ECE wrap up session for 12/7/13

attending, Jamie, Ryan Jeff, Doug 
Time: 12:00 to 1:30

Jamie CR245L,
We had 13 students...grades mostly a's and b's.
Software installs were a problem. 
This happens every year. Doug and I worked the issue.

The network problem caused black board issues. 
Students FSM design was tightly integrated with the lecture and 
made for a better learning experence.

We probably need timing diagram for better analysis.

We had a student volunteer as an assistant..this was pretty helpful.

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Ryan EG31, EE213, two sections

EG31 was team taugh with Doug; 
We had a great arduino presentation; 

We did walking on water as the final project.
The final project needs more supervision. Two students did not 
cross the pool.
We needed a proper hw on the project with analysis and a written analysis, BOM, 
interium deliverables, etc.. 
Meetings for the project should produce minutes. 
We need a new project for next year. This is a space and resource extensive course. 
We need a lesson on the machine shop. 
Other schools do stuff like an egg catapult for launching eggs. 
This can be a tradition. 

The teaching assistance was a great help. 
We need a written ethics assignment. 

EE213: We had a big change to blackboard. I started using the connect system
with the textbook.
Change from mentor was a big pain. 
New system enabled multiple trials and stuff is improving. 
The text book for the lab is now out. All 3 of the labs are prototyped. 
Chris taught a lab. Hubble built 4 power distribution boxes. 
Wiring and gauges were presented. 
The lab revised and is harder so we counted the lab for 15% of the lecture grade. 
This is now being done in more of the lab. There were lots of tools they did not understand. 
Diff eq is not done with real examples in the course math. Now we will have to teach ode examples. 

1st test was really bad. 2nd test was better. Using the review tools helped. So did working in groups. 
The 1st exam was one letter grade worse than last years.
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Jeff: EE231 and EE231L, as we started with new labs and used a lab manual goes with the textbook. 
Every lab has design content. Simulation is done before they come to the lab. 
The labview system puts out more noise than signal...
Student have to learn to overcome with limits of test equipment. Student appreciate the learnings. 
Late submissions were permitted and student took advantage. 
Had two exams plus a final are done with labs. 
Final counts double.
 
EE301, signals and systems. 
Grades were poor in performance. 
There were 8 students and 3 were lost... 
C's and D's are being issued. 
Students are getting worse and are unmotivated and cant do math.

 
EE383 wireless, 6 students. 
We will use a different book next time. 
The the math was hard for the students. 
There were 2 exams and a project. 
Student to a simulation, Project involves Bluetooth simulation. 
Student version does not come with communications toolbox and 
students need it.
The lab computers were hard to get access to. 

Student have the solutions manual. 
Supplementary problems come with the book. 

We need op amps. Chris: Can't we just get these things?
 
Chris: EE213L ...nobody showed early for labs or for
the extra help.

Doug:
CR245 and CR331 had to drop all mentor material. This was
the result of a management decision that we had no control over.
CNS was unable to get blackboard to meet the needs of the CR245
students, so we did not use any computers at all.
We went back to pen and paper, and it was fine. Students did
well in the midterm and seem really focussed on the material in
the course.

With CR331, we used a yahoo group, since the e-mail in blackboard does not
support historic records. There is no group e-mail facility in blackboard.
I am experimenting with allowing distance learning students to submit
work using blackboard in this course. Many students report that they do
not get my e-mail. Blackboard does not enable you to add external
e-mail addresses.

 - DL