This importance is enhanced in scientific areas and even more for distance education universities, where the classic hands-on laboratories are not always possible.
However, proponents of hands-on laboratories argue that student engineers should be exposed to real environments.
This was not limited to just the engineering design challenge, but extended to the importance of student learning through hands-on laboratories.
Both of these tools can motivate follow-up investigations by way of hands-on laboratories thus leading teachers to the development of blended inquiry environments (Toth et al. 2008).
While hands-on laboratories and their instruction can support content knowledge and expand problem-solving skills, labs are often prescribed in nature, thereby falling short of fostering critical thinking (Cooper et al. 2012; Dolan 2012; Hmelo-Silver 2004).
In this way, the sensing, storage, computation, and communication (SSCC) capabilities of mobile devices are leveraged to relieve the need for laboratory-grade equipment, improving the cost-effectiveness and portability of platforms to conduct hands-on laboratories.
Several chapters provided two-week math and science summer camps on college and day school campuses, which consisted of hands-on-learning through laboratory interactions, field trips to important sites, youth camps, and speeches from influential experts in specific areas of studies.
We estimated hands-on-time per laboratory technician for performing assays, and genetics specialist for data analysis and interpretation, and assumed an average of 20 samples analyzed per week.
Strong positive themes emerged from student comments, including their overall appreciation for the SSMV; the importance of the research skills they were learning; the positive contribution of the SSMV program to their academic performance at their regular schools; and the value of laboratory (hands-on) learning, independent research, and a sense of "belonging" in a university research environment.
Assess commercial alternatives to in-house assays that may not only reduce laboratory technician "hands on" time but also the laboratory turnaround time is of interest.
