Nothing complicated here! Use the pushbutton to access one of sixteen choices of output waveform; see the waveform-number displayed (in binary); use a BNC cable to convey that output from TeachScope to ‘scope; and (now, for the learning exercise) learn how to use that ‘scope to see, acquire, and display and/or store that waveform.

What’s going on? Students need a mental picture of how a ‘scope works, and they need practice on finding the knobs and menus that change the horizontal sweep speed, the vertical sensitivity, and (maybe the hardest) set the trigger condition. With the TeachScope II, they can focus on the settings needed on their ‘scope (as they’re not learning other physics here), and they’ll get near-instant feedback on the eye-hand-mind coordination that we want them to have instinctively.

Waveforms from TeachScope II vary in time-scale, in amplitudes and offsets, and in waveshape. Each has a lesson to be learned, and each hpossessesas measurable quantities to extract. Some of the waveforms have been deliberately crafted to reward a student’s optional use of the powerful frequency-domain detection capability hiding behind the ‘FFT’ button on modern ‘scopes. Here too, they’ll need practice setting the timebase, and the display scales, on their ‘scope.