2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The semiconductor and digital electronics field is undergoing rapid changes with continuous progress in integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), expanding the Internet of Things (IoT), enhancing cybersecurity, and prioritizing sustainability. These developments have profound implications for various industries and the capabilities of electronic devices. Hardware engineers play a crucial role in driving these advancements, as they are responsible for designing the physical components and systems at the core of these technologies. However, there is a notable shortage of hardware engineers entering the job market due to a tendency among many first-year computer science and electrical engineering students to gravitate towards software-related career paths, often because of limited exposure to hardware-related topics. To address this issue, our project, funded by the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program, aims to cultivate an early interest in hardware engineering to motivate students to view it as a promising career option.

We are developing a hands-on and gamified curriculum to simplify fundamental hardware concepts such as binary numbers, logic gates, and combinational and sequential circuits. These concepts serve as a stepping stone for delving into the complexities of AI hardware and edge computing. We utilize hardware platforms such as low-cost Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and microcontroller and sensor-based IoT boards to facilitate this learning journey by introducing an additional abstraction layer. This approach is particularly beneficial for students with limited prior knowledge or experience with hardware, as it enables them to engage with these concepts, grasp their fundamental principles, and apply them to real-world situations. Our curriculum is rooted in inclusive practices, incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) principles. We also include Experiential Learning and Inquiry-Based Learning pedagogies. Our primary goal is to provide a curriculum that resonates with all students, fostering self-efficacy, building expectations for positive outcomes, triggering and supporting interest, and guiding career choices in hardware engineering.

During the summer of 2023, we held a six-week seminar involving ten high school students entering their senior year. This seminar consisted of in-person sessions, with two meetings held each week. To gauge the participants' interest and perceptions regarding the curriculum, we administered both pre- and post-surveys and a focus group to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences and perspectives. The insights gathered during this implementation phase were integrated into our project's design-based research (DBR) process, improving the curriculum. The enhanced curriculum now encompasses additional topics like Artificial Intelligence IoT (AIoT) and Edge AI. In the fall of 2023, this curriculum was part of an undergraduate course offered as an elective to twenty-two first-year engineering students. We will present the results of the curriculum's development and refinement throughout these iterations in the upcoming paper and poster presentation.