LAB@HOME FOR ANALOG ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT LABORATORY

Vahé NERGUIZIAN1, Radhi MHIRI1, Maarouf SAAD1, Hamdjatou KANE2, Jean-Sébastien DESCHÊNES3,

Hamadou SALIAH-HASSANE4

1 École de technologie supérieure2 Université du Québec en Outaouais3 Université du Québec à Rimouski4 TÉLUQ

PLAN OF THE PRESENTATION

Objectives of FODAR project Principle of Lab@home Lab@home process description and resources Lab@home Implementation of the approach

Pre-Lab@home Lab@home Post-Lab@home

Advantages, drawbacks, recommendations and conclusion

FODAR: Academic Development Fund ‘Université du Québec’ Network

Laboratory Kit @homeAt distance communicationand collaboration

OBJECTIVES OF FODAR PROJECTTo develop each student’s personal, professional and social qualities with the laboratory experiments

To facilitate students with a higher flexibility in scheduling the lab experiment time periods

To permit students in using more efficiently the ICT for laboratory experiments

To alleviate university's purchasing of highly cost equipment

LAB@HOME PRINCIPLE (1)• Miniaturized kit• Software

(Waveforms)• Source AC• Source DC• Oscilloscope• FFT

Source

Oscilloscope

LAB@HOME PRINCIPLE (2)

• At distance• In presence

• Collaborationwith colleagues

• Instructor intervention

LAB@HOME PROCESS (1)Kits must be supplied by institution or be bought by students

Students must feel comfortable with computers and kit before starting the lab

Adequate preparation of documentation by ProfessorWell defined Lab@home procedure by ProfessorPre-Lab@home (preparation for the experiment)Lab@home (experiment)Post-Lab@home (finalisation of the report)

Note: Sustainability of the kit

LAB@HOME PROCESS (2)Pre-Lab@home (preparation for the experiment)

To take a virtual tour, ensuring that student masters basic prerequisites and discovers specific used hardware

Lab@home (experiments) Student will be connected in real time to the lab kit

conducting remote experimentation. Time required for this stage is very critical and it must be minimized to allow all students handling experiments in turns

Post-Lab@home (finalisation of the report) Student will analyze results and submit final report

RESOURCESAppropriate miniaturized kit containing miniaturized equipment and the flexibility to create electric and electronic circuits through physical components

Appropriate efficient internet based communication interfaces to all users

Good information exchange and communication between students and laboratory instructor (documentation)

LAB@HOME IMPLEMENTATION (1)

5 Lab@home case study were created on different subjects related to diodes, Op-Amps and transistors

Pedagogical approach was used to describe each case study/experiment

Each team ensured the realization of the case study: At distance from the kit (circuit components already mounted on the kit) In presence with the kit (circuit components mounted by the team on the

kit)

Link/bridge was created via internet with TeamViewer The team was connected to the kit via internet(at distance or in presence with the kit)

LAB@HOME IMPLEMENTATION (2)Experiment initiator can give control to other colleagues. They can manipulate with the complete set-up alive in real time and both can observe changes brought during the manipulation

Team manipulated with the circuit parameters and observed the variations (amplitude and frequency variation, …)

Each case study of 45 minutes maximum was elaborated by students during project based approach laboratory session of 4 hours

Lab@home consolidates the theoretical knowledge seen in the class

LAB@HOME IMPLEMENTATION (3)

In presence with the kit

At distancefrom the kit

LAB@HOME IMPLEMENTATION (4)

Theory in class(ppt, video, examples)

Project based approach Laboratory

Lab@home Case study

ConsolidateKnowledge

ConsolidateCompetences

Pedagogical Approach

LAB@HOME NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Kit already populated with components at ETSExperiment initiator at ETS gives control to other national and international colleaguesExample of passive filter response

Effect of: Input frequency change Input amplitude change Other changes (waveform, etc.)

They can manipulate with the complete set-up alive in real time and all parties can observe changes brought during the manipulation

LAB@HOME ADVANTAGESFor students• Bring student’s motivation in apprenticeship • Permit students to become more autonomous in creating new ideas• Sensitize and consolidate student’s scientific and professional responsibility• Permit students having flexible schedule, better organization and planning For the Professor/laboratory instructor• Create a satisfaction/motivation to support students with advanced ICT• Permit better online communication between students/Professor/lab

instructor• Allow a better follow up of student difficulties and advancement by the

Professor/laboratory instructor.For the academic institution• Reduce purchasing of high costly equipment • Liberate some physical space in the lab• Allow students and instructors to use efficiently ICT tools • Have institutional visionary approach and follow the 21th century ICT trend.

LAB@HOME DRAWBACKSFor students• No touch with real heavy equipment • Psychologically used for classical approach • With new approach defensive and rejection • Removal human contact between students and laboratory

instructors• Students like to learn from errors made by their colleagues• Communication difficulties between the colleagues due to

Internet• Reducing student’s retention if approach seen negative by them• More time demanding from student For the Professor/laboratory instructor• Disturbing Professor/lab instructor classical mentality• More time demanding for Professor

LAB@HOME RECOMMENDATIONS

Communication link very important for the success of Lab@home

Degradation of quality of pins on the kit due to misappropriate usage by students (verification)

Good prepared documentationConsideration of students’ profileCompletely different instructor role. Change of philosophy

CONCLUSIONFull mobility of laboratory experiments at distance or at homeCollaborative work supported to improve effectiveness of learning Lab@home experience can show (student)

Increased autonomy Good communications and e-cooperation Increase creativity and motivation Advancement knowledge and competences.

Lab@home pilot project (ELE200 course) outcome:Well prepared documentation (+++) Students are motivated and satisfied (+++) Time consuming for students (---)

Encouraging pilot project experimental initial results. Further experiments will permit enhancement of Lab@home concept

Particular attention is given pedagogical approach using the Problem Based Learning (PBL) approach reinforced by description of authentic industrial problem and supported by laboratory miniaturized tools or kits