MOOLs: Massive Open Online Laboratories: An analysis of scale and feasibility

Massive Open Online Courses have been receiving enormous attention within the educational community. Open questions remain however with respect to how laboratory experiences - particularly those that benefit from access to physical equipment - can be accommodated within MOOCs. In this paper the potential for addressing this challenge through the use of remotely accessed laboratories is considered - particularly in terms of the feasibility of achieving massively-scalable laboratory access. Consideration is given to the different parameters that affect remote laboratory capacity, and a number of scenarios are used to illustrate the varying levels of laboratory apparatus that might be required, and hence the feasibility of providing support.