to students of the final years of Electronic and Computer Engineering is presented. The software includes interrelated tutorial, computer simulations, and test questions in which graphical outputs, hypertexts, and animations are widely used. The package is devoted to the simulation study of electrooptic and acoustooptic theory and devices. It provides instant numerical evaluation and a graphical display of different studies. The software presented in this paper has all the following features: an integrative character, self-evaluation tests, a personalized and active learning process, adaptability to teacher's aims, versatility as a teaching tool, multimedia resources, and simplicity. This study has been completed with final-year students at the Superior Polytechnic School of Cordoba, Spain, with highly favorable results when compared with students who did not use the software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lecture on autotransformers intended specifically for power engineering students is proposed in this paper. An original approach to introducing the equipment is shown, and important information that does not appear in most textbooks is provided and discussed. In particular, a strong connection between the theoretical aspects and the engineer's every day practice is emphasized. Simple laboratory experiments are also proposed to validate the theoretical information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development, implementation, and assessment of a project-based Bioinstrumentation course. All course lectures and hands-on laboratory activities are related to a central project theme: a cardiac pacemaker. The students create a benchtop cardiac pacemaker by applying instrumentation knowledge acquired in the course to each stage of device development. This approach emphasizes both conceptual and practical student learning: The students must apply theory learned in the course to create their devices. Indirect and direct assessment performed with respect to the major course objective demonstrated that course participants were able to successfully design, construct, and test a bioinstrumentation system. The students perceived a marked increase in their instrumentation knowledge, objectively corroborated by their performance on specific exercises related to the creation of their benchtop pacemakers. The outcomes of the course development presented here, along with the course structure and pedagogical methodology, may enhance engineering education by acting as a guideline for the creation of courses in which a central project theme is used as a platform for concept instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Despite a widely-acknowledged shortage of software developers, and reports of a gap between industry needs and software education, the possible gap between students' needs and software development education has not been explored in detail. In their university education, students want to take courses and carry out projects that clearly relate to their lives and their goals. This paper reports on a quantitative study of 297 software development students. The analysis of the results suggests that software development education has a predominantly social relevance to students and also has moderate personal and professional relevance. The following approaches are recommended to improve students' views of the relevance of software development education: use various learning environments; pay special attention to female students, students who did not have IT as a school subject, and students who rate their own academic performance as low; update educators on the latest developments; design programs to appeal to students and to meet societal demands. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes a flipped and improved first-year digital circuits (DC) course that incorporates several active learning strategies. With the primary objective of increasing student interest and learning, an integrated instructional design framework is proposed to provide first-year engineering and technology students with practical knowledge of DC. The research presented here compares the effectiveness of the flipped course to the previous traditional course through a controlled experimental study. The improved effectiveness of the flipped course is confirmed through the significant increase in course content and significant improvements in students' performance and their perceptions of their learning experience. Preliminary results suggest that students' academic success, and their engagement and interest in engineering, can be enhanced by refinement of an integrated instructional design framework. The authors believe that this positive outcome is a result of alignment of online preview of lectures, face-to-face student/instructor and peer interactions, discussions, hands-on activities, combined with several active learning strategies infused into the class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power electronics and renewable energy are two important topics for today's power engineering students. In many cases, the two topics are inextricably intertwined. As the renewable energy sector grows, the need for engineers qualified to design such systems grows as well. In order to train such engineers, new courses are needed that highlight the unique engineering challenges presented by renewable energy systems. This paper presents the theory, implementation, and assessment of a new laboratory course designed to teach power electronics and renewable energy to engineering students. A key element of the course is the use of real renewable energy systems in the laboratory setting. Students design, test, and troubleshoot power electronic circuits (such as dc/dc converters and pulse-width-modulated inverters) with tools used widely in industry (such as MATLAB/Simulink and dSPACE digital signal processors). Ten unique experiments are presented, as well as detailed descriptions of two open-ended design projects: a maximum power point tracker for a photovoltaic array and a full converter for a permanent-magnet wind turbine. Results from students' work on the experiments and final projects, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness of the course based on pre- and post-testing, are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Active learning (AL) requires students to do more than just listen and take notes. AL is important because of its positive impact on learning, and should be used to some degree in STEM courses. Fortunately, AL can be incorporated into a course in numerous ways, from the simple to the complex. Simple approaches, such as think-pair-share (TPS), often require little or no preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This paper provides evidence that computational creativity exercises (CCEs) can increase engineering students’ learning in introductory computer science (CS1) courses. Its main contribution is its more rigorous treatment/control group research design that allows testing for causal influences of CCEs on student learning and performance. Background: Computer science (CS) courses are critical foundational courses for engineering students. CCEs that merge computational and creative thinking have been shown to increase achievement and learning of engineering and nonengineering students in CS1 courses, but previous research has used quasi- and non-experimental designs. Intended Outcomes: CCEs are intended to improve students’ learning of CS1 content and problem-solving ability by fostering computational creativity. Application Design: CCEs can improve student learning and can be used to supplement other evidence-based instructional practices. Findings: Propensity score matching was used to create equivalent treatment and control groups; results show that students in the CCE implementation section had higher scores on a CS knowledge test than students in the control section, but not higher self-efficacy for their CS knowledge. Focus group and open-ended survey questions indicated that students had mixed reactions to the CCEs, with about half the students seeing them as improving their learning, understanding, and ability to apply CS in their engineering field. Responses also reinforced the importance of fully incorporating CCEs in courses and aligning them with course topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a tool, LABEL, oriented to the teaching of parallel robotics. The application, organized as a set of tools developed using Easy Java Simulations, enables the study of the kinematics of parallel robotics. A set of classical parallel structures was implemented such that LABEL can solve the inverse and direct kinematic problem of 5R, 3RRR, and Delta robots. An intuitive graphical user interface lets the student change the joint coordinates or Cartesian coordinates of the end effector while observing a graphical representation of the robot. In addition, a set of five practical sessions based upon this tool was developed. During the practical sessions, the student analyzes the inverse kinematics of parallel structures and the direct kinematic problem. Moreover, LABEL makes it easy to analyze the singularities that appear in the solution of the inverse and direct kinematic problem. These singularities are analyzed through the use of a path planning application, which allows the user to plan a trajectory in the robot's workspace. This helps the student to analyze the position and velocity of the end effector while observing the joint trajectories and speeds of the actuators. LABEL was implemented during the academic year 2011–2012 and has been well accepted. Finally, an assessment of LABEL is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In recent years, engineering education teachers have needed to incorporate technology-supported collaboration to enhance learning. Implementing these activities requires course redesign, which must be meticulous for their full potential to be reached. This can require a lot of work for first time users, which can be a barrier to implementation. Educational design patterns alleviate this burden by facilitating new course design with practices demonstrated to promote student engagement. This paper reports on the redesign of an introductory programming course and its experimental evaluation. The redesign was based on the community of inquiry learning framework (CoL), using design patterns from online Web communities and team-based learning (TBL). The evaluation included 562 students, 117 of them randomly assigned to two different experimental groups. One group used a CoL approach, and the other a blended TBL and CoL methodology. The remaining students were assigned to control groups. Results showed that students in the experimental groups outperformed those in the control group by the end of the semester, while the experimental CoL and TBL methodology helped students achieve a higher level of understanding in a shorter period of time due to increased participation rates. These data provide empirical evidence of the learning gains offered by online learning communities, and the way in which educational design patterns can facilitate course redesign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the use of a flexible and affordable educational robot specifically developed for the practical experimentation inherent to technological disciplines. The robot has been designed to be reconfigurable and extendible, serving as an experimental platform across several undergraduate courses. As most students have a mobile cell phone, this was used as the main control computer for the so-called CellBot, thus avoiding any need to deal with the details of microcontrollers or other embedded computing devices. Assessment results are also presented, based on a pre- and post-survey of student opinion administered to 204 science and engineering students from several universities. Among the conclusions are that 83% of the students prefer to use these low-cost robots as tools to improve their learning of the theory in several disciplines, and 71% of the students stated that they prefer to have their own robot to experiment with, instead of using a didactic kit loaned to them by the university. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Due to significant technological advances and industry requirements, many universities have introduced programmable logic and hardware description languages into undergraduate engineering curricula. This has led to a number of logistical and didactical challenges, in particular for computer science students. In this paper, the integration of some programmable logic concepts into an introductory digital electronics course is presented. The proposed optional lab develops a printed circuit board that implements a programmable logic block. Another contribution is the collaborative problem-solving methodology used to achieve this goal. Surveys completed by the students, and their final grades, show that the lab has improved the quality of their education and has contributed to a successful integration of programmable logic concepts in an introductory digital electronics course. Because of its demands on students' time and effort, the lab favors the most motivated students. This suggests future research on a proposal for a lab that would be feasible within the time constraints for even the least motivated students. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes the evolution of the teaching of electrical engineering to mechanical engineering students based on motivation and a pedagogical strategy incorporating interdisciplinary mechatronics projects in a learning studio environment. Implementation of student projects within the curriculum has been demonstrated to be highly motivational and educational and has even evolved from “play and learn” into industry-inspired green energy applications as a platform for multiple student competitions. Several examples of successful student projects are discussed. These modules can be used as motivation instruments to gradually enhance the interest of current and future engineering students in mechatronics. In this paper, a summary of student feedback is provided, and benefits, challenges, and lessons learned from this initiative are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical engineering (EE) is one of the largest engineering disciplines. Computer engineering (CpE) has a similar curriculum, but different demographics and student outcomes. Using a dataset from universities in the U.S. that includes over 70\,000 students who majored in engineering, this paper describes the outcomes for students matriculating in and migrating into EE and CpE so as to inform the decision making of faculty, department heads, and deans. Although men consistently outnumber women in EE and CpE, the rates of matriculation and six-year graduation vary by race and gender. EE is the most popular choice for Asian and Black students (males and females) at matriculation, but while Asians graduate at high rates, Blacks (particularly males) are not retained. Retention is higher in EE than in CpE despite the similarity of the curricula. Graduation rates are lower than expected for women of all races in CpE and for Hispanic women in EE. By the third semester, some students of all races and genders have left their matriculation major, but others have migrated in from other majors, compensating for some of this loss. CpE students are more likely than EE students to switch to another major. Trajectories of EE and CpE students are racialized and distinct. CpE loses more students and attracts fewer students than EE. These findings illustrate the importance of disaggregating by engineering major as well as race and gender to improve recruitment and retention overall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoelectronics is an emerging area of electrical and computer engineering that deals with the current–voltage behavior of atomic-scale electronic devices. As the trend toward ever smaller devices continues, there is a need to update traditional undergraduate curricula to introduce electrical engineers to the fundamentals of the field. These fundamentals encompass topics from quantum mechanics and condensed-matter physics, and they pose new teaching challenges in electronics education; specifically, unconventional ideas must be presented in a rapid and yet complete way so that engineering undergraduates can quickly yet satisfyingly absorb the key concepts, and then apply these concepts to emerging devices. This paper describes the strategies employed by the author in teaching the subject to large undergraduate classes at his institution. These strategies include the use of computer visualization, a careful introduction of quantum mechanics, and a constant demonstration of the relevance of theory by practical examples and calculations. The effectiveness of the approach is illustrated through survey results of the Universal Student Ratings of Instruction at the author's institution and by way of typical assignment and exam questions that demonstrate the level of sophistication that students can attain in what might otherwise be viewed as a purely mathematical and esoteric subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, some approaches to teaching multivariable control design are discussed, with special attention being devoted to a step-by-step transition to e-learning. The approach put into practice and presented here is developed through design projects, from which one is chosen as a competition game and is realized using the E-CHO system, Matlab, and a laboratory pilot plant. All the preparations for the game can be completed using a remote virtual and actual laboratory device, while the final competition evaluation takes place in the laboratory in order to preserve personal contacts between the students and the staff. The methods described, comprising all the important e-education elements, were found to stimulate the students' interest and speed up the learning process, and are directly extendable to different forms of courses suitable for new forms of study and education promotion, including lifelong education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The static design of ac/dc and dc/dc switching-mode power supplies (SMPS) relies on a simple but repetitive process. Although specific spreadsheets, available in various computer-aided design (CAD) programs, are widely used, they are difficult to use in educational applications. In this paper, a graphic tool programmed in MATLAB is presented, which allows students to apply and to reflect upon the knowledge acquired in theoretical classes. This tool has been successfully employed in the course “Sistemas Electrónicos de Alimentación” in the Telecommunications Engineering degree as part of a project in new education methods (University of Oviedo project PB-08–019). During practical sessions, the students used the tool to design a SMPS, achieving better learning results than was the case without the tool. In addition, the tool was successfully used to improve the students' theoretical knowledge of the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes lab work and student competitions based on the LEGO NXT Mindstorms kits and standard LabVIEW. The goal of this combination is to stimulate design and experimentation with real hardware and representative software in courses where mobile robotics is adopted as a motivating platform to introduce mechatronics competencies. Basic LabVIEW examples are proposed for three case-study laboratory practices. These are implemented with the NXT Toolkit and the NXT Direct Command programming libraries for standalone and remote execution, respectively. The application of this instructional material has been tested in two different experiences with senior undergraduate engineering students. A description of the courses as well as an assessment of student results are also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes radio frequency identification (RFID) projects, designed and implemented by students in the College of Engineering at the University of North Texas, as part of their senior-design project requirement. The paper also describes an RFID-based project implemented at Rice Middle School in Piano, TX, which went on to win multiple prizes both at the school and regional level. The goal of the RFID endeavor is to develop an RFID elective course that is current, industry-oriented, and methodically built to enable faculty to design, develop, and deliver the course to a diverse group of engineering students. The sequence of events through which the course evolved was as follows: 1) conduct an industry-supported workshop for students in the College of Engineering with funding received from the National Science Foundation (NSF); 2) assign an RFID-based design project for the senior students who attended the workshop; 3) use the first senior design project as a model to encourage subsequent senior students to create their own RFID projects or enable the students to contact companies seeking to accomplish RFID solutions to a problem; 4) involve middle school students in RFID-based projects by using the senior design projects as an enticement; 5) use the successful projects as the basis for practical laboratory experiences to be created in a new elective course on RFID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper suggests a pedagogical approach to teaching the subject of the analysis of feedback amplifiers for electrical engineering students at the undergraduate level. Special attention is given to derivation of the input and output impedances. In order to make the procedure clear and suitable for classroom presentation an alternative proof of the Blackman's Impedance Relation is derived to stand in accord with feedback amplifier analysis methodology presented earlier. The proposed analysis technique is algorithmic, comprehensive, suited to any feedback topology, and is especially useful in cases that do not readily stand out as one of four canonical cases of feedback. The methodology is demonstrated by examples, and supported by comparison with simulation and other theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A course in compiler construction seeks to develop an understanding of well-defined fundamental theory and typically involves the production of a language processor. In a graduate degree in software engineering, the development of a compiler contributes significantly to the developer's comprehension of the practical application of theoretical concepts. Different formal notations are commonly used to define type systems, and some of them are used to teach the semantic analysis phase of language processing. In the traditional approach, attribute grammars are probably the most widely used ones. This paper shows how object-oriented design patterns represented in unified modeling language (UML) can be used to both teach type systems and develop the semantic analysis phase of a compiler. The main benefit of this approach is two-fold: better comprehension of theoretical concepts because of the use of notations known by the students (UML diagrams), and improvement of software engineering skills for the development of a complete language processor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development of a Web telerobotic system and its use as a supplement to the teaching of robotics through a set of experimental tasks related to real industrial robot processes. Using an intuitive interface and a simplified workspace to guarantee operability and safety, the system allows a high degree of real-time interaction with an industrial robot. The system is evaluated on a comparative basis by assessing the performance of a local and a remote student group. Using t-test statistics, one can see that both groups perform equally well, given the appropriate familiarization time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a case study analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of using project-based learning (PBL) combined with collaborative learning (CL) and industry best practices, integrated with information communication technologies, open-source software, and open-source hardware tools, in a specialized microcontroller and embedded systems engineering Master's course. In addition to addressing industry requirements in both contents and methodology, the course develops capabilities and competencies in problem solving, independent learning, teamwork, and technical knowledge. Since PBL methodology alone does not ensure teamwork, it was complemented with CL. Design review meetings (as described in IEC 61160), deliverables, and organizational resources were also introduced to mirror industry demands. This structure integrated course content and student academic achievement in a simulated industrial environment. The course had students build a modular management system for home appliances, implementing control software on the “Arduino” open-source platform, as well as using wireless communications. The results show that teaching, learning, and student assessment processes can be improved by using PBL with CL. In addition, the introduction of industry practices, such us peer review meetings, brings academia closer to a real-world context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Engineering Alliance lists 12 important graduate attributes that students must demonstrate during their higher educational career. One of these important graduate attributes is the ability to solve problems, which can be demonstrated by the use of project-based learning, case studies, and practical workshops. The purpose of this paper is to highlight student academic results of practical work done in an electrical engineering qualification that feature these three pedagogies. These three pedagogies are used in an open-distance learning environment to assess engineering students in an electrical engineering qualification involving three separate electronic communication modules. A time-lag study using a nonexperimental descriptive design is employed. Results show that the most frequent student grade for practical workshop assignments was 80%, while the most frequent student grade for case study assignments was 70%. However, the most frequent student grade for project-based learning assignments was 50%. The results show that distance learning engineering students languish under project-based learning, while they thrive in case studies and practical workshops. Possible reasons are given for this, based on the challenges faced by students engaging with these three pedagogies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes the development of an aero control experiment apparatus (ACEA) for use in aerospace control practical courses. The ACEA incorporates a systematic multihierarchy learning and teaching method, and was designed to improve aerospace engineering students' understanding of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control systems. It offers a number of standard experimental modules at three levels: component, system, and simulation and evaluation. The software and hardware design methods used in the modules were chosen to allow students to conduct experiments in a simple, more hands-on manner. As a result, they were able to select or reconfigure their experiments and so continuously improve their skills and extend the ACEA itself. The practical curriculum modules—grouped in three skill levels of basic experiments, case study, and independent design—were applied in a 3-year M.Sc. course, UAV Control Systems. The marking criteria created to evaluate students' achievements are presented, along with some results of this evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue of the IEEE Transactions on Education focuses on using enquiry-based design projects to spur engineering students’ development, so as to increase understanding and application of the relevant theories, foster higher rates of student development and achieve this in healthy and productive ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]