Showing papers in "IEEE Transactions on Education in 2010"
TL;DR: How the laboratory course is organized and how it induces students to think as actual engineers would in solving real-world tasks with limited resources are described are described.
Abstract: In today's teaching and learning approaches for first-semester students, practical courses more and more often complement traditional theoretical lectures. This practical element allows an early insight into the real world of engineering, augments student motivation, and enables students to acquire soft skills early. This paper describes a new freshman introduction course into practical engineering, which has been established within the Bachelor of Science curriculum of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology of RWTH Aachen University, Germany. The course is organized as an eight-day, full-time block laboratory for over 300 freshman students, who were supervised by more than 60 tutors from 23 institutes of the Electrical Engineering Department. Based on a threefold learning concept comprising mathematical methods, MATLAB programming, and practical engineering, the students were required to transfer mathematical basics to algorithms in MATLAB in order to control LEGO Mindstorms robots. Toward this end, a new toolbox, called the ?RWTH-Mindstorms NXT Toolbox,? was developed, which enables the robots to be controlled remotely via MATLAB from a host computer. This paper describes how the laboratory course is organized and how it induces students to think as actual engineers would in solving real-world tasks with limited resources. Evaluation results show that the project improves the students' MATLAB programming skills, enhances motivation, and enables a peer learning process.
137 citations
TL;DR: In the assessment of a graduate computer networks course, the author quantifies the amount of learning that is observed in lectures and labs and shows that learning indeed occurs during lab sessions, but almost equally as much as in lectures.
Abstract: Laboratory experience is a key factor in technical and scientific education. Virtual laboratories have been proposed to reduce cost and simplify maintenance of lab facilities while still providing students with access to real systems. It is important to determine if such virtual labs are still effective for student learning. In the assessment of a graduate computer networks course, the author quantifies the amount of learning that is observed in lectures and labs. The results not only show that learning indeed occurs during lab sessions, but almost equally as much (45.9%) as in lectures (54.1%). Also, it is observed that even students who have prior experience in networking benefit from virtual labs.
115 citations
TL;DR: This article attempts to distinguish between two types of questions relating to application skills at universities of technology in light of Bloom's taxonomy, with similar concepts such as deep and surface learning being examined.
Abstract: Questions are used to obtain information, stimulate thinking, and redirect reasoning. Academics in higher education use questions on a daily basis to stimulate thinking and reasoning in students. Final examination papers are used by academics to assess the retention and application skills of students. The assumption, however, exists that questions relating to application skills at universities of technology should start to dominate the higher academic levels in education, with a subsequent drop in questions regarding retention skills. These questions may be categorized as either higher order or lower order questions. This article attempts to distinguish between these two types of questions in light of Bloom's taxonomy, with similar concepts such as deep and surface learning being examined. The literature review is applied to an electrical engineering module titled Electronics, which serves as the case study. The results of this study indicate that a high percentage of the final examination papers dealt with the objective ?Application,? where students had to make use of numerous mathematical equations to solve various unknowns. The results also indicated that academics in electronics are using more lower order than higher order questions in their final examination papers. A balance is suggested between these two types of questions for various academic levels at universities of technology.
105 citations
TL;DR: The organization and execution of a summer engineering outreach camp designed to attract and motivate high school students as well as increase their awareness of various engineering fields demonstrated an effective, feasible, and sustainable engineering recruitment approach.
Abstract: This paper explains the organization and execution of a summer engineering outreach camp designed to attract and motivate high school students as well as increase their awareness of various engineering fields. The camp curriculum included hands-on, competitive design-oriented engineering projects from several disciplines: the electrical, environmental, mechanical, civil, and chemical engineering fields. The camp also provided additional information on financial aid, the academic programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) offered at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), as well as various career options for prospective engineers. The implementation of the camp activities and the well-designed hands-on projects not only increased the students' satisfaction, but also improved their self-confidence and their interest toward engineering disciplines. The engineering outreach camp survey results clearly indicated the success of the camp and the effectiveness of the hands-on, competitive engineering design experiences to attract students to engineering professions. Thus, it demonstrated an effective, feasible, and sustainable engineering recruitment approach.
96 citations
TL;DR: A pilot survey of students at the end of the two-course sequence revealed that students had acquired little knowledge about pedagogy and professional skills from other courses in their undergraduate and graduate engineering curriculum; this course addresses such deficits by raising awareness and knowledge of these skills.
Abstract: Faculty from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the College of Education at the University of Missouri (MU), Columbia, developed a novel course for engineering graduate students emphasizing pedagogy and professional skills. The two-semester course sequence, titled “Preparing Engineering Faculty and Professionals,” includes readings from books that cover several different areas: How People Learn, with focus on the latest findings from cognitive science and their applicability to teaching; The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for discussion of other professional skills; and The World is Flat for discussion of global trends and its effects on professionals. Other components of the course include lectures by guest speakers on topics ranging from how universities work and how to run successful research centers to leadership traits for engineers. A pilot survey of students at the end of the two-course sequence revealed that students had acquired little knowledge about pedagogy and professional skills from other courses in their undergraduate and graduate engineering curriculum; this course addresses such deficits by raising awareness and knowledge of these skills.
92 citations
TL;DR: The feedback from students shows that the final project of constructing line-following robots and the racing contest motivates the students to learn actively all the skills included in the laboratory for embedded system design.
Abstract: A project-based laboratory for learning embedded system design with support from industry is presented in this paper. The aim of this laboratory is to motivate students to learn the building blocks of embedded systems and practical control algorithms by constructing a line-following robot using the quadratic interpolation technique to predict the line position. For those students who have acquired basic microcontroller hardware and software programming skills from previous courses, the hands-on exercises in the laboratory include several specific hardware circuits and software algorithms for the final project of constructing the line-following robot. The students are allowed to discuss the hardware and software problems with each other while solving each exercise, although they have to answer the teacher's questions individually to earn the score. To enhance the learning outcomes, a racing contest for the students' line-following robots is also organized to see how well the techniques learned in the laboratory are applied in the final project. The support from the local branch of Microchip Inc. allows students to obtain C-compilers and microcontrollers at no cost. The feedback from students shows that the final project of constructing line-following robots and the racing contest motivates the students to learn actively all the skills included in the laboratory for embedded system design.
68 citations
TL;DR: A curriculum design for, and subsequent evaluation of, a communications systems course using problem-based learning (PBL) as the instructional methodology is presented.
Abstract: The paper presents a curriculum design for, and subsequent evaluation of, a communications systems course using problem-based learning (PBL) as the instructional methodology. It details the rationale for implementing PBL as well as reporting intended learning outcomes and assessing the students' achievements.
67 citations
TL;DR: The outreach program not only aims at getting young students excited about engineering but at the same time aims at improving retention rates among electrical and computer engineering freshman-level college students by involving them as paid mentors.
Abstract: This paper describes key success factors for the implementation and development of a LEGO robotics engineering outreach program for elementary school students in West Texas. The outreach program not only aims at getting young students excited about engineering but at the same time aims at improving retention rates among electrical and computer engineering freshman-level college students by involving them as paid mentors. It particularly takes into consideration the rural character of West Texas, which provides hardly any electrical and computer engineering job opportunities, and the fact that a university with a college of engineering serves as academic hub for the area.
60 citations
TL;DR: The improvements related to the introduction of ontologies formalism in the e-learning field are discussed, and a novel algorithm for ontology building through the use of Bayesian networks is shown.
Abstract: In the last decade, the evolution of educational technologies has forced an extraordinary interest in new methods for delivering learning content to learners. Today, distance education represents an effective way for supporting and sometimes substituting the traditional formative processes, thanks to the technological improvements achieved in the field in recent years. However, the role of technology has often been overestimated. The amount of information students can obtain from the Internet is huge, and as a result, they can easily be confused. Teachers can also be disconcerted by this vast quantity of content and are often unable to suggest the correct content to their students. In the open scientific literature, it is widely recognized that an important factor for success in delivering learning content is related to the capability for customizing the learning process for the specific needs of a given learner. This task is still far from having been fully accomplished, and there is a real interest in investigating new approaches and tools to adapt the formative process to specific individual needs. In this scenario, the introduction of ontology formalism can improve the quality of the formative process, allowing the introduction of new and effective services. Ontologies can lead to important improvements in the definition of a course's knowledge domain, in the generation of an adapted learning path, and in the assessment phase. This paper provides an initial discussion of the role of ontologies in the context of e-learning. The improvements related to the introduction of ontologies formalism in the e-learning field are discussed, and a novel algorithm for ontology building through the use of Bayesian networks is shown. Finally, the application of this algorithm in the assessment process and some experimental results are illustrated.
58 citations
TL;DR: Details about the IT-Adventures program as well as the capstone event for students-the IT-Olympics are provided, including differences between students who compete in different content areas, and descriptive measures about the participants are provided.
Abstract: The IT-Adventures program is dedicated to increasing interest in and awareness of information technology among high school students using inquiry-based learning focused on three content areas: cyber defense, game design programming, and robotics. The program combines secondary, post-secondary, and industry partnerships in educational programming, competitive events, and service learning projects targeted at high school students to accomplish its goals. This paper provides details about the IT-Adventures program as well as the capstone event for students-the IT-Olympics. Project assessment findings, such as differences between students who compete in different content areas, and descriptive measures about the participants are also provided.
56 citations
TL;DR: Students in this multi-institutional study report that finding bugs is harder than fixing them, and use a wide variety of debugging strategies, some of them unexpected.
Abstract: Learning to debug is a difficult, yet essential, aspect of learning to program. Students in this multi-institutional study report that finding bugs is harder than fixing them. They use a wide variety of debugging strategies, some of them unexpected. Time spent on understanding the problem can be effective. Pattern matching, particularly at the syntactic level, is an important technique for beginners. The Web has emerged as an obvious first place to look for similar examples. Lack of Web materials at an appropriate beginner level leads to flailing. Hypothesizing about the cause of bugs is an underdeveloped skill.
TL;DR: Empirical results show that the synthesis of puzzle-based learning concepts with existing course content improves students' learning experience by increasing their interest and participation in the course and developing their critical thinking skills.
Abstract: This correspondence describes an adaptation of puzzle-based learning to teaching an introductory computer programming course. Students from two offerings of the course-with and without the puzzle-based learning-were surveyed over a two-year period. Empirical results show that the synthesis of puzzle-based learning concepts with existing course content improves students' learning experience by increasing their interest and participation in the course and developing their critical thinking skills.
TL;DR: The development and use of Java applet programs are discussed to assist the teaching of conventional power electronics rectifier circuits and to serve as a first design tool for basic laboratory experiments in power electronics courses.
Abstract: This paper presents interactive power electronics educational tools. These interactive tools make use of the benefits of Java language to provide a dynamic and interactive approach to simulating steady-state ideal rectifiers (uncontrolled and controlled; single-phase and three-phase). Additionally, this paper discusses the development and use of Java applet programs to assist the teaching of conventional power electronics rectifier circuits and to serve as a first design tool for basic laboratory experiments in power electronics courses. Comparison was made among results obtained using a well-known simulator package, experimental results, and the developed interactive simulation applets in order to validate the latter.
TL;DR: This tool helps children learn about science in an approachable and interactive way, using scientific research principles in captivating activities that help the child develop problem-solving skills within his group.
Abstract: This paper describes the design and implementation of a tool for experimenting with mobile robotics concepts, primarily for use by children and teenagers, or by the general public, without previous experience in robotics. This tool helps children learn about science in an approachable and interactive way, using scientific research principles in captivating activities that help the child develop problem-solving skills within his group. This initiative seeks to spark interest in scientific and engineering careers as a response to diminished enrollment in such courses by young students. The application of this tool was tested on groups of people ranging from schoolchildren to college students with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of robotics experience and knowledge. The following performance parameters were measured: time to build the robotic platform, time to finalize challenges, and the percentage of challenges successfully accomplished.
TL;DR: This paper analyzes how the behavior patterns in the interaction of each particular student with the contents and services in a learning management system (LMS) can be used to predict student motivation and if this student motivation can beused to predict the successful completion of an e-learning course.
Abstract: Student motivation is an important factor for the successful completion of an e-learning course. Detecting motivational problems for particular students at an early stage of a course opens the door for instructors to be able to provide additional motivating activities for these students. This paper analyzes how the behavior patterns in the interaction of each particular student with the contents and services in a learning management system (LMS) can be used to predict student motivation and if this student motivation can be used to predict the successful completion of an e-learning course. The interactions of 180 students of six different universities taking a course in three consecutive years are analyzed.
TL;DR: This paper describes a model for computer programming outreach workshops aimed at second-level students (ages 15-16) that engages in a series of programming activities based on the Scratch visual programming language, and a very strong group-based pedagogy is followed.
Abstract: This paper describes a model for computer programming outreach workshops aimed at second-level students (ages 15-16). Participants engage in a series of programming activities based on the Scratch visual programming language, and a very strong group-based pedagogy is followed. Participants are not required to have any prior programming experience. An empirical evaluation was undertaken to evaluate to what extent the model was successful in: (1) giving the participants a deeper understanding of what studying a computing degree and working in the computing profession entails; and (2) increasing their interest in pursuing a third-level qualification in a computer-related area.
TL;DR: A model for determining students' programming abilities is developed that is more effective in helping learners to acquire programming skills and the developed agent system is demonstrated to have positive effects on knowledge retention and transfer in a programming course.
Abstract: This paper analyzes the educational effects of a peer-learning agent based on pair programming in programming courses. A peer-learning agent system was developed to facilitate the learning of a programming language through the use of pair programming strategies. This system is based on the role of a peer-learning agent from pedagogical and technical aspects and simulates the "tutor" and "tutee." The peer-learning agent uses artificial intelligence methods with a Bayesian network as well as teaching and learning methods that simulate pair programming. This paper develops a model for determining students' programming abilities. In addition, the roles of the tutor and tutee are like the roles of a navigator and driver in pair programming. The developed agent system is demonstrated to have positive effects on knowledge retention and transfer in a programming course, with a greater influence on transfer than on retention. This model combining peer-learning agents with a teaching and learning strategy is more effective in helping learners to acquire programming skills.
TL;DR: The system infers learning style in real time by monitoring user activity, and recent significant advances in the research are described.
Abstract: Recent significant advances in automatically predicting user learning styles are described. The system works with new client-based systems that filter Web pages and provide easy, structured, focused, and controlled access to the Internet. A first system called iLessons was embedded within Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 and provided teachers with tools to create lesson Web pages, define zones of the Internet that could be accessed during a lesson, and enforce these settings in a set of computers. A second system enabled students to investigate and collaborate using the Internet. The system filtered Web pages based on the relevance of their contents and assisted students by inferring their learning style (active or reflective) and by recommending pages found by fellow students based on page relevancy, student learning style, and state of mind measured by activity. The system infers learning style in real time by monitoring user activity, and recent significant advances in the research are described.
TL;DR: The experimental findings, lessons learned, possible challenges, and recommendations that may be used to promote learning and also the use of peer-review activities in teaching other software, electrical, and computer engineering courses are presented.
Abstract: Based on the demonstrated value of peer reviews in the engineering industry, numerous industry experts have listed it at the top of the list of desirable development practices. Experience has shown that problems (defects) are eliminated earlier if a development process incorporates peer reviews and that these reviews are as effective as or even more effective than testing. It is therefore important for engineering students to peer review each other's work during design projects. However, surprisingly, few engineering courses in universities and colleges include peer-review activities in their design projects. The author thus decided to incorporate peer reviews in the design project of a senior software engineering course in two offerings of the course. The purpose of this article is to present the experimental findings, lessons learned, possible challenges, and recommendations that may be used to promote learning and also the use of peer-review activities in teaching other software, electrical, and computer engineering courses. The results of the experiment show promising signs of using peer review in the design project of the course.
TL;DR: This paper describes the second and third phases of a comprehensive mechatronics curriculum development effort, which encompass the development of two advanced mechatronic courses, the formulation of a Mechatronics concentration, and offshoot research activities in the me chatronics area.
Abstract: This paper describes the second and third phases of a comprehensive mechatronics curriculum development effort. They encompass the development of two advanced mechatronics courses (?Simulation and Modeling of Mechatronic Systems? and ?Sensors and Actuators for Mechatronic Systems?), the formulation of a Mechatronics concentration, and offshoot research activities in the mechatronics area. The first phase involved the design of an ?Introduction to Mechatronics? course and the infusion of mechatronic activities throughout the curriculum and in outreach activities and has been described in a companion paper ?A 10-Year Mechatronics Curriculum Development Initiative: Relevance, Content, and Results-Part I? (IEEE Transactions on Education, vol. 53, no. 2, May 2010).
TL;DR: Outreach activities undertaken by the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa (UO), Ottawa, ON, Canada, to help the transition between high school and engineering education and to make students aware of the engineering profession are discussed.
Abstract: If we aim to enhance the interest of students in engineering and therefore produce the best engineers, it is essential to strengthen the pipeline to high school education. This paper discusses several outreach activities undertaken by the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa (UO), Ottawa, ON, Canada, to help the transition between high school and engineering education and to make students aware of the engineering profession. At the heart of these activities is mechatronics education, which demands an interdisciplinary approach, connects to fundamental math and science concepts, and promotes collaborative project-based learning (PBL). Connected to this focus, a multifaceted program of outreach activities has been initiated. The program includes creation of design-simulate-and-build projects by engineering and high school students, as well as an interactive presentation program whereby engineering students connect with high school students through the sharing of projects that they create in their engineering courses. The survey results indicate that for the high school students, these programs promote students' awareness of engineering and how the mathematics and science they take in school connects to engineering concepts. For the engineering students, they are provided with a meaningful context within which to share their projects and explain their own understanding of engineering principles.
TL;DR: This module, developed using Simulink in conjunction with the Matlab graphical user interface (Matlab-GUI) tool, is used to supplement conventional lectures in control engineering and robotics subjects.
Abstract: This paper presents an interactive module for learning both the fundamental and practical issues of servo systems. This module, developed using Simulink in conjunction with the Matlab graphical user interface (Matlab-GUI) tool, is used to supplement conventional lectures in control engineering and robotics subjects. First, the paper introduces the theoretical background of servo systems. Then, the interactive module is presented, with a description of its main features as well some hints on how to integrate Simulink models within Matlab-GUI. Some of the module's capabilities are illustrated through classroom examples. Finally, the experience of putting this into use and student assessment of the tool are also addressed.
TL;DR: These activities include robotics courses for children, social robots as keynote speakers, mechatronics design courses, and participation in international robotics competitions, which contribute synergistically to the goal of attracting students to UCH's Electrical Engineering Department.
Abstract: Nowadays, universities are making extensive efforts to attract prospective students to the fields of electrical, electronic, and computer engineering. Thus, outreach is becoming increasingly important, and activities with schoolchildren are being extensively carried out as part of this effort. In this context, robotics is a very attractive and effective tool for fostering interest in science and technology among children and young people and for attracting them toward engineering. In this article, experience with different robotics-centered outreach activities in the Universidad de Chile (UCH), Santiago, Chile, will be shared. These activities include robotics courses for children, social robots as keynote speakers, mechatronics design courses, and participation in international robotics competitions, which contribute synergistically to the goal of attracting students to UCH's Electrical Engineering (EE) Department. Owing to its novelty, the use of social robots as keynote speakers for schoolchildren will be described in detail. Experimental results that demonstrate how sophisticated social robots can be used to foster the interest of young people in technology will be shown. Altogether, more than 3000 schoolchildren have participated directly in these outreach activities here in Chile, creating a sizeable impact in this country.
TL;DR: The results show that theLPBQ method allows for more enjoyable, interesting, creative, and motivating laboratory practices, and the method does not require investments in specialized equipment.
Abstract: Many laboratory courses have become iterative processes in which students only seek to meet the requirements and pass the course. Some students believe these courses are boring and do not give them training as engineers. To provide a solution to the poor motivation of students in laboratories with few resources, this work proposes the method Laboratory Practice Based on Questions (LPBQ), which is based on Vee mapping. The results show that the method allows for more enjoyable, interesting, creative, and motivating laboratory practices. The method does not require investments in specialized equipment.
TL;DR: The experiments designed to teach various wireless communication concepts to the students on a weekly basis are discussed, as well as the interesting projects and the other course requirements, which could be replicated by other universities.
Abstract: A novel wireless communications systems laboratory course is introduced. The course teaches students how to design, test, and simulate wireless systems using modern instrumentation and computer-aided design (CAD) software. One of the objectives of the course is to help students understand the theoretical concepts behind wireless communication systems through hands-on experiments and to make them more confident both in system design and analysis. The course also aims at increasing the interest of students in engineering and technology. Therefore, laboratory experiments that are complementary to the materials discussed in the theoretical part of the course are designed specifically to incorporate the use of several wireless devices that students probably use extensively in their daily lives. Complementing and expanding upon the materials covered in other communication courses is another merit of this laboratory-based course. Meeting the course requirements also helps students improve their oral presentation and report preparation abilities. The evaluation of the course indicates that most of the objectives are achieved. This paper discusses the experiments designed to teach various wireless communication concepts to the students on a weekly basis, as well as the interesting projects and the other course requirements, which could be replicated by other universities.
TL;DR: The topic is explained and a way to improve the teaching of the methodology in control courses is suggested, presented on a model of an inverted pendulum on a cart-a classical laboratory model used in the control theory education process.
Abstract: Linearization is a standard part of modeling and control design theory for a class of nonlinear dynamical systems taught in basic undergraduate courses. Although linearization is a straight-line methodology, it is not applied correctly by many students since they often forget to keep the operating point in mind. This paper explains the topic and suggests a way to improve the teaching of the methodology in control courses. The idea is presented on a model of an inverted pendulum on a cart-a classical laboratory model used in the control theory education process.
TL;DR: A set of outreach activities implemented by the College of Engineering of the Public University of Navarra, Spain, represents different initiatives aimed to improve recruitment of young engineers in the difficult context of declining interest in engineering and the educational changes Europe is facing nowadays.
Abstract: A set of outreach activities implemented by the College of Engineering of the Public University of Navarra, Spain, is described. They represent different initiatives aimed to improve recruitment of young engineers in the difficult context of declining interest in engineering and the educational changes Europe is facing nowadays. The initiatives include didactic materials and activities specifically targeted to high schools and other events aimed to increase awareness about the relevance of science and engineering in the society. During the three years the outreach program has been applied, an increase in the number of engineering students of 12.5% has been experienced, which is in contrast to the decrease of 1.6% in the number of new university students during the same period.
TL;DR: The PBL methodologies, intuitive design tools, and latest technology models have consistently produced high levels of student satisfaction with the overall quality of the courses at the two institutions.
Abstract: This paper presents the strategies used for effective teaching and skill development in integrated circuit (IC) design using project-based learning (PBL) methodologies. It presents the contexts in which these strategies are applied to IC design courses at the University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia, and the National Institute of Applied Science (INSA), Toulouse, France. Collaborations among the faculty members of the two institutions have produced a set of learning resources and design tools to support the development of industry-relevant design skills and lifelong learning skills. At the pedagogical level, the emphasis is on the development of practical circuit design, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills rather than the mastery of complex circuit design tools. The courses enable students to learn about the most recent technological developments and their implications, using a set of user-friendly tools. The PBL methodologies, intuitive design tools, and latest technology models have consistently produced high levels of student satisfaction with the overall quality of the courses at the two institutions.
TL;DR: In this work, a practical session that allows students to model and simulate the dynamic behavior of ac-powered electromechanical contactors is presented and a rigorous parametric model of the ac contactor is carried out.
Abstract: Ac-powered contactors are extensively used in industry in applications such as automatic electrical devices, motor starters, and heaters. In this work, a practical session that allows students to model and simulate the dynamic behavior of ac-powered electromechanical contactors is presented. Simulation is carried out using a rigorous parametric model of the ac contactor that avoids simplification assumptions and is thoroughly explained. The goal of this practical is to introduce students to the topic of dynamic simulation of real devices. It covers both the transient and the steady-state response of the electromechanical system under study. The proposed methodology is flexible and not particularly time-consuming, and it allows the students easily to change the electromechanical constants of the contactor they are studying. The results of the simulations were compared with experimental data acquired by the students; a close similarity between real and simulated data was observed. The Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), Spain, has incorporated the simulation methodology proposed in this paper in a practical session of an electrical engineering course.
TL;DR: These experiments have been developed as part of implementing an inductive education strategy in the Automation Laboratory of Ege Vocational School, Ege University, İzmir, Turkey to show how an economically feasible SCADA system could be built.
Abstract: In the field of automation technology, research and development for industrial applications has increased rapidly in recent years. Therefore, industrial automation and control education is a very important element of the industrialization process in developing countries, such as Turkey, which needs to keep abreast for the latest developments in the field. However, there are several challenges in industrial automation education in a developing country. First, a course that includes instrumentation and automation needs a significant budget. Moreover, the necessary instrumentation is generally confusing to use, which reduces the motivation of the students. Another challenge is that real industrial processes cannot be set up in the laboratory because these may be hazardous for students. To overcome these challenges, this paper gives a detailed description of some laboratory experiments in virtual-instrument-aided supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. These experiments have been developed as part of implementing an inductive education strategy in the Automation Laboratory of Ege Vocational School, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. The experiments described here are designed to show how an economically feasible SCADA system could be built. The advantages and the challenging points of these experiments are also discussed and evaluated. A quantitative evaluation was achieved using a one-way ANOVA test performed on the exam results of the students. The qualitative evaluation was performed using a survey given to the students. The results indicated that the performance of the students was improved compared to the previous years' students.