Many students currently lack the high level of mathematical skill needed in a modern electrical engineering curriculum. In many of the foundational courses in the electrical engineering discipline, a student's lack of adequate mathematical skills is one of the primary barriers to effective learning and, ultimately, successful completion of degree requirements. Compounding the problem are many such courses taught using the format of a traditional lecture in which students are mostly passive listeners. The department's goal is to help the students overcome the barriers of inadequate mathematics preparation and the difficulty of understanding many of the fundamental concepts of electrical engineering. This project pursues an active learning strategy in a dedicated computer equipped classroom with on-line access to Mathematica. Such a facility can significantly improve the level of classroom interaction between instructor, student, and lecture material. By making mathematics more accessible to the average student, the participants expect increased student participation and improved learning. The formation of a departmental computer-equipped classroom is a logical next step in a 3-year sequence of experiments with computer-assisted learning in four undergraduate courses. The classroom can dramatically improve present capabilities, allowing an increase in the number of sessions and courses. Within its first 2 years, the project may have an impact on 10 electrical engineering courses and involve all engineering faculty.
