Teaching Image Processing: A Two-Step Process CLARENCE HAN-WEI YAPP, 1 ALEX KOK BIN SEE 2 1 School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, No. 2 Jalan Kolej, Bandar Sunway, 46150, PJ, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia 2 School of Engineering, Division of Electrical Engineering, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, 535 Clementi Road, Singapore 599 489 Received 18 January 2007; accepted 7 March 2007 ABSTRACT: An interactive program for teaching digital image processing techniques is presented in this article. Instead of heavy programming tasks and mathematical functions, students are led step by step through the exercises and then allowed to experiment. This article evaluates the proposed program and compares it with existing techniques. ß 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 16: 211222, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae.20149 Keywords: image processing; computer assisted learning; education; LabVIEW; vision INTRODUCTION Image processing is becoming a popular and impor- tant topic in engineering and computer science [1]. Today, image processing can be found in the fields of robotics, algorithms, machine vision, and mathe- matics. However, despite it being a topic of great importance, it is a well-known fact that it is a hard topic to teach in lectures alone. This dilemma is described in numerous sources. For example, Lee et al. [2] say that teaching image processing requires the use of images, which are hard to describe verbally. Furthermore, since most algorithms are mathemati- cally orientated, students are compelled to look at the underlying equations for an explanation to its workings. Such techniques include the Fourier Trans- form, convolution, Wavelet Transform, Gaussian blurring, and so on. Bebis et al. [1] state that it was normal for computer vision to be taught in a classroom environment during lectures and using textbooks. Apparently, lecture notes were issued containing poorly photocopied pictures with degraded quality. Since image processing is obviously to do with images, it is important that visual quality be kept at the highest reasonable level. The use of an overhead projector was also discussed as being disruptive to the flow of learning when the lecturer changed the slides. Bebis et al. [1] were quick to point out that this method does not encourage critical thinking nor motivate students to think further in the topic. Such materials should allow students to explore rather than absorb materials [3]. Similarly, a ‘‘hands-on’’ approach was considered by Wayne [4]. As McAn- drew and Venables [5] state, a student’s first encounter to learning image processing should be ‘‘stimulating,’’ ‘‘instructive,’’ fun, and ‘‘gender neutral,’’ while being Correspondence to A. K. B. See (alex.see@ieee.org). ß 2008 Wiley Periodicals Inc. 211