Pedagogical evaluation of remote laboratories in eMerge project

Abstract

This study investigates opportunities for conducting electrical engineering experiments via the Internet rather than in an actual laboratory. Eighty-four French students of electrical engineering (semester 1, 2004) at Bordeaux University 1 participated in practical courses. Half of the students performed experiments in a laboratory while the other half performed them via the Internet. Questionnaires were used to obtain students' views as to acceptance, usability, learning effect and usefulness in studying and vocational terms. The learning effect was also measured by a knowledge test. The results show that conducting experiments via the Internet is just as successful as conducting experiments in an actual laboratory. The experiments performed score well for usability and moderately for acceptance and usefulness in studying and vocational terms. Greater use of webcams is suggested as a way of improving acceptance, as this allows more direct contact to the experiments.

A multi-user remote academic laboratory system

“…A specific group of students from an undergraduate control course was selected to interact with the system and perform the proposed experimental practice. The proposed pilot test is not intended to be the conventional evaluation of a remote laboratory as an education tool (García, Díaz, Taquet, & Canivell, 2008), but rather an academic evaluation of technical aspects of the proposed remote experimental practice carried out in a control course; something similar was presented in (Lang et al, 2004).…”

Challenges in engineering education: A view towards the future

“…-Establishing Computer Information Technology (CIT) and remote laboratories [14]. -Structural organization, politics and policy making [15].…”

Remote lab experiments for take away

“…A remote laboratory for characterizing electronic circuits has many advantages: It allows sharing high-quality instruments and full-custom circuits, which must not be duplicated in several labs, for cost reasons; the net-based access allows the users to launch experiments and analyze the results anywhere, as often as they want [3]. Its usefulness and acceptance and learning results have already been proven [4] and consolidated studies are in progress [5].…”