WEB - BASED SIMULATION OF AN ENGINEERING IN - STRUCTIONAL LABORATORY Constantinos Iliopoulos University of the West of Scotland United Kingdom

The emergence of several kinds of electronic media and devices that connect to the Internet has created the opportunity for a wide variety of educators to provide different types of educational materials to their students/learners. It is still a considerable challenge to set up comprehensive, online engineering instructional laboratories to teach students online about the use of scientific instruments or processes linked with scientific experiments. Efforts for developing simulation applications that are meant to be delivered through websites have faced the inherent limitations of technologies like Adobe Flash and/or the requirement for the use of high cost development tools. The development of an online simulation system to facilitate learning of modern electronics is showcased and critically discussed. A case is made for the integration of Web 2.0 social computing elements and gamification principles in the developed online simulation system to enhance it further as a learning environment. Online Simulation Systems in Engineering Laboratories Engineering laboratories exist to offer students the opportunity to experience how theoretical concepts apply in the real world often by combining several processes commonly known as experiments. Through these experiments students often try to verify that what they have learnt in theory in terms of mathematical formulae, etc., can be applied in real life. In this way, students acquire practical skills like how to operate instruments and how to use devices and their accessories appropriately and safely, as well as experience how several substances change properties under different conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure), and many others. A key goal of every educational institution for engineers is to equip graduate engineers with the necessary skills both in theory and practice. Practice often takes place through labs equipped adequately to serve the educational needs of every learner. This means that there must be enough instruments, materials, working stations and staff in order for students to perform experiments, lab tests, practical exercises and so on effectively, and to develop practical skills. One small, physical instrument per twenty students ICICTE 2013 Proceedings