Developing hands-on experiments to improve student learning via activities outside the classroom in Engineering Technology Programs

STEM education must keep pace with industry leading technologies in order to produce graduates with 21th century knowledge and skills. Teaching methods and approaches are continuously challenged and they evolve as innovative instructional technology becomes available on the market. This paper focuses on the development of a set of laboratory experiments for the students enrolled in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology Program at Farmingdale State College. The experiments are developed around the Analog Discovery Board, PC-based test equipment manufactured by Digilent Inc., allowing students to improve their hands-on experience and practical skills outside the traditional laboratory settings.