Perform procedure in alternative environment

It may be possible to perform practical tasks outside of laboratory spaces. If explicit learning outcomes relate to the development of experimental competencies this learning can be delivered without the need to access specialist equipment. For example, the ability to keep an experimental record or quantify experimental uncertainty could be achieved following a cooking recipe. Conducting practical tasks with equipment that students are expected to own presents challenges with the control of the outcomes and equity of access within a cohort. An alternative is to provide “take home kits” that students are able to design, operate and analyse away from university space. This method will have cost implications, which scale with cohort size, but increases the consistency of student experience.

While the range of physical concepts students will be able to investigate is limited, and the precision of the instrumentation may be poor compared to that found in a laboratory, these options provide “real” results and can be fun, engaging and inspiring. Health and safety, and risk need to be carefully considered when employing this tactic.