Tools for education and training in measurement and instrumentation - a review of requirements

This paper examines the requirements for new information technology tools for education and training in measurement and instrumentation, given the advances in capability of information technology. It bases the examination on the proceedings of the IMEKO XVII World Congress held in Croatia, June 2003, and particularly the round table discussions on metrology education and training. A brief discussion is given of the nature of the discipline. The nature of formation is considered. A review is presented of the capabilities and limitations of educational tools. It is argued that the requirements are effected by the widening global spread of the application of measurement and instrumentation technology, the increasing importance of the metrological perspective of the discipline, the need for education and training at all levels and not only at the advanced scientific level, and the importance of resource limitation.