Innovations in Remote Laboratories & Simulation Software for Online and On-Site Engineering Students

Jodi Reeves; Bhaskar Sinha; Mohammad N Amin; Arthur Strum Davis

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Publication Date: June 23, 2013
Start Date: June 23, 2013
End Date: June 26, 2013
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Laboratory Experiences in Electronics and Circuits
Tagged Division: Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies
Page Count: 13
Page Numbers: 23.757.1 - 23.757.13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--19771
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/19771
Download Count: 379

Request a correction

Paper Authors

biography

Jodi Reeves National University

visit author page

Dr. Jodi Reeves is an associate professor in the Department of Applied Engineering at National University in San Diego, CA. She teaches courses in design engineering, engineering management, electric circuits, and other applied engineering courses. She is also the lead faculty for the Data Analytics program in the School of Engineering, Technology, and Media at National University. Prior to academia, she worked for almost ten years as a quality control manager, engineering project manager, and senior scientist responsible for failure analysis of thin films materials. She also managed collaborations with national laboratories, Air Force and Navy research groups, and universities. She invented new quality control tools and supervised interns from local universities and community colleges as part of a $5.0 million technical workforce development initiative funded by New York State. She has published diverse articles on topics ranging from engineering education to high temperature superconductors and has spoken at many national and international conferences. Her doctorate in materials science and engineering are from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and she has four patents issued and one patent pending.

visit author page

author page

Bhaskar Sinha National University

biography

Mohammad N Amin National University

visit author page

Professor, School of Engineering, Technology, and Media

visit author page

author page

Arthur Strum Davis

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

Innovations in Remote Laboratories & Simulation Software for Online and On-Site Engineering StudentsLaboratories are an essential component in engineering classes to bring together theory andhands-on experimentation to help students learn complex concepts. This is very challenging todo with on-line engineering classes. This paper will describe how we used state-of-the arttechnology to create and improve laboratories for on-line and on-site students in the AppliedEngineering and Computer Science Departments at our university. Starting in the fall of 2012,we designed new remote laboratories for on-line electric circuits classes using equipment fromNational Instruments, ELVIS (Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite). We alsodesigned new laboratories for circuit design classes using Multisim software from NationalInstruments.The objectives of the new experiments in Applied Engineering are to illustrate the basic conceptsof DC and AC circuits in a new way to enhance on-line student learning and improve retention inthe engineering program. First, the instructor conducted demonstration experiments withresistors that introduced concepts in DC circuits in order to show students how the equipmentworked. The demonstration was done within the eCollege on-line course platform using ELVISand a webcam. A second on-line laboratory demonstration was led by the instructor to introduceAC circuits with resistors and capacitors. Then the students were given instructions on how toconnect to the lab equipment themselves, using a remote desktop session to access the server thatthe ELVIS equipment was connected to. A USB hub was connected to the server so that up to 7ELVIS boards could be accessed by the students. The remote access was tested using a WindowsXP desktop, Windows 7 desktop, Apple Mac laptop, and an iPad so that the students had avariety of options to connect directly to the lab equipment and operate it from home. Theobjectives of the new laboratories in Computer Science are to illustrate the basic concepts ofdigital circuit design. In-class exercises and out-of-class projects were developed and deployedusing Multisim software.Qualitative and quantitative assessment data were collected at the end of each month-long courseat our university. Data from multiple electric circuits classes of on-line students show a 10-30%increase in students’ satisfaction with their learning, the teacher, course content, and technology.Also when the ELVIS remote laboratory demonstrations were used, student learning is 8%higher, as measured by the average GPA of the class. Data from multiple digital circuit designcourses of both on-site and on-line students show similar trends.Further horizontal integration of these remote laboratories in other Applied Engineering classesis planned, with additional vertical integration within the engineering program to electronicsclasses and embedded systems classes. Further work is also planned in Computer Science toexpand and extend these laboratories to on-line classes.

Citation
Format

Reeves, J., & Sinha, B., & Amin, M. N., & Davis, A. S. (2013, June), Innovations in Remote Laboratories & Simulation Software for Online and On-Site Engineering Students Paper presented at 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Atlanta, Georgia. 10.18260/1-2--19771

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -          Innovations in Remote Laboratories &amp; Simulation Software for                   Online and On-Site Engineering StudentsLaboratories are an essential component in engineering classes to bring together theory andhands-on experimentation to help students learn complex concepts. This is very challenging todo with on-line engineering classes. This paper will describe how we used state-of-the arttechnology to create and improve laboratories for on-line and on-site students in the AppliedEngineering and Computer Science Departments at our university. Starting in the fall of 2012,we designed new remote laboratories for on-line electric circuits classes using equipment fromNational Instruments, ELVIS (Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite). We alsodesigned new laboratories for circuit design classes using Multisim software from NationalInstruments.The objectives of the new experiments in Applied Engineering are to illustrate the basic conceptsof DC and AC circuits in a new way to enhance on-line student learning and improve retention inthe engineering program. First, the instructor conducted demonstration experiments withresistors that introduced concepts in DC circuits in order to show students how the equipmentworked. The demonstration was done within the eCollege on-line course platform using ELVISand a webcam. A second on-line laboratory demonstration was led by the instructor to introduceAC circuits with resistors and capacitors. Then the students were given instructions on how toconnect to the lab equipment themselves, using a remote desktop session to access the server thatthe ELVIS equipment was connected to. A USB hub was connected to the server so that up to 7ELVIS boards could be accessed by the students. The remote access was tested using a WindowsXP desktop, Windows 7 desktop, Apple Mac laptop, and an iPad so that the students had avariety of options to connect directly to the lab equipment and operate it from home. Theobjectives of the new laboratories in Computer Science are to illustrate the basic concepts ofdigital circuit design. In-class exercises and out-of-class projects were developed and deployedusing Multisim software.Qualitative and quantitative assessment data were collected at the end of each month-long courseat our university. Data from multiple electric circuits classes of on-line students show a 10-30%increase in students’ satisfaction with their learning, the teacher, course content, and technology.Also when the ELVIS remote laboratory demonstrations were used, student learning is 8%higher, as measured by the average GPA of the class. Data from multiple digital circuit designcourses of both on-site and on-line students show similar trends.Further horizontal integration of these remote laboratories in other Applied Engineering classesis planned, with additional vertical integration within the engineering program to electronicsclasses and embedded systems classes. Further work is also planned in Computer Science toexpand and extend these laboratories to on-line classes.
AU  - Jodi Reeves
AU  - Bhaskar Sinha
AU  - Mohammad N Amin
AU  - Arthur Strum Davis
CY  - Atlanta, Georgia
DA  - 2013/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Innovations in Remote Laboratories & Simulation Software for Online and On-Site Engineering Students
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/19771
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--19771
ER  -