Remote lab: online support and awareness analysis

This paper presents an initiative for integrating leading edge remote experimentation and synchronous collaboration solutions as a proof of concept to pave the way towards comprehensive learning environments for live interaction, not only between people themselves, but also between people and time-critical online equipments. In this context, a pilot test has been conducted with students from the EPFL enrolled in the automatic control course during the 2007 spring semester to investigate modality, utility, usability and acceptability issues. In such comprehensive environments, awareness plays a very important role to ease interaction and to support learning. This initiative also focuses on investigating advance real- time and embedded awareness features in learning environments.