Abstract:

Authentic learning aspires to bring the real world closer to students through teaching and learning activities. It provides a refined framework that hones in on developing proactive problem solving skills amongst learners. Given the existing external pressures faced by higher institutions to develop engineers with skill sets that allow them to keep pace with rapidly changing Industrial requirements, there is a need to better understand how best to use the e-pedagogical tools at our disposal to foster competitive graduates. Remote labs are designed to replace physical hands-on activities and to fulfill the demands for online learning. Remote and virtual labs represent an innovative alternative to traditional laboratories. Students can carry out experiments and control laboratory apparatus from anywhere in the world at their own convenience. This paper explores the usefulness of remote labs as a tool for the e-authentic learning approach. The underlying approach is to understand the evolution of engineering pedagogy and to rationalize the motivation behind authentic learning. This paper analyzes the pedagogical aims sought by authentic learning and determine the key characteristics of a remote lab that may complement these aims.

Keywords:

Authentic Learning, e-pedagogy, Remote Lab, engineering Pedagogy.