This interesting paper proposes a learning model and an architectural blueprint for a virtual networked laboratory (VNL) that could be used in online information technology (IT) education. For many years, research and development groups have been working on creating educational interactive environments that could be used by learners for creating and conducting simulated experiments remotely. Most of these virtual laboratories have been used in subjects like physics and chemistry, where experimentation is of prime importance in achieving learning goals, and only a few have been used in IT education. For example, Carnegie Mellon University has developed a collection of virtual labs called the ChemCollective for chemistry education [1].

The added value of VNLs is well documented: they require few physical resources and are flexible in terms of space, time, resources, and so on, allowing learners to design and perform diverse experiments in a !safe interactive environment that offers constructive feedback during the experimentation process. The various types of VNLs are well described in this paper. This is the paper’s main strength. More specifically, the authors give an overview of the solutions for various remote laboratory approaches, such as self-construction laboratories and simulations. The authors also try to present an architectural blueprint of a VNL for IT education. Unfortunately, this blueprint is very abstract and is not accompanied by a detailed use case scenario for a specific topic in IT education. Such scenarios can be found in other papers [2,3].

In conclusion, this paper clearly describes the various types of virtual laboratories and their added value. It is a good starting point for people interested in applying this learning approach to IT education.