Developing multimedia case studies for engineering curricula

Abstract

Students, especially nonelectrical engineering majors, have difficulty understanding the Principles of Electrical Engineering course. Moreover, instructors have difficulties motivating students and helping them to understand what is happening inside electric circuits/systems. The reasons for these difficulties are four-fold. First, nonEE majors do not consider this course to be related to their curriculum, since it is from another department. Second, it is difficult for them to visualize how the electric circuits/systems behave. Third, most of the books do not cover real-world case studies. Finally, instructors do not relate the electrical systems to other mechanical and/or hydraulic systems. To overcome these difficulties, the authors have developed computer-based instruction (CBI) with real-world case studies. Every module in the curriculum has a few case studies that are based on the concepts covered in the same module as well as previous modules. Animation, which helps students visualize the dynamic behavior of the circuit, is used extensively in the curriculum.