Activity based education in electricity and circuit theory

Abstract

Education research regarding electricity and circuit theory have shown that students, even at university or college level, have difficulties in acquiring a functional understanding of and to distinguish between fundamental concepts such as current, voltage, energy and power. Student´s lack of qualitative understanding results in difficulties solving quantitative problems correctly. In this project an introductory course in electric circuit theory for electrical engineering students have been reformed using active engagement methods. Students take this course during the second semester in their first year. This course contains fundamental circuit theory for DC- and AC-circuits including matrix-methods and the j?-method, coupled circuits, some theory for three-phase AC-circuits in the first part of the course. In the second part of the course Fourier-series, Fourier-transforms and Laplace-transforms are introduced for treating stationary and non-stationary circuit problems. Some system theory and some feedback theory are also introduced in the second part of the course. In the first implementation of the reformed electric circuit a series of conceptual labs were developed. In a second implementation these conceptual labs were merged with the problem solving sessions into problem solving labs. We have videotaped students' actions and communication during these labs. The videorecordings from the labs dealing with AC-electricity and with transient response have been analysed in more detail. Our analysis show that the conceptual labs have been good at fostering conceptual understanding. By taken these conceptual labs one step further by merging problem solving into the labs and systematically develop the task using the theory of variation we show that we have been even more successful.