[Moved] Causes of lack of interest in electronics

[FERDINAND DIGRACIA]

Please I am a teacher,Who is investigating the causes of poor perfomance of my pupils in Basic Electronics and how to prevent those causes.Any suggestions?I need your help.

 

[alexan_e]

Re: Causes of lack o f interest in electronics

I suppose too much theory, if they experience the joy of making something on their own I'm sure they will be more interested is what you teach.

Alex

 

[xaccto]

Re: Causes of lack o f interest in electronics

very good question!
Now when I was a kid and learning basic electronics I was really excited with winding a radio coil and single diode receiver (crystal receiver) and simple amplifiers and
oscillators put together with 1-2 transistors. I also really took off when I got one of those 50in1 Electronics boxes from RadioShack/Tandy.
Common everyday contact with electronics back then was a transistor radio and tv.

Today, what have we got? Kids today, as soon as they are old enough, maybe 8years are given a mobile phone by their parents because they are fearful of losing little johny. So in there hand they have a thing to play around with talking to others, pictures and video on the screen etc..........these things have more computing power in them than a huge computer of 30years ago.....

So, how then for example to get excited about a crystal radio for example ? to appreciate the nuances of pulling in radio waves from a antennae you strung out
in the backyard........that mobile phone in the hand seems so easy what it does, like magic in comparison........

Although the fundamental things I learn't as a kid are still very important, they are not going to grab the imagination of todays kids. Maybe have to start at a higher level,
and once interested, need to learn some things backwards

 

[vfone]

Re: Causes of lack o f interest in electronics

You mention about students with poor performance learning basics of electronics? I know young guys with PhD's in electronics that get lost biasing a BJT.
Actually I think this is the real problem of the education system.

 

[srizbf]

Re: Causes of lack o f interest in electronics

'xaccto' s description about the young ones mind is superb and very good observation.

'ferdinand digarcia' : your worry about the lack of interest is everwher in the world .
todays young ones are in a different environment than probably 'xaccto' and others when they were young.
today they are living in very competitive world .though it doesnot mean that they should not understand what they are studying ,
they have their experience 'on paper' rather than real.

as a teacher , you can do your service only by kindling an interest in their minds. it depends on your way of delivery of lectures inside the classroom.

with your interest in electornics , if you select a proper book for the course and way of delivery of lectures , i think you too can make them interstd in electronics.

it can be said that 'a poor teacher will produce a poorest student. a good teacher will produce a best student'.

with appreciation for your thoughts for a noble cause.

 

[cks3976]

Re: Causes of lack o f interest in electronics

As Alexan mentioned- too much of theory and too much of mathematics. When I was an Electronics student, at some stage I got frustrated with endless equations in Analog electronics. Similar things happened in beautiful papers such as Analog communication theory, Digital Communications, DSP etc., Maths, maths and maths- only this is what being thought- without explaining the practical implications of those mathematical equations..

And unfortunately there are not too many teachers I know who explain the practical implications of theories/ principles of electronics.... naturally students will have no interest or fun in learning...

 

[BradtheRad]

Re: Causes of lack o f interest in electronics

As a boy I had early exposure to the fun side of electricity. A summer course which included making a telegraph and buzzer.

Doing experiments in 'boy scientist' type books (powered by a tall 1.5V dry cell). School lab sessions exploring meters, resistors, capacitors.

However I didn't 'get' the electronics side of it. Solid state theory, etc. Not until years into adulthood.

Even to reach that point was after I'd accumulated a box or two of spare electronics parts scavenged from old radios and tv's. Because I'd found it was all too easy to destroy a few dollars worth of new parts.

This isn't the easiest field to pursue. Yet of all the scientific fields that got my interest in youth, electronics has been the one that has turned out to play a continued part of my life. In practical ways as well as fun.

Seems like half of our world is by way of electronics in one way or another. Either from having AC power, or from technological gadgetry.

I believe youngsters would benefit from finding out what's in reach for them with just a little knowledge. How to test batteries. How to read a multimeter. How to use a soldering gun. How they can save money by repairing their own cables. (With due caution re working around house current.)

That might instill a perspective as to the value of electronics (electricity).

However such practical learning is not likely to get taught in school. Electronics tends to be equipment-intensive. Meaning expense. On the other hand to teach theory is inexpensive.

Furthermore superintendents want to avoid having irate parents say "What are trying to do, electrocute my child?"

Whatever experiments are authorized need to be zero risk for schoolkids. Nevertheless these can still be catchy in their way. Changing an LED's brightness with a potentiometer.

Watching an oscilloscope display light beam pulses coming from a remote control, or the waveforms of beeps coming from someone's cell phone. Creating a simple timer circuit. Etc.

And some overview of what electronics does in our daily lives, and how vast and varied a realm it has become, and what avenues of pursuit there are, and the devices and terminology used.

 

[Kripton2035]

Re: Causes of lack o f interest in electronics

for example, make them interest in something...
make a small device with a microcontroller, that switch a light on your desk with someone's cell phone using an ethernet connection.
they dont (still) have this at home ...
and then explain them how this works.

 

[alexan_e]

Re: Causes of lack o f interest in electronics

A multicolor led flashing and changing colors would probably grab their attention

Alex

 

[karthickb3e]

only interested in using electronics in vital life like computer, e-banking, digital videos etc...... but not interested in studying and knowing fact of electronic world