Innovations in Remote Laboratories & Simulation Software for Online and On-Site Engineering Students

Laboratories are an essential component in engineering classes to bring together theory and hands-on experimentation to help students learn complex concepts. This is very challenging to do, especially with on-line engineering classes. This paper describes how state-of-the art technology was used to create and improve laboratories for on-line and on-site students in the Applied Engineering and Computer Science Departments at National University. Starting in the fall of 2012, new remote laboratories for on-line electric circuits classes were designed and implemented using equipment from National Instruments: ELVIS (Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite). New laboratories for circuit design classes were also created using Multisim simulation software from National Instruments. Qualitative and quantitative assessment data were collected at the end of each month-long course at National University. Data from multiple electric circuits classes of on-line students show a 13-28% increase in students' satisfaction with their learning, the teacher, course content, and technology. Data from multiple digital circuit design courses show a 28-48% increase in these same areas of student satisfaction.