Results from a Multi-center Investigation of the Effect of Network Latency on Pedagogic Efficacy

Interactive web-based learning tools, such as engineering simulations, are becoming increasingly common. Universities find them cost-effective, and students find them convenient. Professors find web-based simulations effective to intuitively convey the complex cause-and-effect relationships that are central in engineering education. For example, moving a slider can be used to interactively see how changing a resistor’s value changes current flow through a current divider. There are many studies investigating the effectiveness of interactive web-based learning materials, yet, little systematic investigation of the pedagogic impact of network delay. This paper, therefore, seeks to quantify the relationship that network latency, or delay, has upon student enjoyment and student comprehension.