Experimental Learning in Engineering

Remote laboratories and virtual experimentation platforms let engineering students run real or simulated control systems, circuits, and physical processes through an internet connection rather than in a traditional campus lab. Researchers in this area examine whether hands-on learning outcomes from remote and simulation-based setups are comparable to those from physical benchtop work, and how design choices in interface, feedback, and task structure affect skill acquisition across diverse learner populations. The work matters because it directly shapes access to practical STEM education for distance learners, under-resourced institutions, and students in disrupted circumstances. Open questions include how to preserve the productive struggle and tacit physical intuition that characterize bench experimentation, and how hybrid models combining remote access with occasional in-person sessions should be sequenced for lasting competency.

Works

108,059

Total citations

413,614

Keywords

Remote LaboratoriesEngineering EducationVirtual LabsControl SystemHands-on ExperimentsSTEM Education