1. SWIFT Second World Immersive Future Teaching
Paul D Rudman
Suzanne P Lavelle

2. Limited laboratory time and resources
The Problem
Limited laboratory time and resources
This is a problem in terms of what genetics would like, rather than being problematic. They do consider they have enough time to do an excellent job educating the undergrads, but they would like a few hours more per year to be even better.
There’s also the opportunity to teach in new ways using virtual worlds, such as showing a 3D model of what molecules are actually doing while an experiment is taking place, for example, or showing an abstracted diagram of the same process

3. Limited laboratory time and resources
The Problem
Limited laboratory time and resources
Cost of:
School laboratory experience
Student supervision
Mistakes / breakages
Supporting disabilities
Extra assistance
School laboratory experience - Not all schools have access to laboratory facilities
Student supervision - Students initially need a lot of supervision
Mistakes / breakages - Mistakes cost: reagents and time
Supporting disabilities - Lab sessions difficult to follow if students have disabilities
Extra assistance - Students often follow protocols without understanding what they are doing and why

4. Add virtual laboratory space
The Solution
Add virtual laboratory space

5. Add virtual laboratory space
The Solution
Add virtual laboratory space
Greater confidence
Unsupervised access
Distance learning
Improved access
Faster experiments
Additional learning support
Greater confidence - Students can feel “lost” when they first enter the lab – they may never have seen one before; visiting the SL lab in advance may give them more confidence
Unsupervised access – Additional self-directed learning (unsupervised – physical lab use must be supervised at all times)
Distance learning - Facilitates group work for distance learners
Improved access - Improved access regardless of physical ability
Faster experiments - Experiments in physical lab may take hours; Problem Based Learning Scenarios may require a long sequence of experiments (currently cannot be done in labs – a paper / web-based exercise)
Additional learning support - Ability to see academic representations of objects / actions at the moment of use, adding additional learning support

6. Positively Disruptive
Beyond Distance Research Alliance
Learning Futures Festival Online 2010
Positively Disruptive
7-14 January 2010
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Dr Stephen Bax, Professor Phil Candy, Aly Conteh, Dr Chris Davies,
Stephen Downes, Professor Ian Jamieson, Professor Josie Taylor, Tessa Welch
Festival registration: £75 / closing date: 23 December 2009