Project-based Service Oriented Projects as a Way to Learn and Apply Analog Electronics

Electrical and computer engineering students at our university are required during their junior year to take a three credit lecture course and a two credit laboratory in analog electronics. Over the past seven years, several attempts have been made to enhance student learning through participation in PBL projects. In Project-based learning “PBL”, since the project is developed by the instructor and the learning path is predictable, student creativity, ingenuity and innovation may be diminished. In order to provide opportunities for student creativity and innovation, a service oriented project was introduced in the fall of 2011. Project-based service oriented learning “PBSOL” is a learner-focused form of active learning where students work to solve a real life problem while also providing a rich learning experience. Since the major topics of study in analog electronics include the study of such semiconductor devices as diodes, zener diodes, BJT’s transistors, and MOSFETs, the projects were required to be designed around the use of an Amplitude Shift Keying “ASK” transmitter and receiver. The project makes use of previous knowledge such as impedance, resonance, loading, and matching, learned in their Circuits I and Circuits II courses while challenging their search for future topics such as RF communication theory, digital electronics, and microcontrollers, which are learned in later engineering courses. The wireless characteristics of the ASK transmitter and receiver promoted the design of such service projects as a wireless security system, a mail alert system, and a wireless home control system for a handicapped person. In the lab course, students work in small teams and have 12 weeks to design and implement their service oriented project. During the first two weeks, research is conducted about their project ideas, followed by several weeks of draft designs, re-calculations and testing. At the end of the semester they must write a report, deliver a Power Point presentation, and demonstrate their project. Surveys were conducted before and after each design session, and at the end of the final project. Student understanding and mastery of the course content was measured using quizzes, tests, the project presentations, and written final reports. A comparison between this year’s results and the previous year’s results is included. Improvement of student learning and the development of decision-making skills through service oriented projects may prompt the implementation of other projects that may include multidisciplinary collaboration, integration of projects between classes, and projects across concentrations.