Since the mid 1990s, Rensselaer s Electrical Computer and Systems Engineering Department has completely revised most of its core undergraduate courses into the studio format and has developed a large body of interactive multimedia materials that help make studio delivery of courses effective. This new pedagogy has been fully integrated into the core of both the EE and CSE curricula. New studio classrooms have been constructed in which 10 core courses are offered with all studio activities including lectures, paper and pencil problem solving, simulations and experiments. These courses run the gamut from Electric Circuits to Fields and Waves to Computer Components and Operations.
Some electives are now also studio courses.
The scope of this development process has engaged over two-thirds of ECSE faculty and all departmental support staff. Faculty who have previously been only adequate in the classroom have developed into exceptional teachers. Student evaluations of instructors and courses have risen significantly. Innovative Program Award, which is awarded to a department or individuals that have developed and demonstrated an innovative program in electrical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, or electrical engineering and computer systems education. This work involved the efforts of essentially all of the staff and faculty of the ECSE department.