As online education has evolved, a shift has been made away from purely text and graphic based content to more interactive content. In an effort to embrace this change, Bismarck State College (BSC) has been committed to the development of interactive learning tools. At BSC these types of materials are used in both the classroom and the online environments and have been implemented in a number of technical and transfer curricula. BSC's interactive learning tools can be categorized into five categories:

• Interactive Lectures are ten to fifteen minute long animated and scripted lectures that allow students to view content at their own pace and on their own schedule. VIEW DEMO

• Self-Checks are formative interactive quizzes that are non-graded and provide instant feedback to students as they progress through BSC's coursework. VIEW DEMO

• Animations are applications that show and explain processes or events too complex to be understood with a single picture or text. Animations allow visual-spatial learners to grasp concepts more rapidly than by using only text. VIEW DEMO

• Mini-Sims are miniature simulations. Since most concepts can be broken down into small topics which are easier to understand than the whole, the Mini-Sim was created to provide simulation of a subset of a full system. We have found that full simulation may at times be intimidating or too complicated to be used to introduce new concepts. Mini-Sims are, therefore, used to allow students to learn all the concepts that are needed to make efficient use of full simulations, as well as meet their learning requirements.
  VIEW DEMO

• Full Simulations are large scale simulators that allow students to interact with effective and accurate models of real-world equipment or processes. Once prepared for a Full Simulation by using the Mini-Sims, students can use the simulator to gain experience in a safe and cost effective manner. To enhance the effectiveness of learning when using Full Simulations, the simulators have built-in scripted lessons (which take control of the simulator), help, and even assignments.
  VIEW DEMO

All of BSC's online tools run in a standard web browser and are optimized for 28.8 modem access. Furthermore, they are typically compatible with most corporate firewalls.

While technically WebLab is an interactive learning tool like the others used at BSC, it is significantly different in its operation to warrant its own category of learning tool. Even though BSC's development of online curriculum has evolved, the need for online student laboratory experiences was yet to be fulfilled. After all, how can students across the nation use the laboratory equipment on BSC's campus in North Dakota? WebLab was created to answer this question.

WebLab is a learning tool that allows online students to access and control laboratory equipment in remote locations by using the public Internet. By using standard process industry equipment, almost any laboratory can be refitted into a WebLab laboratory. Students will use the WebLab portal to access the laboratory, control the equipment, schedule laboratory time, and complete lessons, assignments, and even take examinations. Result data and student progress is reported to faculty as the students complete their laboratory work.

WebLab is a next-generation online instructional tool. While simulation is more than acceptable in most cases, WebLab brings not software models, but real equipment to students' fingertips anywhere in the world. The ultimate goal of BSC's interactive learning tools is to afford online students the same educational experiences of classroom students. WebLab brings BSC and our students one step closer to that goal.