Electrical
Engineering
Activities for
Use in the
Classroom
B Y H A R R Y T. R O M A N
PANTONE SOLID COATED:
RED 185C - BLUE 286C
Copyright © 2020 by IEEE-USA and by Harry T. Roman. All rights reserved.
Published and Hosted by IEEE-USA.
Copying this material in any form is not permitted without prior written approval from IEEE/
IEEE-USA.
Editing, Review, Production and Publishing by Georgia C. Stelluto,
IEEE-USA Publishing Manager; Manager/Editor, IEEE-USA E-BOOKS
Cover design and layout by Hello. Hillary R. Coggeshall, LLC
This IEEE-USA publication is made possible through funding by a special dues assessment
of IEEE members residing in the United States.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Skills Needed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
How Do Things Work? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Things To Think Deeply About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Famous Electrical Engineers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
IEEE as a Source of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Special Supplement: How Engineers Operate in Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Try These Engineering Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 1
INTRODUCTION
T
his book is about presenting electrical engineering information and
activities in the classroom for students to use and ponder. Teachers
and higher educators can use this book as part of the regular academic
day; in conjunction with STEM/STEAM, or technology education classes;
or even for after school clubs, or special academic projects. They can also
supplement classroom discussions about electricity.
The impact of electrical engineering accomplishments spans a wide array of
our economy—from common electronic devices and electric power systems to
renewable energy sources, to electromagnetic fields, to artificial intelligence.
Let’s not forget robotic devices, space travel and electric vehicles—just a few
electrical engineering application areas. This small volume attempts to create
some broad-based familiarity with this form of engineering.
Because of the intimate use of computer engineering/science within electrical
engineering, many engineering colleges have renamed their electrical engi-
neering departments as “electrical and computer engineering,” or something
similar. Combining the two is a natural aspect of engineering, where the fields
are becoming more hybrid. As an example, at the turn of the past century,
circa 1905 or so, five engineering fields—electrical, mechanical, chemical,
civil and industrial had been clearly defined. Today, however, more than 100
titled fields—including aeronautical, ceramic, aerospace, solar, oceanic and
automotive make up engineering. Engineering encompasses a large world;
and electrical engineering is a heavy slice of that world, often touching
humanity in some way, every day.
With the wide sampling of activities presented here, teachers can develop
lesson plans, or special projects, for students to research and share with
classmates. These activities are meant to provide barebones suggestions
teachers can use to explore the areas identified. So, let some teachers know
about this little volume. And perhaps, you can stop by the classroom and
help them out. Be an expert visitor—talk with the students—and answer
their questions. They are eager to explore!
~Harry T. Roman
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 2
EDUCATION
B
ecoming an engineer is a tough, integrated curriculum, with many
technical and humanities courses. Use this section to introduce your
students to the profession; and show them what they can expect, if
they decide to pursue an engineering career. Below are some broad initial
activities to pursue:
• Develop a definition of electrical engineering. Research the Internet and
other relevant documentation and information. Visit a variety of engineering
schools, professional organizations and websites.
• While researching the definition of electrical engineering, take time to
examine some classical definitions of engineering. Explore how it has
changed over the past two centuries.
• Identify 10 national colleges that offer electrical engineering degrees. Is
there a commonality among these schools and their degree programs?
• When did electrical engineering exist as a formal field of study? How
many different types of electrical engineering areas now exist?
• Check out several nearby engineering schools, and see what courses
they offer in the electrical engineering curriculum. Determine what types
of courses educators at these institutions teach electrical engineering
students. How do these courses vary by type of electrical engineering
specialties offered?
• Invite several electrical engineering students to your class to discuss what
(and how) university-level educators teach them. Have them discuss the
importance of the classes students take in high school.
• Why do engineers study the humanities, economics and environmental
issues? How does this impact what they design and implement?
• How do electrical engineers solve problems? What is the general process
they use to start with a design or problem, and then proceed to a solution?
Is this process different, or similar, to what all engineers do?
• Why do engineering students study and apply computer technology?
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 3
• Why is math so important to engineers?
• Construct a timeline of great electrical engineering accomplishments over
the past 150 years.
• Engineers keep notebooks of their designs, projects and inventions—why?
• What are patents? Why are they so important?
• What are codes and standards? Why are they important to engineers?
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 4
SKILLS NEEDED
T
his section discusses the variety of skills an engineer must possess
to be successful. In many ways, engineering is a composite profession—
one that brings a large variety of skills together to solve problems and
create new products. Encourage students to study this section deeply, perhaps
even comparing other professions to engineering/electrical engineering:
• Research the skills electrical engineers need to master for success.
• How are engineering content skills different from process skills?
• Invite an experienced electrical engineer to your class to discuss the
importance of:
– major projects worked on
– continuing education
– interesting situations faced
– why they chose this profession
– people and readings that influenced them
• Why are management and leadership skills so important in engineering?
• Can students give some examples of management and leadership activities,
and how they might use such skills on the job?
• Why are communication skills so important to an electrical engineer, or to
other engineers?
• Discuss why engineers of all types take continuing education so seriously.
• Why do engineers work in teams? What are the benefits?
• Why do engineers publish their work and experiences?
• Why must engineers understand how the business world works?
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 5
• Why is it important for engineers to be able to see both the entire
problem, and also its various sub-problems at the same time? Have your
students give examples.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 6
HOW DO THINGS WORK?
H
ere are some common devices and infrastructures we use every day,
that benefit from electrical engineering applications. Challenge your
students to understand how engineers have designed and constructed
these useful electrical devices that benefit society.
• How do batteries work? What are the pros and cons of this technology?
• How does the electric utility system work? How is it structured?
• How does the internet work? How does email get moved around?
• How do cell phones work? Compare them to the traditional, hard-wired,
wall-mounted, telephones of the past.
• How do radios work? What is their system architecture for receiving and
processing signals?
• How do solar-electric producing panels [photovoltaic] panels work?
• How do wind energy systems produce constant electrical output, as the
wind varies from moment to moment?
• How do storage batteries work? What are the issues surrounding their
massive projected future application?
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 7
THINGS TO THINK DEEPLY ABOUT
T
he items below can provide an interesting perspective on electrical
engineering technology. Don’t be afraid to include other items
for investigation.
• Survey the classroom and discuss where electrical engineering is
imbedded in various equipment and facilities within the room.
• What are the pros and cons of the rapid introduction of solar energy
technology, like photovoltaic panels and wind turbines?
• What are the impacts (pro and con) of the incredible growth of electronic
devices and systems?
• Electronic systems went from vacuum tubes to transistors to integrated
circuits—why? What were the reasons for these transitions? What were
the benefits?
• Where did vacuum tubes originally come from? How did this innovation
transpire?
• How will artificial intelligence (AI) be incorporated into electrically
engineered devices/systems?
• Suppose we could build satellite solar stations to beam energy to earth—
what are the pros and cons of building them?
• Nuclear power plants now supply much of the country’s clean carbon-
free electricity. Given this remarkable record, should we be building more
nuclear plants, and extending the life of existing ones?
• What would society be like, if our automobiles could generate clean
electricity, wherever they are parked, day or night? What would be the
economic and environmental benefits of such an automobile?
• Engineers first created transistors in 1946. Today, these devices are
used in large quantities—in all sorts of electronic products. Research and
investigate the impacts of this remarkable invention. Project where this
technology will evolve in the future.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 8
FAMOUS ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS
S
tudying the biographies of famous people often discloses important
information about their achievements, as well as their impacts on the
world; and their impacts on the professions in which they worked.
Encourage students to read about those noted here, and other biographies
about electrical engineers.
• Compare and contrast Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla and their inventions,
philosophy and approach to problem solving. These two electrical engineers
loomed large in the development of the engineering profession.
• Who were these famous electrical engineering people?
– Reginald Fessenden
– Elon Musk
– Michael Faraday
– Charles Steinmetz
– John Bardeen
– Jack Kilby
– Charles Kettering
– Frank Sprague
– Ray Dolby
– Elihu Thomson
– Edwin Armstrong
– An Wang
– Amar Bose
– Jeff Bezos
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 9
• Identify famous electrical engineers in the following industries:
– Robotics
– Electric Railroads
– Semiconductors and Integrated Circuits
– Space Travel, Rocketry and Science
– Automotive Systems
– Solar and Wind Energy
– Electrical Power Systems
– Communications
• Investigate the famous electrical engineers from your state or hometown.
What did they achieve? What special difficulties did they overcome?
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 10
IEEE AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION
I
EEE is a powerful example of the electrical engineering profession; and
you should introduce its scope and diverse activities into your classroom.
Its many societies illustrate the various aspects and specialties of electrical
engineering and technology. Here are some suggested activities.
• Identify the size, scope and activities that IEEE and its members
are involved in; its goals; and how its members are organized into
geographical regions. Spend time researching IEEE websites and
electronic newsletters.
• Invite an IEEE member to your class to discuss electrical engineering, and
how IEEE benefits its members, and the engineering profession.
• IEEE members publish their work in a vast array of publications,
at conferences and seminars. Have students find examples of such
publications. Discuss how these publications help the profession.
Emphasize the importance of good communication in engineering.
• Research the many continuing education courses that IEEE offers
to members and nonmembers. Discuss how engineering continuing
education is similar to teachers taking the continuing education
courses their professional organizations offer them.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 11
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: HOW ENGINEERS
OPERATE IN SOCIETY
E
ngineers solve problems, typically taking into account the implications
and constraints involving:
• Technology
• Economy
• Environment
• Society
• Legalities
• Safety
Engineering problem solving is exactly what STEM education is all about—
integrated thinking and decisionmaking [Think of the simplified STEM
engineering design process taught in schools.].
Here is the detailed process engineers use to tackle new design and problem
challenges in the business/industrial world:
• Understand the Problem and the Market
• Assemble a Multidisciplinary Team
• Identify and Understand Design Constraints and Tradeoffs
• Develop Specifications for a Plan of Action and Success
• Creatively Develop the Problem Solution or Design
• Build and Test the Prototype or Pilot System
• Critically Evaluate the Prototype/Pilot and Validate against Constraints
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 12
• Revise Prototype/Pilot into a Commercial Product
• Launch the Commercial Product
• Continuously Improve the Product
Engineers must communicate well, so they can:
• Sell new ideas to a waiting market
• Clearly explain what they are proposing
• Convince technology users of benefits
• Develop clear, concise plans
• Obtain funding for technology development
• Manage and lead team members
• Report on progress
Attend a public meeting of a major project in your town. Listen to engineers
discuss their plans for developing an open area of land, moving a major
roadway, or renovating a large building. Observe the many detailed photos,
maps and diagrams that illustrate their ideas and plans. Listen to the many
questions experts and citizens ask.
Engineers frequently explain and propose things, and that requires excellent
communication skills. Let me emphasize this important skill another way.
In my 50 years of engineering, I have never seen an engineer fired for
incompetence, but I have seen careers stunted because an engineer could
not speak or write well.
Engineers rely upon math to:
• Better understand the world’s needs [market]
• Quantify impacts/benefits of their technology
• Compare their work to alternative designs
• Determine the economics of their creations
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 13
• Identify areas for improvement
• Explain their work to others
• Put their work into perspective
Make sure this message gets to your students: Get over the "math-o-phobia,"
if you think you have it. Math is both important and enlightening for the
perspectives it opens. Master the math, and you will never be unemployed—
not just in engineering—but in any professional field.
Let’s consider a realistic example of multidimensional problem solving that a
seasoned engineer/project manager would lead. Our case for consideration
shall be a solar photovoltaic (sunlight to electricity) system to be installed on
the roof of a local school. The project manager's responsibilities would be for
the solar photovoltaic system planning, design, installation and start-up.
In our example, we shall note some typical [although not all the possible]
questions people could ask about the project—with the questions arranged in
relevant topical categories. This exercise is meant to be illustrative in format,
not totally comprehensive—so you will appreciate how asking questions,
and how engineers address the project management of such concerns—go
hand-in-hand. The important aspect of this discussion is for you to see the
integrative aspect of problem solving, i.e., looking at the total picture.
Company leaders would usually place a project engineer in charge of this
project. His or her team of multidisciplinary talents would be involved in
major aspects of the project, probably managing the topical categories
shown below, and reporting progress. Such teams might include members,
maybe more than one, having disciplines like:
• Engineer
• Economist
• Lawyer
• Mathematician
• Environmental Expert
• Marketing and PR
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 14
• Consultants/Subject Matter Experts
• Sociologist
• Safety Expert
In the case of a publicly sponsored project like this, it is entirely possible that
community members would be a part of, or liaisons to the team. For example,
they could participate as town council members, teachers/educators, and
in parent-teacher organizations, etc. The project team could be significantly
expanded; and these community members can ask some interesting questions
for the project manager to deal with that adds to solution complexity, and more
constraints to manage.
In my many years of experience, companies and their project manager
engineers, have handled real-world projects this way. Now the challenge
to you and your students is to take the categories we discussed at the
beginning of this chapter, specifically:
• Technology
• Economy
• Environment
• Society
• Legalities
• Safety
Under each category, list the concerns, constraints and issues that you
must address, as they relate to the solar photovoltaic system. When
you complete this exercise, you will have a good perspective about how
engineers solve problems; and how they determine how to design the
solution in an integrated fashion.
Let’s do a quick example, using just the environment category above.
I emphasize this example is a just a draft, or first cut, at identifying
environmental concerns—you will need to expend much more effort to
account for the majority of other concerns. Here, then, are some initial
thoughts for consideration:
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 15
• What are the relevant, environmentally related, municipal codes and
standards that will apply to this installation?
• Are there any special attributes of the system marked for installation that
will require a special review of existing codes and standards?
• How will these panels appear visually on the roof of the structure? Is it
pleasing? Or aesthetically in need of some form of treatment?
• If a fire develops on the roof of the school, or in the panels, what kinds of
concerns might there be? Will the panels outgas toxic substances to the
neighborhoods, or go directly to the fire fighting crews?
• Will the appearance of the panels change the property value of nearby
structures, homes, etc.?
• Will the appearance of the panels in bright sunlight cause nuisance glare
in the neighborhood, or glare to overhead pilots?
• Will the solar photovoltaic system, its operation and its data analysis
be part of the science, technology education, or STEM/STEAM; and
renewable/environmentally conscious curriculum now taught in the
school? Or will there be a special need to develop such an environmen-
tally oriented curriculum?
• Who will develop such a curriculum? What might the costs be?
• How will public input about the environmental impact of this solar photo-
voltaic system be incorporated into its design and installation?
• The solar panels will eventually require cleaning. How will the
cleaning fluids used be certified as environmentally safe for the
school, and its occupants?
• As panels age, wear out, or are damaged and require replacement, how
will these panels be disposed of, or recycled?
Get the thrust of this discussion? Ask these questions for all of the
categories. Analysis takes time and patience. It forms the backbone of
team-based project management.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 16
TRY THESE ENGINEERING CHALLENGES
E
ncourage your students to take on the challenges below to practice
engineering-style thinking, as discussed in the previous chapter. It
would be great if students could team up, and approach these prob-
lems in a multidimensional/multidisciplinary fashion. Perhaps you have
some other cool challenges for your students to try.
• Design a smart vest to monitor the health of the wearer. What will be
monitored—communications, users, etc?
• Integrate the philosophy of solar photovoltaic electric panels into fashion
products. How might the technology interact with the user?
• Integrate nano materials into clothes. What would the nano materials do,
measure, monitor, etc?
• Design a robot as a companion and assistant to senior citizens. What would
be the machine's functions—special sensors, communications, etc?
• Design a new kind of lighting fixture that mounts to the wall or ceiling,
and exhibits a high energy conservation/luminosity index.
• Design a children’s book that explains how electricity is generated and
used; one that contains lots of diagrams and pictures.
• Design a children’s book that discusses what engineers/electrical
engineers do, and how they contribute to society.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 17
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
H
arry T. Roman holds 12 U.S. Patents, has received numerous
engineering, invention and teaching awards, and has published
more than 550 scientific papers, articles, monographs and books.
In 1999, the New Jersey Technology Education and Engineering Association
named Roman a Distinguished Technology Educator. In 2005, the New Jersey
Inventors Hall of Fame honored him with an Inventor of the Year award, for
his application of mobile robots in hazardous work environments. In 1996,
IEEE honored Roman with a Meritorious Achievement Award, for developing
continuing education products for IEEE members. Again in 2006, IEEE honored
him with an Outstanding Engineer award. Roman also received IEEE’s 2015
Region 1 Excellence in Teaching award. Every month, more than 250,000
educators read his feature articles appearing in various national publications.
In PSE&G’s R&D group, where Roman worked for 36 years, he directed
and consulted on more than $100 million worth of projects/programs, and
taught graduate-level R&D project management courses at the New Jersey
Institute of Technology [NJIT]. Throughout his engineering career, Roman
worked with schools around the state, bringing the excitement of real-world
problem-solving into the classroom. Retired since 2006, he has published
more than 70 resource books, math card games and science kits for teachers—
products valued for their “head and hands” approach to teaching creativity,
invention, STEM, engineering, and alternate energy topics, in the classroom.
Roman now spends many hours in the classroom, working with teachers
and students in West Orange, Montclair and Livingston, conducting special
student project team challenges. For the past three years, he has been
teaching graduate school at Montclair State University, in their teaching
college, where he co-teaches a unique course about applying STEM
techniques in the classroom. Roman is an advisor/author to the Edison
Innovation Foundation, and docent/special lecturer at the Thomas Edison
National Historical Park, in West Orange. He also admits to writing and
publishing poetry and short stories.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM 18
2001 L Street, NW, Suite 700 • Washington, D.C. 20036-4928
+1 202 785 0017 • www.ieeeusa.org
www.ieeeusa.org/communications/ebooks
