Using Software-Based Animations of Signal Processing Mathematics to Enhance Learning

In teaching digital signal processing (DSP) and related discrete-time signals and systems topics, there are instances where improved understanding of the underlying mathematics can be obtained via a software animation. What makes the use of animation additionally attractive, is when it is combined with a screen-cast lecture format. The screen-cast is then made available to the students for after class viewing and even distance learning via the course Web Site. The software animations themselves are also made available as stand-alone applications, or applications that run within a freely available player, e.g., the Mathematica 6 Player. This way students can replay the lecture video to review the animations in action, and then run the animations on their own computer. Learning needs to be fun whenever possible, and the computer today, in many ways replaces the home electronics workbench with proto-boards and used/homemade test equipment of yesterday.