Digital teaching tools and global learning communities
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Updated: Apr 12, 2026

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Engineering Education via WebVR-Based Online Laboratories
Published on: February 23, 2024
Mary Williams1, Patti Lockhart1, Cathie Martin2
1American Society of Plant Biologists, Rockville, MD, 20855, USA.
Abstract:
In 2009, we started a project to support the teaching and learning of university-level plant sciences, called Teaching Tools in Plant Biology. Articles in this series are published by the plant science journal, The Plant Cell (published by the American Society of Plant Biologists). Five years on, we investigated how the published materials are being used through an analysis of the Google Analytics pageviews distribution and through a user survey. Our results suggest that this project has had a broad, global impact in supporting higher education, and also that the materials are used differently by individuals in terms of their role (instructor, independent learner, student) and geographical location. We also report on our ongoing efforts to develop a global learning community that encourages discussion and resource sharing.
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