The goal of this project, PAL to integrate an active learning platform into the Northeastern University undergraduate ECE curriculum. The main goals of this effort will be: 1- To provide a standard design platform for ECE students to explore ECE concepts, 2- To allow students to leverage a common platform, removing the start-up transient present in many classes that utilize hands-on learning, 3- To allow students to continue experimenting outside of the classroom or laboratory and 4- To provide consistency across the curriculum.

Integrating a common active learning platform will have a multitude of benefits:

• A common platform will reduce infrastructure overhead. By reducing the infrastructure overhead it will ease and thus increase utilizing practical experiments
• It fosters integration of theory and practice inside and outside classroom
• It facilitates student-centered vertical integration
• Enhances student: ownership, autonomy, and motivation

This project is sponsored by Analog Devices and The House Foundation. 

Courses using PAL

• EECE4534 Microprocessor-based Design (Gunar Schirner)
• EECE3324 Computer Architecture and Organization (David Kaeli)
• EECE5666 Digital Signal Processing (Vinay Ingle)
• EECE2410 Circuits/Introduction to ECE (Nick McGruer, Deniz Erdogmus)
• EECE7368 High-Level Design of Hardware Software Systems (Gunar Schirner)