Advances in Engineering Education - Volume 4 - Winter 2014 - Animation Based Learning of Electronic Devices

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk

Two-year college teachers face major challenges teaching the bipolar junction transistor’s operating principle, due to device complexity and students’ limited mathematical and physical foundations. To address this, the authors developed a learning unit using computer animation tailored to students’ backgrounds and describing key transistor processes qualitatively. Research with quantitative and qualitative instruments found a significant achievement gap favoring the animation group over peers using static diagrams, along with notably more positive attitudes toward electronics.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Theoretical Framework

Animation Based Learning

| Ad | vances in Engineering Edu | cation | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1 – wiNtER 2014 Animation Based Learning of Electronic Devices AHARON GERO WISHAH ZOABI Technion- Israel Institute of Technology Haifa, Israel ANd NISSIM SABAGORT Braude College Karmiel, Israel ABStrACt Two-year college teachers face great difficulty when they teach the principle of operation of the bipolar junction transistor – a subject which forms the basis for electronics studies. The difficulty arises from both the complexity of the device and by the lack of adequate scientific background among the students. We, therefore, developed a unique learning unit based on computer animation that was tailored to the students’ background and qualitatively describes the processes occurring in the transistor. The current research examined the characteristics of the above learning among students at a leading Israeli two-year college. The research, which used quantitative instruments alongside qualitative ones, indicates a significant gap between the achievements of students who studied the subject of the transistor through animation and the achievements of their peers who learned it using static diagrams. Additionally, students who studied the subject through animation express significantly more positive attitudes towards electronics than their peers. Key words: Electrical engineering education, animation based learning, attitudes towards electronics intrODUCtiOn A Practical Engineer is a technology oriented professional, who occupies a position in industry that is intermediate between the engineer and the technician. After two years in specialized colleges, practical engineers integrate into various industrial fields such as biotechnology, electronics, winter 2014 1 advances in engineering education animation Based Learning of electronic devices software and more. The training of practical engineers is focused on the practical aspect of the profession and less on its theoretical one; therefore practical engineering courses constitute learning opportunities for students in a relatively low level of achievement, who do not aspire for academic studies [1] . However, the Israeli industry needs skilled practical engineers and reports a shortage of some 400 professionals, mainly in the field of electronics [2] . Practical engineering college teachers face great difficulty when they teach advanced physical subjects in general, and the principle of operation of the bipolar junction transistor1 (BJT) in particular – a subject which forms the basis for electronics engineering studies and is being taught during the first semester. The difficulty arises from both the complexity of the device [3] and lack of adequate mathematical and physical background among the students [4] . These students, continuing their technological training in electronics – a major they began in high-school – have no knowledge of physics, even on high-school level. Furthermore, their knowledge of mathematics is minimal. Therefore, they have difficulty comprehending basic terms and processes in semiconductor physics such as holes, drift and diffusion. These concepts, however, are vital for understanding the BJT operation principle. Unlike undergraduate physics students who have strong background in mathematics but still need visualizations for conceptual understanding of abstract scientific phenomena [5], practical engineering students can hardly understand abstract concepts and phenomena without visualizing them. However, most of the teachers settle for analyzing the transistor characteristics as a component in a circuit and do not deal with its internal structure and the principle of operation. The result is, therefore, that students focus on the technical solution of problems without understanding the underlying physical principle. Informal conversations with teachers of these students indicate that this lev

FAQs

What learning challenge does the paper address?

It addresses how difficult it is for two-year college teachers to teach the operating principle of the bipolar junction transistor due to complexity and students’ weak math and physics background.

How was the new learning unit designed?

The unit was developed using computer animation, tailored to students’ backgrounds, and qualitatively describes the processes occurring in the transistor.

What were the research findings about learning outcomes and attitudes?

Students who studied with animation achieved significantly better results than those who used static diagrams, and they also reported significantly more positive attitudes toward electronics.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk