Project-based learning (PBL) is applied as an attempt to increase both understanding and sense of inspiration for a field. PBL works to integrate and apply 1) structured new knowledge covered in the course, 2) knowledge learned in other courses, 3) prior life experiential based knowledge, and 4) new self-taught knowledge. PBL and similar methods have a long tradition of being used in higher level courses, including capstone design projects. Lower level content based courses are more difficult to integrate PBL. This paper presents examples and effectiveness of this approach for electrical and computer engineering lower level courses. Conventional courses in Logic Circuits would explain the theory and assign problem sets related to the basis for digital design with limited emphasis on applications with real world projects. In an attempt to utilize some PBL, a recent offering of this course gave the students two projects to undertake: a synchronous counter design and a 7-segnment display system. Both projects utilized Altera Quartus II software and DE2 development boards. Evaluations were based on student surveys (course evaluations) and student work (assigned homework, exams and labs). Recent offerings of this course taught in the traditional way by the same instructor resulted in only 62% of the students receiving a "B-" or higher grade for the course. In the first iteration of project-based learning, the number of students who received a "B-" or better increased to 86%. Moreover, 96% of students "agree" or "strongly agree" that projects helped them to better learn the course content. A module of Introduction to Engineering was also modified to increase PBL activity. In an attempt to add more PBL activities and make the electrical module more related to solving problems, the module was modified in scope to include both electrical and computer engineering. The students were guided through a 4 or 5 session module to generate pulse width modulation signals to control the motors of a robotic car. The additional Arduino microcontroller system offered an opportunity to increase student engagement by fun projects. After the module, 75% of students reported that they "agree" or "strongly agree" that projects helped them better to learn Electrical Engineering fundamentals. Future directions include assessing whether the students who have benefited from project-based learning will continue to be successful in their future courses.
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