REV 2013 Workshops


Pre-conference Beginners Workshop: An Introduction to Remote Laboratories
Session 5A: Lab Pedagogy
Session 5B: Lab Sharing
 

Beginners Workshop: An Introduction to Remote Laboratories

Note: This workshop will run prior to the official start of the REV2013 conference. Anyone who is interested in attending should pre-register their interest by contacting David Lowe in order to confirm a space in the workshop.  
 
Date/Time: Tuesday 5th February, 1:30pm-5:00pm
Overview
Laboratory experimentation is generally considered central to science- and engineering-based education. Logistical constraints can however place significant limitations on the ability to provide and maintain high-quality laboratory experiences and equipment. One potential solution is the use of remotely accessible laboratories. These laboratories allow students and educators to use high-speed networks, coupled with cameras, sensors and controllers, to carry out experiments on real physical laboratory apparatus that is located remotely from the student. Research has shown that when used appropriately this can bring a range of potential benefits, including the ability to share resources across multiple institutions, support access to facilities that would otherwise be inaccessible for cost or technical reasons, and improve some learning outcomes for students. This workshop aims to provide participants with an introduction to remote laboratories, including:
  • An understanding of the challenges associated with supporting laboratory-based science and engineering education;
  • The opportunities represented by the use of remote laboratories;
  • The pedagogic, technical, and logistical challenges associated with developing, maintaining and sharing remote laboratory infrastructure;
  • The opportunity to experience first-hand a range of remote laboratory activities;
  • The opportunity to become involved in subsequent follow-up activities and remote laboratory developments.
Target Audience
This workshop is aimed at those who would do not currently have a detailed understanding of remote laboratories, but would like to gain an understanding of the role that can played by remotely-accessed laboratories in supporting enhanced access to teaching laboratories - either within the higher-education sector or in supporting science education in K-12. No previous expertise is necessary, though an involvement in laboratory-based education and an interest in technological innovation is beneficial.
Activities
The workshop will run from 1:30pm to 5:00pm on Tuesday 5th February, according to the following schedule:
  • 1:30-1:40 Welcome and introductions.
  • 1:40-2:00 A general introduction to the concepts and history of remote laboratories.
  • 2:00-2:20 Hands-on session where participants will be able to log-in to the UTS Remote Lab facility and explore the capabilities (and limitations) of a range of remotely-accessed labs.
  • 2:20-2:40 Introduction to the technologies and architectures of remote laboratory systems.
  • 2:40-3:00 Issues in designing and building remote laboratories.
  • 3:00-3:20 Afternoon tea break
  • 3:20-4:00 Pedagogic issues with remote labs: learning outcomes and remote lab suitability; a different kind of difference; establishing the reality of the experience; effective design of remote lab lesson plans.
  • 4:00-4:20 The future of remote labs: research agendas; real-world remote labs; augmented reality; virtual worlds; adaptive lab guidance.
  • 4:20-4:40 Sharing remote labs - Labshare; using labs made available by others; and allowing others to access your own labs.
  • 4:40-5:00 An open forum Q&A session focused on answering any remaining questions, and exploring ways in which remote laboratories can best be utilised.
Presenters
The presenters are leading international experts in remote laboratories. Prof David Lowe is the current President of the Global Online Laboratory Consortium (see http://online-lab.org/) and Director of The Labshare Institute (see http://www.labshare.edu). Prof Euan Lindsay is a world-recognised researcher into the pedagogy of remote laboratories and completed one of the first (if not the first) PhD's in this field. Steve Murray is one of the co-founders of the UTS Remote Laboratory Facility - one of the largest operational remote laboratory collections in the world. Examples of recent work by the presenters includes:
  • Lowe, D., Newcombe, P., & Stumpers, B. (In Press). Evaluation of the Use of Remote Laboratories for Secondary School Science Education. Research in Science Education.
  • Lowe, D., Conlon, S., Murray, S., Weber, L., Villefromoy, M. D. L., Lindsay, E., Nafalski, A., et al. (2012). LabShare: Towards Cross-Institutional Laboratory Sharing. In A. Azad, M. Auer, & J. Harward (Eds.), Internet Accessible Remote Laboratories: Scalable E-Learning Tools for Engineering and Science Disciplines (1st ed., pp. 453-467). Hershey, PA, USA: IGI Global.
  • Lowe, D., Villefromoy, M. D., Jona, K., & Yeoh, L. (2012). Remote Laboratories?: Uncovering the True Costs. REV2012 - Remote Engineering & Virtual Instrumentation. Bilbao, Spain: IAOE.
  • Lowe, D., Bharathy, G., Stumpers, B., & Yeung, H. (2012). Laboratory Lesson Plans?: Opportunities Created by Remote Laboratories. REV2012 - Remote Engineering & Virtual Instrumentation. Bilbao, Spain: IAOE.
  • Tuttle, S. W., Lowe, D., & Moulton, B. (2011). A Survey of Issues and Approaches to Remote Laboratory Adoption by Teacher-Academics. In J. Morgan, A. Pears, S. Burkett, J. Froyd, E. T. Caro, & M. M. Ciampi (Eds.), FiE 2011: 41st Frontiers in Education Conference (p. GOLC1). Rapid City, SD, USA: IEEE.
  • Lindsay, E., Murray, S., Lowe, D., Kostulski, T., & Tuttle, S. (2010). Derivation of Suitability Metrics for Remote Access Mode Experiments. In M. Auer & G. Karlsson (Eds.), REV 2010: 7th International Conference on Remote Engineering and Virtual Instrumentation (pp. 204-210). Stockholm, Sweden: Kassel University Press.
  • Lowe, D., Murray, S., Lindsay, E., & Liu, D. (2009). Evolving Remote Laboratory Architectures to Leverage Emerging Internet Technologies. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 2(4), 289-294.
  • Lindsay, E., Murray, S., Liu, D., Lowe, D., & Bright, C. (2009). Establishment reality vs maintenance reality: how real is real enough? European Journal of Engineering Education, 34(4), 229-234.

Remote Laboratory Pedagogy


Date/Time: Thursday 7th February, 9:00am-10:30am
Overview
In this workshop, guided by the facilitators, the following issues will be explored by the attendees:
•    “Face-to-face” and “online” experiential learning outcomes, theoretical and real/achievable;
•    Examples of “remote laboratory experimentation” and “simulated laboratory experimentation” – with examples from TLI and/or from participants’ institutions;
•    Students’ experiences and perceptions in remote laboratories using virtual (simulated) and real equipment;
•    Staff experiences and perceptions in remote laboratories using virtual (simulated) and real equipment;
•    What techniques do we have or need to create to achieve better student learning experiences in proposed and implemented online venues.

Workshop Outcomes
•    Identification and implementation of appropriate remote laboratory configurations.

Target Audience
Anyone interested in remote laboratories.

Presenters

Dr George Banky,
Engineering and Science Education Research Group,
Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences (H38), Swinburne University of Technology.

George is an electrical engineering academic who has completed a PhD in tertiary education at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE) that investigated the online supervision of computer-screen-based experiential learning. He has been nominated for both Carrick and AAEE Citation Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers Australia and a founding member of his faculty’s “Engineering & Science Education Research Group”. His research interests include: synchronously supervised online experiential learning; facilitating student deep-learning with electronic circuit simulation tools; using collaboration software to improve student engagement in face-to-face computer-screen-based tutorials, and the investigation of the hurdles faced by students transitioning into tertiary engineering courses.

Mr. Aaron Blicblau
Engineering and Science Education Research Group,
Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences (H38), Swinburne University of Technology.

Aaron is a Senior Lecturer and Subject Convenor of a first year subject involving experimental learning and is the final year project coordinator for the mechanical engineering stream. He is also a founding member of the ESER Group. In 2007, he was the recipient of an individual Carrick Citation Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning. In 2009 he was presented with the Vice-Chancellor’s Intersectoral Collaboration Teaching Award.

Prof. Euan Lindsay
Dean of School of Engineering and Built Environment, Central Queensland University.

Euan graduated as a Mechatronics Engineer and completed his PhD at Melbourne University researching in to Students’ perception of Remote Laboratories. Prior to moving to CQU, Euan was at Curtin University, and has been active in this area and a pioneer in sharing laboratories amongst Australian Universities along with Prof David Lowe. Euan has published several refereed papers in Pedagogy related to Remote Labs. His research focus has been on the learning outcomes of remote and virtual laboratory classes, and how these flexible learning approaches can be embedded in the curriculum. In 2007 he received a Carrick Award for Australian University Teaching and in 2010 he was the President of the AAEE. He is a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy.


Successful models for lab sharing - an open discussion


Date/Time: Thursday 7th February, 9:00am-10:30am
Overview
The workshop presents three successful approaches for sharing laboratory equipment: A deep, single-architecture model represented by VISIR, a common booking and sharing model, Labshare, and a top-level model allowing very heterogeneous installations represented by the LiLa project. Participants are invited to learn and discuss various models for laboratory sharing, and envision a global model for GOLC to facilitate world-wide laboratory sharing.
Target Audience
Anyone interested in shared access to remote laboratories.
Activities
  • 10 mins - Initial introduction + context setting
  • 3 x 5 mins - brief overview of technical systems support in VISIR / LiLa / Labshare
  • 20 mins - open discussion on issues associated with the technical system support for sharing.
  • 3 x 5 mins - brief overview of organisational management of sharing in VISIR / LiLa / Labshare
  • 20 mins - open discussion on issues associated with the organisational support for sharing.
  • 10 mins - summary and wrap-up.
Presenters
David Boehringer, Thomas Richter, David Lowe, Gustavo Alves, Pablo Orduna