Improving Digital Signal Processing Course With Real Time Processing Experiences For Electrical And Computer Engineering Technology Students

Abstract

In this paper, we present our pedagogies for teaching digital signal processing (DSP) with real- time processing experiences. In the past, teaching the DSP course for electrical and computer engineering technology (ECET) program was often a challenge, due to the heavy use of mathematics in the course. Our technology students prefer visualization, computer-related activities, and hands-on experiences in their learning environment. Now, with computer software like MATLAB adopted as a necessary tool for analysis and simulations, students are motivated in the DSP course and their learning efficiency has been enhanced greatly. Today, a DSP task such as digital filter design using MATLAB can be completed in minutes. Hence, there is room for course improvement; that is, the time saved could be allocated to practical real-time DSP to further motivate and attract our hands-on technology students. With this consideration, we enhance our DSP course by adding real-time DSP labs. Each developed lab requires both MATLAB simulations and real-time DSP using a floating-point digital signal processor, TX320TMS67C13 DSK. In addition, students are required to develop comprehensive real-time DSP projects and demonstrate their working projects in class.

We will outline our course learning outcomes and DSP laboratories with both MATLAB simulations and hands-on real-time DSP. Then, we will focus on describing real-time DSP pedagogies for our laboratory implementations. We will also examine the course assessment according to our collected data from course evaluation, student surveys and student course work, and finally we will address improvement of the course based on our assessment.

I. Introduction

The application and use of digital signal processing (DSP) technology are widely found in modern electronic products, industrial machinery, medical equipment, communication and control systems, computer peripherals, and multimedia devices1-4. This rapid advance in industry has generated an increasing demand for engineering technology students with a knowledge and working skills of DSP. Many engineering technology programs have offered a DSP course in their undergraduate curricula, especially in the electrical and computer engineering technology (ECET) curriculum. In addition, our ECET curriculum has advanced according to the industrial need to offer elective courses that require a background of DSP and cover the topics of biomedical instrumentations, DSP multimedia systems, and digital communications, and digital control systems. Teaching the DSP course to our ECET students will also prepare them for their elective courses in their senior year.

In the past, teaching the DSP course for the ECET program was often a challenge, due to the heavy use of mathematics. Many of our ECET students prefer visualization, computer-related activities, and hands-on experiences in their learning environment. Now, with computer software