Introduction to the Digital Electronics subject

Francesc Josep Sànchez i Robert(francesc.josep.sanchez@upc.edu)

Barcelona, June 11th 2009

2

Course mechanics

Examples of exercises

Assessment

Digital Electronics (ED)

First year of the bachelor's degree in Telecommunications

My idea of teaching

‘Teaching’ is the purposeful creation of situations from which motivated learners should not be able to escape without learning or developing

John Cowan2

1. Splitt, F. G., “PART II: THE CHALLENGE TO CHANGE: On Realizing the New Paradigm for Engineering Education”, The Interface, The joint newsletter of the IEEE – ES and the ASEE, August 2003, No.2. (http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/es/interface.html)

2. John Cowan, “On Becoming an Innovative University Teacher: Reflection in Action”, Open University Press, 2 nd ed., 2006 , p.100

The basis of student-centred learning

So, I’m going to make you responsible of your own learning …

The learning objectives of Digital Electronics

Specific content +

+ teamwork + communication skills + self-directed learning + third language

Yes! You can learn them all by active techniques like:

Cooperative Learning and Problem-Based Learning

(but not by traditional lecturing!)

cross-curricular skills at level 1 of competence:

introduction

cross-curricular skills at level 1 of competence:

introduction

Group Portfolio (PO)

Specific content + teamwork + communication skills + self-directed learning + third language

Problem-based learning course

Part 1:

Combinational Systems

Part 1:

Combinational Systems

Part 2:

Sequential Systems

Part 2:

Sequential Systems

Introducing next course: ideas of C

and PLD’s

Introducing next course: ideas of C

and PLD’s

CAD / EDA software : SPICE, Proteus-VSM,

Espresso (Minilog)

Application project (AP)Application project (AP)

The learning objectives of Digital Electronics

Learning objectives

includeContent and cross-curricular skills

Effective communication Autonomous

learning

Design- oriented tasks

achieved by

Teamwork

solved by

method

Guidelines for quality documentation

Design verification

Information search (library, Internet)

Real world examples

consist of

EDA toolsGroup and class

interaction

Self-assessment

motivation

Group portfolio

Best work samples

reflection

include

Open solutions

Let’s think about it …

8

Planning activities and study time in and out class

Activities

Formative and continuous assessment

TheoryTheory

ExercisesExercises

Application project

Application project

Individual assessment

Individual assessment

PortfolioPortfolio

Weekly study planWeekly study plan

Teamwork session TWA (2 h)

Teamwork session TWA (2 h)

Teamwork session TWB (2 h)

Teamwork session TWB (2 h)

Teamwork session TWC (at least 2 h)

Teamwork session TWC (at least 2 h)

Extra individual workExtra individual work

classroo

mclassro

om 6.5 h – 8 h

per week

6.5 h – 8 h per week

4.8 ECTS 4.8 ECTS

I’m expecting from you all these activities

EX1

EX2

EX3

EX4

EX5

EX6

EX7

EX8

MI1

MI2

MI3

MI4

MI5

MI6

MI7

MI8

Application Project

Group Portfolio

Coop. Coop. Coop.Ind.

Method 1 (quality criteria) for solving any problem of the subject the key document!

Formative and continuous assessment (exercises can be improved once corrected

PlanPlan

Develop Develop

ResultsResults

SimulationSimulation

PresentationPresentation

1 http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/ED/unitats/unitat_1_1/Criteris_Correccio_Exercici_en.pdf

You will always know exactly what to do and how to proceed …

Problems will be very guided at the course

beginning and more self-directed towards the

course end

Format of a regular cooperative session

Classrooms with mobile tables

About the classes…

Base groups of 3 students

About the exercises … Motivation

Example

Controlling a storage tank system for a pancake syrup manufacturing

http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/ED/grups_classe/08-09-q2/1BT5/MI/MI2/ED_Curs_08_09_Q2_1BT5_Cntl_MI-2x.pdf

Example

A key-coded deadbolt

http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/ED/grups_classe/08-09-q2/1BT5/EX/EX5/ED_Curs_08_09_Q2_1BT5_EX5x.pdf

K_L[11..0]

K_L9

K_L5

K_L1

K_L10

K_L6

K_L2 K_L3

K_L8

K_L4

K_L0

K_L11

K_L7

DEADLOCK CONTROL

ON-OFF-CONTROL

GS

Z

D1

Q1BC547

R112k

R2

1k

RELAY4V

B1120V

VCC

D41N4148

VCC

GND

ACTUATOR

120V

RA

100MEG

C[3..0]

KEY_ENCODER

ENCODER

COD[3..0]

K_L[11..0]

0 1 2 34 5 6 78 9 * #

GS

Example

Real-world problems instead of pure academic exercises

http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/problemes/problemes_PA/Problemes_PA.htmhttp://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/problemes/problemes_PA/Problemes_PA.htm

Motivation

Activating a motor by a 4-digit personal pin

Students see how their designs actually work (in the simulator or using training

boards)

Example of an application project

A digital clock

http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/ED/grups_classe/07-08-q1/1BT4/07-08-Q1-1BT4.htm (EX7)

Deep learning (content connected throughout the course) Enables whole class collaboration Enable content coherence the same problems can be used again in advanced courses to enhance content learning (technology update using VHDL - FPGA or µC)

Student assessment

• You exercises will be regularly corrected and feedback to your cooperative group for improvement (everything will count for the final mark)

(So, there is no need anymore for classic final exams)

• Assessment is another learning activity integrated in the course dynamics

Exercises

+Individual controls

+ Application Project

+Portfolio

+

Participation and attitude

8 deliverables

8 individual unannounced

exams

Includes an oral

presentation

Work samples

Reflection

(They have to pass 7 of 8)

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

Developing communication skills: oral presentation of the application project

course group portfolio

Student assessment

Collecting evidences for the EPSC’s student competency portfolio

http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/ED/projectes_aplicacio/Oral_presentation_rubric.pdfhttp://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/ED/projectes_aplicacio/Oral_presentation_rubric.pdf

http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/carpeta_competencies/http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/carpeta_competencies/

ContentsRegistry of working

sessions and personal

opinions over the learning

process

Registry of the activities study time

Concept maps and other reference materials

searched in library and

Internet

Best exercises (80% minimum)

Memory and presentation of the application

project

Optional: term definition

pdf edition

Individual controls

Group portfolio

25%

30%

20%

15%

(optional)

An excellent way for reflecting and showing evidence of what they learnt

Up to 8 corrected exercises

Up to 8 individual controls

Semi-structured group portfolio

Student assessment

(for 2A courses)

http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/ED/dossier_aprenentatge/portfolio_rubric_v1_enx.pdfhttp://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/ED/dossier_aprenentatge/portfolio_rubric_v1_enx.pdf

You can read all the information in the ED course Web

http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/

Everything from the last 7 years is here: theory – examples – exams – references –

documents – chips – software - etc.

So, let’s start looking at the first exercise (EX1)http://epsc.upc.edu/projectes/ed/ED/grups_classe/08-09-q2/1BT5/EX/EX1/ED_Curs_08_09_Q2_1BT5_EX1x.pdf

Let’s try to use a simple digital calculator