Computer based teaching has become common place as the demand for specialists continues to increase in view of continuously evolving remote sensing technologies. Moreover, content accessibility via the internet makes anytime, anywhere teaching possible while reaching a larger audience. The majority of computer based courses however, continue to use the static text model and present the student mainly with the same material found in a textbook. Student computer based learning experiences could be much more rewarding if the curriculum included more interaction and practice. It is with these goals in mind that the development of a virtual experiment and game were devised. Herschel's experiment was the first to show the existence of infrared (IR) light. This virtual experiment requires the student to set up the experiment and record data in order to prove the existence of IR light. The 'Field Experiment' game requires the student to plan and execute a field collection campaign with the use of a field spectrometer. These 'beyond the book' experiences hopefully encourage and stimulate students in the subject at hand as well as provide more 'practical' experience that is not available through viewing static text and graphics.