Merging remote laboratories and enquiry-based learning for STEM education

Abstract

Practical learning activities are effective ways to increase the interest of students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) topics. Attracting school students to STEM careers is a challenge in many parts of the world. Remote Access Laboratories (RAL) allow for offsite control of state-of-the-art science and technology experiments. Such learning activities, while mostly used in universities, can also provide additional learning opportunities in schools. Current RAL technologies are targeted at undergraduate engineering education and offer limited operational autonomy. Opportunities for collaboration and experiment design are not well supported. However, both are important components of STEM education in schools. This paper discusses how RAL can be adapted to better support enquiry based learning in the context of STEM education. The limitations of current architectures are discussed and approaches to address these are presented.