The project is developing a cohesive program in which experiments are introduced into a wide selection of Electrical and Computer Engineering courses that typically do not have associated laboratories. Most of the experiments use low cost, portable equipment, which facilitates a decentralized laboratory environment where students perform the experiments outside of dedicated laboratories. The approach is being tested by twelve faculty members teaching fifteen courses, some of which are offered in distance learning settings. To achieve this, the investigators are developing: (1) portable, low-cost experimental platforms that are versatile enough to be in used in multiple courses, (2) web modules for each experiment that contain information both to help instructors incorporate the experiment into their courses and to help students understand the fundamental concepts that are being taught by the experiment, and (3) a coordinated framework, including procedures, for incorporating these modules across the Electrical and Computer Engineering curriculum, including distance learning courses. The project is building upon and expanding experiments developed locally and at other schools. All experiments use readily available components, such as LEGOS, PIC processor kits, and components that are used in hobby robotics and K-12 science experiments. The evaluation involves control and experimental groups and is using special test questions to monitor student learning and surveys to determine the impact of the new experiments on the students' attitudes about the material and their interest and motivation about the course content. Focus groups and other surveys are being used to gain more detailed knowledge. The project team is publicizing the work at engineering education conferences as well as at discipline-specific conferences, particularly those associated with the IEEE Control Systems Society. The broader impacts of the project include testing the approach in other disciplines and at a set of diverse universities, using the experiments and equipment in pre-college outreach programs directed toward underrepresented groups, and disseminating the approaches to the community.
