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A Systematic Review of Remote Laboratory Work in Science Education with the Support of Visualizing its Structure through the HistCite and CiteSpace Software

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Abstract

Laboratory work, particularly the latest remote laboratories (RLs), has been assumed to have a general positive effect on science education because practical work can provide diverse learning experiences and enhance thinking skills suitable for the 21st century. However, there has not been a synthesis of the science education research to support this assumption. The objective of this study is to systematically review the growth of educational research on laboratory work, particularly in RLs, utilizing a series of review processes with innovative software for visualizing structural relationships. The combined use and support of HistCite and CiteSpace software enabled the visualization of the citation structure and history of articles. The findings revealed that RLs were a state-of-the-art subset of laboratory work and a new way of conducting laboratory work that has gained fairly wide research attention in engineering education over the past two decades. Thus, this innovative literature review process has established a solid background for future research and development efforts on RLs in science education dealing with scientific and engineering practices.

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Acknowledgments

We are very grateful to The Hong Kong Institute of Education for financial support, particularly the provision of a PhD scholarship to S. W. Tho. Special thanks are due to Dr. Larry D. Yore and Shari Yore for their helpful comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, NT, Hong Kong SAR

    Siew Wei Tho, Yau Yuen Yeung, Ka Wing Chan & Winnie Wing-mui So

  2. College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

    Rui Wei

  3. Department of Physics, Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), Tanjung Malim, Malaysia

    Siew Wei Tho

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  1. Siew Wei Tho
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Correspondence to Winnie Wing-mui So.

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Appendix

Appendix

References for the Studies Included in the In-depth EPPI Review

1. Abdulwahed, M., & Nagy, Z. K. (2009). Applying Kolb’s experiential learning cycle for laboratory education. Journal of Engineering Education, 98(3), 283-294.

2. Abdulwahed, M., & Nagy Z. K. (2011). The TriLab, a novel ICT based triple access mode laboratory education model. Computers & Education, 56(1), 262–274.

3. Barrios, A., Panche, S., Duque, M., Grisales, V. H., Prieto, F., Villa, J. L. … & Canu, M. (2013). A multi-user remote academic laboratory system. Computers & Education, 62, 111–122.

4. Cooper, M., & Ferreira, J. M. M. (2009). Remote laboratories extending access to science and engineering curricular. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 2(4), 342–353.

5. Corter, J. E., Nickerson, J. V., Esche, S. K., Chassapis, C., Im, S., & Ma, J. (2007). Constructing reality: A study of remote, hands-on, and simulated laboratories. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 14(2), Article 7.

6. Corter, J. E., Esche, S. K., Chassapis, C., Ma, J., & Nickerson, J. V. (2011). Process and learning outcomes from remotely-operated, simulated, and hands-on student laboratories. Computers & Education, 57(3), 2054–2067.

7. Cui, L., Tso, F. P., Yao, D., & Jia, W. (2012). WeFiLab: A web-based wifi laboratory platform for wireless networking education. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 5(4), 291-303.

8. Fabregas, E., Farias, G., Dormido-Canto, S., Dormido, S., & Esquembre, F. (2011). Developing a remote laboratory for engineering education. Computers & Education, 57(2), 1686–1697.

9. Fiore, L., & Ratti, G. (2007). Remote laboratory and animal behaviour: An interactive open field system. Computers & Education, 49(4), 1299–1307.

10. Gillet, D., Ngoc, A. V. N., & Rekik, Y. (2005). Collaborative web-based experimentation in flexible engineering education. IEEE Transactions on Education, 48(4), 696-704.

11. Gustavsson, I., Nilsson, K., Zackrisson, J., Garcia-Zubia, J., Hernandez-Jayo, U., Nafalski, A. … & Hkansson, L. (2009). On objectives of instructional laboratories, individual assessment, and use of collaborative remote laboratories. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 2(4), 263-274.

12. Kong, S. C., Yeung, Y. Y., & Wu, X. Q. (2009). An experience of teaching for learning by observation: Remote-controlled experiments on electrical circuits. Computers & Education, 52(3), 702-717.

13. Lang, D., Mengelkamp, C., Jäger, R. S., Geoffroy, D. Billaud, M., & Zimmer, T. (2007). Pedagogical evaluation of remote laboratories in eMerge project. European Journal of Engineering Education, 32(1), 57-72.

14. Lindsay, E. D., & Good, M. C. (2005). Effects of laboratory access modes upon learning outcomes. IEEE Transactions on Education, 48(4), 619-631.

15. Lowe, D., Newcombe, P., & Stumpers, B. (2013). Evaluation of the use of remote laboratories for secondary school science education. Research in Science Education, 43(3), 1197-1219.

16. Nickerson, J. V., Corter, J. E., Esche, S. K., & Chassapis, C. (2007). A model for evaluating the effectiveness of remote engineering laboratories and simulations in education. Computers & Education, 49(3), 708–725.

17. Ogot, M., Elliott, G., & Glumac, N. (2003). An assessment of in-person and remotely operated laboratories. Journal of Engineering Education, 92(1), 57-64.

18. Sauter, M., Uttal, D. H., Rapp, D. N., Downing, M., & Jona, K. (2013). Getting real: The authenticity of remote labs and simulations for science learning. Distance Education, 34(1), 37–47.

19. Scanlon, E., Colwell, C., Cooper, M., & Di Paolo, T. (2004). Remote experiments, re-versioning and re-thinking science learning. Computers & Education, 43(1), 153-163.

20. Shyr, W. J. (2011). Development and evaluation of mechatronics learning system in a web-based environment. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 10(1), 89-96.

21. Stefanovic, M. (2013). The objectives, architectures and effects of distance learning laboratories for industrial engineering education. Computers & Education, 69, 250–262.

22. Tawfik, M., Sancristobal, E., Martin, S., Gil, R., Diaz, G., Colmenar, A. … & Gustavsson, I. (2013). Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality (VISIR) for remote wiring and measurement of electronic circuits on breadboard. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 6(1), 60-72.

23. Tiwari, R., & Singh, K. (2011). Virtualisation of engineering discipline experiments for an Internet-based remote laboratory. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 27(4), 671-692.

24. Torre, L., Heradio, R., Jara, C., Sanchez, J., Dormido, S., Torres, F., & Candelas, F. (2013). Providing collaborative support to virtual and remote laboratories learning technologies, IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 6(4), 312-323.

25. Tzafestas, C. S., Palaiologou, N., & Alifragis, M. (2006). Virtual and remote robotic laboratory: Comparative experimental evaluation. IEEE Transactions on Education, 49(3), 360-369.

26. Vargas, H., Sanchez Moreno, J., Jara, C. A., Candelas, F. A., Torres, F., & Dormido, S. (2011). A network of automatic control web-based laboratories. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 4(3), 197-208.

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Tho, S.W., Yeung, Y.Y., Wei, R. et al. A Systematic Review of Remote Laboratory Work in Science Education with the Support of Visualizing its Structure through the HistCite and CiteSpace Software. Int J of Sci and Math Educ 15, 1217–1236 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-016-9740-z

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