In the science and engineering, supporting theoretical knowledge with practical information is crucial. Thus, there are laboratory courses together with theoretical lectures in engineering education. However, laboratory applications can't give expected successful results because of insufficient laboratory environment of educational institutions, excessive number of students etc. Depending on the developments in the computer field, concepts such as computer aided education, computer‐assisted learning, computer‐aided engineering have gained importance. In the carried out study, remote accessible virtual laboratory consisting of six modules is designed for power electronics courses. Realized software which can run online or offline and includes almost forty circuits (rectifiers, dc–dc converters, ac–ac converters, dc–ac converters, power supplies) belongs to power electronics field. Detailed analysis and applications can be realized with the virtual laboratory which also contains description of subjects, animations, online support, environment for preparing lab reports etc. The software is available in Uludag University, 111 undergraduate students and 17 faculty members tested it separately without requesting their personal information. Obtained results from two questionnaires are evaluated here. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput. Appl. Eng. Educ. 24:71–78, 2016; View this article online at http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI

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Computers are widely used for educational purposes. Multimedia tools and simulations are mostly preferred for learning especially hard and complex structures in technical field and hardly realized experiments in laboratory environment. Besides, supporting theoretical knowledge with practical applications is crucial in engineering education. But, effects of negative conditions such as hardware deficiency (experimental gadgets, measuring instruments, etc.) in education environment, high number of students, less number of educators can be diminished with concepts which are distance education, computer‐aided education, etc. In this study, web‐based educational tool which is oriented to signals and systems subjects/courses is realized. This tool provides learning of signals and systems subjects with its subject descriptions, solved/unsolved problems, animations, simulations, interactive simulators, real‐time applications, general exams, online communication/support, and new educational strategy in easy, simple, and effective way. Usability and educational contribution of realized study was inspected with questionnaires which were filled anonymously by 110 students in Uludag University and assessed according to SUS and Likert scales.

Many of problems in engineering and science is modeled by differential equations mathematically, therefore their solutions have an important role. Various methods have been developed for analytical or numerical solutions of differential equations. In proportion to the development of technology, the numerical solution methods are utilized widely. In particular, the main objectives in real time applications are to reach the correct solution as soon as possible with minimal processing and maximum precision. In the performed study, a simulator that contains Runge-Kutta based forty-eight methods was developed for numerical solution of differential equations. In the user friendly simulator which can be used also for educational purposes, the solution of defined differential equation under the specified initial condition with given step size or according to the number of points requested within the specified range can be obtained by the selected method. Solutions can be presented to the user both numerical (step values, computation time) and graphically; also the subject explanations about the methods/solutions can be given. Furthermore, the comparative solutions (performance analysis) can be implemented by the simulator. So, the users can realize the numerical solutions of differential equations with different methods by the simulator; the students learn the methods in this field visually with the aid of subject explanation and can implement step by step; the designers can choose the most appropriate method easily, effectively and accurately for their systems by the comparative analysis.