Course Development of “Semiconductor Innovations” Part 2: Incorporating Active Learning & Reflection on Teaching

Part 2 of Professor John Dallesasse and graduate student Leah Espenhahn’s workshop on the development and implementation of an Advanced Semiconductor course at the University of Illinois. Course development was supported by the Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Hub under Subagreement SA-22036, managed by the Applied Research Institute (ARI). 

The resource explores the design of a semester‑long “Semiconductor Innovations” course that integrates active‑learning strategies and reflective teaching practices. It situates the curriculum within contemporary engineering education, emphasizing the need to move beyond traditional lecture formats to foster deeper comprehension of emerging semiconductor technologies.
The instructional approach combines structured group formation, peer‑generated team bylaws, and a series of “dig‑saw” (jigsaw) assignments. Students are organized into home groups that serve as term‑project teams and into rotating expert groups that each read a common technical source—such as review articles, conference summaries, or recent journal excerpts—before reconvening to synthesize shared takeaways. In‑class activities employ think‑pair‑share, technical analyses of extracted figures of merit, and applications of the Transfer‑Matrix Method (TMM) to real‑world data drawn from the literature. The term project unfolds as a proposal‑based mini white paper, scaffolded through an annotated bibliography, ideation quadrants, Hellmeyer questions, and iterative draft reviews that culminate in a final presentation and written submission.
Through this framework, learners acquire the ability to assemble and manage effective semester‑long project groups, to critically read and synthesize semiconductor literature, and to articulate and exchange key insights with peers. They also develop the competence to produce a concise, proposal‑style white paper that integrates literature review, technical analysis, and forward‑looking design concepts, thereby preparing them for research and industry contexts where collaborative innovation and clear communication are essential.