Development of a server‐based integrated virtual laboratory for digital electronics

• Published in: Computer applications in engineering education Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 1307 - 1320
• Main Authors: Ersoy, Mevlüt, Kumral, Cem D., Çolak, Recep, Armağan, Hamit, Yiğit, Tuncay
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-09-2022
• Subjects: Circuit design; digital communication; digital electronic; Digital electronics; Distance learning; Electronics; Embedded systems; experiment set design; Experiments; Field programmable gate arrays; Laboratories; practical learning; Students; System effectiveness; User interfaces; Virtual environments; virtual laboratory; Virtual reality; Webs; Websites
• ISSN: 1061-3773; 1099-0542
• DOI: 10.1002/cae.22521

In this study, a virtual laboratory has been developed to enable the effective running of applied courses in formal and distance education. Embedded systems, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), application programming interfaces (API), and web‐based software infrastructure are used together in the virtual laboratory. Experiments belonging to digital electronics and digital communication courses can be performed by the students in the developed experiment set. Process steps performed by the student in the experiments can be followed by the designed log circuit. Every transaction performed on the experiment set was recorded and a web environment was provided to the educators where they could evaluate the experiment process. Two groups of students were formed to evaluate the success of the virtual laboratory. The first group performed the circuit setup using the traditional method and the second group on the developed virtual laboratory. According to the survey questions directed to the students, it was revealed that the use of the virtual laboratory informal and distance education would bring positive results and provide equal opportunities for disadvantaged individuals. At the same time, it was revealed that a virtual laboratory has been developed that will provide cost benefits in educational institutions.