This CCLI Phase 1, Exploratory Project is extending the use of distance learning techniques to provide a complete set of laboratories covering optical circuits. These laboratories are suitable for numerous graduate, upper division undergraduate, and lower division undergraduate courses in a wide variety of engineering and technology disciplines. The pilot class is an upper division engineering technology course enrolling approximately 50 students. Outcome assessment and continuous improvement will be used to test the effectiveness of teaching optical circuits in a distance-learning environment. Although the laboratories are being produced and tested at a single university, three universities are involved in the evaluation process. This project is contributing to what we know about the use of distance learning techniques for laboratories in general and optical circuits laboratories in particular. This project is yielding useful data on the learning styles and best practices in distance learning laboratory educational research area for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematical (STEM) fields.
