Adopting the Electronic Laboratory Notebook for Reporting in Science

Scientific reporting remains an industrially relevant skill for science graduates but the era of the traditional paper-based notebook is drawing to a close as the days of the cloud-based electronic laboratory notebook (ELN)... [ view full abstract ]

Scientific reporting remains an industrially relevant skill for science graduates but the era of the traditional paper-based notebook is drawing to a close as the days of the cloud-based electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) are beginning to dawn. With increasing numbers of companies and research organisations implementing the ELN for scientific reporting, this project sought to incorporate the ELN in the practical laboratory setting in order for students to gain training and experience in the use of this emerging reporting tool for lab data and documentation management. In this project, the ELN was adopted for students taking a module in Analytical Science and was used for laboratory reporting in place of the traditional paper-based notebook.
The main aims of this project were to evaluate: the use of the ELN for laboratory reporting in the field of Analytical Science; the use of technology enhanced feedback on online ELN reports and the use of the ELN for the preparation of an industry-facing portfolio of expertise in analytical science (the latter being a task impossible to complete with the traditional notebook). Training on the use of the ELN was available for instructors and students via webinars delivered by the service provider. The classroom edition of the ELN was free to use for instructors but the student accounts were subscription-based. Once set up, the ELN allowed the instructor to set up reporting templates which were instantly shared with students. The ELN, which was supported on multiple platforms and devices, allowed students to report electronically, as the assessment means for each practical session. This project will outline the use and impact of the ELN for reporting and ePortfolio preparation, as well as the suitability of audio feedback on the ELN reports.
Keywords: Technology enhanced learning, electronic laboratory notebook, scientific reporting.