Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This paper presents a system which introduces to students the cutting-edge instruments and tools used to teach an advanced course in optoelectronic components for optical communications. It helps them to understand how to connect the system components in a proper way and configure their parameters in a specialised software environment. Finally, they can read various results graphically and numerically while performing the assigned task. This is an essential advancement since the previous exercises in the field of optoelectronics were mainly old-fashioned and more theory-oriented. The new practice gives students the opportunity to see and feel the subject matter that is being taught, while working on real problems and using modern instruments and software. They get the chance to experience new and sophisticated fibre-optic technologies, with technical support from the laboratory staff, which was not the case in the previous practice. The evaluation showed that the students were generally very satisfied with the modified course, primarily with the practical laboratory exercises.

Keywords

fibre-optics improving classroom teaching optical spectrum analyser optical multiplexer optoelectronics education

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Gurkan

Mickelson

and Benhaddou

, ‘Remote laboratories for optical circuits’, IEEE Trans. Educ., 51(1) (2008), 53–60.

Mzoughi

Herring

S. D.

Foley

J. T.

Morris

M. J.

and Gilbert

P. J.

, ‘WebTOP: A 3D interactive system for teaching and learning optics’, Computers Educ., 49(1) (2007), 110–129.

Chang

K. E.

Chen

Y. L.

Lin

H. Y.

, and Sung

Y. T.

, ‘Effects of learning support in simulation-based physics learning’, Computers Educ., 51(4) (2008), 1486–1498.

Chen

S. F.

, ‘The view of scientific inquiry conveyed by simulation-based virtual laboratories’, Computers Educ., 55(3) (2010), 1123–1130.

Petricevic

Stojkovic

Mihailovic

and Radunovic

, ‘Development of a fibre optic impulse current sensor for high voltage equipment tests’, Int. J. Elect. Enging Educ., 45(1) (2008), 1–16.

WUS Austria Home Page , http://www.wus-austria.org/belgrade (2011).

Jelić

Stojanović

Slankamenac

M. P.

, and Živanov

M. B.

, ‘Examination of laser source characteristics using optical spectral analyser’, presented at Fotonika 2009. Theory and Experiments in Serbia (Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Vinča, Serbia, 2009).

Novkabel Home Page , http://www.novkabel.com (2011).

Slankamenac

M. P.

Živanov

M. B.

, and Stojanović

, Optoelectronic Components and Communications (Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Power, Electronics and Communications Engineering, University of Novi Sad, 2010).

10.

Hecht

, Understanding Fiber Optics (Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 2002).

11.

Kasap

and Capper

, Electronic and Photonic Materials (Springer, New York, 2006).

12.

Mynbaev

D. K.

, and Scheiner

L. L.

, Fiber-Optic Communications Technology (Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 2001).

13.

Wilson

and Hawkes

, Optoelectronics, an Introduction (Prentice Hall, London, 1998).

14.

Stepanovna

A. S.

, ‘On innovative and traditional teaching models’, J. Educ., 55(2) (2006), 107–236.

15.

Agilent Home Page , http://www.agilent.com (2011).

16.

Cube Optics AG Products , http://www.cubeoptics.com/passive_components.php (2011).

Development of a Fibre-Optic Measurement System for Teaching an Advanced Course in Optoelectronic Components for Optical Communications

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References