Long-term study on the applicability of virtual resources for teaching and learning molecular techniques.

Since 2018, we have been updating and testing the effectiveness of two open-access virtual laboratories to teach molecular techniques using a blended approach to our second-year Clinical Science students enrolled in the shared module of Molecular Gene- tics and Genomics at De Montfort University (DMU, England). Briefly, students were asked to complete all the different exercises and calculations to prepare a master mix for PCR analysis and to produce gels for electrophoresis. In the physical laboratory practicals (two 3-hour long sessions), students were asked to directly perform the tasks in small groups, with little instructions/demonstration. Specific feedback was collected in 2020/21 and 22/23, following high levels of learning (93,6 %) reported in the introduction of our blended activity in 2018/19. Thus, 78,9 %, 100 % and 79 %, 100 % indicated that they learnt how to perform PCR and gel electrophoresis, respectively for each question/cohort. Moreover, responders highlighted that they learnt strategies to trouble-shooting a PCR assay, suggesting that the specific virtual laboratory units would be successful to train students how to run this molecular technique in a laboratory (as this aspect was only taught through the website resources). However, a high pro- portion of students indicated that these resources could not substitute the physical practicals in the laboratory (36,9 %, 66,6 %). The virtual laboratory resources on molecular biology available could enhance the teaching/learning of these highly specific laboratory techniques.