Laboratory Experiments on 5G Cellular Technologies - A Case Study on the Synergy of Research and Experiential Learning

Teaching and research complement each other. This is an advice often given to young professors, to encourage them to find synergy between research and teaching, i.e., to let research aid teaching, and vice-versa. When a professor develops new laboratory experiments for undergraduate courses in wireless communications, he/she may find it difficult to replicate research experiments, because they require expensive equipment, usually available in “research, non-teaching” laboratories. In this paper, we present a wireless laboratory that is used for both research and teaching. We show how the research on fifth generation (5G) cellular networks - including millimeter wave transmission, ultra-wideband wireless communications, and multiple-input-single-output (MISO) antennas – helped develop laboratory experiments for undergraduate engineering students. The experiments not only teach students about 5G technologies, but also how to use real-time spectrum analyzers, vector signal generators, arbitrary waveform generators, and signal analyzers, which will help their engineering and/or research careers.Cockrell School of Engineerin

Space-Based Capstone: Public-Private-Academic Partnership in the Making

The Electronic Systems Engineering Technology (ESET) Program at Texas A&M University provides a recognized undergraduate program with an emphasis in electronics, communication, embedded systems, testing, instrumentation and control systems. The program combines engineering and industrial knowledge and methods to develop, design, and implement new innovative products through a two-semester long Senior Capstone Project. Capstone is designed to prepare future engineers by bridging the gap between the classroom and industry. Students are required to form teams of two to six members which allows them to develop the skills necessary to succeed in a diverse industry setting. Each team is required to use their knowledge and skills to design, develop, document, and deliver a real-world project equivalent to the assignments they will soon receive as professional engineers. Following NASA’s approval for funding the development of a research facility named Hermes, a Capstone team, named Microgravity Automated Research Systems (MARS), was sponsored by T STAR, a local space commercialization company, to develop the electronics portion of the facility. Hermes will reside on the International Space Station for five years in the hopes of streamlining the development of experiments that require extended periods of time in microgravity environments. The Hermes facility will host and manage up to four experiments at a time while allowing for the downlink of experiment data to an Earth station, and the uplink of commands to change experiment parameters. Experiments will adhere to a power budget and communication standard established by MARS so that experiments can be swapped out during the facility’s lifetime. MARS will work with the Mobile Integrated Solutions Laboratory (MISL), an undergraduate applied research lab, in order to prepare them to maintain support for Hermes in the future.Cockrell School of Engineerin

Hands-on Learning in Multiple Courses in Electrical and Computer Engineering

It has been reported that persistence rate of engineering students is relatively low. Several new pedagogical paradigms have been proposed to improve engineering education, such as the use of “hands-on” tools to change the learning style in the engineering classroom to more engaging teaching pedagogies. An approach that is being used to engage and retain electrical and computer engineering students is the Analog Discovery board (ADB). The paper describes the hands-on learning experiences of students who used the ADB in multiple courses. The paper discusses (i) the various laboratory experiments and class projects performed by the students, (ii) the knowledge and skills learnt by the students and (iii) the lessons learnt by the instructors while introducing ADB into freshman and junior level courses in the electrical and computer engineering. Preliminary data indicate that students are benefiting from the use of the ADB. Students report increases in their interest in subject content, motivation to learn, and confidence in their ability to learn.Cockrell School of Engineerin

An Experiment with Flipped Classroom Concept in a Thermodynamics Course

Flipped classroom is an instructional concept that reverses the traditional method of teaching by providing instructional content in advance outside of the classroom and bringing some of the outside activities such as solving problems into the classroom. Flipped classroom concepts was recently experimented in two sections of an introductory undergraduate course in thermodynamics. Students were assigned to read specific sections of the textbook and review previously prepared power point presentation of lectures before attending lecture periods. Electronic respond devices, such as I-Clickers, were used to gage students understanding of assigned reading material by starting class with a quiz. The concepts were explained in detail. When students had difficulties with the specific topics related to quiz questions, a second quiz was given later to see if the students’ understanding of the material were improved. A survey was conducted near the end of semester to seek student feedback on their experience with the flipped classroom concept. The paper includes the results of the student survey.Cockrell School of Engineerin

Focal Spot, Summer/Fall 2006

https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/focal_spot_archives/1103/thumbnail.jp

The global hydrology education resource

This article is a selective overview of a range of contemporary teaching resources currently available globally for university hydrology educators, with an emphasis on web-based resources. Major governmental and scientific organizations relevant to the promotion of hydrology teaching are briefly introduced. Selected online teaching materials are then overviewed, i.e. PowerPoint presentations, course materials, and multimedia. A range of websites offering free basic hydrology modelling software are mentioned, together with some data file sources which could be used for teaching. Websites offering a considerable range of general hydrology links are also noted, as are websites providing international and national data sets which might be incorporated into teaching exercises. Finally, some discussion is given on reference material for different modes of hydrology teaching, including laboratory and field exercises

Electro-Pneumatic Wiring Software for Distance-Learning Students in Automation Control Laboratories

When teaching electro-pneumatic circuits in the automation control class for a distance-learning program, one of the main issues is how to provide hands-on experience for students. In most cases, they can only use simulation design software and watch videos solving laboratory problems without access to the actual equipment. In this paper, the authors developed an electrical wiring software and assembly platform which can help students enhance their hands-on experience when taking the course online. Results show that the performance between on-campus students and distance-learning (DL) students are very similar.Cockrell School of Engineerin

Digital Systems Teaching and Research (DSTR) Robot: A Flexible Platform for Education and Applied Research

The DSTR (pronounced “Disaster”) robot has a strong history of being adaptable to different user’s needs, and there are many opportunities ahead that indicate that the sky, quite literally, is not the limit for this robust platform. This paper provides a historical perspective on the development of the DSTR robot as a collaborative design developed by the Mobile Integrated Solutions Laboratory (MISL) at Texas A&M University and ASEP 4X4 Inc. Texas Instruments has been a major partner in the integration of the control electronics, and Texas Space Technology Applications and Research (T STAR) LLC has played a significant role in the propagation of the DSTR robot as an adaptable applied research/education/STEM outreach platform. The paper will present examples of the strong industry-academic relationships that allow the DSTR robot to be utilized in a multitude of experiential learning environments. In addition to a number of STEM outreach activities, the DSTR robots are being used in the Introduction to Engineering course at Blinn College and in the Freshman Engineering curriculum at Texas A&M University. DSTRs have also been selected by NASA scientists as a low-cost lunar sample collector. The paper will also discuss the newly developed DSTR-E (DSTR Engineering) unit which requires students to perform several engineering tasks during the build process. The paper will also include the lessons learned from initial design through its transfer to the private sector for commercialization and future plans.Cockrell School of Engineerin

Engineering at San Jose State University, Fall 2012

https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/engr_news/1010/thumbnail.jp

Focal Spot, Fall/Winter 1994

https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/focal_spot_archives/1068/thumbnail.jp