Undergraduate embedded system education using adaptive learning technology

Abstract

Embedded systems are the fastest growing areas of computing in recent years. This growing popularity calls for engineers with experience in designing and implementing embedded systems. This paper describes an undergraduate embedded system design course in our curriculum that is offered as technical elective for senior students. The course contents, organization of the materials and the laboratory are presented. This course is designed by introducing a balanced view of software and hardware concepts in the design process. The objectives of this course are to expose students to the field of embedded systems with knowledge foundation, and to provide them with hands-on experience via a sequence of laboratories. A student-centered adaptive blended learning technology based on the Courseware Authoring and Packaging Environment (CAPE), and the experimental Learning Management System (eLMS) is also presented in the paper. Comparing with other course management software, such as WebCT and BlackBoard, this web-based adaptive blended learning technology provides a better intelligent tutoring and learning environment. It provides an opportunity for educators to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each student and provide adapting learning activities in response. It can significantly improve the student retention by providing them with immediate feedback after the quiz. It can also be integrated to WebCT and BlackBoard to enhance the efficiency of knowledge delivery. Furthermore, the web-based CAPE/eLMS adaptive learning environment will not only enable adaptive in-class instruction, but also enable powerful possibilities for adaptive learning activities outside the classroom, both in preparation for in-class activities and in following them up. The CAPE model introduced in this paper offers a generalized framework and can be easily modified by educators to fit their needs. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2007.