Learning the Art of Electronics - A Hands-On Lab Course

We absolutely love The Art of Electronics and the learn guide Learning the Art of Electronics - A Hands-On Lab Course by Thomas C. Hayes and Paul Horowitz too. So much so, our Ladyada (Limor Fried, founder and engineer of Adafruit) scored a review copy and even gives her commendation on the back cover! Here's what she had to say:

"If you are going to learn the Art of Electronics, you'll need to spend some time practicing that Art with your own two hands. Thinking about it isn't enough, and that's what makes this course book so useful to those of us studying to understand electronics. The 25 lessons are designed to teach-by-example, so you can learn via the many hands-on labs. Going through these exercises will open your eyes to how electronic components act in real life, how your tools can help or deceive, and how to debug and analyze the day-to-day challenges of engineering!"

Limor 'Ladyada' Fried, Adafruit Industries

This is the learning guide version of the book, Learning the Art of Electronics - A Hands-On Lab Course. It requires no prior knowledge of electronics and students gain intuitive understanding through immersion in good circuit design!

This introduction to circuit design is unusual in several respects. First, it offers not just explanations, but a full course. Each of the twenty-five sessions begins with a discussion of a particular sort of circuit followed by the chance to try it out and see how it actually behaves. Accordingly, students understand the circuit's operation in a way that is deeper and much more satisfying than the manipulation of formulas.

Second, it describes circuits that more traditional engineering introductions would postpone: on the third day, we build a radio receiver; on the fifth day, we build an operational amplifier from an array of transistors.

The digital half of the course centers on applying microcontrollers, but gives exposure to Verilog, a powerful Hardware Description Language.

• The course is intensive, teaching electronics in day-at-a-time practical doses so that students can learn in a hands-on way
• The integration of discussion of design with a chance to try the circuits means students learn quickly
• The course has been tried and tested, and proven successful through twenty-five years of teaching
• The book is practical: it avoids mathematics and mathematical arguments and even includes a complete list of parts needed in the laboratory exercises, including where and how to buy them