Teacher story by: dr. Saskia Cillessen, Paul Bethlehem MSc. prof. dr. Renske Steenbergen

“Saving us time and helping students understand the material: a Buddy for both teachers and students!”

Vrije Universiteit – Amsterdam UMC; Biomedical Science – Oncology

The challenge

Our students do a digital practical on Molecular Diagnostics. The practical involves learning an elaborate process of tissue preparation and next generation sequencing, followed by a diagnostic interpretation of the results. Students often struggled to grasp all details and achieve the learning goals.

The transformation

Instead of attending a traditional lecture explaining the theory and laboratory steps, followed by a physical computer practical on sequencing data analysis and interpretation, students now use LabBuddy to study both aspects themselves. As teachers we only organize an elective question session.

The final result

Students now have the flexibility to complete the practical at their own pace and above all can use LabBuddy as a reference for self-study. Meanwhile, we can monitor their progress online in real-time. This saves us valuable time overall and more importantly enhances students’ understanding.