Web-based system in mechatronics learning: Views of undergraduate engineering students

Abstract

This work concerns a Web-based system for learning some principles and methods in a mechatronics system that can be accessed remotely over the Internet, at any time and from any location. The investigation involves a case study to illustrate a manufacturing process and evaluate the remote experimental procedure. The main aim reported here is to determine students’ perceptions towards Web-based versus traditional experiments and identify any differences in final grade point averages. The experiment was performed at National Changhua University of Education, Taiwan, with an implementation period covering six semesters and a total of 226 students divided randomly into ‘traditional’ and ‘Web-based’ groups. The Web-based system helped students understand the concepts and master the technologies associated with Web-based mechatronic monitoring and control. Four out of six semesters surveyed recorded statistically significant differences between student perceptions of traditional and Web-based experimentation.