Remote sensing modules to increase interest in traditionally difficult courses

Most students traditionally consider difficult certain specific courses within any EE curriculum. This is especially true if the course contains complex abstract equations and concepts, which is typically the case for most applied Electromagnetics courses. To increase the understanding and interest in these courses it is essential that the professor maintains the students´ attention and delivers the awareness that these concepts are indeed used in real life. One way to approach this goal is to introduce short modules in which the concepts taught in the course are applied to contemporary issues. Two such modules in the area of Remote Sensing were developed as part of the NASA Partnership for Spatial and Computational Research (PASCOR) to be included into two undergraduate level courses. The modules present applications in Microwave Systems and Microwave Remote Sensing of the Ocean. The assessment, in the form of a questionnaire before and after the module, is presented and analyzed