Blending of learning tools for enhanced practical wireless communications education

This paper addresses the blending of methodologies, applications, and the use of the Internet for delivery of knowledge and instruction in an undergraduate wireless communications engineering course. This solution combines several different delivery methods, such as face-to-face, team collaboration, field measurements, combined with high-end professional simulation software. Two examples of handover in a dual-mode cellular network and radio frequency (RF) signal propagation modeling are considered. Demonstrations and verification of theoretical models are presented based-on blending of learning means. Lessons are learned to enhance hands-on experiments in traditional laboratories to strengthen indepth analysis and learning skills of students, in addition to promoting proper team collaboration on projects.