online practical work for science and engineering students

Online practical work for science and engineering students – a collaborative scoping activity between the UK Open University and East China University of Science and Technology

Mark Endean

Submission date: 13 August 2012

Also contributing: Professor Nicholas Braithwaite

Contact: Mark Endean

Endean, M. and Braithwaite. N. (2012) ‘Online practical work for science and engineering students – a collaborative scoping activity between the UK Open University and East China University of Science and Technology’ eSTEeM Final Report.

PAGE 2

Aims and scope This short scoping project aimed to assess the feasibility of and, ideally, shape a longer‐term programme of collaborative working between the Faculties of Science and MCT, and East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST) in Shanghai, China. The work reported here informs a plan to jointly develop an online experiment. That may be the subject of a further proposal in due course. The outputs from this preliminary project are more or less detailed accounts of the:

• similarities and differences in approaches to the development of computer‐based experiments in each institution

• potential for and challenges in the adaptation of software/hardware for use in both locations

• practicable approaches to sharing common facilities for the use of students of either institution

• possibilities for creating interinstitution student teams to enhance learning and promote inter‐cultural awareness.

Activities The project involved a core team of five activists:

OU – Mark Endean, Nick Braithwaite

ECUST – Cheng Hua, Yao Jun, Sun Ying

Mark Endean spent around two weeks in Shanghai and Nick Braithwaite joined him for a week during which they also visited an ECUST learning centre in the Nanjing College of Chemical Technology.

The ECUST delegation was able to spend four days engaged with OU colleagues – two half‐days at residential school in Bath and the remainder at Walton Hall.

The purpose of the exchange was primarily fact finding and involved visits, demonstrations and workshops in both locations. A much wider circle of staff was drawn into the project through these activities and both delegations were able to meet students from the other institution. It was originally hoped to hold a joint event with colleagues participating simultaneously in Milton Keynes and Shanghai but this did not prove possible, primarily because of the issue of time difference (a point to bear in mind for the future). It was possible, however, to connect to the remote laboratory in Shanghai from Milton Keynes and demonstrate the remote control of an experiment there, in real time.

Following the second visit, the ECUST team submitted a summary of what they felt they had learnt from meeting and interacting with OU staff and students. This is provided in Appendix 2 with only superficial editing for language and meaning.

Findings The OU The Science Faculty has a growing portfolio of computer‐based laboratory simulations, emulations and remote access equipment for students to use in conjunction with their studies. These have become the focus for a new initiative under the banner Practical Science. This will


PAGE 3

replace the Faculty’s Level 2 residential schools after 2011 making substantial use of computer‐based experimentation in a variety of forms.

The MCT Faculty has some online access to configurable networking equipment (My NetLab, Figure 1) but has otherwise not made much progress to date towards the goal of remote access to experimental equipment in support of its engineering programme. That is not to say that OU students working at a distance do no ‘practical’ investigations; the number of individual simulations incorporated into learning materials will be considerable. But there is as yet no inventory of student activity in engineering modules that brings together in one place the full range of investigative and exploratory tasks in which engineering students are engaged.

Figure 1 Screenshot from student activity in T216 Cisco Networking

There is a growing need to address this situation driven by two factors: the expectations of professional engineering bodies that distance learning students will have comparable experience of practical work to those in conventional higher education and the increasing use of distance learning in conventional HE. If we are to retain our position as the leaders in distance education, we must be authoritative about the question of engaging distance learners in practical work.

ECUST East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST) in Shanghai teaches predominantly engineering and it established a dedicated Department of Engineering Education in October 2009, making it possibly unique in China. The University is also home to one of the 68 ‘online colleges’ approved in China for the delivery of distance education. Mark Endean has visited ECUST on two occasions and recently played host to a small delegation from there visiting the OU. Senior staff from ECUST have expressed enthusiasm for developing closer ties to the OU and continue to make occasional requests to visit Milton Keynes.

ECUST is currently engaged in a programme of expansion of its computer‐based experiments to support all areas of its engineering curriculum. Effort is focused on developing remote‐access laboratory experiments (Figure 2) to supplement their extensive portfolio of ‘virtual experiments’ based on software models of real experiments (Figure 3). The expansion into remote laboratories will not only enhance the learning experience of their on‐campus students, who have relatively limited access to laboratories for reasons of time and scale, but increase the potential for them to develop their distance learning capacity.


PAGE 4

Figure 2 A remote access hydraulics experiment in the laboratory at ECUST


PAGE 5

Figure 3 Computer interface for a ‘virtual experiment’ investigating explosive mixtures of gases

One objective of the study, an inventory of computer‐based experimental work, was partially achieved. Some weeks after the visits, ECUST delivered an Excel spreadsheet listing all such facilities categorised (in English) as either ‘simulations’, ‘virtual experiments’ or ‘remote control experiments’ (Appendix 1). There are around 160 separate items listed although this includes all of the individual investigations that can be carried out, rather than discrete experimental environments.

Despite the extensive list of experiments provided by ECUST, reading their observations (Appendix 2) of their exposure to OU provision suggests quite strongly the differences between the way in which practical experimentation is integrated into the student learning experience in the two universities. The implied distinctions would have to be explored further for them to become firm conclusions. But combining the evidence of Appendix 2 with the personal observations made through extensive conversations, it is possible to suggest the following:

• development of practical work at the OU is undertaken methodically by teams of experts working together; at ECUST each experiment is the domain of an individual who takes almost sole responsibility for all aspects of its presentation

• OU students do practical activities that are integrated into a coherent programme of study involving a variety of media and learning activities; at ECUST, practical work is often undertaken in isolation

• the incorporation of practical activities into the learning experience of students at ECUST is based on sets of experiments that are in the accepted syllabus for a subject; the provision at the OU is more eclectic, with less of a top‐down approach to syllabus


PAGE 6

• the focus of practical work at the OU is on achievement of (sometimes quite broad) learning outcomes; at ECUST, practical work is seen as an end in itself with students having to complete specified experiments apparently for their own sake.

If this analysis sounds at all critical of ECUST, this stems from a tendency on the part of Chinese observers to overstate the superiority of approaches they see taken by their western counterparts. But this obscures the achievement of our collaborators in Shanghai demonstrated by the extensive list of learning activities itemized in Appendix 1. And the list, in turn, cannot convey the impressive nature of the activities in which ECUST students are engaged. It is arguably in the way in which that work is integrated into the learning experience, and the benefit that students gain from undertaking it, where the ECUST staff have themselves identified room for some improvement.

Impact Student experience The scope of this initial study means that it will have no immediate impact on the student learning experience. What we have learnt will influence developments that will bear more directly on the experience of students.

Teaching Since beginning the project, there have been a considerable number of more or less informal discussions at the OU around the importance of practical work for distance learners. As yet, no specific developments have been initiated, perhaps due to the current workload commitments arising from the urgent needs of the new 2012 qualifications.

The impact on thinking and practice in Shanghai has yet to be established but the reflections outlined in Appendix 2 suggest that contact with the OU has already added an extra dimension to their view of teaching. Collaboration with the OU is seen by many of the online colleges to be a mark of ‘quality’ and is highly sought‐after.

Strategic change and learning design A proposal was accepted by Engineering Education 2012 (18–20 September, 2012, Coventry) for a workshop engaging attendees in discussion about the role of practical work in engineering education and its virtualisation. The conference organisers have indicated that this is a subject of great interest in the engineering education community and this is our chance to take a lead role in the wider debate. We need to make the most of this opportunity and commit ourselves to follow‐through activities both within the OU and with the community at large.

Discussions have recently been had, and support in principle obtained from the Dean of MCT, around the inclusion of engineering in developments arising from the successful Wolfson bid. This will require commitment of time and effort from a number of individuals if progress is to be made.

Conclusions It is extraordinarily difficult to get under the skin of another community of practice, even if that community is working towards similar goals. Time is required for acculturation and only after a period does one begin to understand how the counterpart works. Simply relying on


PAGE 7

interrogation as a means of knowledge elicitation is limited, however well structured the interrogation. We need to consider this aspect of cross‐cultural collaboration carefully when engaging in further studies of this kind.

In terms of our original goals, we have made some progress against each but so far have not gone far beyond gathering the information needed as a first step. Both we and our collaborators have been committed to other, more urgent, priorities in our respective institutions. However, a good working relationship now exists between those staff who have the potential to pursue the goals set out at the beginning of this report, if time and resources allow.


PAGE 8

Appendix 1 East China University of Science and Technology inventory of virtual experiments 课程 Course 实验内容分类 Nature of experiment 类型 Type

物理化学 Physical chemistry

计算机联用测定无机盐溶解热 Heats of solution of inorganic salts

Virtual experiment

不同外压下液体沸点的测定 Virtual experiment

环己烷—乙醇恒压气液平衡相图绘制 Virtual experiment

氨基甲酸铵分解平衡常数的测定 Virtual experiment

溶液表面张力测定 Virtual experiment

量气法测定一级分解反应速率系数 Virtual experiment

酯皂化反应动力学 Virtual experiment

原电池反应电动势及其温度系数的测定 Virtual experiment

化工原理流体流动阻力测定 Virtual experiment

Chemical engineering 离心泵特性曲线测定 Virtual experiment

过滤常数测定实验 Virtual experiment

给热系数测定实验 Virtual experiment

吸收实验 Virtual experiment

精馏塔操作与塔效率测定 Virtual experiment

液液萃取塔的操作及萃取传质单元高度的测定实验

Virtual experiment

干燥速率曲线测定实验 Virtual experiment

流体流动阻力测定 Determination of flow resistance

Remote control experiment

离心泵特性曲线测定 Characteristics of centrifugal pump


固定小球传热对流系数测定 Determination of convection heat transfer coefficients


机械原理四杆机构实验 Four-bar linkage Simulation


PAGE 9

Machine principles 齿轮加工实验 Gears Simulation

曲柄滑块导杆凸轮机构远程实验 Crank slider cams


化工仪表及自动化单容水箱对象特性测试实验 Remote control experiment

Chemical engineering control

双容水箱对象特性测试实验 Remote control experiment

Fluid tank experiments 单容水箱液位设定值控制实验 Remote control experiment

双容水箱液位设定值控制实验 Remote control experiment

单容水箱液位扰动控制实验 Remote control experiment

双容水箱液位扰动控制实验 Remote control experiment

流量比例控制实验 Remote control experiment

基于PLC的过程控制系统实验 Remote control experiment

化学反应工程管式反应器流动特性测定 Remote control experiment

Reaction chemistry 单釜与三釜串联返混性能测定 Remote control experiment

碳分子筛变压吸附提纯氮气 Remote control experiment

计算机计算机网络实验9个 Remote control experiment

Computer networking 路由交换机实验40个 Remote control experiment

机械设计 Machine construction

螺栓组连接实验 Bolt group connection experiment

Virtual experiment

皮带传动实验 Belt transmission experiment

Virtual experiment

齿轮传动封闭功率流实验 Gear drive closed power flow experiment

Virtual experiment

滑动轴承实验 Experiment of sliding bearing

Virtual experiment

大学基础化学由CuO制备五水硫酸铜 Virtual experiment

Basic chemistry for undergraduates

醋酸离解常数的测定 Virtual experiment

NaOH标准溶液的标定 Virtual experiment

食用醋酸含量的测定 Virtual experiment

EDTA标准溶液的标定 Virtual experiment

石灰石中钙、镁含量的测定 Determination of calcium and magnesium content in limestone

Virtual experiment


PAGE 10

元素及化合物的性质 Virtual experiment

化学工程与工艺实验 Chem eng. with technology

多态气固相流传热系数测定 Measurement of heat transfer coefficients

Virtual experiment

多釜串联反应器中返混状况测定 Virtual experiment

连续循环反应器中返混状况测定 Virtual experiment

碳分子筛变压吸附提纯氮气 Virtual experiment

乙苯脱氢制苯乙 Virtual experiment

有机化学实验乙醇-水溶液的分馏 Virtual experiment

Organic chemistry 苯甲酸乙酯的水蒸气蒸馏 Virtual experiment

粗乙酰苯胺的重结晶 Virtual experiment

未知化合物熔点的测定 Virtual experiment

苯甲酸乙酯的减压蒸馏 Virtual experiment

环己烯的绿色合成 Virtual experiment

半微量法合成乙酰苯胺 Virtual experiment

正溴丁烷的制备 Virtual experiment

温度检测与控制远程实验

PT100热电阻的使用与校验 Remote control experiment

Remote temperature control

K型热电偶的使用与校验 Remote control experiment

K型热电偶热电特性测试实验 Remote control experiment

温度对象特性测试 Remote control experiment

基于智能仪表的温度控制实验 Remote control experiment

基于PLC的温度控制实验 Remote control experiment

热电偶温度变送器的调校 Remote control experiment

热电阻温度变送器的调校 Remote control experiment

力矩转速电机原理远程实验系统开发

了解电机转速测量及其原理 Remote control experiment

Developing systems for monitoring forces and speeds in rotating machinery

电机转速闭环控制 Remote control experiment

控制系统参数调节对系统性能的影响分析



PAGE 11

操作系统处理机调度 Virtual experiment

Operating systems 内存分区管理 Virtual experiment

虚拟存储管理 Virtual experiment

进程同步与互斥 Virtual experiment

进程死锁与饥饿 Virtual experiment

进程间通信 Virtual experiment

基本线路与电子电路元件的伏安特性测试 Virtual experiment

Basic electrical circuits 叠加原理的验证 Virtual experiment

戴维南定理的验证、 Virtual experiment

RLC串联谐振电路的研究 Virtual experiment

单管放大电路的研究 Virtual experiment

晶体管差动放大电路 Virtual experiment

运算放大器电路实验 Virtual experiment

整流、滤波与稳压电路 Virtual experiment

传感器综合实验金属箔式应变计性能——应变电桥； Remote control experiment

Transducers 半导体应变计直流半桥测试； Remote control experiment

光栅传感器——衍射演示及测距实验； Remote control experiment

电感式传感器——差动变压器的标定； Remote control experiment

光电传感器——光敏电阻实验； Remote control experiment

光纤传感器——位移测量； Remote control experiment

霍尔式传感器——直流激励特性； Remote control experiment

电涡流传感器——静态标定 Remote control experiment

应力测试实验 Stress measurement

纯弯曲梁的正应力实验； Beams under pure bending normal stress experiments;


弯曲和扭转组合变形实验； Combination of bending and torsional deformation experiment;


材料弹性模量E和泊松比µ的测定；Determination of elastic modulus E and Poisson's ratio µm;


偏心拉伸实验； Eccentric tensile test;



PAGE 12

悬臂梁实验； Experiment of cantilever beams;


日用化工合成洗涤剂的制备 Virtual experiment

General chemistry 膏霜类化妆品的制备 Virtual experiment

膏霜类化妆品的流变性能测试 Virtual experiment

化工设备机械工学拉伸试验 Virtual experiment

Chem eng. installations 扭转实验 Virtual experiment

冲击试验 Virtual experiment

热处理试验 Virtual experiment

硬度试验 Virtual experiment

皮带传动 Virtual experiment

外压失稳 Virtual experiment

现代远程教育概论使用课件资源 Virtual experiment

Introduction to online learning

参与协作学习 Virtual experiment

做网上作业 Virtual experiment

使用虚拟图书馆 Virtual experiment

考试预约 Virtual experiment

毕业论文过程 Virtual experiment

使用网上答疑 Virtual experiment

工程材料 Materials engineering

金相试样的制备 Preparing metallographic specimens

Virtual experiment

金相显微镜的基本原理及使用 Principles of metallography

Virtual experiment

钢的热处理 Heat treating steels

Virtual experiment

硬度测定及热处理后的显微组织分析 Something to do with hardness measurement following heat treatment

Virtual experiment

大学物理用单摆测量重力加速度 Virtual experiment

Physics for undergraduates

Virtual experiment

分光计的调节与使用 Virtual experiment


PAGE 13

电桥法测中、低值电阻 Virtual experiment

扭摆法测定物体的转动惯量 Virtual experiment

机械制造基础热加工实验 hot forming Virtual experiment

Basic mechanical engineering

冷加工实验 cold forming Virtual experiment

裁量性质实验 physical properties Virtual experiment

机械原理实验机构运动简图的绘制 Kinematic diagrams

Virtual experiment

Experiments in mech eng principles

机构运动分析 kinematics Virtual experiment

齿轮的范成法实验 gear mechanisms Virtual experiment

齿轮参数的测量 gear parameters Virtual experiment

计算机图形学直线和圆的扫描转化算法实验 Virtual experiment

Computer graphics 多变形填充实验 Virtual experiment

反走样实验 Virtual experiment

二维变换实验 Virtual experiment

裁剪实验 Virtual experiment

曲线曲面实验 Virtual experiment

真实感光照实验 Virtual experiment

检测技术与传感器实验金属箔式应变片――电子秤实验 Virtual experiment

Monitoring technologies 压阻式压力传感器的压力测量 Virtual experiment

差动变压器的性能测试 Virtual experiment

电容式传感器的液位测量 Virtual experiment

霍尔传感器测转速实验 Virtual experiment

压电式传感器测振动实验 Virtual experiment

电涡流传感器位移实验 Virtual experiment

光电转速传感器的转速测量实验 Virtual experiment

物理化学3D实验可燃气－氧气－氮气三元系爆炸极限测定

Virtual experiment

Explosive limits of gases


PAGE 14

3D实验场景建设实验环境构建 Virtual experiment

Building 3D experiments

虚拟结核远程实验系统单容水箱对象特性测试实验 Virtual experiment

Stuff to do with fluids in tanks

双容水箱对象特性测试实验 Virtual experiment

单容水箱液位设定值控制实验 Virtual experiment

双容水箱液位设定值控制实验 Virtual experiment

单容水箱液位扰动控制实验 Virtual experiment

双容水箱液位扰动控制实验 Virtual experiment

流量比例控制实验 Virtual experiment

药剂学片剂的制备 Virtual experiment

Pharmacy 注射剂的制备 Virtual experiment

乳剂的制备及质量检查 Virtual experiment

软膏剂的制备 Virtual experiment

Number of virtual experiments 110

Number of simulations 2 Number of remote access laboratory

experiments 41


PAGE 15

Appendix 2 ECUST Team observations from OU visit 1) Summer school a) The position of engineering experiments in the training program: as a separate course,

rather than part of the curriculum. Not stress the argument of the principle, and focus on the practical application aspects.

b) The implementation of the engineering experiment: focus on the local environment of the engineering experiment, emphasizing the student's ability to give students real hands‐on experience

c) A comprehensive experiment project, the whole process: an experiment reflects the integrated application of multiple course, mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer. Both mathematical modeling and analysis, students hands‐on part, and the mutual authentication of two parts.

d) Characteristics of Engineering Experiment: emphasis on the interaction of students and teachers, teamwork, one team complete the experiment.

e) Evaluation of Engineering Experimental: students finish the report, combined with the data of each experiment.

f) Summer school management: the management of the entire summer school and curriculum planning, compact and orderly, rational process design.

2) Curriculum design and development a) Curriculum development process: a standard to guide the development process, all aspects

of the development reflected through flow chart

b) More than one team: clear division of labour,

c) Curriculum designed reasonable: for the distance learners, the interface streamlined and effective, emphasize the effectiveness of each module

d) The pursuit of learning outcome: for each course emphasized learning outcome.

e) Various forms of the resource composition: not only online, but also offline, as well as video and other forms, paper, to facilitate various types of learning

3) The development of online experiments a) Emphasis on virtual experiments, online experiment combine the characteristics of online

course, to demonstrate the nature of laboratory, but also strong operational

b) Extensive use pictures/data of actual experiment equipment, showing good results, with low development cost.

c) Emphasize the practical experiments, and link closely to industrial engineering, the majority of experiments reflect the actual situation of industrial processes

d) Online experiments combine to the online curriculum courseware closely, not a separate request, to facilitate student learning the current theories. Not stress the experimental principle, stress the process


PAGE 16

e) Completion of the pilot process is open to students. The experimental procedure is not fixed, Do not stress the students must follow a defined procedure

online practical work for science and engineering students

Documents