ACADEMIC PATH LINKED TO RESEARCH AND EXTENSION: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE REMOTE EXPERIMENTATION LABORATORY (REXLAB

Objective: This study aims to investigate the trajectory and contributions of the Remote Experimentation Laboratory (RExLab) over its 27 years of existence, focusing on the integration of technology in education and its relevance to teaching and learning. Theoretical Framework: RExLab was founded in 1997 with the aim of promoting digital inclusion and democratization of science education through the provision of Remote Laboratories. Over the years, the research group has added more resources to its projects, such as the integration of technologies in education, teacher training, and the creation of Open Educational Resources (OER), receiving several awards and distinctions along the way. Method: The research adopted a documentary and bibliographical approach, tracking the evolution and impact of RExLab from its inception to the present moment. Data collection was conducted through the analysis of documents and publications related to RExLab. Results and Discussion: The results highlight RExLab's contributions to the integration of technology in education, demonstrating its role in generating practical knowledge to solve specific problems and in understanding the experiences and perceptions related to technology in education. The discussion contextualizes these results in light of the theoretical framework, emphasizing the importance of RExLab for teaching and learning. Research Implications: This research reflects on how RExLab can continue to be an ally in the integration of technology in education, even in the face of future challenges. Its implications encompass both the field of education and applied research.


INTRODUCTION
The RExLab (Remote Experimentation Laboratory) started its activities in 1997, founded by Professor Dr. João Bosco da Mota Alves and collaborators at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, aiming to disseminate science and technology and provide society with increased access to these areas through the use of low-cost resources (Silva, 2006).Silva et al. (2020) present the main principles of RExLab.One of the most important principles is to act collaboratively, providing a constant exchange of knowledge among its participants and partners.Among the desired objectives is the encouragement of multidisciplinarity and the development of open, transparent, and responsible work (Silva, 2006).In the school environment, RExLab works on teacher training aiming at the integration of technologies in education and the provision of open educational resources, among which remote laboratories stand out (Silva et al., 2020).
Throughout its trajectory, RExLab has paved the way for the growth and dissemination of freely accessible technology, based on the assumption that everyone has the right to access information and technology.This can be perceived in the interpretation of the RExLab logo, Figure 1.Where the color used (green) refers to the social issues and technology constantly addressed by RExLab; the lowercase initial "r" represents the branching, more specifically the branches of the tree; the tree canopy suggests virtual transmission of information; and the ellipse formed suggests the scope and speed of the internet.RExLab's logo.
It is worth noting that RExLab's visual identity was created in 1997, demonstrating the research group's cutting-edge position.Since its foundation, RExLab has sought to provide access to everyone who may be interested in the work developed, integrating technology and generating social innovation.
This article presents the Remote Experimentation Laboratory (RExLab), since its creation, and how it has contributed to the integration of technology in education throughout its 27 years of existence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this section, the methodological approach adopted to investigate the role and contribution of RExLab in the integration of technology in education throughout its 27 years of existence is described.The methodology employed encompasses classification and research aspects, bibliographic and documentary research procedures, as well as the steps followed during the study.

RESEARCH'S CLASSIFICATION
Table 1 presents the research classification, which is explained in the following paragraphs.For Gil (2002), applied research aims to generate knowledge for practical application aimed at solving specific problems, and involves local truths and interests.Therefore, as this research aims at RexLab and its contributions, it is applied research.
According to Silva and Menezes (2001), qualitative research considers that there is a dynamic relationship between the real world and the subject, that is, an inseparable link between the objective world and the subject's subjectivity that cannot be translated into numbers.
Therefore, the research is also qualitative, as it seeks to understand and interpret the experiences, perceptions and contexts related to the integration of technology in education through RExLab.
According to Prodanov and Freitas (2013), descriptive research exposes the characteristics of a given population or phenomenon, requiring standardized data collection techniques.Therefore, this study is classified as descriptive research, as it seeks to describe and analyze the characteristics, processes and contributions of RExLab over time.
Furthermore, it is characterized as documentary and bibliographical research, as it seeks to trace the evolution and impact of RExLab from its creation to the present moment.

TECHNICAL PROCEDURES: BIBLIOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
For Gil (2002), the bibliographical research procedure is characterized when the research is prepared from already published material, consisting mainly of books, periodical articles and currently material available on the Internet.Therefore, to carry out the bibliographic research, searches were made in the following databases: IEEE Xplore, BDTD, Scopus, and Web of Science.Furthermore, the Google Scholar search engine was used to find publications that could be beyond these databases.The keywords were: "RExLab", "Remote Laboratories", and "Remote Experimentation", and the period chosen was from 1997 to 2024.In total, 85 documents were selected, including conference articles, journal articles, theses and dissertations.This number was obtained through a series of searches, which initially contained 766 documents.These filters were different for each database, as they have different systems.
In the case of IEEE of results dropped from 32 to 5.
In Scopus and Web of Science, filters were applied relating to the publication's theme, and those that dealt with studies in the areas of nursing and medicine were removed.Thus, the number of results reduced from 149, from Scopus and 230, from Web of Science, to 107 and 109, respectively.
In relation to Google Scholar, the filter was applied to choose only review articles, and the quantity reduced from 196 articles to 109.
After this filtering, a relevance analysis was carried out by reading the title, summary and keywords of each document found.After this analysis, the results were reduced again.
Finally, a total of 85 documents were selected, including: 22 from IEEE Xplore, 4 from BDTD, 19 from Scopus, 11 from Web of Science, and 29 from Google Scholar.Therefore, part of the results obtained from this research are based on the documents selected after this bibliographical research.The other part is based on documentary research which will be explained in the following section.

TECHNICAL PROCEDURES: DOCUMENTARY RESEARCH
According to Gil (2002), the documentary research procedure is prepared from materials that have not received analytical treatment.Due to the nature of this research, documentary research was carried out in order to analyze other documents that explain the history of RexLab, such as blogs, websites, technical reports, teaching materials developed, radio and television interviews, among others.

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In this way, the documentary research was carried out through analysis of the RexLab website (REXLAB, 2024), and the blog, incorporated into the same website.In addition, searches were carried out on YouTube and Google News, using the keywords: "RExLab" and "Remote Experimentation".In total, several posts were found on the RexLab blog, relevant information about the history of the research group on its official website, and around 18 videos and 30 news items on Google's social networks.

RESEARCH STEPS
This research was carried out in six steps, presented in Table 3 and explained in the following paragraphs.subsequently receiving all the results on his PC, again via the Internet.
Figure 3 shows the software interface accessed via the Internet and the implemented hardware (Wisintainer, 1999).
This initiative was recognized and included in the book by Predko (1999): "Before ending the book, I wanted to share with you one of the most interesting uses of the Internet that I have ever seen.The Remote 8051 Debugger allows you to develop 8051 applications on your PC and then test them out on an actual 8051 that is physically located in Brazil but that can be accessed through the Internet as if it were a local development system.This tool will allow you to try out applications and experiments with 8051 without any investment in hardware." It is important to highlight that the Second Best to Being There (SBBT), at Oregon State University, put into operation in 1995, is recognized as the first remote laboratory in the world used for educational purposes (Bohus et al., 1995).The proximity of dates shows RExLab's proactive and avant-garde stance throughout its history.
The next stage of the work consisted of the development of an embedded internet server, called micro web server (MWS), which occurred during the completion of the master's project, within the PPGCC, by Prof. Juarez Bento da Silva.The MSW can be described as a low-cost, stand-alone device with the ability to connect electrical devices to an Ethernet network.Thus, he began to equip all remote laboratories developed at RExLab from then on (Silva et al., 2013).
When developed, the MSW cost around US$26.00 and, as it is open hardware, it was widely used by research groups in Brazil and abroad (Silva, 2002).
Figure 4 shows the printed circuit board built and the device assembled (Silva, 2002).RExNet's goals were to promote cooperation between network members around remote laboratories.To encourage the expansion of the project, the consortium members began to act as dissemination elements with other HEIs, both at a regional level and at the level of their own countries.Carrying out these activities had a positive impact on the evaluation of the project, having even received a special mention from the European Commission's ALFA Program Monitoring Office, which indicated it as one of the Program's success stories (ALFA, 2008).13 With its own innovative strategy to achieve its objectives, the program has its actions structured around two axes: a training one that aims to train teachers in relation to technologies and another to integrate digital technologies into teaching activities.
Figure 7 shows the assumptions of the InTecEdu Project.

Figure 7
Assumptions of the InTecEdu Project..   Figure 9 shows moments of practical activities carried out after school with high school classes in a public school.

Figure 9
Carrying out face-to-face activity supported online.Figure 10 shows the hardware and virtual breadboard of the VISIR remote laboratory.
At the end of 2018, a reconfiguration of RExLab's physical space began, which went through two major project stages: the physical structuring of the space and the acquisition of equipment and furniture.Thus, the RExLab makerspace, opened in 2019, was planned to accommodate other functions in addition to remote laboratories, such as: prototyping and 3D printing, café space, meeting space for video conferences, recording studio, coworking and environment for applying methodologies for teacher training.Figure 11 shows images of the RExLab Makerspace.
Source: Silva et al. (2020).Remote Laboratories (RL) make it possible to carry out practical activities, as they allow users to work with equipment and devices and observe activities through a web camera, from mobile devices or from desktop or laptop computers.Remote laboratories, pedagogically, can favor the application of lesson plans based on innovative active methodologies such as projects, problem situations, case studies and also based on research that dialogues with interdisciplinary learning.Therefore, LR enable teaching and learning based on students' interests, encouraging innovation and critical thinking, as well as allowing meaningful connections between the school and real-world problems.
Figure 12 shows the access screen to the open system (https://github.com/RExLab)for managing remote laboratories called Remote Labs Learning Environment -RELLEhttp://relle.ufsc.br/), where partners can also include and manage this type of resource.

Figure 12
Remote laboratory management system interface.Remote labs are built on a hardware architecture that can be replicated for interested institutions.Figure 13 shows: part of the mechanical project of the "Inclined Plane" remote laboratory and the cutting map of the parts for construction of the remote laboratory.Once you have the cutting diagram, it is possible to obtain all the mechanical parts of the LR, using a laser cutting machine.This section presented RExLab's timeline and its main projects, software, inventions, and products.The next section will focus on RExLab's awards and distinctions.

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS RECEIVED BY REXLAB
Below are listed some awards and distinctions received over the years that reinforce the dimension of the practices carried out, always focusing on the objectives of meeting the need for social appropriation of science and technology, popularizing knowledge about these areas,
Figure 2 presents RExLab's timeline highlighting the main projects.

Academic
Path Linked to Research and Extension: The Experience of the Remote Experimentation Laboratory (Rexlab) of The Federal University of Santa Catarina ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.| Miami | v.18.n.9 | p.1-29 | e06369 | 2024.11 The success achieved was a driving force for future projects and consolidation of collaboration and formation of an international network.The RexNet project took place between January 2005 and December 2006, over a period of 24 months and brought together 12 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), 07 European (02 Portugal; 02 Germany; 01 Scotland and 02 Spain) and 05 from America Latin (02 Brazil; 02 Chile and 01 Mexico) (Alves et al, 2005).The following HEIs were partners in the project: Portugal: Instituto Politécnico do Porto; University of Porto, Germany: Technical University of Berlin; University of Bremen; Scotland: University of Dundee; Brazil: Federal University of Santa Catarina; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; Chile: Pontifical Catholic University of Chile; Catholic University of Temuco; Mexico: University of Monterrey.Also in 2005, RExLab launched the Online Mechanism for Referrals (MORE).MORE offers, to date, free of charge to the general public, the possibility, via the web, of generating and managing bibliographic references in accordance with ABNT standards.In the period from 2005 to 12/2023, MORE registered 594 thousand registered users and 43 million visits and 37 million.Figure 5 presents MORE'S homepage.

Figure 5 MORE
Figure 5 MORE's homepage.

Figure 8
Figure 8 shows two moments of the InTecEdu Project, on the left, the application of technologies in the classroom in Basic Education and on the right, training of teachers, from the project's partner schools, in the RExLab Maker space.

Figure 8
Figure 8Applications in schools.

From 12 /
2014 to 07/2018, the GT-MRE project -Mobile Remote Experimentation Working Group, financed by CAPES/RNP, was carried out through the Notice for Thematic Working Groups (GTs) in EAD.The GT-MRE included the development of an open platform for building, managing and providing remote laboratories.The development of the platform was supported by open educational resources (OER), free software and open hardware.In terms of use, its application is to carry out experimental activities, mainly in the STEAM areas, at any level of education.Experimental activity is one of the fundamental aspects in teaching and learning processes and in this sense, remote laboratories make it possible to carry out practical activities, as they allow users to work with equipment and devices and observe the activity through a webcam, mobile devices or computers.From 2015 to 2018, the VISIR+ Project: Educational Modules for Electric and Electronic Circuits Theory and Practice following the Inquiry-based Teaching and Learning Methodology supported was carried out, which was supported by the Erasmus+ Program.Notice: KA2 -Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices -Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education.The project aimed to develop and evaluate a set of educational modules, focused on the area of electrical circuits, which comprised local, virtual and remote practical experiments, the latter supported by the Virtual Instruments Systems in Reality (VISIR) remote laboratory.The VISIR+ project brought together the potential of the remote laboratory for experiments with electrical and electronic circuits and the long history of collaboration between the consortium partners and included European and South American institutions.The following were partners in the project: Instituto Politécnico do Porto -Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (IPP-ISEP); National University of Distance Education (UNED), Spain; Univesidad de la Iglesia de Deusto (UDEUSTO), Spain; Blekinge Tekniska Högskola (BTH), Sweden; Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (CUAS), Austria; Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Santa Catarina (IFSC), Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC), Brazil; School of Exact Sciences and Technologies -National University of Santiago del Estero, Argentina; National University of Rosario, Argentina; Brazilian Association of Engineering Education -Brazilian Association of Engineering Education (ABENGE), Brazil; IRICE (CONICET/UNR) -Instituto Rosario de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Educación, Argentina.
From 07/2022 to 11/2023 the LabRemoto Program was carried out.LabRemoto was an ongoing training program for Basic Education teachers.The program was financially supported Academic Path Linked to Research and Extension: The Experience of the Remote Experimentation Laboratory (Rexlab) of The Federal University of Santa Catarina ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.| Miami | v.18.n.9 | p.1-29 | e06369 | 2024.18 by MCTI, and had the general objective of "Training teachers to integrate digital technologies into their pedagogical practices, inspired by the maker culture, in Basic Education, using as a basis the Framework of the InTecEdu Program of the UFSC Remote Experimentation Laboratory".The training within the scope of LabRemoto was oriented from a maker perspective, using a Design Thinking approach, using as a basis the technology integration framework in education developed by RExLab.The program was structured in three stages: Training; Implementation; and, Assessment.The training stage consisted of training actions, which were carried out in two modules: • Maker Edu Course: innovative practices of educational materials and robotics in Basic Education; • Maker ODS Course: creating educational materials and Robotics Course: Applying robotics in Basic Education.The Module 1 course represented an initial training course for teachers, and is a prerequisite for participating in Module 2. The course was taught in an online format, with synchronous and asynchronous activities, and with a 30-hour workload.The second module consisted of two courses, 80 hours each, online and with synchronous and asynchronous activities, offering 250 places.Of these, 120 places were for the "Maker ODS: creating educational materials" course and 130 places were for the "Robotics: applying robotics in Basic Education" course.It is worth noting that in module 2 courses, teachers received, in their homes, kits of educational artifacts made in the RExLab prototyping laboratory, which were planned by the teachers themselves during the course.Participants in Module 2 courses were selected from Module 1.In the first edition of the Module 1 course, which started on 02/06/2023 and ended on 03/31/2023, there were 1,441 participants, of which 669 were registered in RExLab's AVEA to participate in the course.In relation to the course participants, they represented 214 municipalities from 27 federative units.Among the 669 registered with AVEA to take the Maker Edu course, 480 (73.84%) met the necessary requirements to obtain certificates.In relation to those eligible to receive the certificates, these represented 190 municipalities from 24 federative units.Regarding participation in the Module 2 courses, 239 participants were selected, this number represented 56.64% of the total number of people completing the Module 1 course.The distribution by courses was as follows: Maker ODS = 111; and, Applying robotics in Basic (Rexlab) of The Federal University of Santa Catarina ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.| Miami | v.18.n.9 | p.1-29 | e06369 | 2024.20 4 MODULAR OPEN PLATFORM FOR CONSTRUCTION, MANAGEMENT AND PROVISION OF REMOTE LABORATORIES The open platform is a modular software and hardware infrastructure, and its development is supported by open educational resources, free software and open hardware, in order to encourage its reapplication in different educational contexts.In this sense, the open modular platform allows interested teachers and institutions to re-apply the project with the aim of creating or building new remote laboratories.It consists of a computer system for providing and managing remote laboratories (Remote Labs Learning Environment -RELLE); virtual teaching and learning environment (InTecEdu VLE) to house digital didactic content produced by Basic Education teachers and lesson plans produced by them and an open digital platform for sharing pedagogical practices (Labs4STEAM) in the format of Open Educational Resources (OER).
Source:Silva et al. (2021).RELLE allows the manipulation and management of remote laboratories, including support for third-party platforms and provides, among other features: teaching and support material for remote laboratories; user and multiple access control; support for remote laboratories in different areas, etc.As of 03/2024, 20 remote laboratories and 40 own (12) or partner (8) instances were available.In the period 03/2019 to 06/2023, the RELLE platform registered 245 thousand accesses from 159 countries and 3,283 cities (987 from Brazil).totaling 59.2 thousand users.

Figure 13 Figure 13
Figure13shows the hardware architecture based on open resources, in order to favor the replication of the project, and integration of these in a distributed teaching-learning environment.

Table 1
Research's classification

Table 2
presents the search results, to be explained in the next paragraph.Database search results Academic Path Linked to Research and Extension: The Experience of the Remote Experimentation Laboratory (Rexlab) of The Federal University of Santa Catarina ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.|Miami|v.18.n.9 | p.1-29 | e06369 | 2024.6Table2

Table 3
Research steps