Different Didactical Approaches Using a Remote Lab: Identification of Impact Factors

Abstract

Conducting laboratory experiments is of vital importance in science and engineering education, independently the level of education. Nowadays, teachers have different ways of allowing students to develop these competences other than hands-on labs, such as simulations and remote labs. This study is focused on the combined use of the three resources, carried out by 51 teachers, in 25 different courses. In total, 39 didactical implementations in the electric and electronics area were performed in several Higher Educational Institutions and Secondary Schools, in Argentina and Brazil. This occurred during 2016 and 2017 academic years, under the scope of the VISIR+ project and VISIR was the implemented remote lab and reached 1569 students. Teachers' perception about student acceptance and performance with VISIR as well as teachers' satisfaction with VISIR, were cross analysed with course characteristics as well as didactical implementation design factors and several interesting correlations stood out: Teachers extra care in designing VISIR tasks accordingly to the learning outcomes/ competences they want their students to develop revealed as a crucial factor; Teacher experience with VISIR plays an important role in students' satisfaction with the tool; Teacher introduction and support to VISIR along the semester is also an important factor.

Fostering Experimental Competences Using Complementary Resources

“…Although they have identified several constraints in VISIR -several configuration issues and instability, although some also referred that VISIR interface was "old fashionable"-these basically did not influence their satisfaction with the tool. The major advantages and constraints identified in VISIR are in accordance with former reported works in literature (Ferreira, Lacerda, Schlichting, & Alves, 2014;Fidalgo et al, 2014;Lima et al, 2019c;Marques et al, 2014).…”

“…All these implementations were based upon VISIR and it was already plenty reported in literature VISIR increased students' confidence in hands-on lab (Fidalgo et al, 2012;Marques et al, 2014;Salah et al, 2015;Tawfik, Sancristobal, Martín, Gil, Pesquera, Losada, et al, 2011). Additionally, when used prior to hands-on lab, in the subsequent hands-on lab classes, students were more at ease, performing less mistakes (the number of blown fuses decreased a lot) and assembling more circuits in a shorter time: VISIR being regarded as a "hands-on facilitator" (Alves et al, 2011;Lima et al, 2019cLima et al, , 2019aLima et al, , 2018Marques et al, 2014). In the former didactical implementations, some teachers and students also made some comments about the added value they felt when VISIR was used prior to the hands-on labs, reinforcing what already has been stated in literature.…”

“…The first results of the global analysis of the didactical implementations that took place in all LA partners and AP partners were already published (Lima et al, 2019c(Lima et al, , 2018. Although it contributed to this topic -using TL and NTL simultaneously-this analysis just considered some courses features as well as some didactical implementation characteristics and teachers' involvement and perception.…”

“…Indeed teachers' usage of VISIR is crucial: teachers need to spend some time getting familiarized with the resource, not only to assist students to overcome their eventual initial difficulties with the tool, but also to arouse students' perception of VISIR utility and their motivation to use it (Costa-Lobo et al, 2011;Lima et al, 2019aLima et al, , 2019cMarques et al, 2014;Viegas, Pavani, et al, 2018). This teacher implemented support (characterized in Table 14, page 108) is equally important during the task execution period, mainly by two reasons:…”

Didactical use of a remote lab

“…The reflection upon these works have also influenced his practice These are the factors that stood out: -Importance of teachers experience with VISIR: plays a crucial role in students' satisfaction (acceptance and performance) with the tool [25], [26], [27]. More, considering courses with several subsequent editions, students' level of satisfaction increases with the number of course implementation edition [28]. Teachers experience using VISIR tend to lead to (students) higher levels of satisfaction.…”