Gordon Sanson, Associate Professor, Monash University: An image in a microscope is conventionally ephemeral and is only there when being observed. Now we can capture, save, annotate and incorporate it into other media. It is no longer just an image; it becomes knowledge.
The system encourages collaborative learning amongst students because a big screen can accommodate a number of students around it as distinct from a single microscope and it can interact with the material, the teacher and other students.
The digital technology allows us to teach on a range of scales, from the individual student to small groups, through to classes and even classes between schools. The system also gives the teacher tremendous flexibility in sharing individual projects around the class among other activities in the class. This mode of teaching accelerates the development of their microscopy skills in what is traditionally a very individual and isolating process.
With it being a digital system based on computers, it enables immediate integration of data collection, analysis and interpretation. It has opened up a whole new capacity to teach in an exciting and engaging way.
