Students said this course was a good way to learn the basics of electrical engineering. They enjoyed the hands-on lab experience. As for negative aspects, some students thought the lectures did not prepare them for labs, and that the labs were not explained clearly. Suggestions for improvement included more thorough explanations of concepts before the labs and clearer lab instructions. The course is easier if you have already taken a circuit’s course. Students are encouraged to do the reading before class and keep up with their work. 103

Students believed that the best aspect of this course included the challenging hands-on experience building circuits and working with electrical components. Many students thought that some of the labs were overly complicated and time consuming, and that the lack of feedback made it difficult to determine what needed improvement. Suggestions for improvement included updating the labs with more real-world applications and providing more supplemental materials and instructions to go with the labs. Prospective students need to have a solid understanding of circuits and would benefit from their own lab kit to assemble before the lab begins. They should be prepared to spend the ful lab period working, and be prepared to write a lab report every week.

Students’ favorite aspect of this class was that it offered the opportunity to build circuits during hands-on lab sessions. Some students thought that a weakness of the class was that some of the lab equipment was broken or not sufficient. Many students found that the course could have been improved with better and more frequent explanations underlying concepts behind the processes they were carrying out. Students found that it was valuable for future participants to know that prior knowledge of circuits would be helpful for taking this course.