Adopting the Principles and Practices of the Integrated Laboratory Network (ILN) at other Institutions: Implementation and Evaluation

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Interdisciplinary (99) The Integrated Laboratory Network (ILN) combines laboratory, computer, and instructional technology to provide a wide range of teaching, research, and learning opportunities. Through the use of a variety of Internet-based instructional packages, such as NetMeeting and Blackboard, greater access to university laboratories, instrumentation, and expertise is achieved. The intellectual merit of the ILN lies in how it allows students and researchers to operate instruments from any Internet-equipped computer and provides for the direct exchange of information, data, and classroom material over the Internet. The broader impacts include increased access to instrumentation in the classroom, which allows more students to be trained on and to use instruments for research and classroom activities at earlier stages within curricula. The ILN system and associated instructional materials and practices developed and established at Western Washington University are being modified and tested in programs at the University of British Columbia and the Bellingham School District. The transferability, adaptability and impact of the ILN at these institutions are being assessed at the student, instructor and institution level. Successful adoption of the ILN at these institutions will demonstrate the universal nature of ILN principles and practices. This demonstration project will provide institutions with the necessary tools to develop an internal ILN system, or to link to other institutions for the development of an inter-institutional ILN.