Effects of inquiry, computer simulation, and cooperation with intergroup competition on electrical engineering students

Background: Undergraduate electrical-engineering courses are traditionally taught using the lecturing approach. As for all the teacher-centered approaches, the students perceive learning as an individualistic task and consider lecture-notes their principal information source. They tend to employ the minimum possible efforts to get acceptable marks and compete against other students for best scores. Learning theories considers learner-centered approaches, such as, inquiry, computer simulation, self-directed learning, cooperation and competition, valuable alternatives to the traditional lecturing approach. Purpose: This study aims to develop, apply, and assess a new teaching approach to teach electric filters. The new-approach aims to improve the electrical engineering students learning outcomes and achievement, learning autonomy, and students perception of the role of engagement and cooperation in learning. Sample: Sixty-four students voluntarily participated in the study. Thirty-two students voluntarily decided to participate in the new learning approach study-group, whereas the others played the role of the control-group and followed the traditional-teaching method. Design and methods: The design of the new-approach combines inquiry, computer simulation, and cooperation with intergroup competition. The new-approach is developed in two phases. In the first phase, the preparation phase, the students learned electric filters using simple inquiry, cooperation, and learned and applied computer simulation in filter analysis. The second phase was a face-to-face debate on filters. Data was collected using pre-tests, post-tests, questionnaires, direct observation, and student portfolios. Independent and paired T-tests were used to verify the study hypothesis. Results: The findings showed that, the student could learn autonomously. The new method improved the students learning outcomes and achievements. It also improved the electrical engineering students' perception of the role of engagement and cooperation in learning. Conclusions: The study showed that, following the new-approach improved the tackled electrical engineering students' characteristics and defeated some of the negative effects of the traditional lecturing. This leads to think that a long-term implementation of the proposed approach can provide the students with the essential attitudes and skills that serve their future as electrical engineering professionals.