Teaching Modern Electronics

Electronics and Electrical (E&E) or variations such as Electrotechnology is a practical subject, best taught in a practical way that allows students to realise their ideas by solving actual problems and making things that are useful.

This focus on the practical side does not remove the need for deep understanding and insight otherwise the learning model deteriorates to following “knitting patterns” and assembling kits.

We have seen the downside of this “fun” focus with students achieving phenomenal levels in competitions but with little practical skills in design, manufacture and construction of systems. Students are unable to do simple things that may be important in development of more complex systems that may not use the kit format.

In order that the maximum educational value is extracted from it, project work must provide students with opportunities to:

Identify a problem in society or their own life that can be solved in electronic means
Articulate the problem, write a design brief, and suggest solutions
Research, assess and identify the best solution
Break down the best solution into easily-manageable building-blocks ( ideal environment for the Intellecta icon planning system)
Construct the system, testing it as construction proceeds ( ideal link with the Roland systems and PCB Design and Make software)
Test the final product against the initial brief
Make an evaluation of the finished product

Tradition vs New

Traditional teaching of E&E has involved an overemphasis on numerical
calculations, investigations of the properties of individual components and the
construction of products by following  instructions. We have seen this in other areas of technology education where the functions of the new CAD software are taught and the weeks are filled with the 100 and 1 ways to draw a circle etc. This learning model disguises some of the essential process skills associated with project work and actual inhibits the development of others.

In the new style, teachers are encouraged not to teach all the electrical principles first but leave it to the end of the course. It is far more interesting for students to design simple systems first and then learn the principles when needed. For example, A simple logic system can be designed without knowing any of the electrical principles. Having made the system work one could then introduce current and voltage and take measurements around the circuit.

Similarly, the skills in planning and thinking become just as important as “making things”. This may in conflict with the expectations of the students but it is important to stick to a plan that does create real success and problem solving skills.

The Intellecta icon system is an ideal introduction because students actually see the benefits of a top-down design process. The work-sheets are top views of the structural format of the control system. The insides of the worksheets contain the actual links between switches, sensors, motors etc.

Microcontroller Teaching and the Home Brew System

Intellecta has been working with many teachers over many years on modern electronics education and finally, the solution integrates the important design and process skills.

Microcontrollers are an ideal extension of the Intellecta materials and it is difficult to design the exact solution ( kits are out because of the statements in the introduction).

The Homebrew or HB module series of teacher support materials arose from a need to get teachers familiar with the language or lingo of modern electronics. These use the great PICAXE chips as an ideal introduction. These are then expanded with the ATMEL chips that allow greater control and the development of better programming skills.

All the systems can be manufactured by engraving or photography and every module develops skills in specific areas.