A Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Light Wave Sensing and Communication Project: Low-Cost, Portable, Effective, and Fun
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| Title: | A Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Light Wave Sensing and Communication Project: Low-Cost, Portable, Effective, and Fun |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Ekin, Sabit (ORCID |
| Source: | IEEE Transactions on Education. Aug 2021 64(3):205-212. |
| Availability: | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Tel: 732-981-0060; Web site: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=13 |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 8 |
| Publication Date: | 2021 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Science Education, Science Instruction, Scientific Concepts, Hands on Science, Light, Secondary School Science, College Science, Optics, Fundamental Concepts, Handheld Devices, Technology Uses in Education, Science Experiments, Learner Engagement |
| DOI: | 10.1109/TE.2020.3029543 |
| ISSN: | 0018-9359 |
| Abstract: | Contribution: A do-it-yourself (DIY) light wave sensing (LWS) and communication project was developed to generate interest and clarify basic electromagnetic (EM) and wireless sensing/communication concepts among students at different education levels from middle school to undergraduate. This article demonstrates the nature of the project and its preliminary effectiveness. Background: Concepts in wireless sensing and communication are generally considered hard to comprehend being underpinned only by theoretical coursework and occasional simulations. Further, K-12 schools and small academic institutions may not have the resources necessary to produce tangible demonstrations for clarification. The consequent lack of affordable hands-on experiences fails to motivate and engage students. Intended Outcomes: The DIY-LWS is intended to make wireless concepts more understandable and less esoteric by linking fundamental concepts with student-relevant technologies, such as solar cells, visible lights, and smartphones. It is also intended to pique student interest by allowing them to personally assemble, operate, and explore a light-based wireless communication system. Students complete assessments before and after the project to quantify its effectiveness. Application Design: A preliminary assessment is used to determine the student base knowledge level and enthusiasm for wireless and related core topics. Students are instructed to assemble and test their own DIY-LWS hardware to provide a hands-on experience and stimulate further exploration. Short lectures are given to link conceptual ideas to the real-world phenomena students personally observed. Finally, students are reassessed to quantify any change in conceptual understanding. Findings: The DIY-LWS kits have been used in multiple events with students at different levels from secondary to high schools to college. As part of a triangulated assessment methodology, pre- and post-assessments revealed pronounced improvements (the number of correct answers doubled) in student understanding of EM concepts. Instructors observed tremendous interest and excitement among the students during and after the experiments. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2021 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1303820 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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