International collaborative learning using remote workbenches for 8-bit microcontroller courses

Abstract

Although many remote laboratory prototypes have been described in the literature during the past fifteen years, there is still a remarkable lack of integration with e-learning frameworks. Most of the proposed solutions do not go beyond technical aspects, which were important to overcome the initial technical difficulties created by high communication latencies, firewall problems, etc. The work presented in this paper balances technical and pedagogical concerns, and proposes an international collaborative framework based on remote workbenches supporting 8-bit microcontroller courses, that are currently available to students in Portugal and South Australia.