Paper Authors

Abstract

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Integrated Course-Lab-Studio Environment for Circuits and Electronics Courses at Elizabethtown College Ilan Gravé Department of Physics and Engineering, Elizabethtown College

Abstract

In this paper we describe and critically review the sequence of Circuits and Electronics courses at Elizabethtown College. Supported by two grants from Tyco Electronics Foundation over the last five years, a class studio environment hosts a Circuits course and an Electronics course. Both courses integrate traditional classes, formal labs and studio setting for lectures, demonstrations, experiments, simulation and design. While in many institutions similar courses in circuits and in electronics are split between theory and lab components, these two four-credit, six-hour courses are centerpieces of the engineering curriculum at Elizabethtown College. The integrated classroom environment allows for a close vicinity and interplay between theory, simulation, design and lab activity. In addition, the courses, as they unfold, often mimic a real professional life routine when students are exposed to multi-tasking, team interaction, priority choices, and multidisciplinary participation. The recent addition of advanced semiconductor parameter analyzing tools, courtesy of a second Tyco Electronics grant, open the door for a strong initiation and integration of undergraduate research activity connected to the content of the courses. We propose and analyze this model for circuit and electronics classes, based on examples, performances and assessments. Strengths and weaknesses of this approach are identified and analyzed.

Introduction and short history

The Engineering Program at Elizabethtown College has significantly expanded, both in quantity and quality, over the last decade. It grew out of a small Physics Department, which comprised only two faculty members and a handful of Physics majors. Today the Department of Physics and Engineering has seven full time faculty members, about 75 students enrolled in a variety of programs including Physics, Engineering Physics, Computer Engineering and Industrial Engineering. Currently there are no Mechanical or Electrical Engineering majors; the department is moving to create a new Engineering major with emphasis in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or in Applied Physics starting next year. The programs are not yet ABET accredited, but the department is proceeding with the preparatory work towards applying for accreditation, possibly in 2006. Some students graduate at Elizabethtown College after completing four-year curricula while others receive a double degree from Elizabethtown College and Penn State (or other universities) following a 3-2 program.

Sequence of courses and their place in the curriculum

The Computer Engineering curriculum requires a minimum of 123 credits, 91 for the major and 32 for the core. Similar loads are required in the other engineering majors offered. “Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright @ 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”

• Citation

• Format
  • APA
  • APA - LaTeX bibitem
  • MLA
  • MLA - LaTeX bibitem
  • Bibtex
  • EndNote - RIS

Grave, I. (2005, June), Integrated Course Lab Studio Environment For Circuits And Electronics Courses At Elizabethtown College Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--14571