Web-Based Simulation Systems in Technological Education Implemented as Micro-worlds

The use of simulation technologies has become more frequent in recent years for many engineering instructional laboratories. The proliferation of high Internet connection speeds and the emergence of promising Web technologies such as AJAX have created opportunities to build simulation applications that are fully accessible via browser applications. The combination of such technologies with Web graphics languages such as SVG, could lead to immersive and graphics rich Web environments which could be used for the creation of educational micro-worlds and virtual laboratories. Such simulated educational environments would enable on and off-campus engineering students to work on simulated procedures, experiments and exercises similar to the ones normally run in face-to-face classes, and in this way accrue multiple educational benefits.