Interactive and Adaptable Cloud based Virtual Equipment and Laboratories for 21st Century Science and Engineering Education
This paper presents and discusses the use of simulation based customizable online learning activities, virtual laboratories, and comprehensive e Learning environments for teaching subjects such as materials science, chemistry, and biomanufacturing. The virtual equipment and lab assignments have been used for: (i) authentic online experimentation, (ii) homework and control assignments with traditional and blended courses, (iii) preparing students for hands on work in real labs, (iv) lecture demonstrations, and (v) performancebased assessment of students' ability to apply gained theoretical knowledge for operating actual equipment and solving practical problems. Using the associated learning and content management system (LCMS) and authoring tools, instructors kept track of student performance and designed new virtual experiments and more personalized learning assignments for students. Virtual X Ray Laboratory and Web based Environment for Single Use Upstream Bioprocessing have been used to illustrate the implementation of the concept of Interactive and Adjustable Cloud based e Learning Tools. The paper discusses the implementation of virtual labs and e learning environments at two year and four year colleges and universities in the USA, UK, Russia and some other countries. The virtual X Ray lab has also been integrated with the MITx course delivered via the MOOC (massive open online course) edX platform for Massachusetts Institute of Technology undergraduate students. Education Science EPiC Series in Education Science Volume 3, 2020, Pages 47 53 Proceedings of the MIT LINC 2019 Conference C. Urrea (ed. LINC 2019 (EPiC Series in Education Science, vol. 3) pp. 47 53 Today, online courses in natural sciences, engineering, and technology offered by many colleges and universities around the world lack hands on practice that is an essential part of any conventional science or engineering curricula. Interactive virtual laboratories (v Labs) and comprehensive e learning modules and environments can facilitate authentic online experimentation and partially substitute actual equipment. VLabs can also supplement and extend physical labs and address some educational drawbacks and limitations of real, fully computerized equipment. In addition, realistic virtual copies of contemporary research and production equipment can address the shortage of such equipment in developing countries and increase the inclusiveness of quality education. The presented interactive virtual laboratories and e learning environments developed by ATeL [1] are grounded in educational research findings and meet the learning habits of today's students. Highly interactive simulations that form the core of virtual labs and environments incorporate a solid science/math model that accurately reproduces the design and operation of actual devices/systems, natural processes, or learning situations. Simulations facilitate online experimentation and exploration and enable students to theoretical concepts and principles in the context of their practical applications. Extendable sets of customizable self directed online assignments (or virtual experiments) included in the system are used to achieve particular learning or training objectives. Each assignment in addition to a one or several simulations comprises instructional, assessment and educational resources that can be adapted to student levels and backgrounds. Associated learning and teaching resources for 'just in time' learning are based on the uniform constructivist pedagogical approach and conceptually organized in such a way that they complement and reinforce each other allowing students to tackle the leaning subject from several directions. Synchronized auxiliary simulations that extend the functionality of the main simulation (e.g. visualize hidden processes or explore phenomena from different perspectives) may also be included. v Labs could be easily integrated with various offline and online courses including those delivered via MOOC (massive open online course) platforms. The complimentary authoring tool enables an instructor to tailor an online activity to specific learning objectives, students' levels and backgrounds. Simulation based online modules can run in four different modes. Tutorial mode introduces students to the major processes and equipment design and operation. In Practice mode students, following scenario and step by step instruction, performs interactive virtual assignments that perfectly mirror common workplace tasks. In Assessment mode, performance based and sequential tests provide faculty with reliable data on student skills and understanding and help students self evaluate their knowledge and progress. Interactive Manual mode sequentially visualizes procedures and steps demonstrating how to perform them to accomplish a required task. Interactive and Adaptable Cloud based Virtual Equipment and Laboratories Y. Cherner et al.