Independent and creative learning in a Digital Electronics course using a web-based circuit simulator

This paper illustrates the teaching approaches to assessment that foster independent learning in an undergraduate course in the discipline of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. A web-based circuit simulator of CircuitLab was used to implement some of the laboratory tasks. Practical solutions have been applied to bridge the learning achievement gap between the formative laboratory assessment and the summative examination. To promote creative and independent learning, unique individual self-discovery projects were given to each student. The projects are generated according to each student's student number in an innovative approach to prevent plagiarism. The scaffolding and self-discovery lab activities can be modified to be pure online versions, which had been attested in the online course delivery during the COVID-19 lockdown period in 2020.

Automated summary

This paper presents the teaching approaches to foster independent learning in an undergraduate course in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The use of the web-based circuit simulator CircuitLab was implemented for some laboratory tasks. Practical solutions were applied to bridge the learning achievement gap between formative assessments and summative examinations. Individual self-discovery projects were assigned to promote creative and independent learning, with a unique approach to prevent plagiarism based on student numbers. The scaffolding and self-discovery lab activities were successfully modified for online course delivery during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.