A new approach to connect schools with remote laboratories offered by schools and science centers is described.

1. It’s Lab Time!
Connecting Schools to Universities’ Remote
Laboratories
NEW PERSPECTIVE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION
9 March 2012 Florence
Anne-Christin Tannhäuser
Scienter, Italy
actannhauser@scienter.org

2. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching

3. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
Remote labs and primary/secondary
school classrooms: Existing barriers

4. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
Remote labs and primary/secondary
school classrooms: Existing barriers
The “UniSchooLabS” project
approach and using remote labs in
the classroom: A toolkit for teachers

5. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
Remote labs and primary/secondary
school classrooms: Existing barriers
The “UniSchooLabS” project
approach and using remote labs in
the classroom: A toolkit for teachers
What is next? Steps to set up a
larger scale provider-school
collaboration

6. UniSchooLabS is funded with support from the European
Commission.
This presentation reflects the views only of the author, and
the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use
which may be made of the information contained therein.

7. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
Run by a university or science
center

8. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
Web cam to observe in real time

9. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
Learner controls the equipment

10. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
Simulation of real-world
experimental data

11. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
Simulation of real-world
experimental data

12. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
science teaching

13. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
science teaching
Why ?

14. ...time and location
Increase Access
independent
...meeting
safety
require-
ments
...with high quality
equipment

15. ...time and location
Increase Access
independent
...meeting
safety
require-
ments
...with high quality
equipment

16. ...time and location
Increase Access
independent
...meeting
safety
require-
ments
...with high quality
equipment

17. ...time and location
Increase Access
independent
...meeting
safety
require-
ments
...with high quality
equipment

18. Remote and virtual laboratories in
science teaching
Do students learn less without hands-on experiences
?

19. Klahr, D., Triona, L. M., &
Williams, C. (2007).
Hands on what? The relative
effectiveness of physical versus
virtual materials in an
engineering design project by
middle school children.
Journal of Research in Science
Teaching, 44, 183-203.

20. Experiment with 7th and 8th graders
Their task:
• building toy vehicles with different features!
• understand causal variables!
• Discovery approach for experimenting with

21. Experiment with 7th and 8th graders
Their task:
• building toy vehicles with different features!
• understand causal variables!
• Discovery approach for experimenting with
Physical material

22. Experiment with 7th and 8th graders
Their task:
• building toy vehicles with different features!
• understand causal variables!
• Discovery approach for experimenting with
Physical material Virtual programme

23. Results showed no difference in performance
(Klahr, D., Triona, L. M., & Williams, C., 2007)
Physical material Virtual programme

24. Remote labs and primary/secondary
school classrooms
Existing barriers

25. Lack of awareness about existence &
accessibility of labs among science teachers #1

26. Information which university labs are
suitable for use in primary or secondary #2
school teaching hard to find

27. Most teaching and learning material of
remote labs
– not geared towards younger students of
a specific age group
#3
• Pioneer teachers are not networked.
• Demands well-established school
university collaboration.

28. Most teaching and learning material of
remote labs
– not geared towards younger students of
a specific age group
#3
– not available in many languages.
• Pioneer teachers are not networked.
#4
• Demands well-established school
university collaboration.

29. Pioneer teachers are not networked #5

30. Demands well-established school university
collaboration. #6

31. The “UniSchooLabS” approach

32. Good Practice Analysis
Remote labs and pedagogical approaches
Creating an online toolkit to make access to remote labs easier.
Promote inquiry based and problem solving approaches to science education
Involving pilot Ensuring collaboration
Technical Development
teachers with laboratory providers
Test & Improve the Toolkit
10 pilot teachers
Validated
200 students
• Questionnaires and focus group toolkit
• Interviews with laboratory providers

33. Good Practice Analysis
Remote labs and pedagogical approaches
Creating an online toolkit to make access to remote labs easier.
Promote inquiry based and problem solving approaches to science education
Involving pilot Ensuring collaboration
Technical Development
teachers with laboratory providers
Test & Improve the Toolkit
10 pilot teachers
Validated
200 students
• Questionnaires and focus group toolkit
• Interviews with laboratory providers

34. Good Practice Analysis
Remote labs and pedagogical approaches
Creating an online toolkit to make access to remote labs easier.
Promote inquiry based and problem solving approaches to science education
Involving pilot Ensuring collaboration
Technical Development
teachers with laboratory providers
Test & Improve the Toolkit
10 pilot teachers
Validated
200 students
• Questionnaires and focus group toolkit
• Interviews with laboratory providers

35. Lab catalogue
9 remote labs
Lab activity editor
Teacher create and share
online activities for students
Lab notebook
Students „publish“ results of
experiments and discussions

36. Lab catalogue
9 remote labs

37. http://unischoolabs.eun.org

38. Lab activity editor Pedagogical
Teacher create and share approach
online activities for students

39. Lab activity editor Inquiry-based
Teacher create and share science
online activities for students education

41. IBSE recommended by
Rocard Report

42. IBSE: Its effects
Curiousity
Interest
Motivation
Inclusion
Better effects with
Self-esteem disadvantaged students and
those with below-average
learning outcomes

43. IBSE: Its effects
Increase
Increase
Increase
Curiousity
Interest
Motivation
Inclusion
Better effects with
Self-esteem disadvantaged students and
those with below-average
learning outcomes

44. Lab catalogue
9 remote labs
Lab activity editor
Teacher create and share
online activities for students
Lab notebook
Students „publish“ results of
experiments and discussions

45. Train & Present the Toolkit Towards a sustainable coordination
and Collaboration Model structure of collaboration between
To teachers, lab schools and universities
owners, researchers, science
communicators Align & Coordinate
• 3 national workshops Feasibility study on a permanent
• 2 international workshops coordination entity
Community of users and Policy recommendations
lab providers Establishing a closer and mutual
collaboration on science education
between schools and universities

46. “It’s lab time – Connecting Schools to Universities’ Remote
Laboratories”
Workshop organized by SCIENTER
in collaboration with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering
University of Bologna
Bologna, Viale Risorgimento, 2
Friday, March 30th

47. Try out the toolkit yourself!
http://unischoolabs.eun.org
Contact us
Anne-Christin Tannhäuser Claudio Dondi
actannhauser@scienter.org cdondi@scienter.org