Application of Quality Assurance in Web-Based Laboratories

Abstract

Asynchronous communication in traditional courses has proven to be inadequate in both the turn-around time and the lack of physical and psychological connection between the learners and the facilitators. A Web-based course provides new challenges regarding communications. Some students are already isolated geographically and have a difficult time making a connection with the facilitator and other students. This paper describes the “closed lab” conducted on the Internet in a programming course and how the conditions be monitored through the application of quality assurance (QA). Components of this course such as animated learning materials, notes, assignments, laboratories, and exams are all provided entirely through the Web. In this course, a virtual lab is run once a week to synchronize learning materials, to answer programming questions instantaneously, and to promote a learning community. This paper summarizes the experience in adopting the 5S in condition monitoring in the “virtual laboratory”, adoption of QA in condition monitoring and how this methodology can be extended to wider education sector.