A Novel Microwave Engineering Course Asif Shakur Salisbury University Salisbury, Maryland

Is there a need?  Collaborative Engineering Program  University of Maryland - College Park  University of Maryland - Eastern Shore  K&L Microwave  Salisbury is hub of Microwave Engineering!

What is the Goal? Teach a BETTER course in LESS time!

Contradiction in Terms? “I have never seen a process which cannot be speeded up by a factor of two while simultaneously increasing the quality” Bob Galvin Former CEO, Motorola

What Engineers do Best! My favorite operational definition of what engineers do is “ design under constraint” Bill Wulf President of NAE (National Academy of Engineering)

What are the Constraints?  Must NOT increase program credit hours  Increase student motivation  Increase student retention  Increase student learning  Improve Industry - Academic Partnership

Traditional Approach  First Electromagnetics  Second Transmission Lines  Third Waveguides  Fourth Microwave Engineering

Novel Approach  Transmission Lines from Circuit Theory  Scattering Matrix from Circuit Theory  Striplines use rudiments of electromagnetics  Gory details of Electromagnetic Waves!  Waveguides  Passive Devices, Filters, Amplifiers

Rationale for Bass Ackwards! Kill Two Birds With One Stone  1. Does Not Create an Additional Course  2. Improves Student Comprehension

“How People Learn” This is a 300-page NAE Report www. nap. edu

Kolb Experiential Cycle

Four Stages of Learning  Concrete Experience (CE)  Reflective Observation (RO)  Abstract Conceptualization (AC)  Active Experimentation (AE )

Why Restructure? The vast majority of students find it difficult to formulate an abstract view of the phenomena (Kolb’s “AC”) until they have had an opportunity to grapple with the tangible and the concrete (Kolb’s “CE” and “AE”) and reflect on their experience (Kolb’s “RO”).

Software Simulation of Smith Chart

Microwave Engineering Laboratory

Wedding GR Slotted-Line & Agilent!

Pedagogical Epistemology

 Practitioners of creative disciplines, such as the arts, are found in the DIVERGENT quadrant.  Pure scientists and mathematicians are in the ASSIMILATIVE quadrant.  Applied scientists and lawyers are in the CONVERGENT quadrant.  Professionals who have to operate more intuitively, such as teachers, are in the ACCOMMODATIVE quadrant. Square peg in a round hole?

 At first blush this seems to be a paradox  Kolb holds the key to resolving this paradox  Concrete before abstract is the key Less is more!

 Innovative microwave engineering course  No increase in graduation credits  Overall increase in the diversity of topics covered  Expanded depth, breadth, and comprehension  Useful course in the students’ repertoire Conclusion

That’s All Folks!