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Vol: 56(70) No: 3 / September 2011

Integration of Virtual and Hands-on-Laboratory Experience in Learning of Filtering Concepts
Radojka Krneta
Department of Computer Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Technical Faculty, Svetog Save 65, 32000 Čačak, Serbia, phone: (+381) 32 302-762, e-mail: rkrneta@gmail.com, web: www.tfc.kg.ac.rs/r_krneta
Đorđe Damnjanović
Department of Computer Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Technical Faculty , Svetog Save 65, 32000 Čačak, Serbia, phone: (+381) 32 302-721, e-mail: fic177@hotmail.com, web: www.tfc.kg.ac.rs/d_damnjanovic
Danijela Milošević
Department of Computer Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Technical Faculty , Svetog Save 65, 32000 Čačak, Serbia, phone: (+381) 32 302-714, e-mail: danjela@tfc.kg.ac.rs, web: www.tfc.kg.ac.rs/d_milosevic


Keywords: band pass filter, filter characteristics, virtual experiments, hardware development platform, visualization of DSP theory, learning styles, blended course.

Abstract
Better understanding of the acquired theoretical knowledge in the field of digital signal processing, for their successful use in future engineering practice, is achieved by introducing interactive virtual and hands-on laboratory experiments. In this paper we present realization of LabVIEW virtual interactive DSP experiments and hardware DSP laboratory experiments on the NI-ELVIS II + development platform as a part of our ongoing efforts in DSP laboratory development. These experiments can be used in the DSP lab for "visualization" of filtering concepts. For the purpose of “visualization”, LabVIEW filter palette has been used for the virtual experiment of band pass digital filter design and active band pass filter has been realized on hardware developing platform NI-ELVIS II+, for the purpose of hands-on DSP experiments. Theoretical characteristics of active band pass filter validated by measurements on realized hardware model. Pedagogical issues concerning meeting different learning styles through integration of virtual and hands-on laboratory experiments in DSP laboratory are elaborated. The traditional approach of teaching engineering concepts that comes as the combination of classroom teaching and homework exercises, lacks the student's intuition for applying same concepts to different new problems. The integration of virtual and hands-on laboratory experience in addition on theoretical filtering concepts creates the perfect match for improving student practical skills. On the basis of mixture of virtual and hands-on exercises and web-based teaching materials, blended delivery mode of DSP course is enabled.

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