Prof. Dr. Manuel Castro, http://www.slideshare.net/mmmcastro/Electronics Technology Professor, UNED, Madrid, SPAINIEEE Fellow, Jr Past President, IEEE Education Society

Practical competences in a MOOC through remote

laboratoriesElectronics remote lab integration into a

MOOCF. Garcia-Loro / E. Sancristobal / G. Diaz / R. Meier / M Castro

What / Why / How• Is it possible to provide satisfactory experimental

experiences in a remote learning environment?• How can a remote lab handle a massive environment ? • Is VISIR a tool suitable for teaching or complementing

electronics learning process ?• Can become remote labs a stand-alone learning tool or

do they need to be a part of a more complex system to achieve the learning goals they are able to provide ?

What is a remote lab?A remote laboratory is a tool which combines software and hardware to allow students to access to real equipment, instruments and components remotely through the InternetThe main advantage of remote labs, when compared with traditional laboratories, lies in its availability that has neither temporal nor geographical restrictionsMain disadvantage are maintenance and 100% availability

What is VISIR ?Virtual Instrument System In RealityVISIR is a remote laboratory for wiring and measuring electronics circuits on a breadboard remotelyVISIR allows realizing real measurements on physical equipmentThe entire equipment is controlled by LabVIEW server softwareThe wiring mechanism is developed by means of a relay switching matrix connected to a PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation (PXI)

What is not VISIR?VISIR is not a simulation software or a virtual lab; there is a physical limitation since it does not allow an indeterminate number of concurrent usersVISIR is not a lab to carry out any type of experiment; for example, destructive experiments are not allowed because all experiments must be reusableVISIR is not an instructor; The measurement server acts as an instructor to avoid hazard circuits but it lacks of assessment and evaluation for teachers or guidance for students

VISIR software

Web Server(Apache)

Database(PHP – Adoble Flash)

Measure Server(Microsoft Visual C++)

Equipment Server(Labview)

User

Hardware

User interface

VISIR hardware

UNED-COMAUNED-COMA platform is an Open-UNED initiative, aimed at the deployment of MOOCs from different Departments and Teaching Teams of UNEDUNED-COMA platform explodes the rich experience in distance education of UNED educational systemBadge, Credential (paying) and Certificate (paying + in-person exam)Curator (UNED-COMA) & Facilitator (teaching staff)Access is completely open and free

BCEP-MOOCCircuits Fundamentals and Applied Electronics (“Bases de Circuitos y Electrónica Práctica”, BCEP)The core of the MOOC is the remote laboratory VISIRCritical analysis point: Scalability; VISIR into a massive environmentThe acquisition of the competences in analyzing circuits is not an objective, at least a minimal knowledge is necessary

BCEP-MOOC scenarioMOOCs are promoting different lifelong learning experiences and continuing education models; MOOCs appear to fit well to several areas of knowledgeA significant challenge exists in developing courses where experimentation plays an important role: the provision of laboratory work online along with the theoretical contentsVirtual labs and simulators represent a first approach to the problem, even though, they are still a bit far from delivering to student the performance of the real equipment under real-life operation conditions

BCEP-MOOC objectivesActivities, grading methodology and tests/exams are focused on the interaction between student and VISIR’s workbenchPractical experiences are focused on, besides the experimental verification of the electrical/electronics laws, the use of real componentsPractical experiences are also focused on the different component technologies and their dissimilar behavior at certain working conditions

BCEP objectivesOffering a long-term working methodology:1. Hand solving the circuit following an ideal model or taking into

account some approximations 2. Simulation by means of software such as PSpice, Multisim or

MicroCap 3. Once knowing and understanding the behavior in the circuit, the

access to the laboratory encompass experimental verification of the laws governing the behavior of electric/electronic circuits, the disadvantages when working with real equipment and the undesirable effects when working with real components and instruments

4. Comparative analysis of the results obtained from preceding points

BCEP modules• Module I: Simulation• Module II: Remote laboratory (VISIR): equipment &

instruments• Module III: Working with resistors• Module IV: RLC circuits• Module V: Working with diodes• Module VI: Filters• Module VII: Zener diode• Module VIII: Operational amplifier

Booking system

Scalability!!VISIR has some features that collide with a MOOC: The intrinsic limitations of a real laboratory such as VISIR collide with one of the most relevant features that any MOOC should achieve: scalabilityAn undetermined number of users can access VISIR’s simulated workbench (it’s a server limitation as in other systems), but …A maximum of 60 users can simultaneously perform measurements; more accesses to the measurement instruments collapses VISIR

Physical constraintsFurthermore, for an optimal immersion, the number of concurrent users should not exceed 25 to obtain an adequate response time in continuous measuring (for occasional measures this factor is not critical)

request muestra1

Gráfico de Dispersión

52 62 72 82 92 102

1 user 5 minutesContinuous measuring

Average response time: 83,50 msmaxlist

Gráfico de Dispersión

0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400

5 user 5 minutesContinuous measuring

Average response time: 323,45 msmaxlist

Gráfico de Dispersión

2080 2100 2120 2140 2160 2180

30 user 5 minutesContinuous measuring

Average response time: 2121,12 ms

Alarms offIt is very unlikely that all connected users perform measurements simultaneously; The laboratory time is necessary specially for the circuit assembly and for configuring the equipment much more than for measuringIn addition, MOOCs show a high dropout rate; So, delaying VISIR onset, the number of accesses is limited to those students who are really interested and motivated

Bookings system settingsInitial settings:• 2 simultaneous turns booked (variable)• 16 turns per course (variable)• 60 minutes per turn (fixed)• 16 concurrent users (variable); up to 384 turns every day

Going to the limits (60 concurrent users): up to 1440 turns every day avoiding the risk of collapsing VISIR

Student’s profile

Student’s profile

General tracking1st Edition

>3600 enrollments

2nd Edition>1300 enrollments

3rd Edition>2400 enrollments

Dropout

Student’s profile

Student’s pre/post

Student’s postStatement agree %

I would be interested in a re-edition of this MOOC 166 65,60% I would be interested in a similar practice-based MOOC on electronics but more basic than this MOOC

97 38,30%

I would be interested in a similar practice-based MOOC on electronics but more advanced than this MOOC

70 27,70%

I would be interested in a theoretical MOOC on electronics (without practical experiences and the remote lab VISIR)

28 11,10%

I’m not interested in new MOOCs 3 1,20%

I'm not interested in a re-edition of this MOOC 4 1,60%

Student’s post

But…we maintain that the

best approach is a

combination of the

methods

Accesses to components

No need to change any component

ConclusionsRemote laboratory VISIR has shown the ability to perform its activity satisfactorily in massive environmentsAbout the MOOC, student needs a theoretical framework along with VISIR in order to take advantage of practical experiences: BCEP-MOOC requires a redesignExperimentation and VISIR remote lab have been an attraction for students’ enrollment

Support – ProjectsNEW PROJECT >>> PILAR >>> 2016-1-ES01-KA203-025327Platform Integration of Laboratories based on the Architecture of visiRErasmus+ Strategic Partnership in Higher Education 2016

Prof. Dr. Manuel Castro, http://www.slideshare.net/mmmcastro/Electronics Technology Professor, UNED, Madrid, SPAINIEEE Fellow, Jr Past President, IEEE Education Society

Practical competences in a MOOC through remote

laboratoriesElectronics remote lab integration into a

MOOCF. Garcia-Loro / E. Sancristobal / G. Diaz / R. Meier / M CastroTHANKS !! ??????