The School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

ABET Program Coverage B

ClassConcept, Principle, or Skill
EE214 Since this is the initial engineering course students take, the experimental content is limited to two experiments. In one (lab #7), students must modify timing parameters in various circuits, and then measure the behavior and analyze the effects. In another experiment (#8), students are given minimal guidance towards a solution, and they must do a partial design, check the results and iterate as needed, and then add larger and larger pieces of the circuit until the final solution is reached. These labs highlight data gathering, challenging assumptions, and self reliance as necessary skills. Although the experimental content is light, the spirit of experimentation and self-learning is present.
EE221
EE234 Same as for Criterion A
EE261
EE262 All labs required interpreting data obtained from lab experiments performed. The average lab score of 92.5% demonstrated good student performance in demonstrating knowledge of the lab experiments
EE304
EE311
EE321
EE324 The class is structured around the laboratory, where students must regularly complete designs that require mathematical and/or scientific knowledge. Al designs also require an increasing fund of engineering knowledge and skill. For example, the second lab project (numbered lab experiment #14), requires that students design a digital circuit to synthesize various waveshapes, and a pulse-width-modulator circuit to output the synthesized wave to a reconstruction filter. To adequately design for sample rate and filter characteristics, students must understand applicable mathmatical analysis and modeling, as well as possess the engineering skills to implement the circuit. All four lab projects this semester required in-depth knowledge of engineering methods and technologies. The completion rate for all students across all four lab designs was 96% and the average score was 88%. The lab assistants understand a large part of their job is to ensure that all students complete their own work, and adequate support is provided to the students to make sure this goal is met. The examinations in the class probed students grasp of the concepts practiced in the lab. The first three problems (and #8) of exam #1 tested student's understanding of the structural design of sequential circuits, and the remaining problems tested their behavioral design abilities. The relatively high average (76) was a good indicator that students comprehend the material.
EE331
EE334 Students worked on problems that required knowledge of discrete math. Exam 1 had problems that required math as well as engineering methods to find satisfactory solutions. Problem 2 in Exam 1 corroborated what students have learned in other digital courses about binary arithmetic. Students show competence on applying math and engineering methods. Exam 1: Problem 1.a and Problem 2 Exam 2: Problem 1, Problem 2 Homework 8: problems 1 and 2
EE341
EE351
EE352 Laboratory assignments, pre-labs, and final design project require application of math and science concepts.
EE361
EE362
EE415 For archiving and reporting purposes, the instructor gave each team an icon name from a list of “mountains and volcanoes”. This report will use the icon names for the sake of brevity. Table A.1 gives a summary of some team characteristics for Fall 2006 EE415. Each of the seven design teams wrote a proposal. There were several locations in these proposals where students showed ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering. For this report student performance in the Introduction section will be cited as evidence that they have ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering. Writing guidelines for the Introduction say in part, “As you climb the technical learning curve associated with your design project (by reading refereed journal articles and other literature), this section should be easy to write. Here are objectives for the Introduction: a) by way of a literature review it shows the reader that the team has accumulated a reading knowledge of the topics covered by your design project, b) it allows the reader to strengthen their background in these topics by reading the Introduction and by reading cited references, c) it shows the reader that you will not duplicate other’s work since your work will go beyond what is described in the Introduction, and d) it cites high quality references as epitomized by refereed engineering and science journal articles. Spend about 70% of the Introduction on engineering topics within the general discipline where your design project is located and only about 30% of the Introduction on your specific design project. Present an equivalent circuit whenever practical. Equivalent circuits of interest could be induction motor, autotransformer, solar cell, dc-ac inverter, charge controller, fuel cell, force transducer for a robot arm, stepper motor, oscillator, antenna, etc. Digital systems are not well represented by equivalent circuits but for some projects background information is needed on items such as FPGA, VHDL, digital communication protocol, etc.” Table A.2 lists teams and technical topics covered in the Introduction section of their proposal. The instructor reviewed the Introduction section of graded proposals and tabulated points lost to technical errors (see Table A.3.) Four teams lost 0 points, two teams lost 2 points each, and one team lost 6 points. Kilimanjaro lost two technical points due to failure to include figures with their technical descriptions (figures requested by the instructor on previously graded drafts). Tambora lost two technical points because they did not include an induction motor equivalent circuit (requested by the instructor on previously graded drafts.) Vesuvius lost six technical points due to lack of a feedback component in their technical descriptions and due to many confusing dynamics equations. In the instructor’s judgment, Tambora and Kilimanjaro could have easily addressed their technical weaknesses given one more iteration of writing their proposal; however, Vesuvius did not demonstrate clear ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering. All members of the Vesuvius team received a course grade less than C thus they were required to repeat EE415. The Introduction in the written proposal shows that all teams not required to repeat EE415 demonstrated an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering; however it does not present evidence regarding individual student abilities. For that, the instructor invokes the fact that each student wrote an appendix in the proposal that described the project from their vantage point. These individual stuent scores are shown in Table A.4. Remarkably low scores (68, 68, 68, 72) appear for students # 8, 12, 20, and 26. Students #12 and 20 received a course grade of C- and must repeat EE415. Students #8 and 26 lost points from their work due to errors associated with writing style, figures and tables but lost no points due to technical erros. Thus the data shown in this section supports the contention that students passing EE415 Fall 2006 possessed suffiently strong ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering.
EE416 For archiving and reporting purposes, the instructor gave each team an icon name from a list of “bird species”. This report will use the icon names for the sake of brevity. Table A.1 gives a summary of team activity for fall 2006 Semester. Each of the eight design teams wrote a final report, which contained their experiences including modeling, simulation and analysis. Table A.2 lists teams and topics covered in their final written reports for this semester. A review of the written final report evaluations shows that the work in this section of the reports was of sufficient quality and quantity to result in no loss of points (for technical content) for these eight teams. In addition, each team participated in weekly meetings with the instructor during the semester. These meetings focused on the progress and process of the teams. However, issues regarding math, science, and engineering knowledge being applied in the students’ modeling, simulation, and analysis activities were also discussed on a regular basis. Based upon these meetings, and the information in Table A.2, all of the fall 2006 students passing EE416 showed acceptable abilities to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering.
EE431 All the homeworks, quizes, exams and lab reports were related to this outcome, therefore, I feel the final grade can be a reasonable measure of this outcome. There were seven (7) “A”, twelve (12) “A-”, five (5) “B+”, two (2) “B-”, and two (2) “C+”, grades. The lab components cover both circuit design and hands-on measurement experience to learn how to apply their knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering to RF and microwave circuit and system problems. The class averages in Midterm1, 2, 3 and final were 93, 81, 83, and 80 respectively out of 100 showing a good performance by the class. Homework, quizzes and exams were also designed for measuring this ability and the final grade showed this class satisfies the requirement of ABET 3(A).
EE432 For Fall 2006 EE432, the average homework score (for homeworks 1-10) was 90.6%; average score on the midterms (in-class and take-home) was 72%; average score on the final exams (in-class and take-home) was 70%, the average quiz score over quizzes 1-5 was 64%, and the average lab report score over labs 1-10 was 92%. (Maximum possible score is 100% in all cases.) These assignments asked students to apply various topics from mathematics, science and engineering (e.g., electromagnetic propagation, probability theory, queuing theory, communication theory, ) to analyze and design cellular communication systems. These scores indicate that, on average, the students achieved outcome A.
EE434 Midterm exam 1: problems 2, 3,4. Midterm exam 2: problems 2, 3, 4. Final exam: problems 1, 3, 4, 5, Homework 1, 2, 3. The homework assignments corresponnding to this evaluation criterion were performed well by students with a success rate of around 90%. The examination problems measuring this criterion wre adequately answered by most of the students. Some of the students faced problems with few homework assignments. This happened due to lack of proper background. But they overcame this difficulty with help from the instructor.
EE451 The students complete various homework exercises, two computer exercises, and a project that require application of knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering. Examples include: a) computing probability of symbol or bit error based on probabilistic models of channel noise (application of mathematics); b) analysis of decoding methods for codes based on finite state machines, such as using the Viterbi algorithm (application of mathematics and engineering) to perform maximum likelihood sequence estimation. Homework exercises, e.g., Hmwk exercises 2.2, 2.3, 2.4; 4.1, 4.3; 7.1, computer exercises 1, 2; project report
EE455
EE464
EE466 The laboratory experiments and homework assignments matching this evaluation criterion were performed well by students with an extimated success rate of 80%. There was always assistance from the teaching assistant and the instructor to ensure successful completion of the labs and homework assignments. As a result many of those who sought help were successful. The first laboratory experiment saw students registering very low grades because of their failure to follow specified guidelines on their required laboratory reports. This brought the average low. The three examinations had a component of criterion A and the students performed well, solving the relevant mathematical problems and relating the theory to the paractical problems well. An average score of 80% was recorded in these examinations. Exam 1, Exam 2 and Exam 3. Homework assignments 1-4
EE476 The entire course involves the application of mathematics to analyze and design amplifier circuits and determine their performance parameters. The underlying behavior for transistors is the physics of the device. This ability can be assessed by the students’ overall average.
EE477 Labs 2, 3, 5 and 6 cover characterization of op-amps, automating data measurements using GPIB, transmission line measurements and characterizing DACs respectively. These require using knowledge of transistors, op-amps, transmission lines and analyzing data. This ability can be assessed by the students’ average of 87% on these 4 labs. The lowest score was 60%, which was due to lack up time writing the report. The student completed the measurements in the lab. The next lowest score was 70%. Thus, students showed proficiency in this ability.
EE483
EE486
EE489 Develop models for interesting physical systems; become fluent in representing models in standard form, in the state-space form, and in the Laplace domain; understand the notions of internal and BIBO stability, and be able to test for BIBO stability (including using the Routh criterion); be able to characterize the steady-state and transients of linear systems; be able to find transfer functions from block diagrams; learn to sketch root locus; understand the relationship between the forward-path frequency response and closed-loop stability/performance (including using the Routh criterion); gain time-domain insights into PID and lead-lag control of typical plants; understand some limitations of the control theory; briefly explore the differences between classical and modern control.
EE491
EE493
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EE496
EE499
EE519
EE511
EE512
EE514
EE515
EE516
EE517
EE518
EE501
EE502
EE503
EE504
EE505
EE507
EE510
EE509
EE508
EE520
EE521
EE522
EE524
EE526
EE527
EE528
EE530
EE531
EE534
EE538
EE541
EE543
EE544
EE545
EE548
EE551
EE554
EE555
EE562
EE564
EE574
EE581
EE582
EE584
EE586
EE595
EE596
EE597
EE598
EE600
EE700
EE702
EE800
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