Teaching Digital Design Through Covid-19 With a Remote Hardware Lab

Video Presentation

Authors:

• Shuowei Li, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UW Seattle
• Heran Wang, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UW Seattle
• Rania Hussein, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UW Seattle

Abstract:

Transitioning to remote instruction necessitated the creation of new approaches for delivering hardware-focused courses. In this poster, we present our experience transforming the features of one of the lab assignments of a digital design course to online learning. This lab assignment has traditionally used physical hardware (FPGA board and breadboard) that students used to receive in a lab kit at the beginning of each quarter. In the autumn quarter of 2020, we were able to conduct the same lab assignment with all its required features without any physical hardware with students. We will present our approach to the lab before COVID-19 and how we conducted it using a platform that allowed students to access hardware located on campus remotely to finish their lab assignments. This project has been conducted in a junior-level course on digital design with 60 students enrolled in the course. We present the feature of the remote platform and the results of surveying students anonymously on their experience completing this particular lab assignment. Survey results indicate that the platform had served its purpose in allowing students to successfully complete their assignments without the inconvenience of shipping and handling lab kits. We anticipate that instructors in other disciplines consider similar approaches that are meant to transform the way lab courses are delivered in the post-COVID-19 era.

Poster PDF

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Comments

The presenter for this poster will be available to respond to comments during Poster Session 1 on April 20, 2:00-2:50 p.m.