Computer utilization in teaching concepts: is it reality or illusion?

It is pointed out that engineering educators have felt the value of using computational tools to complement their analytical procedure and help enhance interest in their subjects and boost students´ understanding of involved concepts. This is particularly true for electromagnetics education, which has traditionally relied on abstract concepts and mathematical operations that involve vector quantities varying with time and space. From the educational side, the roles of analytical and computational techniques are complementary from several viewpoints. First, understanding of the mathematical concepts and operations may be greatly enhanced through the use of computational tools and systems. Second, computer-generated movies of complex scattering and radiation problems provide a valuable tool that helps students understand the physical phenomena underlying complex interactions of electromagnetic waves with materials and structures. Finally, the use of computational tools and design software to model and simulate microwave components and systems provides a valuable insight into realistic microwave design problems.<>