SystemWare: Retooling Systems Instruction in Electrical Engineering

工程-电气(55)该项目正在创造一种在电气工程(EE)课程中教授系统工程的新方法。该方法利用硬件/软件平台和伴随的课程创新，将更多的参与性、实践性、探索性的重点带到可能是典型本科电气工程教育中最受传统约束的部分。与以前试图创建一个不那么抽象、更有吸引力的系统工程课程不同，以前的课程几乎完全专注于软件工具(例如，MatLab)，而拟议的项目是创建一个硬件/软件平台，并使用该平台垂直整合本科课程中的关键系统概念。该平台允许学生使用各种硬件设备来探索系统应用，如信号发生器、滤波器、A/D和D/A转换器、传感器和微处理器。该平台包含一个连接到学生的MP-3播放器和手机的界面，以将系统观点与现代技术的相关性带回家。为了让学生看到他们正在生成和操纵的信号，该平台包括一套可视化软件。目前正在使用各种工具对该项目进行评估，其中包括已建立的信号和系统概念清单以及对学生产品和入学人数的分析。调查人员正在通过在网站上张贴材料、在工程教育场所出版和介绍以及通过调查人员与信号和系统概念清单社区建立联系来传播他们的结果。更广泛的影响包括材料的传播，对西班牙裔学生的关注，以及对高中生的外展努力。

Engineering - Electrical (55)The project is creating a new approach for teaching systems engineering within the electrical engineering (EE) curriculum. The approach makes use of a hardware/software platform and accompanying curricular innovations to bring a more engaged, hands-on, exploratory focus to what is probably the most convention-bound component of a typical undergraduate electrical engineering education. Unlike previous attempts to create a less abstract and more engaging systems engineering curriculum, which focused almost entirely on software tools (e.g., MATLAB), the proposed project is creating a hardware/software platform and using that platform to vertically integrate key systems concepts across the undergraduate curriculum. The platform is letting students explore systems applications using a variety of hardware devices such as signal generators, filters, A/D and D/A converters, sensors, and a microprocessor. The platform contains an interface to a student's MP-3 player and cell phone to bring home the relevance of the systems perspective to modern technology. To allow students to see the signals they are generating and manipulating, the platform includes a suite of visualization software. The project is being evaluated using an assortment of tools including an established signals and systems concept inventory along with the analysis of student products and enrollments numbers. The investigators are disseminating their results by posting their material on a website, by publication and presentation in engineering education venues, and through the investigators connection with the signals and systems concept inventory community. Broader impacts include the dissemination of the material, the focus on Hispanic students, and the outreach effort to high school students.