Adapting to a changing highschool population

Cora Salm, Jan Eijkel, Erik Faber,Ferdi van der Heijden, Mathieu Odijk

University of Twente, The Netherlands

Changes in the EE curiculum resulting from math and physics deficiencies

Observed problems with freshman students

High school students have problems with:mathematical manipulationsaddiction to graphical calculatorphysical insight in equations

University differs from high school40-hour work weekdiscipline 5.5 mentality not okeagerness to understand

AdditionallyLarge variation in knowledge and skills

highschool math proficiency

01020

3040

5060

7080

90100

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

academic year

pass

% 2

nd te

st

math

all

Phys

EE

Pass% 2nd test0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2005 2006 2007

academic year

Pass% 1st test math

Phys

EE

all

2008 20090

1020

3040

5060

7080

90100

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

academic year

pass

% 2

nd te

st

math

all

Phys

EE

Pass% 2nd test0

1020

3040

5060

7080

90100

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

academic year

pass

% 2

nd te

st

01020

3040

5060

7080

90100

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

academic year

pass

% 2

nd te

st

math

all

Phys

EE

Pass% 2nd test0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2005 2006 2007

academic year

Pass% 1st test math

Phys

EE

all

2008 20090

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2005 2006 2007

academic year

Pass% 1st test math

Phys

EE

all

2008 2009

Day 1 at university After 5 weeks remedial teaching

Similar results at all 3 technical universities

Problems caused by ? government, new teching methods, old fashioned university teachers, too high expectations, MTV, economy ……

SOLUTIONNew introductory course so that other teachers get “good” students.

8.5 European credits

Introducion EE and electronics

Aim: solve all observed problems, fun and selecting

Cover most topics in EE and point forward

Intertwine classes, excersizes, remedial math. Labworks and project

Final project: challenging, novel, feasable.

Preview of first 2.5 yearsShow relations between courses

especially why math can be usefull

Challenging and fun.

motivating and real EE

What do we want to teach

• Psychological

• Basic math

• Enlarge physical insight

• Introduction EE and electronics

Psychological: Attitude change

How to motivate students•Lot of classes•Guarantee to succes if you work hard•Not preparedNo grade•Test during lectures

Mix theory /experimental work

Questions designed in a way that calculator is no use

Work hard (40 hours/wk)Also study at home

Do NOT aim at 5.5

Eagerness to understand

Calulator only helps if you know what to put in

Mathematical manipulations2 equations 2 unknownsIntegrationDifferentiationAbstract thinkingManipulate formulasFractionsLogarithmicsExponents, Sine, cosine…

How to upgrade math skills•Hide the math in EE-excersizes

•Fluent transition remedial math and new academic math

•Assume they know nothingshow everything on the blackboard

•Do not tell them they know nothing!

•Have extra examples ready

Enlarge physical insight

Equations describe relations in the real world

Transfer to other domains

“If you understand more you need to know less”

How to increase physical insightAnalog situation in other domain

Distill equations(not only solve)

Drilling + lots of lectures

The basis of EE

Network analysis

Instrumental

electronics

measurment

Control systems

Intro FourierTransform

modulationandfiltering

Waves

50% real first year Level of lecturesand exams

50% real more phenomenological but with advanced

lab work

Impact of remedial teaching on math test

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

INF AT CT EL TN TW IO W

BBMT UT

1st test2nd test

Pec

enta

geof

stu

dent

sth

atpa

ss te

st

EEMath

All e

ngin

eerin

gst

uden

ts

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

INF AT CT EL TN TW IO W

BBMT UT

1st test2nd test1st test2nd test

Pec

enta

geof

stu

dent

sth

atpa

ss te

st

EEMath

All e

ngin

eerin

gst

uden

ts

Largest impact for good students

0

5

10

15

20

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Highschool Math grade

# co

rrec

t ans

wer

s

0

5

10

15

20

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Highschool Math grade#

corr

ect a

nsw

ers

Is the math test a good indicator ?

0123456789

10

1 3 5 7 9

grad

e

IEEE0123456789

10

1 3 5 7 9 11high school math grade

grad

e

Calculus I

2nd test

1st test

Entrance test predicts Calculus 1 (first acadamic math class)

Exit test predicts IEEE grade (first acadamic EE class)

high school math grade

Other results

• Large attendence in class• Students ask questions/interact• Students put in 90-115% of the studyload• Math still perceived math as boring (65%) but

usefull (80%)BUT

• Unclear if students also put in more time in parallel classes

• Studying without teacher (homework) still to be learned later on

Final project: Build a weather stationRelating to physics

TemperatureRainWind speedWind direction

Final project: Build a weather stationRelating to EE

electronicsUSB read outcalibrationsignal/noise

Final project: Build a weather stationMotivation

Does it work outside the specs???

Mvi_0401.avi

SummaryNovel Introductory class IEEEIntertwines theory, math repair, excersizes, labworkLarge improvement on the math proviciency testStudents work hard and are motivatedProgram can easily be adapted when highschool

program changes again

Student are more lazy and need external motivators(compared to the good old days…..)

This work was sponsored by WO-SPRINT andNationale Kennisbank Wiskunde Vaardigheden

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION