Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking

Chapter 6

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What Worked for Me: Latest Trends in Technology-Enabled Blended Learning Experience (TEBLE) Fun Man Fung1,2,* and Aaron Rosario Jeyaraj 1Department

of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543 2Institute for Application of Learning Science and Educational Technology (ALSET) University Hall, Lee Kong Chian Wing UHL #05-01D, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119077 *E-mail: [email protected]

Video-assisted teaching has been around for several decades. Most recorded teaching videos lack spice due to the nature of third-person filming. In recent years, the invention of technological tools in GoPro cameras, smart headsets such as Google Glass, and the Lightboard presented a godsend method for educators to explore blended teaching. This book chapter will focus on some of my experiences using the latest teaching trends via the TEBLE pedagogy.

Introduction Chemistry educators in the early 2010s were faced with two difficult problems. The first was that the pace of teaching had to be calibrated to cater to the abilities of different students; some students were able to digest information and desired to learn further, where others struggled to learn new concepts and required more time to be devoted to creating a solid foundation. The other problem was that methods had to be found to make content delivered in lectures and tutorials more engaging, as students often felt disconnected from the subject matter. This was especially difficult for abstract chemical concepts, © 2017 American Chemical Society Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


which are typically not encountered in everyday life and, as a result, often require more time and resources to understand. Given the growing ubiquity of technology in society, blended learning was adopted in 2015 in an effort to solve these growing issues. Blended learning is essentially an educational program that attempts to make use of digital media to reinforce traditional classroom methods. As opposed to completely substituting classroom instruction, blended learning simply uses computer-mediated activities to help deliver content that is traditionally delivered in a classroom setting. There was a specific focus on the flipped classroom model, which uses classroom time to solve problem sets and what is traditionally termed as “homework”, while students use their own time outside the classroom to learn new content. In this case, this content was delivered through online media as mentioned earlier. In using these solutions, three objectives were set: • • •

Acquiring and understanding content delivered via short e-videos before attending the live lecture and recitation. Discovering the individual’s best learning practices and applying them in the same module. Comprehending the importance of self-directed learning, and cultivating a passion for learning, in the spirit of lifelong education.

Using the flipped classroom and blended learning models, the TechnologyEnabled Blended Learning Experience (TEBLE) program was created for lecture modules. This new system was found to be particularly effective at enabling learners to gain knowledge at their own preferred speed and at their own convenience. The key difference between this implementation of the flipped classroom was that the content delivered online included the instructor’s real-time facial images. This use of pre-recorded lectures allows students to see their lecturer’s instant facial expression and to establish eye contact (1), something that cannot be done in a class of over 600 students in a large lecture theatre (2, 3). It was found that this was especially effective in retaining some of the engagement that one might experience in a one-on-one setting. In fact, some students responded that they found themselves more engaged due to the individualized nature of the courses delivered online. Moreover, the instructor’s bona-fide facial expressions were captured, which contrasts with some educational videos that are narrated by a digitized voice reading prewritten text. This thereby served to prove that the presenter was real and not simply an intelligent robot repeating predetermined information from a script. This instant visualization of the lecturer’s organic presence will eliminate any cognitive dissonance caused by a virtual, non-living lecturer who teaches via the video proxy. There is no question that the lecturer is actually conducting the lesson as though they are teaching in real-time, rather than chanting leisurely from a couch. Attempts were also made to incorporate elements of fun into the flipped classroom by breaking the fourth wall (4), which consisted of pausing occasionally 100 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


and stating the lecturer’s propensity for certain scientific references, and linking lectures to life skills from which students could learn important lessons. During tutorial sessions, when the class gathers physically to perform difficult assessment tasks, students were encouraged to question the known knowns (truths) and interpret them beyond face value. The students were, with support, able to focus on higher forms of cognitive work without the apprehension of being punished. This resonates well with learners because they find joy in learning without fear (of losing marks), and are able to step out of their comfort zone and defend their approach of analysis. In one specific module (module title: Advanced Experiments in Organic Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry [Module Code: CM3291]), quizzes were given before and after the online flipped classroom in order to ascertain knowledge gained. This allowed students to gauge their learning progress without incurring any penalty in their grading. This learning environment is conducive to understanding one’s best practice for picking up knowledge, cultivates leadership in learning, and encourages them to continue to apply such practices for life-long learning. During the live classes, several online IT platforms were utilized to galvanize discussion and the exchange of ideas among students. They can be broadly grouped into three categories: GoPro, Google Glass, and Lightboard.

Methods GoPro One of the biggest challenges faced when using a traditional lecture method was the disconnect that students felt toward the subject matter they were being taught. This was especially apparent in practical sessions, where many of them had trouble visualizing and engaging with the techniques that they were tasked to learn and undertake. A staple of laboratory instruction is not just delivering steps textually but also repeating them in a demonstration, to emphasize the importance of techniques throughout the experiment. It was found that students often paid the most attention during these periods, as they would later have to repeat that part of the lesson themselves. However, several problems made themselves known. More often than not, due to the positioning of equipment, lecturers would end up blocking their student’s views of the apparatus, preventing them from effectively making note of important techniques demonstrated by the lecturer. Even if students were able to get a good vantage point, they inevitably found themselves blocking the fields of view of other students positioned behind them. This was to be expected, as laboratory classes often had up to 35 students in a constrained laboratory space (5). There have been attempted solutions to these problems, chief among them the recording of experiments taken from the perspective of an on-looker (6–8). However, the person who records and edits the video is not likely to be chemistry101 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


trained and, as a result, might not mirror the lecturer’s emphasis on technique throughout the experiment. This results in a focus on apparatus or parts of the experiment that might not be as important. Furthermore, the videos are filmed from the third-person view, which means that students who witness the demonstrator from an orthogonal outlook may experience a completely different vista when they conduct the experiments individually. In order to address these problems, attempts were made to adopt a solution engineered by the gaming industry in the form of “first person shooters”, where gamers play from the perspective of a character in the game. Research has shown the benefits of this “reel vs real” experience, which are evident with first-person shooter (FPS) video games whose players have shown improvements in brain functions, such as cognitive abilities and learning skills (9, 10). In a 2006 study conducted by Green and Bavelier, nine nongamers played Medal of Honor: Allied Assault for one hour per day for 10 days, while eight nongamers played Tetris for the same span. By training with the military shooter for less than 2 weeks, the nongamers were able to improve their scores on three tests of visual attention, a skill that is vital for activities such as reading and driving (11). This approach was adapted to chemistry education through pioneering the use of Instructor’s Point Of View (IPOV) videos. Through these videos, learners could relate much better with the subject matter. They were also more aware of where to pay special attention during the practical set-up, and as they could see through the lens of the lecturer. Applying this reasoning, a trial video shoot was conducted using the GoPro camera for the module CM2191 Experiments in Chemistry 2, which encompasses experiments in organic and inorganic syntheses. The GoPro camera is an action camera that rose to fame due to its ability to deliver unorthodox angles of video recording. This was due in part to its diminutive size; GoPro devices measure in at a small 60 mm × 40 mm × 20 mm and weigh only 76 g. As a result, the camera can be positioned in many unique ways, such as on various body parts, to obtain a unique perspective for recording video (12–14). In its infancy, GoPro was patronised mostly by adventurists and sports enthusiasts who valued the devices for their robustness and sturdiness. While there are many sample videos on GoPro’s website, none are specifically targeted at chemistry laboratory education (5). While filming the IPOV videos, two GoPro cameras were used: one strapped on the lecturer’s forehead and the other on their chest (figure 1). In the proceeding paragraphs, the applications of GoPro cameras in relation to laboratory teaching will be explained. Because many learners in the CM2191 module still have only an introductory understanding of chemistry experimentation, the IPOV videos were used to orientate students with the laboratory environment. It was found that this helped to facilitate learning during chemistry practical lessons and minimized students’ apprehension when they were presented with new facilities or apparatus. The videos recorded were used to provide a very thorough orientation on the steps that should be undertaken during the setup of a new reaction. This included, but was not limited to, the positioning of specific glassware and the steps and sequences of fitting parts of apparatus. 102 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


Figure 1. The demonstrator having two GoPro cameras strapped on his forehead and chest (left); the instructor wore a GoPro camera on his chest during the filming of an IPOV video (right).

While presenting what was expected of students through the IPOV, the lecturer was able to articulate a more cohesive understanding of the experiment, and helped students to process new practical knowledge. This potentially helped students to remember the procedure more clearly, as they fervently viewed the demonstration as if they themselves were carrying out the experiment. This newfound awareness was able to empower learners with an intimate knowledge of the experimental setup, but more importantly, with the confidence to perform new synthesis of chemicals. This added conviction also helped to mitigate any potential hiccups and incidents (15). Besides an added efficacy of instruction, there are other tangible benefits of using GoPro devices to capture FPS videos of experiments in the laboratory. For example, when recording an instructional video to guide students in the use of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer, a three-pronged simultaneous view was adopted at a certain stage of the video. This meant that, while the conventional third-person camera angle was used to film the procedures at a distance from the demonstrator and the spectrometer, the demonstrator was also affixed with a camera strapped to the forehead and another strapped to the chest. Most modern scientific instruments tend to be expensive and fragile, and only allow space for one person at a time to load samples. As a result, when a third party is recording the procedure, there is the added complication of the demonstrator having inadequate space to conduct the experiment. It is of the utmost importance that the cameraman does not stand beside the demonstrator while the latter is making use of the machinery. If proper care is not taken and the machine is damaged, the replacement cost of defective parts would certainly 103 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


be immense. Through the alternative angles made possible by the GoPro device, viewers were able to know first-hand what they were expected to observe. Additionally, they could pay extra attention to the procedure, thereby minimizing faults and any potential malfunctioning of the equipment. During the first recording, both cameras were strapped on to the lecturer’s body while an experiment on the synthesis of a fragrance was performed. It was a unique experience and required practice to refrain from shaking or moving too quickly. It also required the lecturer to be physically aware of the above-the-eye camera, as the device itself is very light. As for the camera that was strapped to the chest, it felt like there was a compact and snug safety jacket on the lecturer’s body. Other than that, one’s physical movements were not restricted by the devices at all. During post-processing of the video files after the end of the experiment, two issues were noted with respect to the image capture. First, as the lecturer stood relatively tall at 6 ft, the forehead camera was only able to capture the upper part of the experimental setup. In other words, instead of capturing the view from the person’s entire head, the image produced was from the level of their nose and above. Second, the chest camera only managed to capture the desired part of the experimental setup when they were seated on a lab stool. The latter problem could be rectified, however, if a demonstrator were to stand in front of the fume hood and work on their setup. As for the former, the camera could simply be adjusted to a better angle based on the height of the demonstrator. In addition, the demonstrator is not necessarily always cognizant of the stray images that affect the captured video. For instance, if a demonstrator transfers solutions in a fume hood while bending down, the camera on their chest would end up filming their feet and shoes together with the lower cabinet of the fume hood. None of the pertinent steps from the procedure would be captured by this camera during these moments unless special care is taken to avoid the problem. In addition, if the demonstrator were to turn their head too quickly, videos recorded on the forehead-mounted camera could end up looking blurry due to the nature of recording video at lower frames per second. To capture clearer video images using the camera on one’s head, one must consciously slow down and minimize head movements (15). The new element where a student can observe a scientific experiment through the demonstrators’ eyes is both interesting and captivating. While there may be a loss in video resolution with this method, instructors and students who have participated in the GoPro FPS learning activity found this new technique to be a useful tool in enhancing their knowledge and understanding of scientific experiments. By incorporating a combination of all three types of camera modes (first-person, second-person, and third-person) as well as making full use of the FPS technique with GoPro devices, instructors are able to break out of their narrow field of vision and, in the process, makes the learning process in the laboratory more invigorating. However, the novelty of this method together with the problems that it presented meant that there was still a need to find a more effective method of recording IPOV videos. The new method needed to resolve the GoPro’s issues of poor angling of the pivot and the inability to observe a live preview of the recorded video. 104 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


Google Glass Google Glass and Livestream IPOV videos were the tools used to solve the problems associated with the GoPro IPOV videos. Google Glass is a unique pair of eyeglasses designed with a head mounted display and ultrahigh technology (14, 16, 17). It is also able to perform web searches using the Internet, as well as other internet-enabled queries, such as determining the directions to a desired destination (12, 16, 17). In addition, it is able to film live videos with a resolution of 720 p and capture photos with 5-megapixel resolution. This device weighs a mere 43 g, making at lighter than even the GoPro, which means that the wearer is unlikely to feel the presence of the Google Glass on their head. Its best-selling point would likely be the incorporation of voice command technology, which enables a user to record a video by speaking the command aloud without the need to press any buttons. This is especially useful in situations where a user’s arms might be otherwise preoccupied. Google Glass has been used in a variety of situations, such as the filming of live surgery for use in medical training (12, 17). As mentioned earlier, there were several ways to improve IPOV videos filmed with GoPro cameras. Making use of Google Glass ostensibly solves many of them. For example, one of the challenges experienced with the GoPro approach was an inability to correctly angle the cameras that were attached to the chest or the forehead (15). Using Google Glass would eliminate this problem because the camera lens is positioned next to the pupil of the right eye (figure 2). Livestream is an application (app) which enables a user with a smart phone or smart device, such as Google Glass, to broadcast their video in real time. The live video is then able to be viewed from anywhere with Internet access, with a 20 s delay (18). Using this app, live footage of various reaction changes observed by students was recorded. These IPOV videos were made available for students to revisit after the lab classes to see what other classmates had observed in the same experiment. The use of IPOV videos for lab teaching was conducted over two consecutive semesters for the same cohort of 158 students. There were 65 and 93 students in semesters 1 and 2, respectively. On top of viewing IPOV videos as preparatory work, the class of 93 students in semester 2 was asked to download the free Livestream app. During the onset of every lab session, they could choose to open the app and watch live IPOV videos recorded by the lecturer (18). The live footage available for viewing was either a demonstration of the setup of apparatus or a commentary on incorrect operations observed by the lecturer in the laboratory. The IPOV technical videos were delivered to students using the National University of Singapore’s learning management system, the Integrated Virtual Learning Environment (IVLE), for viewing prior to attending the laboratory session. The students were given at least one week to learn and explore the experimental techniques from the videos before the actual practical. A voluntary questionnaire pertaining to their opinions on the IPOV videos was conducted. In the class of 93 students (semester 2), 61 responded to an anonymous perception survey on IPOV videos (response rate: 66%). This voluntary survey was conducted at the end of the second semester (18). Because this module is 105 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


free of practical exams, students are assessed purely by their performance in laboratory work and quizzes on techniques in viva voce and on a written test. In the survey, 86.9% (strongly agree and agree) found that the use of Livestream, where they watch live views from IPOV videos, increased their confidence in conducting the experiments. Additionally, 90.2% (strongly agree and agree) of the respondents answered that they were more eager to try the experiments after watching the IPOV videos. More significantly, 88.5% (strongly agree and agree) of them affrmed that the IPOV videos improved their ability to operate the instruments and machines in the actual laboratory. Interestingly, only 67.2% of the respondents recommend live IPOV in laboratory teaching. This might be linked to the statement where 14.8% of the respondents felt that the use of Livestream affected their concentration in the lab. On further investigation, it was found that connectivity to the Internet using wifi was poor in the lab, and students might have eschewed using data from their own mobile plans to watch the videos. Yet the students were fully aware that a communal TV was installed to allow them to watch the IPOV videos freely.

Figure 2. The instructor wears the Google Glass in filming IPOV videos. The device has the camera lens positioned next to the pupil of his right eye.

106 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


The findings from the questionnaire underscore that students indeed benefited from watching the IPOV mode videos in general. Based on data obtained from the IVLE, it was found that more than 80% of the students watched the same video on more than one occasion. In fact, the highest record of viewership of a single video was eight times. In the feedback gathered, there were a number of positive comments on the IPOV videos (18). Most of them centered on how the videos aided students in understanding content due to the ability to follow experiments at their own pace. Other comments praised the technical quality and resolution of the video recordings as well as the clarity of the accompanying audio; images were well-defined and non-pixelated. In addition, the chief shortcoming of the GoPro IPOV videos was overcome. The experiment was captured in its entirety and no parts of the instrumentation and glassware setup were missed. An added benefit was that the demonstrator did not have to manipulate the device by hand; they only needed to enunciate the commands aloud. The university-wide eLearning Week provided yet another example of how the online IPOV videos were beneficial to learning. Since laboratory sessions are traditionally cancelled during this week due to logistical difficulties, the IPOV videos enabled lecturers to continue practical instruction outside the laboratory. Using the technologically advanced eyewear, the instructor could record the live practical session, allowing students to see through the teacher’s lens (15, 18). In the process, they learned from the demonstrator’s live experiment and were thus able to write a report on any observations seen. Using Google Glass to conduct live lab demonstration in tandem with Livestream eliminates the aforementioned problems faced by lab instructors and students. One disadvantage of Google Glass is that the tiny lithium ion battery, housed on the right side of the device frame, heats up very quickly. As a result, the demonstrator can feel the extra warmth arising from the battery at his right temple. This heat can be felt within just half an hour of filming and cause discomfort. This limits the use of Google Glass indoors as the device’s exposure to the sun may cause the battery to heat up even faster. Another drawback to the use of Google Glass is that, due to poor internet connectivity, some students had to spend additional time rewatching footage. Lightboard Making IPOV videos using Google Glass and GoPro devices addressed a specific set of problems faced in aforementioned pedagogical efforts. However, there were still challenges that remained unsolved by the implementation of IPOV videos. The first problem faced was that large classes are accompanied by an increase in common classroom distractions and in-class questions, which disrupt the flow of the lectures, making it difficult for students to achieve learning outcomes (19, 20). Second, instructor-facilitated problem solving performed during class is the most effective way to learn organic chemistry, but is performed at the expense of content coverage (21–25). In view of these disadvantages of conventional lecture-based teaching, a suitable alternative was developed to ameliorate the flow of the class. 107 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


The Lightboard is a set of lecture recording tools that involve the production of high-quality videos, where the presenter both faces the audience and writes on a glass board as they would in a regular class (figure 3). It confers several advantages over typical flipped classroom videos and conventional classroom teaching.

Figure 3. Traditional method of recorded teaching on the whiteboard (top); alternative method of recording using the lightboard (bottom). One of the main advantages of Lightboard videos is that students gain an unobstructed view of the lecturer, who simultaneously faces the audience and presents on a glass board (26). This is particularly useful in the STEM fields, where lecturers can often benefit by complementing verbal explanations with accompanying equations or diagrams (1, 2, 27). This can be done without any of the interruptions that they might face in a conventional classroom (e.g., questions) or having to face away from the audience as they turn to draw on the whiteboard. 108 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


Furthermore, illustrations and diagrams can be digitally added by a computer over a Lightboard screen using post-processing. These features allow for a dynamic and engaging way to concisely convey information. Arguably, Lightboard videos are less logistically demanding than expected. The videos are recorded and disseminated immediately without the need for postprocessing or the ability to write backward. This is achieved using a simple setup comprising a glass board, lighting equipment, a video-recording device, and a mirror that laterally inverts the image. The choice was made to implement a system involving the delivery of Lightboard videos through online media in the course CM1401: Chemistry for Life Sciences. This is an introductory course covering basic organic chemistry at the National University of Singapore. The course material is based on the much-celebrated McMurry text and is largely aimed at biology majors in their first year of study. Flipped classroom video lectures for CM1401 were provided as PowerPoint voice-overs that lasted up to 40 minutes per video. Students found the videos to be useful for learning because they could be rewatched any time, as opposed to live lectures. However, the length of these videos might have exceeded the attention span of most students. General criticism of these lecture videos centered on their length and content. Many students perceived the videos to be too long, thought that the voice-overs were “reading words off the slides” rather than teaching, and felt that they could have learned the material without watching the videos. Additional feedback suggested that the students would prefer shorter and more succinct “Khan Academy”-style videos, which primarily feature drawings on an electronic blackboard (26, 28). Indeed, research findings from Guo, Kim, and Rubin show that shorter videos, Khan-style tablet drawings, and “talking head” videos showing the face of the lecturer make for more engaging video content (28). Efforts were subsequently made to enhance student engagement in the PowerPoint-based lectures by including an inset video of the lecturer speaking, and surprises like blanking out content from the student copy of the lecture material. Ultimately, these solutions were still based on the PowerPoint voice-over format and often required considerable amounts of postproduction. In view of the feedback given for previous lecture videos of CM1401, several Lightboard videos were prepared to supplement existing lecture videos. We found the Lightboard format easier to create than the existing PowerPoint voice-overs used in the module because the recordings were performed in the studio without the need for additional editing software. Furthermore, the final video footage featured elements that both students and lecturers wanted: primarily the Khan-style video format with eye contact from the lecturer. Despite the advantages of the Lightboard format, we faced two difficulties in the filming process. First, chirality cannot be explained without using physical model kits because of lateral inversion (26). Figure 4 shows the specific example of (S)-bromochloroiodomethane that we attempted to present in our Lightboard videos. There was an inversion of stereochemistry of the physical prop from S to R due in the final video. A simple workaround is to draw on the board rather than use physical model kits when stereochemistry is concerned because the image is laterally inverted twice, unlike the physical model. Second, the contents of the 109 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


lecture have to be planned meticulously because the entire video has to be recorded in one sitting to avoid jarring breaks and the need for postprocessing.

Figure 4. Illustration of limitations when presenting chirality on the Lightboard using a drawing (top) and a physical model (bottom) of (S)-bromochloroiodomethane. In the drawing, the image is laterally inverted twice. The S center is therefore correctly represented in the video footage. However, the physical model is only inverted through the mirror and thus appears as the R enantiomer in the video footage.

Discussion EdTech in Chemistry The methods discussed above are by no means an exhaustive list of the different ways in which emerging technologies can be applied to chemistry education. In fact, various organizations have been making use of technologies to do just that. One such example would be SchellGames, which has developed a virtual reality (VR) game called SuperChem VR that allows students to carry out chemical experiments using a virtual reality headset. Together with the United States Department of Education and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, SchellGames has created a virtual landscape which allows students to explore various chemical concepts without having to be in a physical laboratory (29). There are several benefits to this approach. The first would be the cost savings, as no capital has to be spent on the purchase of chemical reagents or the upkeep of apparatus. These savings can subsequently be transferred to other programs which 110 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


could benefit the education of budding chemists. The positive economic aspect is of pertinent salience to countries with more difficulties in purchasing chemicals due to international policies and inadequate transport infrastructures. The second would be the improvement of the safety of students in the laboratory. As students are not actually exposed to chemical reactions that could potentially produce toxic byproducts, they are able to experience a wider range of chemical experiments and can potentially be engaged to a greater extent in the concepts that they have been taught. During epidemics where there is an outbreak of deadly virus, schoolchildren would be quarantined and classes postponed. Flipped classroom and online tutorials would be able to replace some of the missing lectures, while VR games could overcome the issue of missing lab sessions. However, while such tools can be incredibly useful in the education of new, budding chemists in a high school setting, they may be less applicable in tertiary institutions. Indeed, it is important for students to be intimately familiar with the physical chemical apparatus of which they will be making extensive use, and it is currently unclear how well virtual reality is able to simulate real, physical conditions. Furthermore, the safety of the virtual world may encourage complacency with regards to the treatment of safety in the actual laboratory. This is because students may not fully transfer their understanding of safety risks to physical experiments and hence be more lackadaisical with regards to safety procedures. With no proper exposure to the potential risks of certain chemical reactions, students may also lack the incentive to assess risk accurately and practice proper lab safety techniques. New Applications There are new and exciting technologies that could potentially help to improve pedagogical efforts in the field of chemistry. The first would be the advent of machine learning algorithms that are versatile and can be applied to a wide variety of situations. For instance, it would be possible to create an online repository of different media used in chemistry education, examples being IPOV videos as well as chemistry games. Students could then be quizzed before and after they are exposed to different kinds of media, to test the students’ improvement in understanding across the various media platforms. The algorithm could then potentially identify which medium is the most effective in improving the student’s understanding of chemical concepts and subsequently direct them to similar kinds of virtual tools. This is similar to recommendation systems in online platforms like Amazon and Netflix, which refer users to recommended media based on the content they have already consumed. The second would be the increase in the number of unique wearables. While VR headsets are currently the topic of mainstream discussion, it is also joined by its marginally less renowned cousin, Augmented Reality (AR). Headsets such as Microsoft’s HoloLens and the Laforge Shima make use of head-mounted transparent displays that overlay information onto a user’s visual field of view. This could be used in a way similar to SuperChemVR’s use of virtual reality. Students carrying out chemical experiments could use the AR headsets to identify 111 Christiansen and Weber; Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking, and Online Tech for ... ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.

potential safety risks, or the chemicals and apparatus that they require. This could help introduce students to new chemical equipment and reagents whilst at the same time offering the same kind of exposure to the physical conditions of the real world.


Future Work & Concluding Remarks In the preceding sections, I have documented my exploration journey experimenting as an EdTech chemistry educator in the past 5 years. I believe that the rapid advancement of higher technology will carry the future of education to greater heights in visualization and realistic IPOV teaching. The way forward could even be realized at present with the invention of 360 cameras, hardware in mixed reality, virtual reality, and augmented reality. This quantum leap in EdTech will be an exciting path for like-minded educators who are prescient in harnessing technology to educate students from our hearts.

Acknowledgments The authors are grateful to the Office of the Provost, Dean’s Office at the NUS Faculty of Science, and the Department of Chemistry for supporting the EdTech project and their leadership towards Technology-Enabled Blended Learning Experience (TEBLE).

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Teaching and the Internet: The Application of Web Apps, Networking

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