Providing Collaborative Support to Virtual and Remote Laboratories

Virtual and remote laboratories (VRLs) are e-learning resources that enhance the accessibility of experimental setups providing a distance teaching framework which meets the student's hands-on learning needs. In addition, online collaborative communication represents a practical and a constructivist method to transmit the knowledge and experience from the teacher to students, overcoming physical distance and isolation. This paper describes the extension of two open source tools: (1) the learning management system Moodle, and (2) the tool to create VRLs Easy Java Simulations (EJS). Our extension provides: (1) synchronous collaborative support to any VRL developed with EJS (i.e., any existing VRL written in EJS can be automatically converted into a collaborative lab with no cost), and (2) support to deploy synchronous collaborative VRLs into Moodle. Using our approach students and/or teachers can invite other users enrolled in a Moodle course to a real-time collaborative experimental session, sharing and/or supervising experiences at the same time they practice and explore experiments using VRLs.This work was supported by the Spanish Government under the CICYT Project DPI2007-61068 and the GITE grant of the Technology and Educational Innovation Vice-President Office of the University of Alicante

PERSEPSI MAHASISWA TERHADAP PENGGUNAAN SISTEM REMOTE LAB UNTUK PRAKTIKUM OTOMASI INDUSTRI

Remote lab merupakan teknologi yang memungkinkan mahasiswa untuk melakukan praktikum secara jarak jauh dengan menggunakan internet. Keterbatasan waktu dan tempat dari laboratorium tradisional dapat diatasi menggunakan sistem remote lab. Website (berbasis Moodle) dan remote desktop digunakan untuk mengendalikan alat praktikum yang ada di dalam laboratorium. Sistem remote lab memiliki sistem booking yang dapat dipilih oleh mahasiswa. Model penerimaan teknologi (Technology Acceptance Model) diadaptasi untuk mengetahui persepsi mahasiswa tentang penggunaan sistem remote lab pada praktikum otomasi industri. Hasil wawancara menunjukan bahwa sistem remote lab dapat mengatasi keterbatasan waktu dan tempat dari laboratorium tradisional. Lebih jauh lagi, sistem remote lab berpotensi besar untuk digunakan pada kegiatan praktiukum.-----Remote lab is a technology that allows students to do practicum remotely using the internet.The limited time and place of the hands-on laboratory can be overcome using the remote lab system. Websites (Moodle based) and remote desktops are used to control the plant inside the laboratory. The remote lab system has a booking system that students can choose from. Laptops and computers can be used to control and see the performance of the plant inside the lab. The remote lab system has been assigned to a group of students. The technology acceptance model is adapted to find out the students' perceptions of the use of remote lab systems in industrial automation practice. The results of interview indicate that the remote lab system can overcome the limitations of time and place from the laboratory. Furthermore, the remote lab system is potentially large for use in the practicum process

Learning network storage curriculum with experimental case based on embedded systems

In this paper, we present an experimental case for the course of Network Storage and Security, which benefited from an improved learning outcome for our students. The newly designed experiments-based contents are merged into the current course to help students obtain practical experiences about network storage. The experiments aim to build a network storage system based on available resources instead of any specialized network storage equipment. Technically, students can learn general practical knowledge of network storage on iSCSI (a network storage protocol based on IP technology) and also the technologies of embedded system. Through the experimental case, we found that it could fully enhance students\u27 comprehensive and practical abilities, develop students\u27 teamwork spirit and creativity, and especially improve the learning outcome of network storage curriculum. These learning and thinking methods can also be generalized and applied to other computer science related courses

An Industrial Automation Course: Common Infrastructure for Physical, Virtual and Remote Laboratories for PLC Programming

This work describes the development of a teaching strategy to leverage current simulation tools and promote learning of industrial automation systems. Specifically, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) programming in an industrial automation course. We propose an infrastructure where it is possible to work with physical, virtual and mixed laboratories

Open and Low-Cost Virtual and Remote Labs on Control Engineering

This paper presents an open course in the University Network of Interactive Laboratories, which offers several virtual and remote laboratories on automatic control, accessible to anyone. All the details on one of these labs (a two electric coupled drives system that allows performing control practices in a 2 × 2 MIMO system with industrial applications) and the activities that can be performed with it are given. We use a low-cost solution for developing the virtual and remote labs shared in this open course, based on the use of a free authoring tool Easy Java/Javascript Simulations (EJsS) for building the laboratories' user interfaces and a cheap development platform board (BeagleBone Black). The virtual and remote labs are deployed into a free Learning Management System (Moodle) Web environment that facilitates their management and maintenance

El Laboratorio Virtual como herramienta didáctica en las enseñanzas de Ingeniería. Adaptación a la COVID-19

[EN] The adaptation of laboratory practices to the safety and hygienic measures imposed by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus has been a challenge for both institutions and professor and students. To meet this challenge this paper has assessed whether the creation of a virtual laboratory for the development of remote laboratory practice, provides a practical and effective education for students of Technology Environment and Sustainability I of the Degree in Mechanical Engineering. The study has been developed during the academic years 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 with a sample of 81 students this last year. For this, a pre and post activity survey was used to determine the level of satisfaction of students and the effectiveness of the methodology was evaluated with the analysis of the grades obtained in the practice exams. With an average of 3.8, the students indicate a clear acceptance of the Virtual Laboratory. The students' responses reveal that the proposal has increased their degree of motivation to improve their training, consolidate their knowledge and in addition to considering that the technique is innovative and practical, a fact that is reflected in the increase in the average grade of the exams of practices.[ES] Adaptar las prácticas de laboratorio a las medidas de seguridad e higiene impuestas por el virus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), ha supuesto un desafío tanto para las instituciones como para el propio profesorado y estudiantado. Para afrontar este reto, en este trabajo se ha evaluado si la creación de un laboratorio virtual para el desarrollo remoto de las prácticas de laboratorio, proporciona una enseñanza práctica y efectiva para los estudiantes de Tecnologías del Medio Ambiente y Sostenibilidad I del Grado en Ingeniería Mecánica. El estudio se ha desarrollado durante los cursos académicos 2019/2020 y 2020/2021 con una muestra de 81 estudiantes en este último curso. Para ello, se utilizó una encuesta pre y pos actividad para medir el grado de satisfacción del estudiante y se evaluó la eficacia de la metodología con el análisis de las calificaciones obtenidas en los exámenes de prácticas. Con una media de 3,8, los estudiantes indican una clara aceptación del Laboratorio Virtual. Las respuestas de los estudiantes revelan que la propuesta ha aumentado su grado de motivación para mejorar su formación, consolidar sus conocimientos y además de considerar que la técnica es innovadora y práctica, hecho que se plasma en el aumento de la calificación media de los exámenes de prácticas.Santiago, D.; Del Río-Gamero, B.; Melián-Martel, N. (2021). El Laboratorio Virtual como herramienta didáctica en las enseñanzas de Ingeniería. Adaptación a la COVID-19. En IN-RED 2021: VII Congreso de Innovación Edicativa y Docencia en Red. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 941-949. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2021.2021.13709OCS94194

Student acceptance of virtual laboratory and practical work: An extension of the technology acceptance model

The development of Internet technologies and new ways of sharing information has facilitated the emergence of a variety of elearning scenarios. However, in technological areas such as engineering, where students must carry out hands-on exercises and laboratory work essential for their learning, it is not so easy to design online environments for practicals. The aim of this experimental study was to examine students' acceptance of technology and the process of adopting an online learning environment incorporating web-based resources, such as virtual laboratories, interactive activities, and educational videos, and a game-based learning methodology. To this end, their responses to an online questionnaire (n?=?223) were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The study was based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), but included and assessed other factors such as perceived efficiency, playfulness, and satisfaction, which are not explained by the TAM. Our results confirm that this extension of the TAM provides a useful theoretical model to help understand and explain users' acceptance of an online learning environment incorporating virtual laboratory and practical work. Our results also indicate that efficiency, playfulness, and students' degree of satisfaction are factors that positively influence the original TAM variables and students' acceptance of this technology. Here, we also discuss the significant theoretical and spractical implications for educational use of these web-based resources