Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
Department of Education in Technology & Science
Computer animation in electrical engineering education:
Long-term effect on academic achievements
A. Gero & W. Zoabi
Outline
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Introduction
Theory: Animation-Based Learning
The Learning Unit
Research Questions
Methodology
Findings
Conclusions
Introduction
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A Practical Engineer occupies a position in industry that is
intermediate between the engineer and the technician
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Practical engineering college teachers encounter difficulty when
teaching the principle of operation of the BJT due to
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The complexity of the device (Karmalkar, 1999)
Lack of adequate background among the students
We developed a new learning unit
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Tailored to the students’ background
Qualitatively describes the processes occurring in the BJT
Based on computer animation
Theory: Animation-Based Learning
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Static hypothesis (Mayer et al., 2005)
Better learning is achieved by using written text and static diagrams
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Static tools reduce the cognitive load imposed on the learner by presenting only
the key stages of the process learned
Dynamic hypothesis (Rieber, 2009)
Better learning is achieved by using animations
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Animation reduces the cognitive load imposed on the learner by presenting the
dynamic picture necessary to understand the process learned
Animation creates interest leading to high levels of motivation
Studies have not produced any conclusive results indicating the
advantages of one approach over another (Tversky et al., 2002)
The Learning Unit (1)
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Tailored to the students’ background
Qualitatively describes the processes occurring in the BJT (Sedra & Smith, 2004)
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Based on computer animation, developed using Microsoft PowerPoint
in light of design principles (Kali & Linn, 2008)
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Cut-off
Forward-active
Saturation
Incorporate written text in spatial proximity to the animation
Avoid the use of excess items distracting the learner from the point
Presented by the teacher accompanied by his explanations
The Learning Unit (2)
Research Questions
What are the academic achievements of students who studied the
subject of the BJT through animation compared to their peers who
studied the subject using static diagrams
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At the end of an introductory electronics course?
At the end of advanced electronics courses?
Methodology (1)
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Participants
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41 students who in 2011-2012 were studying towards a practical engineering
degree in electronics at a leading college in Israel
The students attended three successive mandatory courses on electronics, a
basic course (Course 1) and two advanced courses (Courses 2 & 3)
Methods
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At the onset of Course 1, the students were randomly assigned into two groups:
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An experimental group of 21 students
A control group of 20 students
Members of each group were examined in an identical preliminary
achievement test on the subject of the diode (Test 0)
Methodology (2)
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The experimental group learned the structure and principle of operation of the
BJT through animation, while the control group learned these subjects using
static diagrams drawn on the blackboard
Members of each group were examined in an identical final achievement test
on the subject of the BJT (Test 1)
In the following courses, Courses 2 & 3, the two groups were united and
studied the advanced topics using static diagrams together
At the end of each advanced course, the students took a final achievement
test (Test 2 and Test 3, respectively)
Five semi-structured interviews with students in the experimental group were
carried out
Methodology (3)
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Instruments
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Each test was validated by two experts from the field of education in
electrical and electronics engineering
Each test did not include the name of the examinee but rather only his
identification number
The tests from both groups were mixed together and graded by two
independent reviewers in random order
Findings – Quantitative: Basic Course
Test 0
Test 1
Group
M
Experimental 67.95
SD
t
23.54
0.31
Control
65.80
p-value
20.30
M
SD
78.24
11.13
n.s.
66.15
t
p-value
3.37
<0.001
11.86
A significant gap of more than 10 points (out of 100) on average
Findings – Quantitative: Advanced Courses
Test 2
Test 3
Group
M
Experimental 87.64
SD
t
7.70
2.15
Control
74.40
p-value
18.07
M
SD
91.36
8.62
<0.05
79.90
t
p-value
1.93
<0.05
16.86
The significant gap was maintained throughout the advanced courses
Findings – Qualitative
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Animation promotes understanding since, unlike static diagrams, it
presents a dynamic picture of the process being learned
In the diagrams [on the subject of the diode] you see it [an electron]...
but you cannot see it moving... In the animation I can see the whole
process... the path of the electrons' movement... So it helps me
understand...
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Animation-based learning promotes retention and transfer
[During the basic course] we saw in the animation that only a small
fraction of electrons moves towards the base contact [of a BJT in its
active mode]… Therefore, I think that in this complex device [taught
during an advanced course] I can also neglect the base current of the
transistor…
Conclusions
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This study shows a significant gap of more than 10 points between
the academic achievements of students in an introductory
electronics course who studied the subject of the BJT through
animation and the achievements of their colleagues who studied it
using static diagrams
This gap is maintained in advanced electronics courses
These results indicate that for the case of electronic devices
animation-based learning has a long-term effect