A NanoElectronics Concept Inventory: a tool to assess learning of fundamental concepts

Recognizing that the understanding of fundamental concepts related to the operation of nanoelectronic devices is essential for their modeling, design, and development, we have developed a senior/junior level course to teach these fundamental concepts to students in the electrical engineering major. It was followed by a design projects course in which students designed and implemented a nanoelectronic device. We developed the Nanoelectronics Concept Inventory to assess student learning of fundamental concepts in the first course. The assessment can be used to improve and enhance pedagogical techniques employed. The assessment can be supplemented by the observation of student performance during the design project course. A literature search indicated that ours is the first attempt at the development of a nanoelectronics concept inventory. The NCI was developed by a process which has been widely used for the development of concept inventories for various subjects. In NCI, the concepts were grouped into three categories: computational nanotechnology, nanoelectronics devices, and nanodevice fabrication. Each multiple-choice question related to a single concept with one correct answer and three incorrect answers (distractors). The NCI has been administered and the data have been analyzed using the observed performance of students on the design projects. The results so far have been very encouraging.