Migration of a robotics platform from a freshman introduction to engineering course sequence to a sophomore circuits course

Abstract

Thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation, Louisiana Tech University has implemented a new freshman engineering sequence of three courses focused on boosting hands-on learning, student confidence and innovation. Every engineering student purchases a robotics kit with a programmable microcontroller, sensors, servos and software along with a toolkit to provide the basis for a mobile laboratory and design platform. An aspect of this Phase II CCLI grant involves the migration of components from the freshmen sequence into our sophomore engineering sequence of courses comprised of statics, circuits and thermodynamics. Three laboratory exercises have been developed for the sophomore circuits course utilizing the robotics platform from the freshman sequence. These three exercises provide additional practice in using hardware and tools introduced in the freshman year and provide important hands-on applications to support fundamental concepts covered in an introductory circuits course. This paper presents details of the three exercises that have been developed, faculty training activities and assessment results.