Sensors and instrumentation systems. What do we teach? How do we teach?

Whatever the discipline of engineering being studied a basic understanding of modern instrumentation systems and transducer selection is important. In particular this applies to engineering graduates entering the manufacturing sector where accurate information and speed of response is essential. In order to select appropriate transducers and their accompanying instrumentation systems, students must have confidence in solving practical measurement and control type problems. This paper discusses some of the main problems faced when teaching at undergraduate level and tries to address ways in which we may change our teaching by adopting case-studies and simulation software prior to analysing the system with mathematical rigour.