Automation & control remote laboratory : evaluating a cooperative methodology

This paper presents a study carried out in order to evaluate the students’ perception in the development and use of remote Control and Automation education kits developed by two Universities. Three projects, based on real world environments, were implemented, being local and remotely operated. Students implemented the kits using the theoretical and practical knowledge, being the teachers a catalyst in the learning process. When kits were operational, end-user students got acquainted to the kits in the course curricula units. It is the author’s believe that successful results were achieved not only in the learning progress on the Automation and Control fields (hard skills) but also on the development of the students soft skills, leading to encouraging and rewarding goals, motivating their future decisions and promoting synergies in their work. The design of learning experimental kits by students, under teacher supervision, for future use in course curricula by enduser students is an advantageous and rewarding experience.The authors are grateful to the Research Center Algoritmi and WALC research project (PTDC/ESC/6806912006) for funding. The authors are also grateful to the students that participated in this project as designers and as end users.This work is funded by FEDER funds through the "Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade - COMPETE" and by national funds by FCT- Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, project reference FCOMP-OI-OI24-FEDER-022674