An affordable pocket lab for a module in analogue electronics

Abstract

Laboratory work is an important part of the engineering education curricula. Traditionally, these has been performed as hands-on laboratories, but the concept of remote laboratories has introduced new challenges. While remote laboratories offer many advantages over hands-on laboratories, an important part, which lies in the name - “hands-on” -, is lost in this transition. Requiring the students to participate in hands-on laboratory work in addition to the remote laboratories might be hindered by a number of factors, primarily when used as part of e.g. a MOOC. This paper presents a solution where the students buy their own low-cost laboratory equipment pack, for use at home or work, which enables them to perform the hands-on part even in a MOOC module. The equipment pack is designed to have a cost comparable to a typical textbook, making the equipment pack affordable for most students.