Development of a web-enabled learning platform for geospatial laboratories: improving the undergraduate learning experience

Abstract

This paper describes a web-enabled learning platform providing remote access to geospatial software that extends the learning experience outside of the laboratory setting. The platform was piloted in two undergraduate courses, and includes a software server, a data server, and remote student users. The platform was designed to improve the quality of the learning experience and to increase student confidence and proficiency with software-based geospatial skills. Laboratory grades of students using the platform were significantly higher than those of students who did not use the platform, and survey responses reported that students overwhelmingly liked the convenience of the platform, which allowed them to work from any location.

Keywords::

• web-enabled learning platform
• experiential learning
• geospatial
• remote laboratory

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge Susan Senese and her team from Information and Instructional Technology Services, Andrew Peterson and Cleo Boyd of the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre, and Simone Laughton and Andrew Nicholson of the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre for providing the facilities and technical support which made this work possible, as well as valuable comments on the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

^1. Email: [email protected]

^2. Email: [email protected]

^3. Email: [email protected]

^4. Email: [email protected]

^5. Following Bernard et al. (2014), we define blended learning as the combination of traditional class instruction and online learning outside of class, where the latter does not exceed 50% of the course time; and educational technology as any use of technology for teaching and learning as opposed to technology that may serve administrative and/or managerial purposes.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Decanal Graduate Expansion Funding awarded by Office of the Vice Dean, Graduate at the University of Toronto Mississauga and the Provost's Instructional Technology Innovation Fund from the University of Toronto.