Lithnes Kalaivani Palniandy1, Enna Ayub2, Mohd Rahmat Mohd Nazri3 Taylors University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
1LithnesKalaivani.Palniandy taylors.edu.my,
Highlights: Safety induction for students in universities is a necessity as they are directly exposed to various hazards. An innovative method of delivering the laboratory safety induction course using one hundred percent online method, in a self-directed manner was conceived. Using this method, learning at scale is a possibility while saving time and cost.
The online delivery was thought of as a solution to mitigate the issue of repetitive induction sessions at different times in a year. Incorporation of interactive videos and online assessment creates an opportunity for in-depth learning, on the various aspects of laboratory safety, increases of awareness, and precautions to be taken by students. This mode of study enables international students who may be held back due to visa processing to get onboard into the induction course. At the end of the induction, a digital badge (e-badge), backed by block chain technology, Accredible will be issued to students. The Accredible e-badge system, adopted alongside Open Learning as its learning platform, unfolds new opportunities for practical application towards establishing safety awareness and safety culture among students at the institutions of higher education.
Keywords: block chain technology; digital badge; learning at scale; laboratory safety induction; hazards Introduction
Institutions of higher education provide experiential scientific learning through laboratory practice. Laboratory safety is important for students who are involved in scientific field as it may impose hazard towards the laboratory users.
Students, both in undergraduate and postgraduate, are exposed to different types of hazards which occurred directly or indirectly while in presence at laboratory environment. Tragic chemistry fire accidents that happened in year 2008 in University of California immediately challenged the necessities of safety training prior to the laboratory usage. After its extensive investigation, safety training becomes an important part in bringing the right attitudes and behaviour while performing laboratory activities (Gibson, Schroder, & Wayne, 2014). In another study, safety training was emphasised as an importance aspect in bringing the confidence in researchers for conducting their experimentation with an improved self-efficacy (Schroder, Huang, Ellis, Gibson, & Wayne, 2016). However, the frequency, documentation and the efficient delivery of the training must be incorporated effectively for successful safety training among our new generation of student.
The introduction of a fully online laboratory safety induction module provides a platform for students to learn at scale. In this platform, students can go through an induction course to learn about laboratory hazards, risks and their mitigation through interactive media. This paper describes the introduction of an online laboratory safety induction modules (See Figure 1, label 1) through credentialing using Accredible, a block chain, e-badging technology while utilizing the OpenLearning platform. Incorporating interactive online videos and assessment creates an opportunity for in-depth learning on various aspects of laboratory safety, increases the awareness about the importance of laboratory safety and precautions to be taken by students, at their own pace. Credentialing students using e-badges is an affordable way to award credential to students and verify their learning by recognising their skills and offer them the opportunity to prove their understanding of the skills or knowledge learned through assessment- based activities (Lim et al, in press).
DeTAR Putra, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
22 Figure 1: (1) The six modules of the online laboratory safety induction course, (2) the Lab Safety Induction video category, (3) The Lab Heroes (4) Development process
The Development Process
The pedagogy behind the laboratory induction course is aligned with the Taylor’s University’s Pedagogies under the new Curriculum Framework ensuring learning is personalised and structured in a self-directed manner. With the support from the e-Learning Academy of Taylor’s University, the interactive videos were created by adopting the facilities and supports involved in Taylor’s University and Taylor’s College laboratories specialists. Renamed as the Laboratory Heroes (see Figure 1, labeled 3) for the online course, the specialist, established the video content by considering the best approach to be applied in a university environment. Each of the contents was enacted for the learning via visualisation basis.
The safety videos were categorized as shown in figure 1, labeled (2) and each of the module were incorporated with an assessment to test student learning outcome and their understanding. This assessment consists of questions in multiple choices. The overall contents were integrated into Open Learning platform as an open online course for student ease access at anywhere and anytime. The language used on site is adapting simple communicative English so that the learners feel welcome in the course.
Safety training modules were introduced to new intake of Science students from Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Engineering in Taylor’s University and Pre-University courses in Taylor’s College. Students may access the Open Learning module via the link provided either through website access or mobile access. With assigned safety module, student will be guided through video and assessment at each of the sub-module. Upon completion of the whole course, a digital badge from Accredible, produced from the block chain technology will be issued individually to students. The e-badge served as the key for the lab usage in the campus. Students will be denied from accessing laboratory without proving an evidence of the e-badge. As the block chain technology carries the individual’s information on its badge, students are unable to plagiaries or miss the induction course prior to their commencement into the lab. Table 1 below show students reporting that the fully online laboratory induction course met the lesson objectives.
DeTAR Putra, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
23 Commercialisation
Safety training through online study provides an insight for both students and staff who are involved in institutional laboratories research/practical activities. This platform provides a quick understanding on the laboratory safety and helpful in improving the safety attitude and its culture towards the laboratory activities. Participants have the flexibility to learn the safety training at any location at their own pace. Therefore, a safety induction in the online learning environment can be widely applied in other academic institution in promoting safe work culture.
Acknowledgement
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Engineering as well as the eLA team from Taylor’s University and Taylor’s College for the great support.
References
Gibson, J. H., Schroder, I., & Wayne, N. L. (2014). A research university's rapid response to a fatal chemistry accident: Safety changes and outcomes. Journal of Chemical Health and Safety, 18-26.
Lim, C.L., Nair, P.K., Keppel, M.J., Hassan, N., & Ayub, E (2018). Developing a framework for the university-wide implementation of micro- credentials and digital badges: A case study from a Malaysian Private University, IEEE 4th International Conference on Computer and Communications (ICCC), Chengdu, Dec 7-10. IEEE Xplore: Manuscript in preparation.
Schroder, I., Huang, D. Y., Ellis, O., Gibson, J. H., & Wayne, N. L. (2016). Laboratory safety attitudes and practices: A comparison of academic, government, and industry researchers. Journal of Chemical Health and Safety, 12-23.
DeTAR Putra, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
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