Project Title: Enhancement of Laboratory Demonstrations through Digital Projection

Project Lead's Name: Joseph Carlin

Email: carlinjm@miamioh.edu

Phone: (513) 529-5426

Please Choose the Primary Affiliation: CAS

Are There Other Project Team Members?: No

Brief description of project: Document cameras in Microbiology teaching labs will enable us to more accurately convey to our students the results and interpretation of the results they obtain during laboratory exercises. Due to the many variables that can influence these exercises, stock images are frequently inadequate for proper interpretation of results. We propose to equip two laboratory classrooms with document cameras in order to display these assays in real-time for a full class with the already existing computer and projector systems.

Does this project focus on graduate student education or graduate student life?: No

Describe the problem you are attempting to solve and your approach for solving that problem.: The role of laboratory-based learning in both the development of reason and in field-specific skillsets is well understood, and the inclusion of laboratory-based learning in science education continues today. However, as our collective knowledge of science continues to grow, the types of experiments we use also continues to evolve to include subtler and more fine observation skills. At the same time, we are constantly trying to balance classroom size with practical and economic factors. Technology in the classroom greatly aids this balance of practicality with the need for subtler and more fine observation. The current laboratory rooms for microbiology include computers and projectors which aid the learning process. The problem is that these rooms do not currently possess the means in which to display small scale assays which depend on minor localised color shifts or other fine observation changes in order to interpret. These types of assays provide key information in microbiology as well as in other biological and chemical sciences. Examples of these assays include color changes that occur in differential growth media, bubble formation in catalase tests, lines of precipitation in semi-transparent agar, and clumping in agglutination tests. These types of assays can vary greatly in intensity and distribution depending on bacterial species or even within a species in differing growth phases. Additionally, the results from these assays can vary based on the manufacturer of a particular product or even the room temperature on a given day. Due to these reasons, images (either stock images or even those taken previously) can be inadequate for proper interpretation of results. Even further, these results can vary over the time course of the reaction. The ability to display these assays in real-time for a full class would be a great benefit to the learning process. Furthermore, the document camera allows us to freeze an image on the screen, and then students can examine the plate while we point out the features still displayed on the screen. Our experience and testing have shown that a modern document camera will allow us to display these assays to an entire laboratory class, saving both time and materials by eliminating the need to perform several demonstrations for small groups within a laboratory section. Furthermore, we can zoom in on the features of interest, and interact with the magnified image on the screen, such that it is clear to the students the identity of the features we are describing. We propose to equip two laboratory classrooms (in Pearson Hall) with document cameras in order to display these assays in real-time for a full class with the already existing computer and projector systems. We propose to purchase two Lumens DC192 Ladibug document cameras, the same model that is featured in many of the University maintained lecture halls. These cameras provide 1080p resolution, 16x optical zoom, and 30 fps frame rates. Additionally, as these are featured in the University maintained lecture halls, we are familiar with their operation and have tested their ability to achieve our goal.

The criteria state that technology fee projects should benefit students in innovative and/or significant ways. How would you describe the innovation and/or significance of your project?: The ability to display these assays in real-time for a full class would be a great benefit to the learning process, saving both time and materials by eliminating the need to perform several demonstrations for small groups within a laboratory section. In performing the assay for the entire class, we can also remove distraction from the demonstrations. Currently, smaller repeated demonstrations occur while other groups are working on other tasks which means that the demonstrations occur in a noisy environment, with people moving, and people using hazardous equipment or chemicals. The time savings could be used to expand the laboratory sessions to achieve deeper learning outcomes. Additionally, students would be able to save images of their results for personal reference and for use in the writing of laboratory reports.

How will you assess the project?: We will add questions to course evaluations to directly assess the impact on students from their own experience.

Have you applied for and/or received Tech Fee awards in past years?: Yes

If funded, what results did you achieve?: We received a Tech Fee award for FY 09 to purchase systems for computer-assisted identification of pathogenic bacteria. We have been successfully using these instruments in both our non-majors MBI 123: Experimenting with Microbes course, and in our majors MBI 405: Medical Microbiology course. These instruments have been invaluable in demonstrating advances in computer-assisted identification, and in illustrating the value of the biochemical testing used to characterize specific pathogens.

Did you submit a final report? No

What happens to the project in year two and beyond? Will there be any ongoing costs such as software or hardware maintenance, supplies, staffing, etc.? How will these be funded?: We do not expect any additional costs for the lifespan of the camera, which is typically 5 to 10 years.

Budget: Hardware

Hardware Title(s) & Vendor(s): 2 Lumens DC192 Ladibug document cameras; B&H Photo (Buyway)

Hardware Costs: $1,056.52

What is the total budget amount requested?: $1,056.52

Comments: With respect to the final report for the award in fiscal year 09, I am uncertain as to whether one was submitted or not. I can find no record that I submitted one, but it may have been submitted by my co-investigator, who is no longer at Miami University. To be certain that you have received a final report for the fiscal year 09 proposal, I have completed and submitted the Tech Fee final report form in Formstack