Learn MATLAB piggybacked onto C-programming

Abstract

It is apparent that the electronic industry is making capable and inexpensive consumer devices as evident from smart phones and tablets that are coming out to the market at an accelerated phase. For individual developer or capable consumer those devices offer customization to a level that was never seen in electronics. However, such customizations require development of computer programs that would control the devices. When electrical and/or computer engineers are trained, it is becoming more imperative that nearly all acquire solid programming skills to effectively function as electrical and/or computer engineers in their careers. At the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown campus, electrical engineering technology (EET) and computer engineering technology (CET) majors always take one semester course on computer programming so they can be effective in using embedded controllers and other programmable devices, later in their curricula or in industry after graduation. It is a C language based programming course with few programming projects appropriate for the second year engineering students. However, several of their follow on courses require them to use MATLAB as a problem solving tool in advanced circuit theory and control systems courses. Students have been learning basic MATLAB on their own, and then learn advance features such as control and signal processing toolboxes with help from instructors in follow-on courses. Instructors in the upper level classes can only make limited efforts to help students learn MATLAB. Their efforts are geared toward actual subject contents which are heavy in abstract concepts and mathematics. This paper discusses the experience in introducing MATLAB as an additional programming tool to sophomore level students who are learning programming in C language as their main objective. The author is introducing MATLAB in C programming course with the intent of reducing their future burden of learning its basics on their own. However, they learn advanced concepts and toolboxes in higher level courses. An additional benefit to this class is that MATLAB reinforces the concepts taught in C programming such as loops, indexing, conditionals, input/outputs, storage management, data and program structures, etc. Also, learning it at this stage to create visual effect based programs provides incentives and variety to further practice algorithm development and problem solving skills by students. Practice of such skills is essential to become competent programmers. The paper also presents results from student surveys taken at the end of the course to gauge the student experience on learning an additional programming tool. The author intends to follow through the surveying based data collection in to the future semesters of the same student group when they use MATLAB for follow-on courses in their majors. Such findings will be published in an appropriate venue in a future time. © American Society of Engeneering Education, 2013.