Identification and characterisation of interactions transferable from physical to remotely controlled engineering laboratories: Teaching & Learning Forum 2017

Laboratory work is a fundamental component of the engineering curriculum. Studies of engineering laboratories reveal that existing physical laboratories could be enhanced and that remote laboratories are envisioned to be an important alternative in an era of high enrolment numbers in engineering degrees alongside institutional cost constraints. Students performing laboratory experiments essentially interact with the equipment, fellow students and instructors. Understanding the nature of these interactions will result in the robust design of remote laboratories which can more flexibly serve larger cohorts of students irrespective of their location and abilities. To enable the transition from physical to remote laboratory modes, the present study will answer the following questions:1. What are the types and nature of interactions in both physical and remote laboratories?2. What is the relative importance of the interactions in physical laboratories that should be incorporated in the remotely operated laboratories?3. How do these interactions contribute to students’ attainment of the practical skills necessary to be a professional engineer?The answers can be obtained by first identifying the interaction types in a physical laboratory through direct observation, surveying students and analysing audio/video recordings and then assessing their contribution to the learning processes involved in experimental work. A similar study will be conducted for remotely operated laboratories. Students’ achievements from both laboratories will be compared in order to shortlist the most significant interactions that must be incorporated in the newly proposed design of remote laboratory for the future.