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VIRTUAL AND REMOTE LABORATORIES

Virtual and Remote Laboratories

Bradley West

CUIN 3313
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VIRTUAL AND REMOTE LABORATORIES

The introduction of virtual and remote laboratories into educational and professional

settings bring educators more opportunities than were previously available under the old in

person model. As with any tool, there are both advantages and disadvantages with the

implementation of virtual and remote laboratories.

In order to understand how these labs can affect both professional and educational work,

we must first understand what virtual and remote laboratories are. Firstly, virtual and remote are

not always the same thing even though some people use them interchangeably. A virtual lab is

one in which the environment where the training or experiment takes place in is simulated

entirely in a virtual space. A remote lab on the other hand contains some parts that are not

entirely computer generated or contain observations of real world scenarios. For remote labs, the

user is manipulating an actual piece of equipment and observing the results and reactions from a

remote location. (Seiler, 2014)

Replacement of face to face laboratories with virtual and remote versions has not been

feasible until recently. Innovations in both hardware and software over the past decade have

made this technology more accessible to the population at large. Limitations on how detailed

simulations could be and the complexity of the software were barriers to the large-scale

implementation of virtual and remote labs. Now however, a greater level of importance has been

placed on technological competencies on the learners end and ease of access for the creators of

the software and interfaces.

Virtual and remote labs are already being used by both educators and other professionals

on a wide scale. One area from the professional side of things that sees heavy use of this

technology is engineering. Jing and Nickerson think this might be why,

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In other words, engineering is an applied science, and the labs are a place to practice the

application of scientific concepts. Also, educators in the engineering disciplines may be

more likely to have the technical skills needed to create technology-enriched labs. While

there are some commercial simulators available for certain engineering and science-

related topics, to our knowledge there are no off-the-shelf remote laboratory systems

currently available and therefore, professors who desire them are likely to develop them

themselves if they have the requisite skills. (p. 4)

Virtual and remote labs are already integrated into many subjects in both the K-12 system and

higher education institutions. They are more heavily used in college classes because the students

have a higher degree of trust from their instructors and a greater range of freedom to choose

when their classes are. As a result, the need for a flexible platform for conducting the work is

provided by this technology.

One of the major advantages of this technology is the ability for educators to reach a

wider variety of people rather than limiting the learning experience to those in close proximity to

the people conducting the training or education. This is particularly useful educational

professions as it allows students more flexibility in both location and time. Educators themselves

also stand to benefit in the sense that data from their students and their assignments will already

be in an easily assessable format. Given that almost every educational institution has moved

away from keeping track of grades and other information on paper, it almost seems logical that

these sorts of assignments would progress to a digital format as well.

Yet another benefit is how easily adapting the material to different learning styles is.

Video, audio, and interactive sections can all be added to make auditory, visual, and kinesthetic

learners more comfortable in their learning environment. This can help cut down on
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discrepancies between the way certain instructors teach out of habit and conflicts with how the

learners prefer to collect and process information.

Companies that employ engineers are already benefiting from and making use of virtual

and remote laboratories. The use of this relatively new technology means that training involving

a high degree of risk in the past can be done with no risk to the trainee. Some examples of this

would be work with dangerous chemicals and heavy machinery. In both of those cases the people

being trained can conduct their training in a manner that prevents exposure to risk factors.

One of the challenges posed by the use of virtual labs in place of in person labs are the

only things that can happen are what is programmed into the simulation. You might ask should

that not be considered a benefit? The short answer is no, many discoveries have come from

accidents in labs. Ma and Nickerson (2006) said, On the other hand, automation may remove

the serendipity associated with traditional laboratory learning. (p. 1) Without the element of

serendipity that comes with natural experimentation we very well may never have discovered

superglue, penicillin, or microwave ovens, all of which were discovered by accident when

researchers and scientists were studying something else.

Another potential drawback to this technology is its reliance on technology for the whole

process and the price tag carried with it. Any form of virtual or remote laboratory requires at

least a serviceable computer and internet connection. It is often taken for granted that people

have ready access to these resources, but that is not always the case. This is less of an issue on

the educational side of things as most institutions have computer labs or individual computers for

students to use. However, in a professional setting, if the learner does not have access to the

material through some sort of file sharing and the program is not offered on site, they may very

well not be able to participate in the required training.

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On the other side of this argument, there is the potential for the company or institution to

save money on equipment. If the software is robust enough to effectively emulate how the

equipment it is modeling works, the company or institution will not have to devote those

resources to training. Less equipment also means lower maintenance costs and depending on the

type of equipment being used, possible savings on things like utilities and gasoline.

Overall, virtual and remote laboratories have a long way to go before they can completely

replace those conducted in person. However, there is much to be said about the usefulness and

accessibility of this technology and its role in the future of pedagogy. As educational institutions

and businesses become more and more reliant on technology to train and educate people, digital

settings will become more and more popular.

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Works Cited
Briggs, S. (2013, July 16). 10 Emerging Educational Technologies and How They Are Being Used Across
the Globe. Retrieved December 1, 2017, from Information ED:
https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/the-ten-emerging-technologies-in-
education-and-how-they-are-being-used-across-the-globe/

Department of Applied Physics. (2017, N/A). Department of Applied Physics Remote Lab. Retrieved
December 1, 2017, from The Hong Knog Polytechnic University:
https://remotelab.ap.polyu.edu.hk/concept-and-benefits

Jing, M., & Nicerson, J. V. (2006, September). Retrieved December 1, 2017, from Citeseerx:
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download;jsessionid=FE6617C5C49164D3F7AFEF644A95C
9ED?doi=10.1.1.579.4102&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Johnson, K., Scrogan, L., Weeds, D., & Lambert, M. (2016, April 30). Virtual and Remote Laboratories.
Retrieved 12 1, 2017, from Horizon Project:
http://k12.wiki.nmc.org/Virtual+and+Remote+Laboratories

Seiler, S. (2014, March 31). Online, Virtual, Simulation. Retrieved December 1, 2017, from Seiler :
https://seiler.it/remote-and-virtual-labs/