2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Summer research experiences have potential for valued influence on undergraduate students’ learning and thinking about their future careers. In particular, studies involving student research experiences in wireless communications are lacking. For this study, a survey was conducted of undergraduates, from the US and two other countries, involved in summer novel hands-on experimentations in wireless communications at a southeastern Hispanic serving institution. Participation was voluntary. Data was collected online, from nine respondents out of 18 solicited, to understand undergraduates’ perceptions of program characteristics and the impact of their experiences on their learning and future career plans. The survey instrument included demographic information items, open-response items, and Likert-scale type items each followed by an open-response to explain the rating. The students used Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Universal Software Radio Peripherals (USRPs), and GNU Radio software development toolkits to learn about and investigate concepts in wireless communications. Students’ perceptions of the extent of their learning involving active learning, self-pacing, instant feedback, gamification, learning by teaching, and collaborative learning were gathered. The students rated the extent of active learning and instant feedback the highest (4.37 and 4.25 out of 5, respectively). They viewed learning to use the various technologies (e.g., UAVs, GNU Radio, etc.) through their own hands-on experimentation and research as active learning. For instant feedback, they reported different forms of feedback including, having a graduate research assistant in the lab, timely replies to e-mails by faculty or other research mentors, and other undergraduate researchers working on the same project. The extent of gamification, where individuals have a game-like learning experience, was rated lowest (3 out of 5). Only a few students rated this item high; students who had piloted UAVs. The students tended to give a high rating to contact with and learning from faculty, graduate students, and other mentors, based on the regularity of meetings and the immediacy of feedback. However, the amount of guidance received and the level of comfort in approaching faculty was rated less highly. Students felt more guidance could have been provided in assembling the UAVs because this took time away from their wireless communications investigations. Although most were enthusiastic about continuing their undergraduate engineering degrees; they were more neutral on pursuing a graduate degree in wireless communications. Students’ perceptions about their experiences revealed strengths, as well as issues to be resolved. Results from this study could be useful in modifying research programs in wireless communications for undergraduates.

First preference, Regular Session and second, Poster Session