Teaching complicated conceptual knowledge with simulation videos in foundational electrical engineering courses

Building a solid foundation of conceptual knowledge is critical for students in electrical engineering. This case study explores the use of simulation videos to illustrate complicated conceptual knowledge in foundational communications and signal processing courses. Students found these videos to be very useful for establishing concepts, understanding course content and increasing general knowledge in electrical engineering. We hope that the findings can help inform instructors of electrical engineering to transform their teaching practice and eventually benefit students through building a solid conceptual understanding that fosters the development of further engineering competencies.

[1]  Thomas A. Litzinger,et al.  Learning Conceptual Knowledge in the Engineering Sciences: Overview and Future Research Directions , 2008 .

[2]  Philip J. Guo,et al.  How video production affects student engagement: an empirical study of MOOC videos , 2014, L@S.

[3]  Melanie C. Hibbert What Makes an Online Instructional Video Compelling , 2014 .

[4]  R. Mayer Cognitive Theory and the Design of Multimedia Instruction: An Example of the Two‐Way Street Between Cognition and Instruction , 2002 .

[5]  Michelene T. H. Chi,et al.  Commonsense Conceptions of Emergent Processes: Why Some Misconceptions Are Robust , 2005 .

[6]  Gordon B. Davis,et al.  User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View , 2003, MIS Q..

[7]  M. Lauterbach Getting more out of eye diagrams [circuit testing] , 1997 .

[8]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  User Acceptance of Computer Technology: A Comparison of Two Theoretical Models , 1989 .

[9]  Fred D. Davis Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User Acceptance of Information Technology , 1989, MIS Q..

[10]  Maria Teresa Restivo,et al.  Engineering, Concepts and Video Clips , 2013, Int. J. Eng. Pedagog..

[11]  Juan Sánchez-Fernández,et al.  The acceptance of microblogging in the learning process: The µBAM model , 2013 .

[12]  Debbie L. Hahs-Vaughn,et al.  Combined longitudinal effects of attitude and subjective norms on student outcomes in a web-enhanced course: A structural equation modelling approach , 2007, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[13]  Jin Mao,et al.  User Acceptance of Mobile Technology: A Campus-Wide Implementation of Blackboard's Mobile™ Learn Application , 2013 .

[14]  Stephen A. Sivo,et al.  Undergraduate Engineering and Psychology Students' Use of a Course Management System: A Factorial Invariance Study of User Characteristics and Attitudes , 2005 .

[15]  Natalia Kapli,et al.  The effects of segmented multimedia worked examples and self-explanations on acquisition of conceptual knowledge and problem-solving performance in an undergraduate engineering course , 2010 .

[16]  Paul Jen-Hwa Hu,et al.  User Acceptance of Computer Technology at Work in Arabian Culture: A Model Comparison Approach , 2017 .