The Online Revolution
From e-books to MOOCs: Coping, adapting, embracing
Intro
Frank Vahid
UC Riverside
Systems
Smita Bakshi
Research
Diane Rover
Experiences
Options
Zyante CEO
Iowa State Univ.
Yacob Astatke
Morgan State Univ.
FV
Yacob Astatke
OUTLINE
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Overview of MSU and our ECE program
Need for online ECE program
Online ECE Course Design
Current status of our online course development
Future Work
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
INTRODUCTION
• The use of technology in the classroom has
greatly impacted engineering education
during the last 20 years.
• BUT, traditional method of teaching, i.e.
lecturing or “chalk-and-talk” is still
dominant.
• Instructors need to deliver course content
that students can access from anywhere at
any time.
• WHY : today’s students expect it !!!
Yacob Astatke
Overview of MSU
• Morgan State University (MSU) is an HBCU located in
Baltimore, Maryland
• ~8,000 students (Institution)
• ~1,100 students (Engr)
• ~500 students (ECE)
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Overview of our ECE program
• MSU is a member of Historically Black Colleges
and Universities (HBCU): 105 total
• Only 14 HBCUs offer engineering programs
• MSU engineering program established in 1984
• Currently the #1 producer of African American
engineers in the state of MD in ECE, CE, IE.
Yacob Astatke
The need for Online ECE program
• Trends in higher education for the past 10
years have shown that enrollments in online
courses or online degree programs have
been growing substantially faster (17%)
than overall higher education enrollment
(1.2% ).
• One discipline that has lagged behind all
others in the development and delivery of
online education is engineering.
Yacob Astatke
The need for Online ECE program
• The majorities of online engineering programs
currently available are at the Master of Science
level, and are geared towards professional
engineers.
• Only a handful universities nationwide offer
undergraduate BS degree program completely
online.
• Need in MD : 2005 Base Realignment and
Closure (BRAC).
Yacob Astatke
The need for Online ECE program
• Projected to bring 28,000 positions to the
state, primarily in the Harford and Anne
Arundel County areas
• Problem: no four year engineering program
in that area.
• Only two Community Colleges 
Harford (HCC)
Cecil Community Colleges (CCG)
Yacob Astatke
The need for Online ECE program
• Students enrolled at HCC , and CCG that are
interested in pursuing engineering as a transfer
student, have to travel or relocate to:
– MSU  Baltimore City (26 miles),
– UMBC  Baltimore County (42 miles),
– UMCP  Prince George’s County (65 miles)
– Univ of DE  Newark Delaware (35 miles)
• MSU has signed a MOU with HCC to offer an
Electrical Engineering degree program.
Yacob Astatke
The need for Online ECE program
 MSU will deliver a combination of
face-to-face (F2F) courses on the
campus of HCC and online courses
that will be offered directly from
the campus of MSU.
 MSU offers to first and only
completely online ECE program in
the State of MD
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Course Development Approach
Phase I - Implementation of the Mobile
StudioTM Technology and Pedagogy
Phase II - Implementation of the Panopto
FocusTM Lecture Capture technology
Phase III - Implementation of the Adobe
ConnectTM Video Conferencing software
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Adobe
Connect
Mobile
Studio
Core
and Lab
Courses
Blackboard
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Panopto
Focus
Searchlight
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of the Mobile
StudioTM Technology and Pedagogy
 Project funded by the NSF in 2008.
It involves 5 universities
 Goal: to enable hands-on
exploration of STEM
education principles.
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of the Mobile
StudioTM Technology and Pedagogy
 It is a small, and inexpensive
($150) hardware platform for use
in a home, classroom or remote
environment.
 Advantage  it replaces a rack of
equipment that is equivalent to
$5,000 to $10,000 USD.
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of the Mobile
StudioTM Technology and Pedagogy

1.
2.
3.
The MS-Board contains the 6 different instruments
2 Channel Scope & Function Generator
+4V & -4V DC power supplies
16 Digital I/O ports & Spectrum Analyzer
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of the Mobile
StudioTM Technology and Pedagogy
 We redesigned various laboratory and design experiments
using sound pedagogy.
 Key issue: device is USB powered  Max Voltage is: +4V or
– 4 Volts. We also use 9V batteries
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of the Mobile
StudioTM Technology and Pedagogy
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of the Mobile
StudioTM Technology and Pedagogy
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of Online Labs on Filter
Design using the Agilent X Series Scopes with
LAN Access ($1,000 USD)
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of Online Labs on Filter
Design using the Agilent X Series Scopes with
LAN Access
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of Online Labs on Filter
Design using the Agilent X Series Scopes with
LAN Access
Gain(dB) vs Frequency(Hz)
0
50
500
5000
50000
-5
-10
-15
-20
-25
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of the Mobile
StudioTM Technology and Pedagogy
 We tested the new technology
and pedagogy on face to face
(F2F), i.e. regular students for 2
years.
 Students completed their design
projects at home, in their
dormitories, or in the library.
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Implementation of the Mobile
StudioTM Technology and Pedagogy
 Advantage for students 
freedom to work on design
projects anywhere/anytime.
 Advantage for department 
decreases the wear and tear on
expensive equipment.
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase I – Comparison of Portable ECE Lab
equipment
 MS Board (RPI)  $150
 MyDaq (TI)  $200-$250
 Electronics Explorer
(Digilent)  $199 - $250
 Agilent X-Series Scope+FG
 $1,000
 Analog Discovery (Digilent)
 $99 - $150
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase II – Implementation of the Panapto
FocusTM lecture capture technology
 We used it to capture and record a
synchronized version of the text (using
PowerPoint), audio, and video from the daily
lectures of the F2F ECE courses.
 Goal: allow online students to follow the
lectures and class discussions that occur in the
regular courses.
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase II – Implementation of the Panapto
FocusTM lecture capture technology
 The online students follow the lessons at their
own pace and time: live stream or podcasts
 They can also send their questions to the
instructor using email, video conferencing, chat
rooms, or over the telephone.
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase II – Implementation of the Panapto
FocusTM lecture capture technology
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase II – Implementation of the Panapto
FocusTM lecture capture technology
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase II – Implementation of the Panapto
FocusTM lecture capture technology
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase II – Implementation of the Panapto
FocusTM lecture capture technology
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase III – Implementation of the Adobe
ConnectTM video conferencing software
 To allow the online students to complete their
project and laboratory experiment
demonstrations completely online.
 Course instructor can schedule an online
project or laboratory experiment
demonstration time with students.
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase III – Implementation of the Adobe
ConnectTM video conferencing software
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase III – Implementation of the Adobe
ConnectTM video conferencing software
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase III – Implementation of the Adobe
ConnectTM video conferencing software
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase III – Implementation of the Adobe
ConnectTM video conferencing software
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Online ECE Course Design
Phase III – Implementation of the Adobe
ConnectTM video conferencing software
Growing the Future, Leading the World
Yacob Astatke
Results of our Online Courses

The use of the lecture video capture technology
has allowed the online students to perform as
well as the F2F students (Electric Circuits)
Yacob Astatke
Results of our Online Courses

The use of the lecture video capture technology
has allowed the online students to perform as
well as the F2F students (Signals and Systems)
Yacob Astatke
Conclusion and Future Work
• MSU has completed the development of its
online B.S. ECE program (Fall 2013-start)
• We are willing to share our experiences with
other institutions that are interested.
Yacob Astatke
Acknowledgments
• NSF “Smart Lighting Engineering Research
Center (ERC)”
• NSF “Center for Mobile Hands-On STEM
Education”
• Maryland Higher Education Commission
(MHEC)
QUESTIONS ????
Yacob Astatke