Impact of remote experimentation, interactivity and platform effectiveness on laboratory learning outcomes

Area of Science:

• Engineering Education
• Remote Laboratory Platforms
• Scientific Experimentation

Background:

• Laboratory education access is often compromised by regulatory constraints and resource shortages.
• Online and remote laboratories offer solutions but lack theoretical perspectives on learning outcomes.
• Transactional Distance Theory (TDT) provides a framework for analyzing remote learning environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the gap in theoretical perspectives on remote laboratory learning outcomes using TDT.
• To analyze the structure and interactions within physical (PL-UTM) and remotely triggerable (RT-UTM) laboratory platforms.
• To characterize parameters affecting transactional distance and conceptual understanding in remote settings.

Main Methods:

• A case study utilizing a Universal Testing Machine (UTM) comparing physical and remote platforms.
• Analysis of interactivity between remote learners and instructors based on TDT.
• Development of instruments to assess conceptual understanding and platform effectiveness.

Main Results:

• Remote users conducted experiments three times more frequently than in physical labs.
• Assignments were completed 30% faster using the remote platform.
• Over 200% improvement in scores was observed when the RT-UTM platform was integrated.

Conclusions:

• Remote laboratories, guided by TDT, can significantly enhance conceptual understanding and procedural skills.
• The RT-UTM platform demonstrates effectiveness in improving learning outcomes and efficiency.
• Characterizing interactivity is key to optimizing remote laboratory learning environments.