Case Study of a Cost-Effective on-line Learning Environment Development for Laboratory Class Enhancement

摘要

Computer aided distance learning becomes reality without any pretension to replace a good teacher. Distance learning is always in a handicapped position when possibility of direct interaction is in question because of the lack of the permanent presence of a teacher. An e-learning course should be attractive, interesting and it has to compensate the absence of the teacher with an appropriate structure, regardless of whether distance learning or supplemental learning material in traditional studying are being considered. Beyond the simple information delivery through the Internet, the creators of the learning material described in this paper used all the possibilities available to make their products active in contrast to written text, which is inert. A web-based learning system with a set of interactive on-line exercises is developed to students of engineering in which emphasis was put on meeting the style of learning of today's young generation oriented towards inductive discovery and exploring, and the interactivity needed in learning materials. One of our goals in creating a virtual lab with on-line exercises was to make learning more enjoyable and to increase the student's motivation for signal processing subjects. Information technology is considered the boys' world, which contributes to the fact that very few girls want to have a career in technology. One way to try to make technology more appealing to girls is to create web learning materials [1]. The goal of the E-Girls - Towards Technology project in Tampere University of Technology was to increase the number of female students in technology by making it easier for them to find their way, in particular, to the fields of electrical engineering and electronics. The subjects of interest of young women were taken into account in purpose to make the learning material more attractive and motivating to them, but according to the received feedback from the course, both boys and girls found the topics interesting and the content useful [2]. Experimentation is a pervasive need within engineering education, and one that is the hardest to address in a learning-effective and a cost-effective manner [3]. In [4] the development of a multimedia educational package incorporating novel interactive visualization activities and quizzes to help students in the study of engineering measurements is reported and providing appropriate facilities to engage students in the exploration and discovery of knowledge is emphasized. In [5] a series of speech coding simulation tools developed using the J-DSP simulation environment is described [6] and there it was pointed out that despite the fact that certain topics in speech coding could be covered only by static web content, some important aspects of speech processing are best communicated through the use of computer simulation tools. The work described in [7] was carried out within the EU-funded Invocom project (Internet-based vocational training of communication students, engineers, and technicians), which involved partners from several technical universities and companies around the Europe. According to their experiences, the web server concept is really useful and beneficial from both the material developers' and users' points of view. In modern engineering education it seems rational not to develop extensive and expensive solutions, but rather to build flexible systems that allow smooth adaptation to a new situation [8]. Measurements are often connected with application of special and expensive equipment, hence a virtual laboratory can offer a cost-effective solution [9]. In this paper the results of research and intentions to create a simple, cost-effective and practical system adjusted to the needs of users are given. The focus was on enabling the visualization of the signals, and especially the possibility to hear the audio signals as they are created during the exercises.