Transcript Teaching Science at a Distance

Teaching Science at a Distance
Roger 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=CLGc0ZiBmqgCFUtC4QodMm9bC
Q
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 (13) 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!