Changing a standard telecommunications laboratory to a same-time-different-place virtual laboratory format: techniques utilized and lessons learned

While distance learning via video conferencing has gained wide acceptance in many universities around the world, interactive laboratory classes at a distance remain a weak area in this arena, especially those that require live interaction among students and the instructor to achieve cognitive or psychomotor outcomes. This paper discusses changes made to a same-time-same-place (STSP) telecommunications laboratory that have allowed experiments to be offered in a same-time-different-place (STDP) manner. Some of the key lessons learned to date are also presented.