Towards the Next Generation of Online Laboratory Authoring Tools

This paper explores features that should be included in the next generation of authoring tools to scale the use of online laboratories, and the viability of their implementation using a prototype. Existing online laboratory management systems (OLMS) do not include a comprehensive authoring tool to compose laboratory experiments that connect seamlessly to online laboratory stations. Online laboratory experiments should give seamless access to online laboratory stations, which can be virtual (software simulations), remote physical stations, mobile physical stations, or hybrid stations. Currently, online laboratory authoring tools only give professors access to embed simulations in their online laboratory experiments. Some current OLMSs provide access to a remote laboratory station through fixed laboratory experiments but do not give the professor the flexibility to change or add to the experiment. This limits the use, scalability, and flexibility of online laboratory stations. This paper discusses enhancements to the authoring module of the prototype Smart Adaptive Remote Laboratory (SARL) OLMS. The module includes the implementation of desired features not currently available in OLMSs, gathered by Lab in a Window in interviews of engineering professors and laboratory managers during a National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-CorpsTM) training program. SARL is an initiative of the Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions (LACCEI), the Organization of American States’ Center of Excellence of Engineering for the Americas. SARL is designed to comply with IEEE 1876-2019 Standard and other standards currently under development related to online laboratories and online education.