A Pilot Evaluation of an Online Tool Designed to Aid Development of Basic Laboratory Skills.

A pilot study was conducted using a cohort of 18 students, studying for their Bioscience Masters, and carrying out project work throughout the summer. On arrival for a laboratory class the students were asked to complete a baseline confidence log and answer a knowledge quiz. The confidence log and quiz were developed from ideas suggested in Draper et al., (1996). The forms assessed confidence and knowledge in terms of specific, basic laboratory skills which would be able to be practised on the UEL Virtual Lab (http://www.uelconnect.org.uk/hab/UELVirtualLab.html). The confidence log used a visual analogue scale and students were asked to rate how confident they felt in performing a basic laboratory procedures or calculations formulated from each of the sections in the UEL Virtual Lab. The quiz paper had 10 questions testing knowledge of basic laboratory skills.