Electrical Engineering Education Research Articles

A Contribution for the Analysis of Pedagogical Training for Teaching in Electrical Engineering

This paper contributes to the discussion of pedagogical training of engineering teachers based on a case study carried out in higher education institutions in Brazil, namely in Electrical Engineering. For this purpose, the authors chose to articulate two research methods: document analysis of the courses offered in the postgraduate programs (Master and PhD) in Electrical Engineering and a survey conducted with students and teachers from 58 of these postgraduate electrical engineering programs. The data analysis indicated that most of the teachers agreed that pedagogical training should be offered to engineering students. Postgraduate students also showed interest in enrolling courses with pedagogic focus. With this analysis we can state that there is a need to rethink engineering education, in order to create conditions for the development of competences related with teaching and learning innovation. This study shows the needs and presents some recommendations to deal with these issues in this field.

ON THE POSTULATES AND LAWS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY IN STATIONARY CONTINUOUS MEDIA

The postulates and laws that constitute the foundation of classical electromagnetic theory in stationary continuous media are reviewed and discussed from the author’s perspective for a clear and precise comprehension in electrical engineering education

A Systematic Approach To Teaching Critical Thinking Skills To Electrical And Computer Engineering Undergraduates

Coursework that instills patterns of rigorous logical thought has long been a hallmark of the engineering curriculum. However, today’s engineering students are expected to exhibit a wider range of thinking capabilities both to satisfy ABET requirements and to prepare the students to become successful practitioners. This paper presents the initial results from a systematic effort to incorporate broader critical thinking instruction and assessment into electrical and computer engineering education as part of a university-wide quality enhancement program. All incoming freshmen are given explicit and implicit instruction in critical thinking in ENGR 100: Introduction to Engineering and other engineering fundamentals courses, using the Paul-Elder framework of critical thinking to define and operationalize critical thinking. This critical thinking foundation is reinforced later in the disciplinary courses so that students integrate critical thinking with the basic principles and practices of engineering. In the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) program, at the sophomore level, students use critical thinking skills which were developed during their engineering fundamentals courses, to analyze requirements and constraints which would apply in real-world design projects. At the junior level, similar use of critical thinking is applied in an introductory computing methods course; and at the senior level, critical thinking skills are again strengthened and assessed in the capstone design course and in the professional issues and current topics seminar. The latter course emphasizes understanding of professional ethics and current topics in electrical and computer engineering. Initial data from this pilot implementation indicates statistically significant improvement in critical thinking skills in ECE students who have progressed through this sequence, and as a side benefit, it appears that writing skills also improve.

Electrical power systems engineering undergraduate courses in Brazil: Academic and market perspectives

The economic growth seen in developing countries enhances a demand for multidisciplinary background of professionals in infrastructure and technology-related areas. The wide range of applications and capacity for abstraction acquired by graduates throughout their Electrical Engineering education distinguishes this particular area of expertise as core factor for workforce qualification. In this context, this paper presents the main results of a nationwide survey performed in order to deliver a current overview of Brazilian Electrical Engineering undergraduate degree programs with concentration in power systems. The academic curricula of the most relevant undergraduate programs in electric power systems in Brazil were analyzed aiming to identify the core contents offered in Brazil. Finally, an online survey was conducted with more than 300 individuals, ranging from recent graduates to senior business managers, hoping to verify the consistency between the education offered by the Academia and the current skill set required by the labor market.

電気設備技術者の教育研修 （株）関電工

電気設備技術者の教育研修 （株）関電工

When Computer Science Emerged and Fuzzy Sets Appeared: The Contributions of Lotfi A. Zadeh and Other Pioneers

In the 1960s, the discipline of computer science(CS) emerged from electrical engineering (EE) and research fields in mathematics and mathematical logic. Around the same time, fuzzy sets (FSs) appeared as a new mathematical theory, founded by the electrical engineer Lotfi Aliasker Zadeh. Some unpublished documents of Zadeh's show that the emergence of CS and the theory of FSs were interlinked. Zadeh's task as chair of the EE Department at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB); his activities in the education of mathematics, EE, system theory, information theory (IT), and CSs; and his creation of the theory of FSs generated his view and choice of contents for the new discipline of CS as an FS.

The Prolific MengChu Zhou [Meet Our Volunteers

In the 1960s, the discipline of computer science (CS) emerged from electrical engineering (EE) and research fields in mathematics and mathematical logic. Around the same time, fuzzy sets (FSs) appeared as a new mathematical theory, founded by the electrical engineer Lotfi Aliasker Zadeh. Some unpublished documents of Zadeh's show that the emergence of CS and the theory of FSs were interlinked. Zadeh's task as chair of the EE Department at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB); his activities in the education of mathematics, EE, system theory, information theory (IT), and CSs; and his creation of the theory of FSs generated his view and choice of contents for the new discipline of CS as an FS.

SapWin 4.0–a new simulation program for electrical engineering education using symbolic analysis

ABSTRACTThe paper presents the main capabilities and the possible applications in the teaching area of Electrical/Electronic Engineering of a software system developed by the authors and aimed at simulating analog linear (or linearized) circuits. The work is the enrichment, enhancement and extension of some programs developed by the same authors along the last two decades and distributed in many schools, institutions, industries, and research centers for different purposes. The feedback (in terms of suggestions, corrections, and improvement requests) has been collected to generate a completely renewed software that could definitely become a really efficient tool in the field of analog circuits, also filling the gap which still exists in the use of very famous and classical circuit simulators (as, for instance, the SPICE family). The application of the past experience involves several courses, as it will be described in the final sections of paper. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput. Appl. Eng. Educ. 24:44–57, 2016; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.21671

Thelma Estrin and the Origins of Biomedical Computing [Scanning Our Past

In 1992 Frederik Nebeker of the History Center interviewed Thelma Estrin (1924-2014), first female IEEE vice president and one of the first female Life Fellows. She was noted for her pioneering contributions in the 1960s and 1970s to brain research and biomedical computing. Here Estrin discusses the impact of a strong mother; being one of the first women to pursue an electrical engineering education and profession; her application of computer systems to neuroscientific research; and her efforts to improve society as an administrator. The transcript of this candid interview, in which Estrin recalls many of the people who discriminated against her because of her gender or profession, can be read at http://ethw.org/Oral-History:Thelma_Estrin_(1992).

Extending engineering specialty course concepts in electrical engineering education

Undergraduate electrical engineering students often fail to see the real life relevance of concepts taught in traditional lectures and classroom instruction. Our research shows how this problem can be addressed. This paper describes the process of developing an Extended Specialty Course Education (ESCE) project for teaching over-voltage courses to junior undergraduates at Wuhan University. This project included two pedagogical components: literature review skills and project-based learning (PBL). First, students are asked to search text-based literatures from electronic databases and analyze the latest over-voltage research results; secondly, students design a project using specialty software in teams to demonstrate core over-voltage concepts. Students’ feedback and a comparison of final exam scores suggest that PBL helps students become more engaged with coursework, improves the cohort’s average final scores and hopefully hones the participants’ critical thinking skills. Since open-ended general comments from participants supported this instructional method, extended educational techniques will be more widely applied in future courses. Several convincing ideas for improving specialized engineering education will be presented after discussing this project.

Improved Dual Closed-loops PWM Control of PM DC Servomotor - a Case Study of Undergraduate Education for Electrical Engineering

PID control method usually has problems of overshoot and oscillation in high order control system, therefore, it is important to improve the control method so as to reduce the overshoot and oscillation. Based on MATLAB simulation, a permanent magnet (PM) DC servomotor control system is studied in this paper. The motor is modeled according to the universal motor theory, and with the help of the fourth order Ronge-Kutta method, its speed control is simulated and compared between two different dual closed-loops PWM control methods. This case study helps undergraduate students to better understand theories related to electrical engineering, such as electrical machinery, power electronics and control theory, as well as digital solution of state equations.

Assessing learning outcomes in electrical engineering education: A case study from Saudi Arabia

This paper presents the main features of a study carried out by the higher education authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for developing a practical framework for formulating and assessing learning outcomes in electrical engineering education. The proposed learning outcomes were based on a compilation of different international accreditation frameworks. The formulated learning outcomes were grouped into four learning areas: (1) engineering sciences, (2) engineering analysis and investigation, (3) engineering design and (4) engineering practice. The paper also presents the main elements of a proposed standardized exit exam to test the developed learning outcomes. A table of specification was constructed that maps the developed learning outcomes with the test questions distributed over various learning levels. It allows the transformation of the developed learning outcomes into balanced questions to be used in an exit exam. The paper also discusses the implications of the proposed exit exam on electrical engineering education, and presents the results of a trial exam carried out recently.

Peningkatan Hasil Belajar Mata Kuliah Instalasi Listrik Melalui Pendekatan Learning Cycle Five “E” (LC 5 E)

The objective of this study was to improve the students’ motivation and achievement in the course of Electrical Installation through the 5 E learning cycle (5 E LC) at the Department of Electrical Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering, Yogyakarta State University. The approach used in this study was the 5 stages of the 5 E learning cycle consists of Engagement, Exploration, Explain, Extend, and Evaluation. This study is categorised as Classroom Action Research (CAR). It referred to the model of CAR offered by Kemmis and Taggart. The data was collected using documentation, questionnaires, observation and tests. The data was analysed descriptively. The results of the study showed the 5 E learning cycle could improve the students’ achievement, learning activities, and learning motivation. The mean score of learning achievement was 79. It was higher compared to the minimum target that was 60. The improvement of learning activities in the first cycle, second cycle and third cycle were 1.25, 2.42, and 2.92 respectively. The improvement of learning motivation in the first cycle, second cycle and third cycle were 2.5, 2.8, and 3.2 respectively.

Application of Electronic Simulation Technology in Electrical Engineering Practice Teaching

The rapid development of electronic simulation technology in modern education has improved and specified a lot the assistance teaching in the circle of traditional teaching. Electronic simulation technology plays a vital role in optimizing class teaching, increasing teaching efficiency and strengthening teaching effects, especially in electrical engineering teaching. According to teaching practice in the basic course of “Electrical Engineering Training”, the use of electronic simulation technology can not only magnify demonstration frequency, but also demonstrate from different angles, helping students quickly master the essence of skills.

Integrating Control Science in a Practical Mobile Robotics Course

The idea of incorporating and applying interdisciplinary concepts is an important objective in electrical and computer engineering education. In this sense, mobile robot platforms can be used as educational tools to promote and integrate different curriculum subjects. In this paper, the programme and experience of an optional course called Applied Mobile Robotics is outlined. The reported content is specially focused on the experiences of applying control theory to a mobile robot platform.

Implementasi Pembelajaran Kooperatif Berbasis Kasus Untuk Meningkatkan Efektivitas Pembelajaran Kecerdasan Buatan

The objectives of this study were 1) to determine the effectiveness of Case-Based Cooperative Learning in the context of Student-Centered Learning 2) to improve the students’ cognitive abilities in order to increase the learning achievement. This study was conducted in the Department of Electrical Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering, Yogyakarta State University. The learning method was applied in the subject of Artificial Intelligence, the Study Program of Electrical Engineering and Mechatronics Education for the students of 2010 academic year. The data collection techniques were observation, tests and questionnaires. The data was analysed using quantitative descriptive and regression analysis. The results showed 1) there is significant effect of the Case-Based Learning on the students’ cognitive abilities 2) there is significant effect of Cooperative Learning on the students’ cognitive abilities 3) there is significant effect of Student-Centered Learning on the students’ cognitive abilities 4) there is 47% significant effect of Case Based Learning, Cooperative Learning and Student-Centered Learning on the students’ cognitive abilities .

Editorial: A New Direction for the IEEE Transactions on Education: Part II. Increasing the Relevance of Your Manuscript

Members of the global community of engineers and educators share their work through the IEEE Transactions on Education. To enhance this interaction, the Editorial Board (Associate Editors and Editor-in-Chief) intends that the journal will emerge as the definitive source of scholarship for education in electrical engineering, computer engineering, software engineering, computer science, and other fields within the scope of interest of the IEEE. For this to be accomplished, the quality and value of the published work must increase. One step toward this goal has been to develop and propagate new review criteria, adopted in July 2013, that articulate expectations for published papers. This is the second in a series of editorials designed to help authors address these review criteria effectively, and thus improve the likelihood that their manuscripts will be accepted.

Teaching Fourier Series Expansions in Undergraduate Education with the Help of the FouSE Android Application

This paper discusses the teaching of Fourier Series concepts in undergraduate Electrical Engineering education with the help of an Android application, especially developed to that end. In order to better understand the links and implications, some of the basic Fourier series theory is briefly reviewed. The Android application has an easy-to-use, friendly interface, conceived to help undergraduate students test and assess the Fourier series expansions on a typical set of signals. The application also allows the students to control the total approximation error and the number of terms/harmonics used in the expansions. It has been found a very useful learning resource in the Fourier series context.

Experimental Study on Observation and Evaluation of Partial Discharges in an Embedded Artificial Cylindrical Cavity between Glass Epoxy Boards

For the purpose of supporting the understanding of partial discharge (PD) phenomena for student education in electrical engineering, an introduction of experimental proposal for practical training which includes experiment and theoretical calculation is taken into consideration. In succession of the technical education for diagnosis of insulation degradation, the knowledge about PD carried out an important role in the background of this consideration. The experimental sample which is laminating an insulated board with a cylindrical shape cavity between the common glass-reinforced epoxy laminate boards, which mostly used in printed circuit boards, was made for the evaluation of the internal PD phenomenon. In addition, the medium-layer board with the cavity was evaluated also to the case where it was considered as a PTFE board and a CFRP board. The content of this experiment is intended to make it understand the intensity of internal PD generated by impression of AC high voltage. The amount q of charges (the apparent amount of PD charges) in the cavity was observed first, and the amount qmax of the maximum charges was evaluated below as compared with a simple calculation model.

Signal Integrity Characterization Techniques [Book review

This book addresses the gap in the college electrical engineering courses between the traditional digital and microwave curricula, with a focus on a practical and intuitive understanding of signal integrity effects within the data transmission channel. Today’s emerging high-speed digital applications require a special kind of design engineer who understands the subtle signal integrity issues at hand. Although a classical electrical and computer engineering education is helpful, it is the high frequency microwave effects that normally cause the most problems within telecommunications and computer systems, channels, and components. Reflections from impedance discontinuities, crosstalk, intra-line skew, and a multitude of other problems can immediately stop a system from working properly. High-speed interconnects such as connectors, printed circuit boards (PCBs), cables, integrated circuit (IC) packages, and backplanes are critical elements of differential channels that must be designed using today’s most powerful analysis and characterization tools. Both measurements and simulation must be done on the device under test, and both activities must yield data that correlates with each other. Most of this book focuses on real-world applications of signal integrity measurements. The book has 783 pages; it is divided into six sections and 23 chapters. This book has many positive aspects. One of them is certainly to trigger in the reader the inspiration to learn more about signal integrity and the high-speed technology around us.