The adoption of remote classes has rapidly increased at educational institutions since the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. However, in Japan, remote classes cannot be unconditionally substituted for in-person classes. Thus, there is a need to evaluate the educational effects of remote classes, taking into account the academic field and other aspects of the class, such as whether it is a lecture class or a laboratory exercise class. In this study, I investigate the educational effects of introducing remote learning by comparing class questionnaires and lab report and test scores from 2020 and 2021 with those from 2019 in the College of Science and Technology at Nihon University, where I am an associate professor. The classes surveyed were Control Engineering, which is a lecture class, and Electrical and Electronic Engineering Experiments, which is a laboratory exercise class. The results of the class questionnaire analysis showed that on-demand classes were poorly evaluated by students, whereas hybrid remote classes were highly evaluated. The results of the lab report and test score analysis revealed a widening gap in the level of understanding among students in remote classes compared with in-person classes.

This study aimed to develop teaching materials for circuit design and fabrication for elementary school students, and conduct workshops oriented to engineering. First, the content of the circuit design workshop was discussed and it was determined that a connection-focused design would be appropriate. Second, we examined the issue of existing teaching materials. Many of the existing kit materials were not suitable for learning circuit design as it was already completed. In addition, many of them required soldering work, which was too difficult for elementary school students. Hands-on materials that allow students to construct circuits through trial and error were suitable for learning circuit design. Therefore, we developed design and fabrication support materials using a 3D printer and conductive tape. Next, we provided workshop opportunities using developed material, with the theme of “making light-up cards,” wherein elementary school students worked on designing the layout of the components and fabrication. Consequently, students' conceptual understanding of the connection was improved. All students were able to complete the circuit, with high self-evaluations of satisfaction and understanding suggesting that the activity was engineering-oriented.

We have developed a virtual laboratory for student laboratory on transformer characteristics. In the past, the division of roles was fixed during student laboratory in our department. Many students felt that they could not wire even if they looked at the circuit diagram. Therefore, we developed a virtual laboratory where students can input wiring data while looking at a circuit diagram on the Web and automatically determine whether the wiring is correct or incorrect. In addition, a video on transformer experiments was also created on the Web. In fact, third-year students in this department were asked to use the virtual laboratory, and a questionnaire survey was conducted. As a result, it was found that the virtual experiment developed in this study is effective for learning because the students can see the circuit diagram and practice wiring as many times as they want until. The virtual experiment data can be displayed after the wiring is completed, which is considered to have improved the educational effect.

For the purpose of enhancing interests of high school students towards electrical and electronics engineering, experimental classes on electronic circuits are being planned and conducted as SSH lectures. LED switching circuits with transistors were selected as the subject in one class, while another class is being planned with optical detection circuits as its main subject.