Engineering simulation with MATLAB: improving teaching and learning effectiveness

Abstract Laboratories are the integral part of any engineering course. They provide students with exposure to real engineering instruments and devices. They can also provide opportunities for students to learn to work together in groups. This paper describes the various simulation tools that can be used in virtual engineering laboratories. The type of simulation environments and their advantages and disadvantages are described briefly together with examples of some commercially available simulator programs. In addition, the use of the MATLAB simulation package in engineering education is shown by an important experiment taken from the field of electrical and electronic engineering.