Wireless communication testbed and tools for authentic STEM learning

Abstract

We propose a novel educational gamification approach that employs and reinforces otherwise-abstract concepts currently taught in graduate-level courses to become a standard part of undergraduate communications courses in the future. In particular, we develop software tools that visually demonstrate relevant wireless communications parameters and processes, including those already taught in undergraduate communications courses (e.g., power, coding rate, modulation type, data rate and bandwidth) to students in an interactive way. We exploit our Internet-accessible wireless communication testbed CORNET to enable students to experience wireless communication challenges and learn different solutions in realistic environments via an ordinary web browser. This paper presents our approach to authentic STEM learning and compares it with other past and ongoing initiatives. We conclude that there is a gap of practical teaching tools and methods for educating students as well as radio engineers and researchers about new trends in wireless communications with a focus on spectrum sharing.