This review examines the role of simulation-based virtual laboratories in the teaching of electrical machines and electromagnetics, with particular attention to MATLAB and finite element analysis tools. Three guiding questions frame the discussion: 1) What strategies can mitigate the inherent limitations of these tools? 2) What practical challenges are associated with their implementation? and 3) What historical practices demonstrate their pedagogical value? The findings indicate that the effectiveness of simulation depends largely on the design of tailored instructional materials, which help overcome the constraints of verisimilitude and numerical approximations. Implementation challenges remain significant, especially in terms of licensing costs and institutional readiness, but the availability of student editions of commercial software provides affordable access and prepares graduates for both industry employment and self-employment. Historical evidence confirms that simulation tools enhance students’ understanding by bridging abstract theory with visual and quantitative experimentation. Together, these insights highlight simulation-based laboratories as powerful complements to physical experimentation and as essential components of modern engineering education.
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