Maximizing Utilization of Laboratory
Space at Remote Campus Locations
William L. Hartung1 and Paul J. Wilder2
Abstract
This paper presents a planning process to efficiently utilize laboratory space under conditions of limited resources.
Engineering and technology programs at satellite campuses, specifically, programs that target non-traditional
students, are often faced with resource issues. The method presented analyzes the space requirements for each
course, then leverages these against course scheduling and available equipment. This analysis results in a
rearrangement of the traditional laboratory space into one that efficiently supports multiple courses within the limited
laboratory-space resource, thus eliminating the need to restructure this space each semester. Another result is
documentation, listed by course, of the equipment location/availability. Adjunct faculty and visiting professors
benefit from this equipment plan, as they are typically unfamiliar with the laboratory setup and available equipment.
Introduction
Engineering and technology programs at satellite campuses often implement entirely different course scheduling
plans from their main campus counterparts in order to service non-traditional students.1 This type of course
scheduling, coupled with space limitations, greatly complicates laboratory usage. Often, equipment must be changed
out each semester in order to support different courses. If personnel resources are minimal, this burden typically
falls to the instructor. This results in limited productivity, and can impact the quality of the lab experience for
students.
These satellite programs can benefit from a plan to place each piece of laboratory equipment in a predetermined
location, with documentation outlining equipment availability sorted by course. This allows efficient and productive
use of both space and equipment for experiments, alleviating the need to waste time changing the laboratory set-up
for the current semester. Also, it takes advantage of the smaller class sizes typically associated with educational
outreach programs.
Limited resources are a problem for all academic institutions. Typically, resource allocation at satellite campuses is
significantly reduced, for several reasons. One of the primary issues is space management. This paper describes a
process to organize one of the most difficult to manage space resources, the laboratory. While it does not present
any new material, it does include an orderly procedure for establishing an efficient laboratory setup. The process
starts with listing courses that utilize the laboratory, and then analyzing the equipment needs for each of these
courses. The laboratory space requirements are determined for each course. These requirements are used to balance
equipment resources between courses that share similar needs, but are taught in different semesters. Thus, these
courses can share laboratory bench space without conflict. This sharing of benches allows a full range of
engineering and technology laboratory courses to fit into the limited space available at a satellite campus. Bench
sharing has another benefit; encouraging several courses to share the same piece of equipment allows a smaller
expenditure of monetary resources for laboratory test equipment. Additionally, expansion of the curriculum to
1
332 Training Squadron, United States Air Force, Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS 39534.
2
University of Southern Mississippi, Box 5128, Gautier, MS 39553.
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include supplemental classes in the same subject area may be accomplished, without the expense of acquiring added
equipment or laboratory space resources, simply by scheduling the new course during a semester in which the
required benches are available.
Implementation
The analysis begins with an overview of the schedule. A course listing is created inspecting each course for test
equipment requirements. In order to improve laboratory efficiency, courses utilizing the laboratory are classified by
equipment resource needs. Parallelism between programs provides opportunities to gain efficiency, while reducing
resource requirements. For example, programs such as Electronics Engineering Technology (EET) and Computer
Engineering Technology (CET) may share laboratory space. However, since there is significant overlap of
topics/courses, these programs may coexist within the same laboratory space resource with little or no contention.
This course/equipment list emphasizes overlapping resource requirements between courses. For example, within an
EET program several courses may include component level or integrated circuit level design, resulting in the same
equipment being required for each of these courses. Specifically, at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf
Coast campus the three-course sequence in intermediate electronics combined with classical control theory provides
an opportunity to implement this plan.
This sequence includes advanced devices, linear integrated
circuits/operational amplifiers, HF communications, and controls. While these courses typically require similar test
equipment, they are taught in separate semesters over a two-year cycle, as shown in Figure 1. As a result, they can
occupy the same laboratory bench space without interference. This example considers the use of test equipment
interconnected with GPIB bus technology, in order to allow computer-based control of test equipment for
simulations.
Once the course listing is complete, the courses and equipment are mapped onto the laboratory space. A graphic
illustrating the available laboratory bench space facilitates this process. Using this graphic, assign benches to
support specific courses. Figure 2 shows a plan for two laboratories, with the course numbers displayed over the
benches for clarity. It is beneficial to place a label on each bench showing the courses supported. Next, the
equipment is placed, according to the outline, in preparation for teaching. Equipment is grouped by application in
order to facilitate orderly use. As an example, power supplies can be placed at the left, while signal sources (signal
generators, audio oscillators) are placed at the center and output measurement devices (oscilloscopes, digital
multimeters) are placed at the right. Additionally, meter leads, oscilloscope probes, coaxial cables, adapters and
other small accessories can be placed near the work area for convenience.
Enhancements
Once the courses/laboratories are sorted and assigned, a further method to improve space utilization is to install
swappable hard drives on the laboratory computer systems. This allows courses requiring experimentation with
computer software, such as network management, programming, etc. to operate in conjunction with other laboratory
courses requesting the use of these computing resources. Often these courses require bringing a system down in
order to do a specific configuration/install process. The result is that all data and programmatic information on the
system is lost. The process of swapping disk drives eliminates problems with potential data corruption/file deletion
by other courses, assuring that students always are provided with the correct support software for the specific course
they are taking.
The explosion of web-based resources necessitates that the laboratory computing resources have network/Internet
access, allowing students to; obtain information and data from component manufacturers, obtain access to email
resources, and obtain general web access.2 Additionally, networking provides several other advantages. First,
printing resources may be shared in order to economize equipment costs, and improve serviceability. Second, antivirus software/firewall management can be centralized, resulting in improved resistance to malicious-logic attacks.
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Another important outcome of the process described herein is the production of the continuity binder. This binder
results from the compilation of the course/equipment list, and the map of the laboratory space. The continuity binder
simplifies the lab usage for adjunct and visiting professors by providing a listing of equipment location, and by
showing suggested station usage based on the laboratory floor plan. As such, the binder includes a detailed list of
available equipment, organized by course, thus producing the additional side benefit of facilitating laboratory
experiment development. This information is available in the laboratory (in both digital and paper formats) allowing
instructors to make a disk copy for use during curriculum development. This document must be updated as
equipment is purchased or as obsolete equipment is replaced.
Conclusion
The concepts outlined herein provide one option for reducing the strain on the limited resources inherent with any
satellite/distance education program. This is accomplished by improving the utilization of space and equipment
through an analytical process for rearranging the laboratory. This improvement has the benefit of reducing the
conflict between courses. As such, no two courses share the same space during a semester, and equipment does not
need to be moved each semester. The result is that the students’ ability to learn from laboratory experiments is
enhanced through reduced time spent moving equipment and reassembling experiments moved by other laboratory
users. Additionally, visiting professors and adjunct professors benefit from at-a-glance knowledge of the equipment
available, and the space allotted, for their course. This allows faculty to devote more time to designing laboratories
around the course material and available assets, without accidentally designing an experiment around a piece of
unavailable equipment. Utilizing the same laboratory space for several courses during multiple semesters broadens
the scope of available laboratory courses without expanding the resources required to support them.
References
1
Wilder, P.: “PEPS: An Alternative Program Strategy for Non-Traditional Engineering Technology Students,”
Proceedings of the American Society of Engineering Education, Southeastern Region; Marietta, Georgia, April
1997, p. 273.
2
Jack O. Beasley, “Local Area Networks in the Electronics Engineering Technology Laboratories,” Journal of
Engineering Technology, Volume 6, Number 2, page 10.
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Tentative CET/EET Two Year Schedule
Spring 2002
CET 420 & Lab
CET 471 & Lab
EET 312 & Lab
EET 412 & Lab
Summer 2002
CET 323
EET 301
Fall 2002
CET 301 & Lab
CET 302
CET 370 & Lab
CET 477 & Lab
Spring 2003
CET 437
CET 472 & Lab
CET 492
EET 315 & Lab
Summer 2003
EET 301
CET 323
Fall 2003
CET 316 & Lab
CET 390
EET 311 & Lab
EET 461
Embedded Microcomputer Design
Small Computer Systems
Linear Integrated Circuits
Advanced Network Analysis
Advanced Analytical Applications
Intermediate Network Analysis and Design
Logic Circuit Design
Microprocessor Architecture and Applications
Hardware Systems
Introduction to Control Systems Technology
Advanced Programmable Devices
Special Problems
Design of High Frequency and Communications Circuits
Intermediate Network Analysis and Design
Advanced Analytical Applications
Digital Communications and Computer Networks
Computer Networking Fundamentals
Advanced Devices
Electric Power Generation and Distribution
Figure 1
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Station 10 EET 311, EET 312, EET 315,
CET 477/ 577, Senior Projects
Station 11 EET 311, EET 312,
CET 477/ 577
Station 12 EET 311, EET 312,
CET 477/ 577
Station 7 CET 301, CET 316,
CET 471/ 571, Senior Projects
Station 8 CET 301, CET 316,
CET 471/ 571
Station 9 CET 301, CET 316,
CET 471/ 571
LAB A
Station 4 CET 302/ 501, CET 420/ 520,
CET 472 /572, Senior Projects
Station 5 CET 302/ 501, CET 420/ 520,
CET 472 /572
Station 6 CET 302/ 501, CET 420/ 520,
CET 472 /572
Station 1 CET 370, EET 412/ 512,
Senior Projects
Station 2 CET 370, EET 412/ 512
Station 3 CET 370, EET 412/ 512
LAB B
Equipment Storage
Component Testing
Soldering
Figure 2
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Component Storage
Computer Manuals
Component Manuals
William L. Hartung
William L. Hartung received the Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Electronics Engineering Technology from
Troy State University in 1997. Currently, he is a graduate student in Engineering Technology at the University of
Southern Mississippi, and an instructor in Communications and Navigation Systems, assigned to the 332 Training
Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi, where he acts as Network manager. His research interests
include radio frequency applications and wireless Internet technologies.
Paul J. Wilder
Paul J. Wilder received the Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Vermont in 1986, the
Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Central Florida in 1996, and the Master of
Theological Studies degree from the University of Dallas in 2001. He is currently an assistant professor of
Engineering Technology, and the Computer, Electronics, and Software Engineering Technology program
coordinator at the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast campus in Gautier, MS. From 1989-1991 he held
a faculty position at Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center, VT. His research interests include
multiprocessor design, memory design, and embedded microcontroller systems. He has been an ASEE member
since 1997, recently serving a three-year term as a member of the Engineering Technology Leadership Institute’s
Executive Council, and currently as both Manuscript Editor for the Journal of Engineering Technology and
Treasurer of the Engineering Technology Division of ASEE.
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