Transforming Embedded Systems Education: A Novel Approach to Hands-On Learning in a Virtual Environment

The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges to traditional hands-on learning in embedded systems education, particularly during the fall of 2020, as students were forced into remote learning environments. This paper presents a project aimed at mitigating these challenges by providing students with hardware and hands-on experiences through the development of a take home lab experiments kit. As a core requirement of the course, students designed and assembled the kit themselves, enhancing their engagement with real-world electronics practices. The project involved students designing a low-cost Printed Circuit Board (PCB) that would host all the electronic components required for both lab experiments and final projects. The initiative began with an introduction to the fundamentals of PCB design, production requirements, and industry standards. Upon completing their designs, the PCBs were manufactured in China and distributed to the students. Students living off-campus received the kits by mail, while others collected them locally. Each kit included the PCB and the necessary electronic components, enabling the students to solder the components and proceed with their lab work. This hands-on experience provided students with critical skills, such as PCB design and soldering, while also enabling them to complete seven remote lab experiments and three final projects. The flexibility of remote learning combined with hands-on kit usage resulted in a learning experience that surpassed the traditional classroom setting in terms of practical exposure. Due to the project's novelty, creativity, and effective innovation in transforming teaching and learning in dynamic educational environments, it was awarded the Rowan University President’s Award for Excellence in Innovative Teaching. The project not only succeeded in adapting to the constraints of remote learning but also demonstrated a forward-thinking approach to embedding practical, real-world skills in the curriculum, serving as a model for future education strategies in embedded systems and other hands-on disciplines.