Workshop: Understanding learning difficulties in continuous-time signals and systems courses and making these courses more accesible

The introductory continuous-time signals and systems (CTSS) course is widely considered to be one of the most difficult courses in electrical and computer engineering (ECE) curricula. This interactive workshop explores the sources of difficulty and presents some approaches to help improve learning and understanding. It will begin with a discussion about learning difficulties that are identified by both the participants and the presenters. This discussion will be encouraged and focused through directed questions and presentation of historical data that was gathered at Rose-Hulman. The second part of the workshop will describe hands-on activities that are being done at Bucknell and Rose-Hulman to help address some of the currently perceived learning difficulties. Attendees will have an opportunity to attempt some of these activities, use the technology to develop their own activity, and review the activities with regard to the earlier discussion about learning difficulties. Each attendee is highly encouraged to bring a laptop and a limited number of participants will receive a USB memory stick with the software and sample lesson plans and materials that are currently available.