Converting the physical to the virtual: providing a laboratory experience for distance learners in engineering

Face-to-face modules on the full-time Masters in Renewable Energy Systems Technology at Loughborough University involve students collecting data from physical laboratory experiments. Conversion to distance learning mode, due to demand from industry for the skills and competencies acquired, raised the problem of providing a comparable laboratory experience. The solution adopted was to develop a number of virtual laboratories to enable distance students to experience the same experiments as their face-to-face peers, the focus in both modes being on interpreting the data generated. The virtual laboratory described in this paper was designed to provide activities requiring students to review content covered in study notes, enhancing the learning associated with their progress through the experiment. This paper will provide evidence to show that distance students were not disadvantaged and that student evaluative feedback has been generally positive

Establishing and supporting educational research in engineering from a local and national perspective

This paper describes an action research approach to supporting an improvement in the educational research skills of engineering academics in the UK. Two engineering education centres based at Loughborough University (the engCETL which is funded to support academics based at the university and the Engineering Subject Centre which has a national remit) have worked collaboratively to develop resources, including guides, workshops and other events and have started to disseminate this work internationally. In response to an identified need to develop understanding and to facilitate collaborative opportunities, a Special Interest Group has been established that will promote high quality educational research and provide the UK voice for international research communities. This is work in progress and there will be further evaluation undertaken of the impact of these developments. The aim is to establish a selfsustaining community of researchers as there is limited funding for engineering education research in the UK