Teaching Science at a DistanceRoger Mills

Background-It can’t be done ‘In 1969 I discussed the Open University with scientific and academic

friends and colleagues. With very few exceptions, they were sceptical. It was clearly a preposterous idea, to try to teach university-level science at a distance to part-time students, many of whom would have had little or no secondary school qualifications and many, if not most, of whom would not have studied science before.

Perhaps, one might be able to teach some arts subjects this way, but science....? What about laboratory work for a start?’ It can't be done!', they said’ Mike Pentz, Founding Dean of Science OU

Before the web (BW) Summer Schools

Day schools

Television- Professor Steve Rose quote: Starting with a piece of liver- and other classic introductions- THE (15th Dec 2006)- issues of Health and Safety

Home Experimental Kits- McArthur Microscope

Early experience of teaching OU Science Foundation Course

Convergence

ICT has driven convergence between distance education and more traditional forms of teaching science

AW ( after the web) Gradual recognition of power of the use of the Web in the teaching of

science across distance education and traditional institutions

Some examples from the Open Educational Resources offered by the OU in science and related topics

http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/

http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/?gclid=CLGc0ZiBmqgCFUtC4QodMm9bCQ

Use of web in different educational contexts

Adult and primary/secondary level

I spot This site is of great interest to children and adult educators. Includes the OPAL Biodiversity survey http://www.opalexplorenature.org, http://www.ispot.org.uk/

In higher education: ‘The Role of Virtual Microscopes in Distance Learning’ Whalley, Kelley and Tindle: The Open University Open Learning, 26, 2, pp 131-138, June 2011

Screen-based microscopes .. Offer significant pedagogic advantages for science disciplines involving the observation of natural samples

Further examples from HE Simulations – Blake and Scanlon 2007

Behaviour of a pendulum Natural selection Electron Diffraction

Virtual Environments Value for Disabled Students And beyond disability ‘Students felt they learnt more from the virtual environment

than standing in the cold identifying biological specimens’-Whitelock and Jelffs,2005 ‘Would you rather collect data in the rain or attend a virtual field trip? International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Lifelong Learning 15(1-2) pp 121-131

Remote Experiments Manipulation or control of real apparatus at a distance

Helpful for all students

Trends Experiments providing public access to scientific apparatus or findings ( enhancing

the public understanding of science) Consortia where university share facilities ( Durham 1961)

PEARL project (Colwell 2002)- aim was to explore how high quality learning could occur by bringing the teaching laboratory to students ( see Scanlon, E., Technology enabled science learning at a distance Open learning June 2011)

Some References Blake, C. and Scanlon, E. (2007). ‘Reconsidering simulations in science education at a distance: features of effective use’. Journal

of Computer Assisted Learning, 23(6), pp. 491–

Colwell,C et al (2002) ‘Using remote laboratories to extend access to science and engineering’ Computers and Education, 38 (1-3) 65-76

Ross, S. and Scanlon, E. (1995).Open Science: the distance teaching and open learning of science subjects. Paul Chapman Publishing

Whalley, Kelley and Tindle(2011) ‘The Role of Virtual Microscopes in Distance Learning’ Open Learning, 26, 2, pp 131-138

Whitelock, D. and Jelffs, A. (2005). 'Would you rather collect data in the rain or attend a virtual field trip?': Findings from a series of virtual science field studies. International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 15(1-2), pp. 121–131

Scanlon, E(2011) ‘Technology Enabled science learning at a distance: remote experiments, mobility and open educational resources. Open Learning, 26, 2 pp101-116

References 2 Kennepohl, D and Shaw, L (2010) Accessible Elements: Teaching Science

On-line and at a distance, AU Press, Athabasca University. Paperback ( $39.95 CAD) and on-line Open Educational Resource at: http://web.mef.hr/web/images/pdf/access_elements.pdf

It can’t be done!Yes it can!