A Pedagogical Approach to Teaching a First Course in Engineering Electromagnetics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol2.iss3.153Abstract
This paper presents a pedagogical approach to the development and teaching of a course in engineering electromagnetics to undergraduate students in electrical and computer engineering at Saint Louis University. It also discusses myriad problems and challenges in offering this course to accommodate the changing discipline boundaries. Engineering electromagnetics, by nature, is not a very popular course to many students because they incorrectly think it is full of complicated mathematics with little or no applications in the real world posing an intellectual and educational challenge to them. It makes this course appear insurmountable, abstract and abstruse. With the evolution of state-of-the-art technologies in electrical and computer engineering, the understanding the fundamental concepts in electromagnetics has become increasingly important. This approach provides tools of accurate analysis through computer methods, in addition to closed-form methods used for design analysis and synthesis. Difficult three-dimensional vector differential and integral concepts are discussed when they are encountered with emphasis being on physical insight. The course is modernized by briefly introducing the finite-difference method, and thereafter, integrating some prewritten computer programs to demonstrate graphical representation of some problems of practical interests. As a result, the students really begin to find a measure of joy in this course and emerge as engineers equipped with the best of the closed-form and computer worlds.
References
A. B. Whinnery, “The Teaching of Electromagnetics”, IEEE Transaction on Education, 33(1); 3-7 (1990). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/13.53622
M. N. Sadiku, “Problems Faced by Undergraduates Studying Electromagnetics”, IEEE Transaction on Education, 29(1); 31-32 (1986). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.1986.5570680
Maxwell, J. C., A Treatise in Electricity and Magnetism, Claredon Press, Oxford, Vol. 2; 247-262 (1892).
L. Page, “A Derivation of the Fundamental relations of Electrodynamics from those of Electrostatics”, American Journal of Science, 34; 57-68 (1912). DOI: https://doi.org/10.2475/ajs.s4-34.199.57
Cheng, D. K., Fields and Waves in Electromagnetics, Second Edition, Addison Wesley Publishing Company (1989).
Inan, U. S., A. S. Inan, Engineering Electromagnetics, Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. (1999).
Elliott, R. S., Electromagnetics, IEEE Press, New Jersey (1993).
Jackson, J. D., Classical Electrodynamics, Second Edition, Wiley, Chapter 12, Section 12.2 (1975).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2014 Habib Rahman
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyrights for articles published in IJIER journals are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author for more visit Copyright & License.
How to Cite
