Abstract:
The purpose of this research was to study the effectiveness in applying a PSpice soft ware programwith laboratory instruction of electrical circuit. Since PSpice could simulate electrical phenomenaof circuit understudied and display them on computer screen, the researcher believed thatcharacteristic would enable students to conceptualize a wider scope of electrical phenomena andthus enable them to gain higher level of knowledge application. Instruments used in this studyincluded a set of Laboratory work incorporated with PSpice soft-ware program and a set of testitems measuring various level of students abilities. It was expected that the laboratory developedwould have efficiency over 80/80.Four area of content were selected for the study. They were power of alternating current,Resonant circuit, Transient responses and Fourier series. Contents were collected from manytexts, analyzed them into clear learning structure and reorganized them in to 8 conventionalexperimental format. Seventy multiplechoice test-items covering knowledge levels ofunderstanding, application and analysis were developed. The test possessed followingcharacteristics: 0.6 to 0.1 discrimination index, reliability of 0.34 , 0.38 and 0.85 respectively.Twenty electrical students from Rajamargala Institute of Technology Chiangrai Campus wereused as a sample of the study. They were taught initially with a principle of PSpice to eliminate ahidden variable due to a lacking of skill in using the software. Secondly, a set of prior basicknowledge to the content under studied was tested. Thirdly, students were allowed to carry out theexperimental work from the laboratories sheets developed and were formulative tested after eachlearning session. Finally, students learning achievement were measured by post-test at the end ofthe experimental sessions. Students behaviors, however, were randomly observed and recordedduring their work performing.The study found a significant difference at the level of 0.01 which could be concluded that thePSpice laboratory improved students learning achievement. Average score from formative testedwas 91.78 % and post-test was 85.78%. The effectiveness of Laboratory developed was91.78/85.78 which was higher than the set criteria. The observation also indicated that thelaboratory sheet developed facilitated 91.54% of students in self-learning and self-working. ThePSpice Laboratory and its experimental process, therefore, can be well implemented to the area ofNetwork Circuit Analysis.