Physiology virtual labs nominated for Australian Financial Review Higher Education Award
An innovative virtual laboratory project that enhances students’ understanding of physiology concepts and technologies was among four Monash finalists in the 2024 Australian Financial Review’s Higher Education Awards.
The Physiology Virtual Laboratory Team was a finalist in the Teaching and Learning Excellence Award category alongside other Monash colleagues in the Emerging Leadership Award, Employability Award and Equity and Access Award categories. Dr Laurence Orlando from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences won the Employability Award for outstanding work on the Pharmaceutical Sciences Employability Program.
Led by Professor Ramesh Rajan from the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, the Physiology Virtual Laboratory Team developed 14 open-access virtual laboratories that enable global access to previously inaccessible experiments in topics such as visual cortical processing, touch, hearing and vision, and male reproduction.
The innovative initiative has transformed physiology education by supporting student learning and engagement worldwide. From 2014 to 2022, the team developed the resources in response to rising student numbers, inadequate student understanding of laboratory technologies and ethical issues with increased animal usage in labs. They were generated based on real experimental data and included experimental variability and progress hurdles. The Virtual Laboratories were also designed to be open-access and web-based, so that they don’t require the use of any specific software. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the team saw a 300 per cent increase in usage globally, with the Virtual Laboratories accessed from 123 countries in 2022.
The Virtual Laboratories are used for physiology teaching across the Biomedical Science, Nutrition Science, Science, Radiography and Medicine degree programs at Monash and have been the subject of publications and conference presentations. In 2022, the team received the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute’s Innovation in Learning and Teaching Outstanding Achievement Award for their work. In 2023, the team received the Monash Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education - Innovation in Learning and Teaching (Team and was also nominated for the Vice-Chancellor’s Education Excellence Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning.
Deputy Dean (Education) Professor Claire Palermo congratulated the team. “The Virtual Laboratories have become a valuable international resource that has made a positive impact on student learning, engagement and experience,” she said. ”I’m very pleased that the team’s exceptional efforts have been recognised by the 2024 Australian Financial Review’s Higher Education Awards.”
About the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University
Committed to making discoveries that will relieve the future burden of disease, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University brings together more than 120 internationally renowned research teams. Spanning seven discovery programs across Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Development and Stem Cells, Infection, Immunity, Metabolism, Diabetes and Obesity, and Neuroscience, Monash BDI is one of the largest biomedical research institutes in Australia. Our researchers are supported by world-class technology and infrastructure, and partner with industry, clinicians and researchers internationally to enhance lives through discovery.