Engineering Hands-on Experience in a Time of Remote Learning

Following the unexpected shift to online learning this spring, multiple academic units within Carleton University’s Faculty of Engineering and Design began developing enhanced strategies for remote education to ensure “hands-on” experiential learning remains a key element of studying online.

During Carleton’s 2020 summer term, both the Department of Electronics and Department of Systems and Computer Engineering launched unique remote learning initiatives that enable students to experience authentic lab sessions from home.

Screenshot from ECOR 1052 tutorial on how to work with an oscilloscope remotely.

Within the Department of Electronics, students in select summer courses can now remotely access tools and equipment required to complete lab work online. After logging on to a secure Carleton server from home, students are granted access to specialized software which they can use to run simulations and interact with on-campus lab hardware in real-time.

“At first, some students assumed everything was a simulation,” says Nagui Mikhail, computer systems and physical facilities manager in the Department of Electronics. “They did not realize they were actually interacting with real lab equipment here at Carleton.”

From the server, students can connect to a lab computer which becomes their personal workstation during lab hours, meaning no other student can access their circuit design. Each station also includes a Raspberry Pi programming board, along with a webcam that allows students to view feedback in real-time. Additional webcams also enable students to see the broader lab environment.

Technicians Answer Questions

During lab hours, a technician can view the state of every instrument and answer questions from students as they progress through their exercises. Students are also provided with extended lab access hours compared to a typical semester, along with in-depth tutorial videos.

“We’re looking to provide an experience as close as possible to what students would receive during in-person labs,” says Department of Electronics Chair, Niall Tait. “We haven’t watered down the content or altered course standards – we’re simply developing new ways of delivering the material.”

While remote access is helping to emphasize online experiential learning in some courses, others involve hands-on labs that require students to physically interact with the equipment itself.

The home lab kits sent out by the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering feature components such as a Texas Instrument MSP432 mixed-signal microcontroller and BoosterPack.

With that in mind, the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering has piloted an alternative approach – shipping specialized hardware kits to students enrolled in select summer courses that contain each of the elements needed to complete lab work from home.

Acting Department Administrator Jenna McConnell says the home lab kits have helped to provide students with extended hands-on experience while studying remotely.

“Normally, students would only have access to the equipment during their labs on campus,” says McConnell. “Now, every student has their own kit to work with at home, meaning they’re getting a lot more time with the equipment.”