Transforming the way we teach laboratories: a student data acquisition system

As part of our Summer Field Session, we have developed an electronics kit for all our 240 of our Engineering Division Sophomore students to learn about, build and use a highly functional data acquisition system. Beginning next fall, we have the opportunity to change the way we teach electronics laboratory and project classes. Instead of being dependent upon limited laboratory space and equipment setups, in many cases we can have the students check our small hardware sensor/system modules to do “the experiment” with their data acquisition system. By allowing the students flexibility to experiment and discover new uses for their system, we involve them more deeply in their education resulting in a higher level of enjoyment and learning