Overview
In the AALTOLAB pilot, our aim is to scale up laboratory safety education concept from a programme level activity (300+ students annually) to a university-level platform that would enable as many as 1000+ annual participants. Together with an Aalto-wide collaborative network of teachers, we will develop our existing technology into a modular and flexible implementation that enables customized study modules according to the needs of the different schools.
Our goal state is to provide an educational platform that supports strong and high-quality laboratory safety culture across all schools in Aalto.
Platforms and tools
Our 360 virtual spaces are created with 3DVista (actively developed state-of-the-art software for 360 panorama tours). Insta360 Pro camera is used to shoot 360 photos.
The 360 virtual spaces are integrated with H5P content elements hosted in Aalto OpenLearning. This is a novel concept that enables flexible creation and updating of online text elements, games, and interactive videos.
Digital exams are implemented in Aalto OpenLeaning.
Some learning materials are visualized with short instructional videos. Adobe Premiere CC Pro is used to edit the videos.
All 360 virtual spaces will reside on Aalto IT servers (lab.aalto.fi) and all student data will stay on Aalto-hosted platforms to ensure data privacy.
Pedagogical methods
The students are recommended to do the course by first studying the material in the virtual lab space, and then taking the exam so that the space is still open: this is suggested in order to improve deep learning (and avoid surface learning) and such a behaviour will also improve the unconscious reflection of the learnt material. Based on the student feedback, most of students actually chose to learn in this way and many students also commented that such approach made them to think about the material deeper. We also encourage students to re-visit the space later on while they are doing the lab courses, i.e. make the transformation from the “learnt in virtual lab” to “understanding in real labs”.
Involved courses
CHEM-E0140 – Laboratory Safety Course
Links & Materials
AALTOLAB course space in Aalto OpenLearning (log-in with Aalto account or create a new Aalto OpenLearning account)
AALTOLAB virtual lab spaces at http://lab.aalto.fi/
People
Antti Karttunen
School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Materials Science
Pilot leader
Panu Viitaharju
School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Materials Science
Pilot leader
Kirsi Yliniemi
School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Materials Science
Pilot leader
Minna Nieminen
School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Materials Science
Pilot leader
