Interactive Learning for Signals, Systems, and Control
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| Audience/Grade: | College Freshman-College Senior |
| Discipline(s): |
Computer Engineering Engineering Management |
| Special Topic(s): |
TUES NSF Projects - Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM |
| Learning Resource Type: |
Reference - Educational Research Paper |
| Media Type: |
Unknown |
| Author(s): |
Steven Crutchfield Wilson Rugh |
| Description: | Paper in the IEEE Control Systems Magazine (Preliminary version presented at the 1997 IEEE CDC, San Diego). Abstract: "Use of the World Wide Web to facilitate learning of basic, theoretical, technical material is described in terms of our experience in developing interactive demonstration and exercise modules focusing on Fourier analysis, convolution, the sampling theorem, and elementary control systems. Early attempts involved multimedia presentations and downloadable MATLAB M-files, or server computations initiated by CGI forms. More recently, Java applets have been used to improve immediacy and interactivity while dramatically reducing server burden. Currently we are integrating audio with the demonstrations, and developing Interactive Lecture Modules as possible replacements of classroom lectures for certain types of material." |
| Rating: |
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| Related Resources | |
| References: |
Demonstrations in Signals, Systems, and Control |
| Usage Tip | |
| Related ABET Criteria: |
(a) Apply mathematics, science, and engineering |
| Use of Resource: |
Conclusions: "It is fashionable to observe that new communication technologies in education have always met with opposition from the academy. Plato believed learning from books was inferior to dialogue, and monks in the Middle Ages thought hand copying morally superior to printing. However in today?s engineering education community there seems to be general enthusiasm about the Web, coupled with a healthy skepticism toward the hype. ("Will the unimaginable happen faster than we can imagine? Will the information age be followed by the knowledge age?") Evidence of a rapid increase in efforts to use the Web is apparent in many aspects of engineering education. Speculation on benefits to be gained and economies to be achieved is ubiquitous. We offer only the very modest observation that it is difficult to predict the future course of efforts such as ours to develop ?educational components.? Issues of licensing and commercialization are complex, and the potential for collaborative reuse of components in comparison to the potential for duplication and wasteful competition is unclear. Also unclear are the roles of publishers and other commercial entities, as well as the role of federal support for this kind of activity. Our plan is simply to continue exploration of concrete educational issues by focusing on Java applets and interactive modules for concepts in signals, systems, and control systems. Applets under construction, and that should be completed by mid-1998, include one on magnitude and phase spectra, a modification of Bode Servo Analysis to include time delay, and an applet on plant uncertainty models and robust stabilization. This latter applet is motivated by a belief that the availability of suitable demonstrations can facilitate the introduction of more advanced material in an undergraduate course. " |
| Difficulty: |
Medium |
| Version Info | |
| Publication Date: | August 1997 |
| Platform/Format: |
WWW |
| Cost: |
Free |
| Download URL: | http://www.jhu.edu/~signals/CSMpaper.html |
| Metadata: |
IEEE LOM Record |
| Collection: |
NEEDS
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