Online Remote Laboratory for Open Distance Learning
WA Rasika Nandana, WR de Mel & HDNS Priyankara
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Open University of Sri Lanka
rasikanandana@gmail.com,wrmel@ou.ac.lk,hdpri@ou.ac.lk
Conducting laboratory experiments is a challenge in open and distance learning. In The Open University of Sri Lanka, most of the laboratory facilities are available only at the central campus and laboratory experiments are not delivered by distance mode. With the introduction of the online remote laboratory, carrying out experiments via the Internet is made possible and students can perform experiments from anywhere in the world. However, this system is not a complete replacement of the traditional laboratory facilities. Hands-on experiences, such as patching and familiarization of equipments, have to be gained through real laboratory experiments conducted at preliminary levels. The remote laboratory can be utilized as a useful educational tool to acquire pre-experience before entering real laboratory facilities. It is also useful for re-performing experiments in order to get more practice. The bipolar junction transistor amplifier experiment was selected as the prototype remote experiment. The Online Remote Laboratory website supplies the guidelines and relevant materials so that the students will have the opportunity to perform experimental tasks remotely using real equipment/components and obtaining actual measurements. They can download the application software from the website and connect to the remote laboratory by entering their credentials. The users are able to view laboratory environments using a controllable camera which provides a real sense of the experiment. Before and after the experiment, the users’ knowledge could also be examined using an online questionnaire.
The remote laboratory was tested with a group of students. As expected they acquired the same knowledge as the students who performed the experiment in the actual laboratory. Most of the existing open and distance e-learning systems are confined to delivering lectures, course materials and online quizzes. In contrast, the remote laboratory can be used to deliver experimental laboratory experience in the context of e-learning.
Keywords: online remote laboratory, distance learning, e- learning systems, remote experiment