Etain Kiely

Nanolab: Virtual Nanotechnology Education: the Design, Development and Implementation of a Web-based Learning System for Nanoscopic Materials Research Etain Kiely

Nanotechnology's rapid growth is challenging many of the academic community who are reacting slowly to prepare graduates for the emerging opportunities of this technological revolution. College courses in Ireland deal almost exclusively with molecules and macroscale phenomena with little in between while many universities do not have a basic course in fundamental surface and colloid science. Preliminary survey research revealed that 96% of researchers believed there was a need for a learning system that would enhance the research of materials at the nanoscale range. In response to this ?Nanolab' was developed at the University of Limerick, a research-led institution. This system was developed to provide up to date information about facilities and experimental techniques, to reduce the burden on the supervisors and to fully utilize the facilities created by external funding and to attain excellence in nanoscopic materials research. ?Nanolab' has been designed, developed and implemented from both the pedagogical and technical perspectives. This book presents the framework for developing a learning system that utilises web-based technology and Flash for interactivity and engagement.