A virtual laboratory environment for online IT education

Abstract

We have developed an Internet-connected, client/server environment that can perform operations of arbitrary scope under the control of remote users. We describe the results of our initial work to apply this remote-access technology to the creation of a laboratory environment for use by online students in information technology programs. Our objective is to provide distance-learning students with a remote laboratory experience that replicates key aspects of the traditional, on-campus laboratory environment to the maximum possible extent, providing distance-learning students with an effective and satisfying laboratory experience. In many cases, online students are denied laboratory experience entirely, are asked to construct their own laboratory, or must substitute simulation for direct experience. Our remotely accessed, virtual networked laboratory environment applies technology to restore the key aspects of the traditional laboratory experience to the online student. This paper discusses the progress of our work so far, describing our traditional laboratory model, virtual laboratory technology and architecture, the mapping of the laboratory model to our environment, and our initial laboratory procedures and protocols. We are at the stage of prototyping laboratory activities developed for study of computer networking. This paper also discusses the results achieved from our prototype activity, which demonstrated both the feasibility and limitations of our approach.