A Web-Enabled, Interactive Remote Laboratory for Renewable Energy

工程-其他（59）该项目正在开发计算机接口和新的课程，为学习可再生能源入门课程的学生提供一个互动的网络实验室，使用最先进的光伏系统和监测设备。该项目小组正在为美国航天局艾姆斯研究中心的光伏测试设施准备学习模块，使学生能够控制跟踪光伏板的方位角和仰角，以根据对板电流和电压的实时测量优化其功率输出。他们还计划利用纳米技术（如量子线和量子点）进行更多的研究，让学生将其性能与商业技术进行比较。为了支持实验室的经验，研究人员正在编写Java小程序和图形用户界面，提供在线教程和自动反馈工具来衡量学生的学习。通过与一个为期两年的西班牙裔服务机构（HSI）合作，他们正在不同的学术环境中测试这种方法。 一名独立评估员正在提供形成性和总结性研究，以确定学生对测量的环境因素与发电机性能之间关系的理解程度。调查人员正在通过一个网页传播他们的材料和结果，该网页附有描述性元数据并与NSDL链接，并通过本科教育领域的演示和出版物传播。更广泛的影响包括与HSI的伙伴关系，材料的传播，以及利用现有的K-12计划开展的外联活动。

Engineering - Other (59)The project is developing computer interfaces and new curricula to provide students in introductory renewable energy courses with an interactive, Web-based laboratory using state-of-the-art photovoltaic systems and monitoring equipment. The project team is preparing learning modules for a photovoltaic test facility at the NASA Ames Research Center to enable students to control the azimuth and elevation of a tracking photovoltaic panel to optimize its power output based on real-time measurements of the panels current and voltage. They also are planning additional research making use of nanotechnology, such as quantum wires and dots, allowing students to compare their performance to that achieved with commercial technology. To support the laboratory experience, the investigators are writing Java applets and graphical user interfaces that provide online tutorials and automated feedback tools to measure student learning. By partnering with a two-year Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), they are testing the approach in a different academic setting. An independent evaluator is providing formative and summative studies to determine how well the students understand the relationship between the measured environmental factors and generator performance. The investigators are disseminating their materials and results through a webpage, tagged with descriptive metadata and linked to the NSDL, and through presentations and publications in the area of undergraduate education. Broader impacts include the partnership with the HSI, the dissemination of the materials, and outreach activities using an existing K-12 program.