How frequency domain topic should be taught in the academic course?

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SUMMARY

The discussion emphasizes the critical importance of teaching frequency domain concepts, such as Fourier transforms, Laplace transforms, and wavelets, within academic curricula for fields like Mathematics, Physics, and Digital Signal Processing. Participants express dissatisfaction with the current teaching methods, which often rely on generic PowerPoint presentations and lack depth. Effective learning strategies highlighted include hands-on practice with MATLAB and a strong grasp of fundamental theorems. Recommendations for improvement include utilizing resources like MIT's OpenCourseWare for better instructional materials.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Fourier Transform and Fourier Series
  • Familiarity with Laplace Transform
  • Basic knowledge of Digital Signal Processing
  • Experience with MATLAB for signal analysis
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore MIT's OpenCourseWare for "Signals and Systems" resources
  • Practice MATLAB for visualizing time and frequency domain signals
  • Study the application of wavelets in signal processing
  • Research effective teaching methodologies for complex mathematical concepts
USEFUL FOR

Students in engineering and physics disciplines, educators seeking to enhance their teaching methods, and professionals involved in signal processing and mathematical analysis.

ramdas
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This is a soft question but I think it's a real fact.The Frequency domain has made revolution in the field of Mathematics,Physics,Digital Signal and image Processing etc. Some of concepts
which are very difficult to analyse in
spatial or time domain can be very easily understood in the frequency domain using the theorems like Fourier transform &series, wavelets ,Laplace transform etc.But my experience is that when it is being taught in the academic curriculum or course, it is not given as much importance as it has to be. Most of the teachers or professors don't know how teach this topic and students like us get hardly any knowledge about the frequency domain in academic course compared to discussions in the forum like the very useful

https://www.physicsforums.comSo I am requesting the scholars, eminent professors and researchers to give some guidelines or explanation so that students as well as teachers get to know how frequency domain topic should be studied and taught in the academic curriculum. And all of us would study this topic with interest.
 
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ramdas said:
But my experience is that when it is being taught in the academic curriculum or course, it is not given as much importance as it has to be. Most of the teachers or professors don't know how teach this topic and students like us get hardly any knowledge about the frequency domain in academic course compared to discussions in the forum like the very useful
It is too bad that the way you were taught Fourier/Laplace/etc. didn't work for you. As you say, it is an important topic. I am curious what your academic background is (your major, etc.) , and how you were taught the subject. Was it a full year class, a one semester/quarter class, or just part of one class?

I am an electrical engineer in the US and adequately learned these topics (with the exception of wavelets) from a more-or-less standard "signals and systems" course required of all EEs. For me, a mixture of doing pencil and paper work (including sketching signals in time and frequency domains), and using MATLAB to calculate and plot examples was useful. Knowing the basic theorems and using them to understand how things work really helped as well: here I am thinking about a shift in the time domain being equivalent to a phase ramp in the frequency domain, etc.

jason
 
Well,I am doing under graduation in 4
years Electronics and Telecommunication
Engineering .We have semester pattern
system (2 semesters in 1 year).In the 3rd
semester, We have subject named
"Signals and Systems" under which the
above topic is covered.

Most of the teachers or professors don't know how teach this topic. They teach with the help of readymade PowerPoint presentations (e.g. for Laplace transform, single PPT which is mostly downloaded from
internet )and sometimes they take chalk
in their hand .So the students like us get
hardly any knowledge about the frequency
domain in academic course .
 
jasonRF said:
It is too bad that the way you were taught Fourier/Laplace/etc. didn't work for you. As you say, it is an important topic. I am curious what your academic background is (your major, etc.) , and how you were taught the subject. Was it a full year class, a one semester/quarter class, or just part of one class?

I am an electrical engineer in the US and adequately learned these topics (with the exception of wavelets) from a more-or-less standard "signals and systems" course required of all EEs. For me, a mixture of doing pencil and paper work (including sketching signals in time and frequency domains), and using MATLAB to calculate and plot examples was useful. Knowing the basic theorems and using them to understand how things work really helped as well: here I am thinking about a shift in the time domain being equivalent to a phase ramp in the frequency domain, etc.

jason
Sir I have added some information.please go through it.
 

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