Engaging Students in an Introductory Circuits Course

Because mathematics classes are often taken at different locations, including high schools and 4-year schools, the math background of students in introductory electrical & computer engineering classes can vary significantly. We have addressed this by a careful restructuring of the circuits course “Intro to EE” taken by computer engineering students, as well as students in other non-EE majors. This course covers DC circuits, information circuits (filters), and AC circuits. These topics introduce material that is covered in multiple courses required for EE students. We have structured this course so that we cycle through analysis techniques for each type of circuit, which allows students to reinforce their previous knowledge. AC circuits are covered as a special case of information circuits. We have published an e-book that we have used for several years. The format of the e-book allows us to include video, interactive questions, and most importantly detailed examples that include even minor steps. We are exploring options for moving our textbook content to a standalone e-book to be used with a Learning Management System (LMS), such as canvas. The restructuring of the course to focus on fundamentals supports student success and early identification of weaknesses in math backgrounds.