LABORATORIES, DESIGN & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES II - 2021/2

Module Overview

Expected prior/parallel learning: None

Module purpose:  Working individually or in groups on technical engineering projects requires a wide range of professional skills. This module will continue to develop design and team-working skills required by the professional engineer. Linking the laboratory work closely with professional development stresses the importance of developing an integrated portfolio of project skills. Both units of assessment must be passed individually. No compensation is allowed for this module.

 

Module provider

Computer Science and Electronic Eng

Module Leader

BUISMAN Koen (Elec Elec En)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes the following.

Professional skills

With a series of Lectures and Course Workshops the following topics will be covered:

1. Report Writing Skills


2. Circuit design and characterisation


3. Group based product design

 

In weeks 1-2, basic knowledge on filters and PCB design will be presented and strengthened through two 3-hours-long laboratories sessions at the end of which the students will submit a technical report to further refine the reporting skills acquired in LDPS I. In weeks 3-5, peer-review processes and team work will be introduced and students will have the opportunity to practice through inter-groups and intra-groups exercises. Basic concepts of product design, specifications and requirements will be introduced and the students will run their own product design sessions on laboratory experiments and project supported by group discussions, creative brainstorming and feedback. In week 6, students will be initiated to the design of a marking scheme. They will be invited to produce different marking schemes but will select only one to be used to assess and mark the final laboratory project.

 

Experimental Work

The laboratory programme is accompanied by a series of lectures and workshops relating to relevant background material and to general issues such as safety. These sessions help assist with private study.

Students spend six hours per week in the first-year electronics laboratory. The laboratory work is made up of 6 exercises and experiments and an 18 hour project undertaken in the last 3 weeks of the semester. All laboratory based work will be assessed on the day. These are supported by laboratory lectures and web-based guided learning which introduces students to the key concepts and ideas. Around 2 hours of private study in the form of laboratory preparation work is required before each experiment. Preparation for the last 3 exercises and the project will also be carried out in group-based design workshops.

 

The laboratory work is made up of exercises and experiments. These are designed to help students understand the relationship between theory, simulation and actual circuits, appreciate the difference between design expectation and actual performance, and acquire confidence in testing circuits. Attendance at laboratories is a mandatory part of each student’s engineering degree course. As in LDPS I, the exercises and experiments support the wider Level 1 formal taught material; but they are also intended to provide familiarity with the use of the electronic instruments needed to test circuits and measure their electronic characteristics, to introduce students to the practicalities of circuits and circuit components, and to introduce practical techniques useful in the context of electronic design. 

           

To support learning each student will be required to prepare for the exercise/experiment beforehand, and will be encouraged to analyze data as it is acquired during the experiment, to compare results with the relevant theory, and to keep an effective, reproducible record of the work undertaken. Laboratory supervisors and demonstrators will be present to maximize the learning process; students should appreciate that finishing an experiment is not as important as demonstrating clear understanding of key concepts. The final marks for the laboratory assessment will be an aggregate of marks from the individual exercises. Marks will be moderated between graduate assessors to ensure fairness. 

 

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Not applicable: students failing a unit of assessment resit the assessment in its original format.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy for this module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate the following:

-       a basic knowledge of electronic equipment, including tools needed for assembly of circuits, and electronic instruments needed to test and make measurements;

-       a basic knowledge of filters and PCB design;

-       a good capability of preparing technical reports;

-       a basic capability of managing processes behind product design, time management and oral presentation to a general audience.

 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of the following.

·         Weekly laboratory experiments and exercises;

·         Technical report on PCB design (set in week 1, deadline in week 3).

·         Weekly peer-assessment on product design (from week 3 to week 6)

 

These deadlines are indicative. For confirmation of exact date and time, please check the Departmental assessment calendar issued to you.

 

Formative assessment and feedback

For the module, students will receive formative assessment/feedback in the following ways.

·         During lectures, by question and answer sessions and discussions

·         During tutorial classes

·         During meetings with the module coordinator and other contributors

·         Via the marking of coursework

·         During supervised laboratory sessions

·         During supervised computer laboratory sessions

Module aims

• give students an understanding of some of the principles of electronic engineering, including the design of circuits and systems/products;
• Provide the opportunity required for professional accreditation for all Level HE1 students to gain the practical experience that will lead to competency in laboratory practice;
• Reinforce lecture material so that students experience for themselves the relationship between theory and practice.
• Develop an appreciation of the ideas behind product design and development.
• Introduce peer-review processes.
• Introduce concepts and tools of project management, team work and leadership.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to achieve the following aims.

• 
  communicate knowledge and information on basic electronic equipment, including tools needed for assembly of circuits, and electronic instruments needed to test and make measurements through supervised laboratory work;
  


• 
  engage students in the analysis and testing of basic electronic circuits through supervised laboratory work;
  


• 
  introduce students to PCB design through laboratory work and written report;
  


• 
  transfer professional skills on presentations, technical reports, team work, time management and product design through lectures and tutorials;
  

 

Learning and teaching methods include the following:

• 
  1 hour lectures x 4 week
  


• 
  2 hour tutorials x 3 week
  


• 
  3 hour tutorial x 1 week
  


• 
  6 hour supervised laboratory sessions x 10 week
  


• 
  3 hour supervised computing sessions x 2 week
  

 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: EEE1028

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.