Digital Microscopy

• Name teacher: Theo van Haeften
• Faculty: Sciences
• Tool: Path XL

Digital or virtual microscopy practicals let students practice regardless of timeframe or location. This means they are better prepared for the traditional practical, where coaching is available for acquiring the required skills. With Path XL digital practicals, students can cooperate more easily and work on more similar slides, which facilitates feedback and plenary discussions. What’s more, it makes rare and fragile slides available to everyone.

Goals

• Student comes to lecture/practical better prepared
• Make rare/fragile/best microscopy slides more accessible
• Better integration of microscopy practicals with working groups and exams
• Student will be able to practice more with digital slides

Results

PathXL was successfully used in e-learning modules in two different BMW courses. The practicals were now taught without microscope and specimens, but on laptops, which saved a lot of organising. Students indicated that they now also study the sections at home. A few reactions:

• "I think the e-modules are really helpful in understanding the organ and recognizing structures. Therefore I would like more of these modules".
• "The computer slides give great overviews of tissue and some zoom-in".