Author(s)

QingYuan Zheng^1*, QiMing Sun²

Affiliation(s)

¹School of Physics and Electronic Information, Jiangsu Second Normal University, Nanjing 211200, Jiangsu, China.

²College of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, Jiangsu, China.

Corresponding Author

QingYuan Zheng

ABSTRACT

Around the world, non-engineering students often struggle with introductory electronics courses, perceiving analog electronics in particular as abstract, fragmented and difficult to apply in practice. This challenge is acute in service courses such as Fundamentals of Electrical and Electronic Technology for physics majors, which are expected to support later work in measurement, control and experimental design. To address these issues, this study redesigned the analog electronics unit into a concentrated teaching module and embedded a large project based on project-based learning (PBL). The module is structured along a coherent conceptual trajectory “from PN junction to NPN transistor to small-signal amplifier”, using current–voltage characteristics as a unifying representational thread to enhance conceptual coherence. A quasi-experimental design was adopted with three cohorts of undergraduate physics majors (N = 353) at a comprehensive university in China over three academic years (2020–2022). The 2020 cohort (one class, n = 51) received conventional fragmented instruction and served as the control group, whereas the 2021 and 2022 cohorts (six classes, n = 302) experienced the reformed instruction and formed the experimental group. Data were collected from final examination scores, including a dedicated subset of items on analog electronics, supplemented by project artefacts and student feedback. Descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests were used to compare the cohorts. Students in the experimental group scored on average 5.5 points higher on the overall exam and 2.9 points higher on the analog electronics subscore than those in the control group; pass rates also increased from 88.0% to about 95.0% overall and from 74.0% to about 85.5% for the analog items (p < .001; Cohen’s d ≈ 1.21 for overall scores and 0.96 for analog subscores). The findings suggest that a concentrated, conceptually coherent analog electronics module combined with a substantial PBL project can effectively enhance non-engineering students’ understanding and performance in analog electronics. The study offers implications for the redesign of service electronics courses worldwide, particularly in programmes where students possess strong physics backgrounds but limited prior experience with circuit design.

KEYWORDS

Project-based learning; Analog electronics; PN junction; Bipolar junction transistor; Non-engineering majors; Teaching reform

CITE THIS PAPER

QingYuan Zheng, QiMing Sun. Enhancing analog electronics understanding for non-engineering physics majors: a project-based learning approach from PN junction to amplifier. World Journal of Educational Studies. World Journal of Educational Studies. 2025, 3(8): 12-20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61784/wjes3105.

REFERENCES

[1] Wang P, Bailey J M, Wang X. Conceptual challenges with diodes and transistors: A large-scale investigation. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2022, 18(2): 020132. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.020132.

[2] Kuo Y C, Tseng C H. Linking energy-band diagrams to circuit behaviour: A diagnostic study of physics majors. European Journal of Physics, 2023, 44(3): 035703. DOI: 10.1088/1361-6404/acc4c5.

[3] Liang J, Ma S, Zhang H. Students’ use of formulas without conceptual grounding in introductory electronics. International Journal of Science Education, 2021, 43(14): 2296-2314. DOI: 10.1080/09500693.2021.1959941.

[4] Chen Y, Lin C, Wu Y. Meta-analysis of project-based learning in engineering education: 2018-2023. Journal of Engineering Education, 2024, 113(1): 1-22. DOI: 10.1002/jee.20501.

[5] Rodríguez-García A, Aznar M, Poveda P. Scaffolding strategies in analog-electronics PBL: A systematic review. European Journal of Engineering Education, 2023, 48(5): 657-675. DOI: 10.1080/03043797.2023.2187654.

[6] Zhang Q, Wang L, Yang Q. Effects of project-based learning on STEM students’ motivation: An updated meta-analysis 2019-2023. International Journal of STEM Education, 2023, 10: 22. DOI: 10.1186/s40594-023-00412-0.

[7] Anderson K, Bjorklund A. Service electronics for scientists: Design principles and outcomes. IEEE Transactions on Education, 2022, 65(4): 301-308. DOI: 10.1109/TE.2022.3167345.

[8] Sánchez-Martín J, Alcober E, Estepa A. A threshold concept map for analog electronics: From PN junction to amplifier. Education and Information Technologies, 2024, 29: 2341-2360. DOI:10.1007/s10639-023-11998-z.

[9] Alves G, Leite L, Morgado J. Inductive teaching in large electronics classes: A quasi-experimental study. European Journal of Engineering Education, 2021, 46(6): 931-948. DOI:10.1080/03043797.2021.1889493.

[10] Al-Zoubi A, Al-Rawahneh M. Short-burst vs distributed PBL in analog electronics: A randomized crossover trial. International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education, 2024, in press. DOI: 10.1177/0020720924123456.

[11] Alharbi H, Hattab H, Alshaya A. Adaptation of PBL for non-EE majors: Physics students designing audio amplifiers. IEEE Access, 2023, 11: 87654-87667. DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3309876.

[12] Alves A, Ferreira M. Operating-region misconceptions in BJT amplifiers: A post-pandemic snapshot. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2022, 18(1): 010126. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.010126.

[13] Al-Qahtani F, Al-Thibiti M. I-V curves as a reasoning tool for transistor biasing: An intervention study. Physics Education, 2021, 56(4): 045013. DOI: 10.1088/1361-6552/abf5d2.

[14] Delgado A, Cruz L. From band diagrams to circuit symbols: A visual bridge for physics majors. European Journal of Physics, 2024, 45(2): 025702. DOI: 10.1088/1361-6404/ad1c4f.

[15] Alshaya A, Alharbi H. Long-term retention after concentrated PBL in analog electronics: A two-year follow-up. Journal of Engineering Education, 2024, 113(3): 456-473. DOI: 10.1002/jee.20534.