The Role of an AC Network Calculator in the Electrical Engineering Curriculum at the Pennsylvania State University

Changes are being made in the content of presentday electrical engineering curriculums which require a fresh, modern outlook with regard to techniques pertaining to problem assignments and laboratory projects. Course content is being upgraded and broadened in the direction of a fundamental analytical approach. The recent revision of the electrical engineering curriculum at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, includes liberal use of an ac network calculator in all electrical engineering options, which are outlined in this paper. The uniqueness of the ac network calculator at the University is that it is used exclusively for educational purposes, especially in the Department of Electrical Engineering. This paper discusses the "when, where, and how" of the utilization of this facility in the electrical engineering curriculum.