A presentation from the STEM Annual Conference 2014.
The QMUL Virtual Science Lab utilises a strategic cross-disciplinary approach that models teaching and research labs for multiple disciplines in the engineering and life sciences. The platform encourages students to experience real-life lessons in academic practice and integrates multiple types of media to support learning and development of transferable and practical skills. Indeed technical skills are taught in the virtual lab with 3D interactive games technology such that the student can practice the methods multiple times and learn from mistakes without incurring additional resources. The platform combines the virtual lab with several teaching practices involving assessment and peer-review thereby facilitating personalised feedback on student performance. This combined approach is highly effective and better prepares students for the challenges in performing investigative experiments without compromising the quality of work and safety. The platform integrates mechanisms to encourage cognitive thinking and enquiry-based learning through peer-assessment and reflection. The learning technology is combined with a traditional teaching lab approach and capitalises on IT infrastructure through integration with a moodle approach QM+. In the last two years the combined lab-based teaching and virtual learning approach significantly improved both examination marks and efficiency across multiple disciplines and promises to underpin a high quality experience that is safe and sustainable. In summary combining the Virtual Science Lab with teaching labs provides a cost-effective initiative designed to improve the efficiency of learning and transform the student experience in a novel and exciting way.
