Werges has so far worked two years, full-time, to write the software. All the student sees, however, is a palette of electronic devices from which to chose by a click of the mouse button. One of Naylor's motivations in developing the instructional tool is to get students to like labs. I want to encourage them to explore the subject in more depth. Students will eventually have to learn to wire circuits themselves, said Naylor, but the Interactive Electronics Laboratory offers advantages beyond the benefit of focusing their attention on the subject instead of the equipment.
Students can learn at their own pace, from any computer with a Web browser.
They can modify circuits more quickly than they could at a workbench. In a hands-on lab, it takes about half an hour to change a transistor and repeat an experiment, said Naylor, while the interactive lab can do it in a few seconds. Students with disabilities can use the interactive laboratory on par with their peers. Naylor is hoping teachers at high schools, community colleges and universities will develop instructional material based on his technology and use the interactive laboratory in conjunction with standard electronics textbooks. Their first response is generally that it's 'kinda neat,' but they don't get the full impact until they see it being used.