Integrating remote laboratories in post-secondary science education

The ability to provide the post-secondary student an excellent laboratory experience is crucial in many disciplines within the sciences and engineering. Remote access to teaching experiments offers educators another tool to incorporate a strong laboratory component with the added advantage of functionality and flexibility. This paper presents a comparative perspective to remote logistics laboratories by exploring remote environments for learning and research in the sciences. It is vital that the learning design of online teaching laboratories address the reinforcement of course principles and theory, as well as provide adequate student orientation to allow successful operation within a remote setting. The issues and considerations around integrating a remote experiment and creating a supportive student-centred learning environment are presented using our own experience with modern chemical analytical instruments as a concrete example. A brief analysis of this developing model is provided, as well as student and instructor feedback summarized as lessons learned.