Dr Vic Pearson, The Open University
Dr Vic Pearson led the organisation of a ‘Labcast’, connecting Open University researchers with teachers and students from Denbigh School in Milton Keynes. Vic worked on this project with Dr Simon Sheridan, Dr Trevor Collins, Dr Gareth Davies and Professor Richard Holliman from the Open University; and Jenny Hallam, Helen Brown and Mark Russell from Denbigh School in Milton Keynes.
What is a Labcast?
A ‘Labcast’ is an interactive, live web broadcast that integrates video streaming and instant messaging to enable a conversation between two or more locations.
A short video explaining the concept of a Labcast can be viewed in the short video below.
Access to ‘cutting edge’ research
Initially developed for Open University (OU) undergraduate teaching, the Labcast model offers a number of advantages:
- 1. Provides access to a working laboratory and researcher.
- 2. Provides more opportunities for curriculum links than a ‘lab tour’ format;
- 3. Does not require students to be taken off timetable or transport costs to be found.
- 4. Has fewer implications for laboratories that are heavily used.
- 5. Contextualises researchers and their science in an authentic working environment.