Edinburgh Napier University

  There is a major challenge faced in running distance and blended learning modules, especially in giving students an equivalent learning environment than to face-to-face students. To overcome this problem, a number of modules have been run within 2011/12 using a number of virtualised Cloud-based environments for lab-based/practical work. This type of approach has thus helped to: support a wide range of student learning modules for lab-based work and for coursework, including for distance and blended learning students, while also being used by face-to-face students better support 3Es (enhance, extend and empower), where the quality of the work is improved, the range of the work is enhanced, and that students take control of their environments and can collaborate in a more efficient way better support remote access to enhanced practical/collaborative work encourage and stimulate groupwork with fun and challenging activities, such as with find-the-flag and red team/blue team activities. The presentation outlines results from a number of questionnaires, and from server access logs, which show a deeper engagement with the infrastructure, and how it has been used. It also presents how Cloud-based infrastructures can be used to integrate with a wide range of academic subject areas, including supporting online lectures and tutorials.