Improving the electrical systems service course

This work in progress describes one aspect of a project being undertaken at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (RHIT) to improve the effectiveness of electrical engineering service courses offered to mechanical engineering students. The authors had taught these courses several times and were dissatisfied with the outcomes. The delivery features of the new course will include: studio format; presentation of material from the viewpoint and in the context of the discipline being served; a variety of active learning strategies; and Web-based learning and assessment tools including on-line quizzes, lecture notes, multimedia simulations, and detailed problem solutions in an intuitive point-and-click format. For the duration of the project, a board will review the educational materials developed, provide information for their continuous improvement, and assure that the materials developed can serve as a model for the development of service courses in electrical systems.