Electrical Engineering Core Course Laboratory Creation for Non-STEM Majors

Abstract

Practical laboratory exercises improve student understanding and motivation for learning abstract engineering concepts. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the United States Naval Academy (USNA), a four-year undergraduate institution, is tasked with teaching all students a course in electrical circuits and power. The course aimed at non-STEM majors includes a weekly two hour laboratory period to assist in drawing out these abstract concepts. The instructors for an Electrical Engineering circuits and power course for non-STEM majors jointly developed and troubleshot a series of five real-world, laboratory experiments. These experiments are intended to demonstrate real world skills and applications of the abstract concepts covered during the class.