Author: Kay Aitchison, kay.aitchison@ed.ac.uk

Author: Michael Begg, michael.begg@ed.ac.uk

Author: David Dewhurst, d.dewhurst@ed.ac.uk

Author: Susan Rhind, susan.rhind@ed.ac.uk

JISC e-Learning Activity Area: Technology-enhanced Learning Environments

Higher Education Academy Subject Centre: Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine

This case study illustrates...use of specialist software, an effect on learning, an effect on student personal development, student satisfaction with e-learning, innovation in learning and teaching, an influence on educational research, staff satisfaction with e-learning, a positive effect on recruitment, an influence on policy, use of resources, modifications to learning spaces, management of learning assets

Lessons Learned

Summary and Reflection

The 'Virtual Farm' is a model exemplar of how the creative use of technology can enable learners to actively engage via the virtual learning environment with real-time animal data and the resources of the two working University farms. The VLE thus becomes more than a passive information delivery system and future developments will be aimed at enhancing the learning activities facilitated by development of this resource. No equivalent project has been identified either within or outside the University.

Over coming months, we will build on what we consider to have been a pedagogically sound project through the expansion of existing activities and introduction of new ones including the development of welfare and clinical cases. This will involve embedded videos and protocols of procedures and practices of relevance to farm animal husbandry, welfare, health plans and clinical practice.

Linked to this will be the creation of a digital bank of streamed video and other relevant resources which will be catalogued for future use as Re-usable Learning Objects.

Much has been learned from this project and will be of benefit to related projects in future and to the further evolution of the Virtual Farm. The project has engaged and excited academic staff both internally and externally and provided a learning experience for students which they appreciate. For future practice, designing and embedding more solid evaluation mechanisms into the project would be recommended and we will also look to embedding of formative assessments in association with relevant courses. An additional crucial point is to ensure that adequate resource is directed to allow maintenance and further development of the system as part of the School's 'core business'.