A simplified virtual power system lab for distance learning and ABET accredited education systems

COVID-19 pandemic has had an adverse impact on higher education worldwide. In particular, the situation can be more crucial for electrical power engineering education due to the importance of the direct relationship between the students and their instructor embodied in the campus’ classroom interaction and the requisite face-to-face learning. Apparently, e-learning instructional design has provided a fairly accepted solution through online lectures and exams for power engineering courses. Nevertheless, the difficulty persists in moving the experiment equipment of the laboratories to the homes of the students since most experiments were likely to be carried out on the University campus’ dedicated power system panels. An urgent and reduced cost solution is therefore needed. This paper introduces a shortcut design method as a compensatory solution at no extra cost, which during this challenging period is suitable for teaching power system labs and also suitable for full online education programs. The work presented in the paper goes beyond that to discuss the relevance to ABET student outcomes. Two experiments are presented in the PowerWorld Simulator environment with systematic steps to facilitate the expansion of the rest of the laboratory experiments. The method is based on the simulation of a textbook example and the verification of results from another textbook followed by a discussion of the relevant students' outcomes of ABET. The paper may be used as an educational guide for instructors in the following academic year in institutions that embrace distance learning programs.