A Novel Laboratory Based Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering for Sophomores

评论家们认为这个项目是有价值的。我已经阅读了总结和个人审查，并同意他们的评估。这是一个完整的发展提案，将开发、评估和传播电气工程替代初级课程的材料。除了教授一些基本概念外，本课程还介绍了这门学科，并提供了一系列与实际应用相关的不同领域的实验。申请者测试了课程材料的试点版本，结果良好，并要求提供资金以继续他们的工作。评估计划非常出色，将涉及学习结果。传播计划包括教科书出版商、致其他部门的信件、在线材料和教师研讨会。他还安排这些材料在北卡罗来纳A&A；T进行测试，这是一家少数族裔机构。评论家们对这项提议给予了很高的评价。他们表示，新课程和实验的现有部分看起来非常好，并对最初开发中的机构支持印象深刻。他们指出，材料的广度提供了一个很好的概述，实验对学生来说会很有趣。实验模块的低成本、评估计划的客观性质以及评估顾问的质量给他们留下了深刻的印象。他们列举了以下小缺点：(1)申请者应该考虑在项目中增加一个少数族裔或开放注册机构来试验材料，以此作为扩大用户群体和增加工程多样性的一种方式。(2)可以很容易地在传播计划中增加研讨会或讲习班，以便于在其他大学采用。(3)应与商业教育设备供应商接洽，以合理的价格提供制造的实验模块，但不应牺牲自己动手的文件的出版。我联系了PI，建议他考虑修改他的项目，包括与少数族裔机构、教员研讨会和可能的商业供应商的合作(参见我日期为10/12/01的电子邮件)。正如他在2001年11月27日的电子邮件和2001年11月28日的传真中所指出的那样，私隐专员确实贯彻了他的三项建议。他安排让北卡罗来纳州A&A；T参与，在他们的EE项目中提供课程的一个版本，并略微增加预算以支持这一努力。他增加了一个教员研讨会，同样增加了预算，以支持参与者的旅行等。最后，他与TCI Works达成了协议，TCI Works是一家非营利性机构，通过提供轻型、短期的电子组装，为残疾人和弱势群体提供以工作为导向的康复服务，以生产模块。这是一份写得很好的提案，解决了电气工程第一门课程的性质。申请者没有开设严格的电路理论课程，而是开发并开设了一门课程，概述了与几种应用相关的学科和实验室经验。几个试点项目的评估结果非常积极，他们希望完善和扩展课程材料，并开发一个基于网络的虚拟实验室，供校外使用。试点产品的评估研究非常出色，规划的未来评估工作扎实。传播计划将是有效的，我建议按修订后的水平提供资金。

The reviewers found this project to be meritorious. I have read the summary and individual reviews and concur with their assessment. This is a full development proposal that will develop, evaluate, and disseminate material for an alternative first-course in electrical engineering. In addition to teaching some of the fundamental concepts, the course introduces the discipline and provides a set of experiments in various areas tied to real applications. The applicant has tested a pilot version of the course material with good results and asks for funds to continue their work. The assessment plan is excellent and will address learning outcomes. The dissemination plan involves textbook publishers, letters to other departments, on-line material, and a faculty workshop. He also arranged to have the material tested at North Carolina A & T, a minority institution.The reviewers rated this proposal very highly. They indicated that the existing parts of the new course and labs looked very good and were impressed by the institutional support in the initial development. They noted that the breadth of the material provided an excellent overview and that the labs would be fun for the students. The low cost of the lab modules, the objective nature of the assessment plan, and the quality of the assessment consultants impressed them. They listed the following minor weakness: (1) The applicants should consider adding a minority or open enrollment institution to the project to pilot the material as a way of broadening the user population and increasing diversity in engineering. (2) A seminar or workshop could easily be added to the dissemination plan to facilitate adoption at other universities. (3) A commercial educational equipment supplier should be approached concerning offering the experimental modules fabricated at a reasonable cost, but the publication of the documentation for do-it-your-selfers should not be sacrificed. I contacted the PI and suggested that he consider modifying his project to include work with a minority institution, a faculty workshop, and a possible commercial supplier (see my email dated 10/12/01). The PI did followed through on each of the three suggestions as indicated in his email dated 11/27/01 and his FAX dated 11/28/01. He arranged to have North Carolina A & T participate by offering a version of the course in their EE program with a small increase in the budget to support this effort. He added a faculty workshop, again with an increase in the budget to support the participants' travel and so on. Finally, he made arrangements with TCI Works, a nonprofit agency that provides work oriented rehabilitation services for disabled and disadvantaged individuals by providing light, short run electronic assembly, to produce the modules.This is a well-written proposal that addresses the nature of the first course in electrical engineering. In place of a rigorous course on circuit theory, the applicants have developed and offered a course that provides an overview of the discipline and laboratory experiences related to several applications. Evaluation results of several pilot offerings were very positive and they want to refine and expand the course material and develop a web-based virtual lab for off-campus use. The evaluation study of the pilot offering was excellent and planned future assessment work is solid. The dissemination plan will be effective.I recommend funding at the revised level.