E-Laboratory Design and Implementation for Enhanced Science, Technology and Engineering Education.

Purpose – This paper aims to report on the design and implementation of an e‐laboratory for enhanced science, technology and engineering education studies.Design/methodology/approach – The paper assesses a computer‐based e‐laboratory, designed for new entrants to science, technology and engineering programmes of study in further and higher education to enable them complete proper “hands‐on” (not simulation) laboratory experiments off‐campus and also in virtual learning environments accessible remotely. The development of such a laboratory was in response to the inherent inability of web‐based learning environments to duplicate, off‐campus, the laboratory facilities and availability on‐campus. The measurement of effectiveness relates to whether a laboratory task can be accurately and completely achieved. Common parameters included percentage task completion, error rate and assistance required. Operations under different conditions were studied and observations made from comparison on implementations.Findin...

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