Synergy of Educational Tools for Teaching Electromagnetic Fields and Waves: Lab Experiments, Educational Java Applets, Numerical Modeling, Textbook with Power Point Presentations

项目描述本项目为工科本科初级学生开设一学期的《电磁场与波》课程，并建立一个新的本科实验室进行电磁场与波的教学。该项目正在创造一种采用互动式教学法的新颖教学方法，使学生接触到实验-理论-实验-应用的教育序列。本科学生通过实验、教育Java小程序和数值求解软件来学习EFW的理论原理。通过引人入胜的教学实践，学生们也学会了运用科学的方法，并进一步发展他们的批判性推理和创造性思维技能。对电和磁的理解需要一定的数学知识；因此，如矢量代数和矢量微积分等概念将根据需要逐步引入，与课程所涵盖的教材同步。教学方法包括以下内容：1)非传统的协同教学风格和使用交互式黑板在线系统（ublearning）；2)通过学生对相应实验的探索，对电磁学进行介绍；3)对整个电磁波谱进行统一描述，为跨学科应用提供参考。更广泛的意义该项目试图积极影响高成就的K-12学生到STEM教育的招聘，大学教授的培训，以及妇女和未被充分代表的少数民族本科生/研究生参与新EFW实验室的开发。通过参加ASEE会议和讲习班来传播研究结果，同时将编写好的教材和实验手册分发给学院/大学教授。新开发的课程网站提供了项目活动的结果以及教学材料和实验手册。这些教学策略被纳入新的教科书/实验手册，以进一步加强STEM教育。此外，该团队还与黑人工程师和应用科学家协会、西班牙裔专业工程师协会和科学与工程妇女协会的地方分会合作，从代表性不足的群体中招募工程学生。

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONThis project is developing a one-semester Electromagnetic Fields and Waves (EFW) course for junior-level engineering undergraduate students and is establishing a new undergraduate laboratory for teaching EFW. The project is creating a novel teaching approach that employs interactive pedagogies, exposing students to an educational sequence of experimentation - theory - experimentation - applications. Undergraduate students are using experiments, educational Java applets, and numerical solver software to help them learn the theoretical principles of EFW. Through the utilization of engaging teaching practices, students are also learning to utilize a scientific approach and further develop their critical reasoning and creative thinking skills.The understanding of electricity and magnetism requires a certain level of mathematical knowledge; therefore, concepts such as vector algebra and vector calculus are gradually introduced - as needed - in sync with the teaching material that is covered in the course. The teaching approach involves the following: 1) a non-traditional synergistic style of teaching and use of an interactive Blackboard online system (UBlearns); 2) an introduction to electricity and magnetism that is provided through a student's exploration of corresponding experiments; and 3) a unified description of the entire electromagnetic spectrum, which is used to provide an appreciation for interdisciplinary applications. BROADER SIGNIFICANCEThe project is attempting to positively impact the recruitment of high achieving K-12 students to STEM education, the training of college professors, and the involvement of women and underrepresented minority undergraduate/graduate students in the development of a new EFW laboratory. The results are being disseminated through participation in ASEE conferences and workshops, while the developed teaching materials and lab manuals are being distributed to college/university professors. A newly developed course website offers the results of the project activities along with the teaching materials and lab manuals. The teaching strategies are embedded in a new textbook/lab manual publication to further enhance STEM education. The team is additionally working with local chapters of the Association of Black Engineers and Applied Scientists, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Women in Science and Engineering to recruit engineering students from underrepresented groups.