Providing a laboratory for students at home

Alfio Parisi from University of Southern Queensland is talk on "Remote laboratories and experiments, experimental kits supporting first year DE students" at ANU in Canberra. USQ provide Experiment kits, portable lecture demonstrations, remote viewing astronomical observatory.

Experiment Kits fit in a standard size box for posting and costs less than $40. First year students buy the kit through the bookstore and it is posted to anywhere in the world. There are now about ten experiments available. An example is to measure the spring constant of a spring. The kits have been checked for safety. See:Take-home physics experiment kit for on-campus and off-campus students (J Turner, 2008).

Instruments on to top of the university building measures solar UV in real time. This is then used by the students. Web based display show reading from the instruments for the students. One limitation is that the instruments are not effective after dark.

Portable Lecture Demonstrations consist of short video clips of physics demonstrations. These are similar to the demonstrations typically used in the classroom, but provided online for remote students and those who cannot attend classes.

The remote viewing astronomical observatory is located near Toowomba and has a remote controlled telescope, weather station and fast Internet connection. The project is with the University of Louisville, who can use the telescope during the day. In return USQ can use the Moore Observatory in the USA during the Australian day. A new telescope is planned to expand the facilities.