Using interactive tools to facilitate student self-testing of dynamics and PI compensation

Virtual laboratories have become a common tool in recent years for supporting student learning and engagement. This paper presents a new tool for helping students self-assess their competence in basic dynamics for 1st and 2nd order systems alongside simple PI compensation techniques. The tools provide a supported environment for helping students work towards the correct answer by providing succinct feedback on incorrect responses and opportunities to try again, while displaying relevant information. A partner interactive tool is also provided which focuses solely on assessment with no feedback, so that students can assess their ability to get correct answers in a scenario that only the first attempt counts. This paper gives the thinking behind the tools, their coding and also accessibility for students.