An Evaluation Model for Functionality Analysis of Remote Laboratories and Simulations in Engineering Education

Abstract

Remote experiments in engineering education have appeared as another option after the traditional laboratories and simulations. These laboratories are some kind similar to simulation techniques in that they require minimal space and time, because the laboratory experiments can be fast configured and run over the Internet. From functional point of view these remote labs can be seen as software products and specific standards can be adapted in order to evaluate their main characteristics. The remote laboratory experiments provide real data, the simulations don’t. This paper presents a model for technical evaluation of the remote laboratories in engineering education that takes account both technical and pedagogical factors. The proposed model was applied on an educational network build in the European Tempus project called “eSience”. The main objectives of this project were to build a network of working remote laboratoriess in the Maghrebian countries, to investigate and implement the state-of-the art solutions. The main goal of the proposed evaluation model is to identify measurable educational parameters in order to estimate the functionality of remote laboratories and simulations, according to specific standards.