Board 393: Supporting Hardware Engineering Career Choice in First-Year Engineering Students

Andrea Ramirez-Salgado; Tanvir Hossain; Swarup Bhunia; Pavlo Antonenko

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: June 26, 2024
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Tagged Topics: Diversity and NSF Grantees Poster Session
Page Count: 12
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--46979
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/46979
Download Count: 60

Paper Authors

biography

Andrea Ramirez-Salgado University of Florida orcid.org/0000-0002-0001-2672

visit author page

Andrea is a doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Florida, specializing in Educational Technology. Her work centers on understanding the dynamics of teaching and learning approaches that shape the identity of computer engineers to support computer engineering career choices, particularly in women first-year engineering students. She is committed to designing inclusive curricula that cater to the needs of diverse learners, guided by principles of Universal Design for Learning and Culturally Responsive/Sustaining Pedagogies.

visit author page

author page

Pavlo "Pasha" Antonenko is an Associate Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Florida. His interests focus on the design of technology-enhanced learning environments and rigorous mixed-method research on the effective conditions for tec

visit author page

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

The semiconductor and digital electronics field is undergoing rapid changes with continuous progress in integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), expanding the Internet of Things (IoT), enhancing cybersecurity, and prioritizing sustainability. These developments have profound implications for various industries and the capabilities of electronic devices. Hardware engineers play a crucial role in driving these advancements, as they are responsible for designing the physical components and systems at the core of these technologies. However, there is a notable shortage of hardware engineers entering the job market due to a tendency among many first-year computer science and electrical engineering students to gravitate towards software-related career paths, often because of limited exposure to hardware-related topics. To address this issue, our project, funded by the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program, aims to cultivate an early interest in hardware engineering to motivate students to view it as a promising career option.

We are developing a hands-on and gamified curriculum to simplify fundamental hardware concepts such as binary numbers, logic gates, and combinational and sequential circuits. These concepts serve as a stepping stone for delving into the complexities of AI hardware and edge computing. We utilize hardware platforms such as low-cost Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and microcontroller and sensor-based IoT boards to facilitate this learning journey by introducing an additional abstraction layer. This approach is particularly beneficial for students with limited prior knowledge or experience with hardware, as it enables them to engage with these concepts, grasp their fundamental principles, and apply them to real-world situations. Our curriculum is rooted in inclusive practices, incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) principles. We also include Experiential Learning and Inquiry-Based Learning pedagogies. Our primary goal is to provide a curriculum that resonates with all students, fostering self-efficacy, building expectations for positive outcomes, triggering and supporting interest, and guiding career choices in hardware engineering.

During the summer of 2023, we held a six-week seminar involving ten high school students entering their senior year. This seminar consisted of in-person sessions, with two meetings held each week. To gauge the participants' interest and perceptions regarding the curriculum, we administered both pre- and post-surveys and a focus group to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences and perspectives. The insights gathered during this implementation phase were integrated into our project's design-based research (DBR) process, improving the curriculum. The enhanced curriculum now encompasses additional topics like Artificial Intelligence IoT (AIoT) and Edge AI. In the fall of 2023, this curriculum was part of an undergraduate course offered as an elective to twenty-two first-year engineering students. We will present the results of the curriculum's development and refinement throughout these iterations in the upcoming paper and poster presentation.

Citation
Format

Ramirez-Salgado, A., & Hossain, T., & Bhunia, S., & Antonenko, P. (2024, June), Board 393: Supporting Hardware Engineering Career Choice in First-Year Engineering Students Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--46979

TY - CPAPER
AB - The semiconductor and digital electronics field is undergoing rapid changes with continuous progress in integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), expanding the Internet of Things (IoT), enhancing cybersecurity, and prioritizing sustainability. These developments have profound implications for various industries and the capabilities of electronic devices. Hardware engineers play a crucial role in driving these advancements, as they are responsible for designing the physical components and systems at the core of these technologies. However, there is a notable shortage of hardware engineers entering the job market due to a tendency among many first-year computer science and electrical engineering students to gravitate towards software-related career paths, often because of limited exposure to hardware-related topics. To address this issue, our project, funded by the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program, aims to cultivate an early interest in hardware engineering to motivate students to view it as a promising career option.

We are developing a hands-on and gamified curriculum to simplify fundamental hardware concepts such as binary numbers, logic gates, and combinational and sequential circuits. These concepts serve as a stepping stone for delving into the complexities of AI hardware and edge computing. We utilize hardware platforms such as low-cost Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and microcontroller and sensor-based IoT boards to facilitate this learning journey by introducing an additional abstraction layer. This approach is particularly beneficial for students with limited prior knowledge or experience with hardware, as it enables them to engage with these concepts, grasp their fundamental principles, and apply them to real-world situations. Our curriculum is rooted in inclusive practices, incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) principles. We also include Experiential Learning and Inquiry-Based Learning pedagogies. Our primary goal is to provide a curriculum that resonates with all students, fostering self-efficacy, building expectations for positive outcomes, triggering and supporting interest, and guiding career choices in hardware engineering.

During the summer of 2023, we held a six-week seminar involving ten high school students entering their senior year. This seminar consisted of in-person sessions, with two meetings held each week. To gauge the participants&#39; interest and perceptions regarding the curriculum, we administered both pre- and post-surveys and a focus group to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences and perspectives. The insights gathered during this implementation phase were integrated into our project&#39;s design-based research (DBR) process, improving the curriculum. The enhanced curriculum now encompasses additional topics like Artificial Intelligence IoT (AIoT) and Edge AI. In the fall of 2023, this curriculum was part of an undergraduate course offered as an elective to twenty-two first-year engineering students. We will present the results of the curriculum&#39;s development and refinement throughout these iterations in the upcoming paper and poster presentation.

AU - Andrea Ramirez-Salgado
AU - Tanvir Hossain
AU - Swarup Bhunia
AU - Pavlo Antonenko
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Board 393: Supporting Hardware Engineering Career Choice in First-Year Engineering Students
UR - https://peer.asee.org/46979
DO - 10.18260/1-2--46979
ER -