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Students currently learn theoretical concepts about Electronics in class sessions and then go on to work in a laboratory. Usually, when they arrive to the laboratory they have insufficient knowledge about the relation between theory and practice and also measurement instruments operation. As a result, component damage is common during laboratory sessions. This paper introduces ISLE (Integrated Self-Learning System of Electronics), an integrated learning system for students to use as a self-assessment tool. The objective is to improve the students' knowledge about the relations between theory and practice and to prepare them to work efficiently in the laboratory. ISLE combines a hypermedia book with a virtual laboratory and a multimedia test tool. It follows the constructivist theory and constitutes an interactive computer-based complex tool enhancing competence based learning. The system was tested in a first course on Electronics. Four groups of students took part: two groups used ISLE and the other two groups did not. Having observed some differences in the means of both groups, a statistical comparison was conducted using SPSS. To compare the averages, a variance analysis (ANOVA for one factor) was carried out using Tukey contrast. The observed differences are significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratories have traditionally played a significant role in higher education as a place where students can apply theory to real-life situations. However, most university laboratories hare modest facilities that allow the implementation of only a few basic arrangements. In this regard, simulation software can be used to complement basic hands-on practice and also to reinforce previous concepts. This paper presents a home-made educational application used to simulate hydraulic power networks that has been developed by the authors. The application was designed for a virtual subject that employs a blending methodology for laboratory experience. First, the students implement several simple circuits in the laboratory in order to learn the basis of power hydraulics. Next, they can download the application from the web and use it to design, analyse and understand the operation of more complex networks. The effectiveness of the use of the application in the learning process was assessed at the end of the course by means of an opinion survey. The results obtained are presented at the end of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To teach and explain system modelling in a Thermal-Fluid application is a challenge: learning how one component or even the surrounding conditions can influence the performance of the rest of the components of the system and the system itself is not an easy task. However a suitable, educational implementation may help students gain a deeper understanding not only of the system itself but of the existing interrelation between the Thermal-Fluid fields: Thermodynamics. Heat Transfer and Fluid Mechanics. In this study a refrigerating cycle simulator is used. The simulator is prepared in such a way that the interrelation between each component, the system and the surroundings can be analysed by the students. This case study is found to be very useful due of its ability to study system performance. A three-step educational implementation, the simulator being the third step, has been used and found to be enriching both for students and instructors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A database approach to managing educational materials is presented that uses ontologies, object management systems, and dynamically generated Websites to manage educational resources better and enhance learning in the agricultural engineering curriculum. An example in the area of bioprocess is presented. An ontology is used to define and organize the concepts in the domain: in this case concepts involving the biology, chemistry, and physics of bioprocess. A database, rather than files, is used to store and distribute concept objects. Instructors use Web-based data visualization tools to develop and manage course content. Objects can be projected to a number of different presentation formats including Websites and printed materials. Evaluation of a 2D simulation of a bioprocess experiment shows that Web-based simulation can offer many of the experiences of hands-on laboratory exercises. The database approach simplifies the development process and lowers the cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interactive Web-based experiment was designed as a preparation tool for students in the Materials and Mechanics Laboratory course at Texas Tech University. In the Web-based experiment, the students were given an introduction to the concept of hardness, what it means, how it is measured, and the calibration and utilization procedure using a Rockwell tester. In three semesters, three sections of the class were exposed to lectures but not to the virtual experiment and three sections (three groups) were exposed to both lectures and the virtual experience. Each group was given a pre-lab quiz to assess their understanding of the concepts and objectives of the experiment. The groups exposed to the virtual lab were also given a short quiz on the procedure of the experiment. The pre-lab quizzes were graded without prior knowledge of the students' section or group affiliation. Grades were compared between groups that were exposed to both the lecture and the virtual laboratory and those groups who were only exposed to the lecture. The average grade of the students in the lecture and virtual laboratory groups was approximately 20% higher than that for the lecture alone group. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05) based on a t-test. The average grade on the knowledge of the procedure prior to actual experiment for the lecture and software groups was 75 on a 100 basis. Also, these students showed a great understanding of the hands-on procedure without significant input from the instructors. The lecture-only groups did not have a good idea of the procedural steps and required significant guidance from the instructor. Student evaluations of the software revealed that students were very enthusiastic about using the module as a pre-lab preparation tool but not as a replacement for the actual experiment. In this paper, the design of the software, important elements of the virtual lab and the evaluation results will be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]