Introductory circuits: reference node r model impact

Powerful Pedagogical Approaches for Finding Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits for Linear Electric Circuits

“…Another technique, which also eliminates these difficulties, is based on the r model approach. 15,16 In this paper, two new approaches are presented for finding the Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits of a d.c. LEC, which remove the difficulties described above, giving to the student the means of always working in a systematic and similar way, regardless of circuit complexity.…”

Industry–university seminars

“…Computer Applications in Engineering Education, Vol. 1(4) 331-336 (1994) My former linear circuits professor phoned and mentioned that the papers assigned for student reading [1,2] had his sophomores asking questions about r modeling that he was not able to answer. I was surprised because I knew he used the r model as a platform to teach mathematics, simulation, and measurement techniques that emphasized design.…”

“…It was billed as an exercise in which we expected to use their hands to imprint r modeling and other analysis concepts onto their brains. The advertisement stated several requirements: first, each student must bring an ohmmeter to do measurements and a hand calculator to do matrix manipulations; second, each individual must, using interlibrary loan and the reserve desk as needed, reread the papers [1,2] and that part of the Arthurian story by T. H. White, The Once and Future King, where Wart and his instructor were transformed into fish who then explored the castle moat; third, several instructor assigned problems were to be hand completed and then checked using simulators. It was further advertised that a large box of quarter watt resistors would be provided by the instructor and that the IEEE Student Branch would provide junk food.…”

“…3. Summarizing, in an e-mail report, each of the assigned papers [1,2]. The report was to include a derivation of the r model nodal analysis technique.…”