Using MATLAB GUIs to improve student engagement and understanding

Laboratories are a core part of any engineering degree, but access to laboratories is typically limited due to a combination of timetable, space and equipment restrictions [1]. In more recent years that has been a significant growth in so-called virtual laboratories (VL), that is laboratory like activities that can be accessed via software or even a web interface, e.g. [2], [3], [5]. The advantage of VL is that the accessibility can potentially be improved to 24/7 and often these may be available on a student's own computing device thus also giving no space restrictions. Improvements in accessibility mean that staff can integrate VL far more easily into the curriculum and student independent study schedule with the consequence that, in principle, students can learn more effectively.