A Design-Centric Learning Approach for Terahertz Engineering Education Using a Tunable Metasurface Polarizer

Abstract

The rapid advancements in Terahertz (THz) communications and the fabrication of smart materials are presenting tremendous pedagogical challenges for an undergraduate engineering school. A conventional lecture-based course alone is typically inadequate to bridging the gap between the fundamentals of electromagnetics theory and the practical significance of dynamic wave manipulation. In this work, a Design-Centric Learning (DCL) model is introduced where a tunable metasurface polarizer acts as a focal teaching tool for an undergraduate Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) course. The core idea is to provide a guided simulation exercise, where the students design an asymmetric resonator containing Vanadium Dioxide (VO2) and learn about its dynamic tunability using its insulator to metal transition (IMT). The quantitative evaluation of the intervention reveals that weighted average performance index was improved by 14%, the count of students within academic achievement cohort increased by 70% to 84%. The students performed better by 30% in areas of problem solving and teamwork. The qualitative results show improvement in the students perceived learning effectiveness by 0.82 points, and 98% of students believe visual simulation tools enhance comprehension of difficult problems.