Experiential Teaching Paradigms in the Learning of Antenna Theory for Undergraduate Students
摘要
The study of the general theory of antennas in wireless communication network programs for undergraduate students in fields such as Computer Science or Computer Engineering often results in highly theoretical content, leading to little interest from participants, as well as content that is difficult to understand. David Kolb proposed a theory of experiential learning known as the Kolb Cycle or Experiential Learning Cycle, in which students learn a certain set of knowledge better through their active participation in the teaching/learning process via concrete experience, reflective observation of the new experience, conceptualization -abstraction, and active experimentation. In this sense, the present work shows how Kolb's experiential learning approach has been used to address topics related to the general theory of antennas and radio frequency signals, through the construction and testing of homemade Wi-Fi antennas developed by university students, leading to inductive learning, where participants reach their conclusions about the experience and conceptual content addressed. This approach has been applied in three different university training contexts: undergraduate and graduate programs at the Central University of Venezuela, over eleven semesters, and at the Andrés Bello Catholic University. In all case studies, students achieved the academic objectives and hard competencies set for such areas of knowledge.