Implementation of Microelectronics Track in Electronics Engineering in a Philippines State University

The evolving trends in electronics continuous to attract students to take upElectronics Engineering.However, it also adds to discipline implementation complexities.Institutions of Higher Learning offering this program must adapt to this realities to avoid obsolescence. This paper looked at Batangas State University, in the Philippines,ongoingimplementation of the Microelectronics track under the Electronics Engineering (ECE)Program. It describes the restructuring done to the ECE curriculum to overcome the enormous complexity inherent in microelectronics design and the teaching pedagogy adopted to promote active learning. The ongoing program has produced encouraging outcomes:1)students were able to design, and simulate complex gate CMOS circuits using EDA tools, in the four(4) course electives identified for the track; 2) the culture of independent learning among students improvement in students soft skills, communication skills, time-management and teamwork skill,; 3.) useof free and web-based tools overcome the issue of high cost of license for EDA tools and seminar/training for continuous upgrading of faculty. Another encouraging outcome was the acceptance of the student-centered teaching approach used, Problem-Based Learning (PBL),in enhancing the students learning experience.

Keywords: Electronics Engineering,microelectronics, Problem-based learning, student- centered learning