Improving Student Learning Outcomes in Engineering Education Through Simulation-Integrated Pedagogical Innovation

Abstract Book of the 10th International Conference on New Trends in Teaching and Education

Year: 2026

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Improving Student Learning Outcomes in Engineering Education Through Simulation-Integrated Pedagogical Innovation

Tianhua Xu

ABSTRACT:

The increasing complexity of modern optical communication systems poses significant challenges to traditional lecture-centered teaching approaches in higher education. To address this issue, this paper presents a curriculum reform for an optical communication engineering module that integrates structured theoretical instruction, simulation-based laboratory activities, and research-oriented analytical tasks. A unified simulation environment is employed as the core experimental platform, enabling students to systematically investigate fiber impairments, receiver characteristics, modulation formats, and end-to-end system performance with high parameter flexibility and reproducibility. This approach also facilitates student engagement with emerging topics, including intelligence-assisted optical communication and signal processing paradigms. The effectiveness of the redesigned pedagogy is evaluated using a combination of quantitative performance indicators and qualitative student feedback. The results demonstrate notable improvements in students’ conceptual understanding, analytical capability, and confidence in addressing advanced topics such as coherent detection and intelligent signal processing. The study highlights the value of simulation-integrated pedagogy in renewing photonics education and in better preparing students for both industrial practice and research in next-generation optical networks.

Keywords: Optical Communication Education; Simulation-Integrated Laboratory; Research-Oriented Learning; Intelligence-Assisted Communication