Description:
An intervention approach in introducing new online fiber
optic communications labs in an operating environment where
resources for establishing new conventional labs are limited is
presented. The focus of this educational intervention is on the
technological aspect required to develop and deploy the labs
online. The developed labs demonstrated some of the
distinctive features of fiber optic communications compared
to the conventional electronics copper wire communications
media. Telecommunications kits from Emona – FOTEx,
National Instruments – ELVIS II hardware platform and MIT
iLabs Shared Architecture remote lab framework were used to
develop and deploy online fiber optic experiments. The
developed labs have provided means for students to perform
relatively new lab work anytime, anywhere. The sharing
aspects extend their accessibility to other institutions with
similar operating environment and limited technical knowhow
on managing remote labs.