Abstract
In this paper, we present a virtual learning laboratory environment for undergraduate mathematics education using an inquiry-based learning approach. The Visible Thinking pedagogical framework is also suggested to achieve a good complement to traditional lecture–tutorial systems. The virtual laboratory is implemented in an open-access Java interactive software. We demonstrate a viable instruction procedure, providing a set of virtual laboratory activities with real-world applications spanning signal processing, data science and analytics, sustainable infrastructure engineering, and theoretical physics. A preliminary study on a pilot cohort indicates that the proposed virtual laboratory can enhance students’ learning. The virtual laboratory implementation is scalable and can be easily expanded in scope to other mathematical topics; transitioning to a tablet-based system for use in smart classrooms is also readily achieved. The Java interactive software is freely available on Open Science Framework.
Highlights
The lecture-and-tutorial mode of lesson delivery has its strengths as a form of didactic teaching
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE we present an overview of virtual laboratory course activities exploiting the interactivity of the applet for enhanced education outcomes
Our Java interactive application is readily adopted by educators and students; an accompanying review of introductory Fourier theory to facilitate instruction and a set of inquiry-based learning virtual laboratory activities integrated with the software have been presented, spanning related disciplines of data science, signal processing, mechanical and civil engineering, and physics
Summary
The lecture-and-tutorial mode of lesson delivery has its strengths as a form of didactic teaching. Its iterative nature between rapid content delivery in lectures and rigorous practice in tutorials with immediate lecturer feedback [1] allows for the elimination of misconceptions and the quick mastery of taught content. It has long been criticized for its tendency in turning students into passive learners, who acquire inert knowledge and are unable to apply them to solve real-world problems. Most modern applications involve computational and technological components that cannot be replicated in a pen-and-paper environment; real-world problem solving is oftentimes complex, with group-work and access to interdisciplinary resources being more realistic provisions for students
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