learning Webinar recorded and available on Engineers Ireland TV - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Academic Society Webinar #1

3rd September 2020 10am-11.30am

Remote and virtual laboratories: Equipping students for hands-off learning

Webinar recorded and available on Engineers Ireland TV channel for members or by requesting YouTube link via sectorsupport@engineersireland.ie

Remote and virtual laboratories:

Equipping students for hands-off learning

Speakers:

• Opening remarks: Úna Parsons, Academic Society Chair
• Irene Hayden / Anne Morrissey / Úna Parsons, Academic Society
• Luis de la Torre Cubillo, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia
• Michael Doherty, NI
• Brian Mulligan, IT Sligo
• Followed by discussion – submit via Zoom Q&A

15 minutes per speaker

Survey Findings

Impact of COVID 19 on engineering teaching, assessment and laboratories in Ireland

Úna Parsons Head of Faculty, CEng FIEI IT Sligo Dr Anne Morrissey Associate Professor DCU Irene Hayden Lecturer, CEng MIEI GMIT

Survey Aim

• This survey was discussed at length via virtual Engineers Ireland

Academic Society meetings during the last academic year since March 2020

• As a group, we were curious to ascertain the impact Lockdown

had on higher education

• To begin with, this is a presentation of the findings in relation to

engineering remote and virtual laboratories

• We felt that this information would be useful at the start of this

academic year 2020-2021

Survey Responses

19 educational institutions across the island of Ireland contributed

CIT UCC DCU TU Dublin NUIG GMIT IT SLIGO LYIT IADT DUN LAOGHAIRE DUNDALK IT QUB SOUTHERN REGIONAL COLLEGE IT TRALEE ESB NETWORKS TRAINING CENTRE LIT UL IT CARLOW WIT ATHLONE IT

Survey Responses

Participant break down: 73% academic lecturing staff 27% Head of Faculty, School or Department Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) represented: Level 6, 7, 8 and 9

Engineering Disciplines

Biomedical 8% Chemical 2% Civil 21% Computer 4% Mechanical 15% Mechatronic 11% Electrical 7% Electronic 17% Sustainable Energy 1% Quantity Surveying 1% Structural Engineering 1% Agricultural 2% Construction 1% Manufacturing 2% Energy 4% Common entry 1% Biomedical Chemical Civil Computer Mechanical Mechatronic Electrical Electronic Sustainable Energy Quantity Surveying Structural Engineering Agricultural Construction Manufacturing Energy Common entry

16 engineering disciplines are represented

Survey Structure

Three parts to the survey regarding higher education engineering practices:

• 1. Pre March 2020
• 2. Post March 2020 during Lockdown
• 3. Planning for the next academic year 2020-2021

Two future webinars will report the impact Lockdown has had

• n:
• 1. Teaching and learning in engineering education
• 2. Assessment practices in engineering education

Laboratory Types

19 laboratory types are represented

Computer 32% Environmental 6% Mechanical / Machine Shop 8% Automation 2% Soil Mechanics Laboratory 2% Electronic 10% Structures 5% Concrete 6% Engineering Science 2% Electrical 11% Outdoor practical 2% Surveying 2% Water 2% Hydraulics 3% Physics and chemistry 2% Chemical (unit operations) 2% Heat transfer 2% Thermodynamics 2% Fluid flow 2% Computer Environmental Mechanical / Machine Shop Automation Soil Mechanics Laboratory Electronic Structures Concrete Engineering Science Electrical Outdoor practical Surveying Water Hydraulics Physics and chemistry Chemical (unit operations)

Pre & Post Lockdown

57% of practicals were delivered differently post March 2020 43% stopped completely

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% As individuals In groups of three or more In pairs

Before the COVID-19 restrictions, students completed practicals

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Since the COVID 19 restrictions the delivery of practicals

Five recurring themes:

• 1. Simulation and improvisation were utilised
• 2. Increased use of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL)
• 3. Some practicals continued with social distancing whereas
• ther stopped
• 4. Assessment practices in relation to laboratories were

revisited

• 5. Emerging novel solutions were utilised

Changes During Lockdown

Future Planning

Students will come

• n campus for

practicals only one day per week, work alone 25% Students will come

• n campus for

practicals only one day per week and work in groups 16% Students will not come on campus, but will watch demonstrator practicals/simulatio ns online 18% Students will not come on campus, but will access software virtually (eg Solid Works), while the lecturer delivers synchronously and has remote access to the students computer 6% Students will not come on campus, but will be sent kits home 6% Something else 29%

Practical sessions will be combination of:

Future Planning

Six recurrent themes:

• 1. Practical classes will still be held on campus with distancing

and good practice in place

• 2. The future remains uncertain
• 3. There is a need for high quality PCs among the student body
• 4. Students may still struggle with PCs offered in a virtual

environment

• 5. Blended delivery using synchronous and asynchronous TEL
• nline will be commonplace
• 6. Novel solutions will come to the fore

• The next academic year will be challenging
• Leadership and management is required
• It presents opportunities for innovation and creativity
• Engineers Ireland Academic Society Network
• We can learn from International best practice e.g.

European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI)

• Together we can achieve an ever-evolving optimal

pedagogical evolution in engineering education

Conclusion

Online labs:

New ways for providing lab practice experiences in distance and blended education contexts

Dr Luis de la Torre Cubillo Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) Professor

ONLINE LA LABS: NEW WAYS FOR R PROVID IDING LA LAB PRACTICE EXPERIENCES IN IN DIS ISTANCE AND BLE LENDED EDUCATION CONTEXTS

http://www.nebsyst.com Luis de la Torre Cubillo LDELATORRE@DIA.UNED.ES

INDEX:

• The problem
• Conceptual solution
• Some OLs already developed and deployed
• Tools to develop and deploy OLs

THE PROBLEM

Fact: STEM subjects require hands-on experimentation But…

THE PROBLEM

• 1. Online/blended learning
• 2. Students geographically

scattered

THE PROBLEM

• 3. Students with jobs
• 4. Students with family

CONCEPTUAL SOLUTION

Online education Online experimentation

CONCEPTUAL SOLUTION

Hands-on experimentation Online experimentation

CONCEPTUAL SOLUTION

Virtual Remote

CONCEPTUAL SOLUTION

SOME OLs ALREADY DEVELOPED AND DEPLOYED

SOME OLs ALREADY DEVELOPED AND DEPLOYED

SOME OLs ALREADY DEVELOPED AND DEPLOYED

TOOLS TO DEVELOP AND DEPLOY OLs

TOOLS TO DEVELOP AND DEPLOY OLs

• A/D actuators
• A/D sensors
• Video feedback

Experiment connectivity

• Equipment

power supply

• System reboot /

reinitialization

Experiment autonomy

• Operation from

the Internet

• Occupancy

management

Experiment accesibility

Enable the remote

• peration of the system

TOOLS TO DEVELOP AND DEPLOY OLS

• Enabling a controlled and secure access to lab equipment is not

easy nor fast.

• Teachers and lab technicians usually lack the knowledge required

for OLs: communications, networks, electronics, programming…

• Teachers are usually very busy.

TOOLS TO DEVELOP AND DEPLOY OLs

myIntegrations myVirtualFrontier

myConvergence myConvergence myGateway myConvergence myConvergence

User

Local Area Network Local Area Network myFrontier

myPDU myGadget myGadget myGadget myGadget myGateway+

Local Area Network

myPDU

myPDU

myUIs

Connectivity Autonomy Accesibility

THANK YOU

UNED

Luis de la Torre ldelatorre@dia.uned.es

Nebulous Systems & ENLARGE

http://www.nebsyst.com http://irs.nebsyst.com

Transitioning practical laboratories to include remote laboratories

Michael Doherty NI Academic Account Manager Northern Europe

ni.com

Transitioning Practical Laboratories to Include Remote Learning

Michael Doherty

Academic Account Manager

ni.com

Engineering Practice

Design according to codes and procedures; many faculty with industrial experience and/or strong ties with industry

Engineering Science

Fundamental understanding of phenomena; analysis; majority of faculty trained for academic research

Project Based Learning & Active Learning

Experiential, hands-on activities, teamwork, communication, design, creativity and innovation, project management, contextual analysis. Incentivize instructional faculty.

Project-Based Learning Engineering Practice Engineering Science

2020

Evolution of Engineering Education

ni.com

Project Based Learning

Challenging Problems & Projects Ensure Project Authenticity Student Problem Solving Skills Student Centric Process Enable Student Presentation

ni.com

Studio Learning

Challenge students with problem complexity beyond their knowledge and guide them to a resolution demanding an expansion of their understanding

Flipped Classrooms

Change the role of educator from “imparter of knowledge” to “coach and facilitator” and help students to become active participants in learning.

Remote Education

Connect students to learning outcomes anywhere they might be, by providing laboratories that can be delivered online increasing the impact of a program

Evolution of Engineering Education

ni.com

Challenges

ni.com

Challenges

Will students be able to return to the classroom/lab in September? What do we do if there is a second wave and we need to go back into lockdown? How will we fund the courses if students don’t feel comfortable returning to campus? Engineering is hands-on. I can’t teach students the skills they need remotely

ni.com

Flexible approach to learning (one- size fits all won’t work) Communicate early with students and build confidence Embrace change, innovate and lead the way

ni.com

Approaches

ni.com

Low cost. Simple to setup. Can we accessed from anywhere. Students lose appreciation for differences between simulation and experimental results. Lower student engagement. Students do not feel like they’re getting a good return on investment for their tuition fees. Learning curve for new software.

How will I be able to run laboratories?

Simulation only laboratories

ni.com

Virtual Labs (Simulated in NI Multisim Live)

www.multisim.com

ni.com

Flexibility for students to work both on and off campus, remotely connecting to the lab anywhere in the world. Flexibility for university to change teaching style as social distancing rules evolve. Opportunity to compare simulation with experimental results to give students an appreciate for how results can differ and why. Engineers are often visual learners and therefore this gives them the opportunity to learn from seeing and doing. Complex experiments can be conducted safely in the lab setting. 24/7 remote access for students. Enables group work. Requires initial investment. Rewrite of experiments. Change of lab setup means students and staff are not familiar with lab equipment.

How will I be able to run laboratories?

Connected lab that can be accessed in person or remotely

ni.com

Drive Teamwork with Rapid and Easy Co-ordination of Experiments and Sharing of Measurements Fully Programmable Platform Scales from Foundational Topics to Future Multidisciplinary Applications Teach Students to Innovate with Authentic Projects Driven by an Integrated Instrumentation and Embedded Design Platform Teaching Resources Aligned with Accreditation Needs with Content Developed by Experts in Education and Industry Engage Students with a Modern, Web Driven Experience with Mac, PC and Network Accessibility

NI ELVIS III: Engineering Laboratory Solution for Project Based Learning

ni.com

Social distancing use case example

One student in the lab, two students working remotely

University Working remotely Student 2 Android Phone Student 3 Windows PC Student 1 Lab PC Video Call Web browser Video Call Student view of experiment NI ELVIS III Webcam

One student in the lab, two students working remotely

ni.com

Flexibility for students to work both on and off campus, remotely connecting to the lab anywhere in the world. Flexibility for university to change teaching style as social distancing rules evolve. Opportunity to compare simulation with experimental results to give students an appreciate for how results can differ and why. Engineers are often visual learning and therefore this gives them the opportunity to learn from seeing and doing. 24/7 access for students. Enables students to do lab experiments and projects working in any setting. Requires initial investment. Limited complexity of experiments that students can complete. Change of lab setup means students and staff are not familiar with lab equipment.

How will students be able to complete projects?

Portable workbench devices allow students to work anywhere

ni.com

Personal Labs: Students-owned “pocket labs”

• Student-owned hardware (or loaned to them by the University

NI myRIO NIAD2 NI myDAQ

ni.com

Summary

• Three options:
• Simulation Only
• Connected Labs that can be accessed remotely
• Student owned pocket labs
• View extended version of this presentation: https://www.ni.com/en-

gb/innovations/videos/20/transitioning-practical-laboratories-for-remote- learning.html

Building an international peer- support community for remote and virtual laboratories

Brian Mulligan Institute of Technology Sligo Head of Online Learning Innovation

Remote Labs Building an In Internatio ional l Community of f Practice

Brian Mulligan, B.E., M.Eng. Design.

Head of Online Learning Innovation Centre for Online Learning Institute of Technology Sligo mulligan.brian@itsligo.ie - bit.ly/brianmulligan Engineers Ireland – 03.09.2020

The Scale of the Challenge

X 1000?

There are lots of solutions out there!

• Remotely accessible labs (rigs)
• Simulations (Commercial / OER)
• Virtual Labs (real data)
• Kits
• Designs for kits, rigs, "home" experiments
• Commercial trainers

The challenge is finding them!

The Benefits

• f

Collaboration

Compiling information centrally Sharing the workload Reducing costs (OER) Sharing ideas / designs Sharing access (federation) Pedagogical design !!Not a "learned society"!!

International Peer-Support Community

• On Linkedin - bit.ly/labsonline

Challenges

• Critical Mass - Lurkers vs Posters
• Choosing a platform
• Communication - "push" or "pull"
• Services
• Shared Documents
• Discussion forum
• Webinars / training
• "match making"
• Sustainability

Remote La Labs Building an In International Community of f Practice

Brian Mulligan, B.E., M.Eng. Design.

Head of Online Learning Innovation Centre for Online Learning Institute of Technology Sligo mulligan.brian@itsligo.ie - bit.ly/brianmulligan

bit.ly/labsonline

Type questions for speakers under the Zoom Q&A button

Speakers:

• Irene Hayden, Engineers Ireland Academic Society
• Luis de la Torre Cubillo, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia
• Michael Doherty, NI
• Brian Mulligan, IT Sligo

Q&A

Thank You

Feedback and suggestions for future Engineers Ireland Academic Society webinars to sectorsupport@engineersireland.ie

Closing remarks