Development of a web-based integrated manufacturing laboratory.

The internet is dramatically changing the ways we learn and teach, as well as the way we interact as a society. The “same time, same place, only some people” traditional instructional method is giving way to “anytime, anyplace, anybody” educational models. This paper deals with the development of a Web-based integrated manufacturing laboratory (WIML), which represents a virtual mini-manufacturing corporation, whose aim is to support core manufacturing curriculum and to provide students with hands-on experience on various manufacturing functions and effective use of manufacturing software tools. Key components of the WIML include a manufacturing tutor, a data repository, message boards, customization pages, and links to the world-wide web. The WIML not only can stimulate students' interest in related manufacturing courses but also allow them to strengthen their computer skills and develop ability to work as a team. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 9: 228–237, 2001; Published online in Wiley InterScience (<URL>www.interscience.wiley.com</URL>.); DOI 10.1002/cae.10006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]