A Review Of The Current Status And Challenges Of Virtual Experimentation

Virtual experimentation generates reactions of great enthusiasm and trepidation among engineering educators. Many educators see wide ranging applications of these techniques with advantages in terms of learning pedagogies, equipment costs, and online education. However, there are several well-founded concerns such as the realism of the data and the impact on student outcomes. This paper will review the history and several current examples of virtual experimentation, including the author’s own experience developing a virtual refrigeration experiment. Learning objectives for laboratory courses defined by the ABET/Sloan colloquy will be used to evaluate the potential impact of converting several existing physical experiments to a virtual or online format. Several conclusions and questions which must be considered when considering virtual experimentation will then be summarized.