Exploration of Online Experiment Teaching with Self-Developed Circuit Analysis Software

Due to the impact of the pandemic, how to conduct practical teaching, which is crucial for science and engineering courses, online has become the biggest difficulty in online teaching. Teacher Yu Xiaoming from the School of Information Engineering has conducted a new exploration.

In the online teaching of the “Circuit Analysis” experimental course in 2020, he used NI’s circuit simulation software Multisim for experimental teaching. Multisim is an excellent simulation software, but it is more suitable for experienced engineers and not very suitable for beginners. Therefore, in 2021, he independently researched and developed a set of “Virtual Simulation Software for Circuit Analysis Experiments.” This semester, he took on the teaching task of “Circuit Analysis” for the Measurement and Control Technology and Instruments major. When the pandemic struck again, requiring offline teaching activities to be converted to online teaching, Teacher Yu Xiaoming introduced the “Virtual Simulation Software for Circuit Analysis Experiments” (which can complete 4 experiments) into this online experimental teaching, achieving excellent results.

The “Virtual Simulation Software for Circuit Analysis Experiments” uses graphical representations instead of symbols, effectively helping students recognize circuit components. The software internally introduces the concept of error; each time a set value is implemented, random errors are generated, simulating real-world measurement errors. This not only helps students understand the concept of errors in real-world circuit components but also eliminates the possibility of students copying each other’s experimental data. At the same time, all circuit designs and experimental guides are consistent, and the entire experimental process and conditions are internalized within the software, allowing students to not need a physical experimental guide.

Of course, the circuit analysis virtual simulation software experimental system still has flaws. For example, the interactive function is overly limited to the given circuit parameters, and students should have more freedom in interaction (such as referencing directions); the unchangeable nature of the software circuit limits students’ divergent thinking, which is not conducive to achieving autonomous experiments; the number of experiments is too few, etc. These need to be continuously improved in future teaching practices.

(Author: Yu Xiaoming)