What does it take to teach clinical lab-based skills online? Prof Isabelle Skinner Assoc Dean Research and Research Training EHSE Creative Digital Learning Laboratory 2/12/2015 Charles Darwin University, Australia

Virtual labs are defined as: 1.Classical simulations which contain certain elements of laboratory experiments/activities and are available locally ( Simulations ) 2.Classical simulations which contain certain elements of laboratory experiments, are accessible on the Web (online) and are available as JAVA-Applets (or accessible with plugins) ( Cyber Labs ) 3.Simulations which attempt to represent laboratory experiments as closely as possible ( Virtual Labs ) 4.Simulations of lab experiments using virtual reality techniques ( VR Labs ) 5.Real experiments which are controlled via network / Internet ( Remote Labs )

Virtual labs “ The Virtual lab is an interactive environment for creating and conducting simulated experiments: a playground for experimentation. It consists of domain-dependent simulation programs, experimental units called objects that encompass data files and other tools that operate on these objects. Virtual labs allow many users to engage in the same environment ” 1.Chen, X., Song, G., & Zhang, Y. (2010). Virtual and Remote Laboratory Development: A Review. Earth and Space, 3843– /41096(366)368

Learnline Usage Geographic distribution of Learnline sessions globally Semester 1, 2014 daily Learnline use

What’s the evidence?

What are we doing now? Engineering Pharmacy Sports and Exercise Science Science

Investment in Simulation facilities

Why Virtual Labs at CDU?

What have we learnt? There are fads in education and we are vulnerable to being seduced by them – Simulation suites – MOOCs – Gamification – Now it’s your turn _ _ _ _ _ _

Recommendations Learnline is the platform through which students access their unit materials at CDU. Any Virtual labs are best accessed through Learnline as a portal (Cyber labs / VR labs / Remote labs). Practical units with large enrolments in the School of Psychological and Clinical Sciences and the School of Health offer the best return on investment for developing an innovative Virtual lab. Evidence-based guidelines should be considered when designing Virtual labs. CDU staff have experience in developing and running Virtual labs. This experience should be harnessed in the design and development of any new Virtual labs. The simulation labs and the teaching labs at CDU, or that CDU can access, can be used as Virtual labs or to create Virtual labs. A CDU integrated inter-professional Virtual lab building on the vHospital experience would be a valuable adjunct for Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Science, Exercise and Sports Science, Clinical Sciences, Psychology.