Preliminary Assessment of Experimental Sophomore EE Courses

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Preliminary Assessment of Experimental Sophomore
EE Courses
James G. Harris and Kena Burke Presentation to EE
Department October 15, 2003 Outline
Background Assessment Approach
Preliminary results Conclusions to date
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Background

• Experimental sophomore year courses
• implemented in AY 2001-02
• prerequisite material for the junior year
• replaced lower division circuits and electronics
  courses with DSP first and integrated circuits
  and electronics courses
• currently undergoing assessment

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Background (continued)

• Cohort sequence
• EE 112, EE 211/241, EE 212/242, EE 208/248
• 14 units - 11 units lecture, 3 labs
• Experimental sequence
• EE x220, EE x221, EE x222
• 12 units - 4 unit studio per quarter

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Background (continued)

• EE x220
• DSP First Georgia Tech developed
• introduction to phasors, first/second order
• frequency response and z transforms
• EE x221,x222
• integrated circuits and electronics
• followed time allocation of EE 208/248
• resistive circuits, then capacitors, inductors

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Assessment Approach

• Choose cohort from Spring 2001 GPA
• Compare grades in junior year courses
• CENG assessment office performed data collection
  - Kena Burke
• Comparison through Spring 2003

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cohorts
x-students
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Preliminary Results

• Compared means and standard deviation of grades
  in junior courses
• table summarizes
• Reviewing grades below C
• Retention rate comparison

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Preliminary Results

• Retention rate comparison
• Experimental sequence
• 55 students started sequence
• 10 did not continue after EE x220
• only 4 did not pass with C or better
• 1 withdrew for coop after EE x221
• 4 did not pass after EE x220
• summary 8/55 did not pass, rest C or better

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Conclusions to date

• Retention better
• better impedance match
• No harm done
• Maybe less is better for lower division
• less circuits
• same electronics
• and DSP
• Also less resources to deliver