Many researches have shown the key to promote STEM education stands on motivating and engaging students to study and improving their learning performance. Experiential learning is proved to be an effective pedagogy in promoting student engagement learning experience, especially in student-centered interest-based activities. In this paper we present our exploration in applying the experiential learning in engineering education through the design and development of an exoskeleton suit which can be used as multifunctional platform for various interdisciplinary projects. The platform enables students in practicing diversified engineering design and explore innovative technologies, such as CAD design and 3D printing, microprocessor and microcomputer system design, image processing, sensor and signal processing, wireless communication, etc. Through the development of the suit, participated engineering students are strongly motivated and significantly promoted in engineering learning, practicing, exploring and innovating. The design of the exoskeleton is patented and key student developers received awards in different competitions.
Dr. Lei Zhang received his Ph.D. Degree in Electrical Engineering in 2011 from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Since 2012 he is working in the Department of Engineering and Aviation Sciences, University of Maryland Eastern Shore. His main research in
Electrical Engineering PHD Student
Founder and CEO of Badjo-T Industries
I. K. Dabipi has been in academia for approximately 26 years during which he worked for Bellcore, AT&T Bell Labs and Southern University. He was the Chair of the Electrical Engineering Department at Southern University from 1997 to 2001. He was Professor
Dr. Xianfang Tan is an assistant professor of Engineering Technology in the STEM division at Delaware County Community College. Her research interests include computer architecture, network-on-chip (ONoC), photonic/optical NoC etc.
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