2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Theory courses, such as Analog Signal Processing, play a crucial role in higher education. However, these courses often rely heavily on mathematical tools, such as the Laplace transform, which can confuse and discourage engineering students. Gamification is adopted in higher education to make learning more engaging and enjoyable.

A common problem in theory courses is that most students do not know when and how to use these mathematical tools. There are several reasons for this. Some students do not enjoy mathematical material and try to avoid it. Others separate mathematical concepts from the engineering field, believing that engineering is solely related to hands-on work. Additionally, most textbooks separate theory and applications into different chapters, making it difficult for students to grasp the course’s overall structure.

This work aims to design a course structure chart that lays out the relationships among different materials throughout the course. This chart serves as a course map when gamification is adopted in the class. Through this chart, students can visualize their journey through the course and link theories with their applications.