The aim of the project is to reinforce the digitalization, internationalization, accessibility, and visibility of Engineering Education in the EU and worldwide perspective by using the remote labs approach in the Consortium universities. The focus will be on launching the Remote Labs Virtual Campus that will provide the teachers with easy to use tools for “remotification” of existing lab exercises or development of new ones; and the students of Partner universities (and external students) with easy-to-access remote lab exercises for studying engineering problems and solutions on real objects and hardware; Develop digital pedagogical competences of university teachers, enabling them to develop new high-quality remote labs for distance education in Engineering subjects, with additional focus simultaneous education of many students and open online courses. Project objectives (specific) 1. Creation of the unified design principles and practical tools (examples and templates) for the development and “remotification” of lab exercises involving real objects or simulations. 2. Development of at least 6 remote labs for engineering education courses at the consortium universities. 3. Launching of the Remote Labs Virtual Campus that connects teachers, students, and industry/business (at least 20 industrial and business partners).
The main objectives of the project are the following: 1. Creation, testing, and sharing with other teachers of unified design principles and practical tools (examples and templates) for the development of remote and “remotification” of existing lab exercises involving real objects or simulations. 2. Development of at least 6 remote labs for engineering education courses at the consortium universities. 3. Launching of the Remote Labs Virtual Campus that hosts the developed remote labs and provides relevant methodological instruction and examples for teachers, students, and industry representatives.
The role of new e-learning tools that use blended and distance learning methodologies is rapidly increasing in the university educational process. Among these e-learning tools, we can emphasize remote laboratory exercises. Lab exercises are one of the key elements for engineering students to comprehend through the application in actual situations of fundamental concepts and to analyze, synthesize, and make judgments based on evidence. The main form of experimental exercises used in universities in the frame of engineering education is the hands-on lab exercises. Under emergency conditions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to perform hands-on labs is rather limited. In this case, the remote labs are practically the only tool, which could be used at the universities within engineering education programs that foresee lab exercises to be completed by the student. A remote lab is a laboratory environment that allows carrying out experiments on distance having access anywhere and anytime to real equipment, without the need for the experimenter to be physically present inside the lab room. The remote labs could deliver the same experience as the hands-on labs, but with additional and significant benefits by using remote access. Simplifying the process of development of remote labs or "remotifying" existing labs would significantly benefit towards accessibility of practical engineering education and student engagement. Also, it would allow to increase cost efficiency of lab exercises and rig, and increase per-student lab time and thus benefiting teachers, course responsible and universities.