Abstract: A method for hosting a remote laboratory experiment, can includes the steps of: receiving from a remote computing node through a computer communications network, student-specified control component configuration parameters; specifying a component configuration parameter filter; configuring at least one control component to provide an input to an experimental configuration according to the received configuration parameters; acquiring experimental data from the experimental configuration; and, providing the acquired experimental data to the remote computing node through the computer communications network. The method can further include the steps of: acquiring an image of the experimental configuration; and, transmitting the acquired image to the remote computing node through the computer communications network.