• Mrinmoyee Mukherjee
• Kumkum Saxena

In today’s competitive technological landscape, undergraduate engineering students must develop a blend of technical, analytical, and soft skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and design thinking. The research gap lies in the limited integration of practical, hands-on sessions within theoretically taught technical courses. The aim of this study is to investigate whether small, clearly defined in-class programming exercises can effectively expand students’ critical and conceptual understanding. The methodology involved enhancing the Image Processing course—traditionally theory-based—by integrating compact, guided hands-on programming activities during lectures. The tools and techniques used included MATLAB® 2023 for coding-based exercises and Google Classroom for administering assignments, collecting data, tracking student progress, and analyzing feedback. These exercises were designed to strengthen mathematical foundations, problem-solving, and analytical reasoning skills while promoting application-oriented learning. The outcomes revealed that students demonstrated greater conceptual clarity, coding proficiency, and motivation to explore and modify their work beyond classroom requirements. Quantitative results indicated that 70–90% of students rated their understanding at higher levels (4 or 5) across key topics. Overall, the study confirms that integrating concise, practice-based programming exercises within theoretical sessions effectively bridges the gap between conceptual knowledge and practical application in engineering education.

Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Image Processing, Laboratory Session, Mathematical Foundations, Motivation

"Pedagogical Enhancement of Image Processing Through Applied MATLAB Learning", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 11, page no.d483-d490, November-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2511353.pdf

"Pedagogical Enhancement of Image Processing Through Applied MATLAB Learning", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 11, page no. ppd483-d490, November-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2511353.pdf