Macroelectronics: A Gateway to Electronics Education

Kansas State University, Manhattan KS

Investigators

Abstract

Engineering - Electrical (55) Conventional approaches to teaching electronics and instrumentation present electronics with a microelectronics emphasis instead of providing a more general, macroelectronics systems approach. This project shifts the focus in the first electronics course from individual devices and circuits (microelectronics) to focus on the system as a whole (macroelectronics). Preliminary experience with this approach at Kansas State University and Rowan University has been encouraging. Principal objectives to support this goal include: Development of curriculum outlines and core materials for the macroelectronics curriculum, with the long-term goal of developing a complete textbook. In addition, a complete library of such macroelectronics projects are designed to encourage project-based learning. Finally this project is assessing and evaluating how well students perform compared to students in the traditional curriculum. Project involves team-teaching by professors from Kansas State University and Rowan University. The mixing of different institutional cultures and experiences from faculty with a track record of teaching excellence is a benefit to both the students enrolled in the course and the ultimate outcomes of the project. This project may lead to publication of a textbook including all the course outlines and project modules enabling engineering professors at many colleges and technical institutes to incorporate the macroelectronics systems approach in their own unique curriculums.