Teaching in labs

PC Lab teaching offers a structured environment where students can apply, test and extend their understanding of key concepts in your course. Preparation before the lab, active monitoring during, and clear follow-up afterwards are key to making any lab session successful.

Tips for teaching in virtual and physical labs

Prepare students before the lab

A lab begins before students arrive, ensure students understand the purpose of the lab and how it connects to previous learning, the intended learning outcomes and what they should be able to do independently by the end of the session. Students should arrive ready to begin meaningful work, not troubleshooting. Upload a short pre-lab video introduction and essential readings to Moodle at least three days in advance. Provide clear software access instructions, especially for the first lab, encourage students to test they can access software beforehand, and share any useful insights from previous cohorts e.g. common problems and misconceptions.

Use classroom management software

LanSchool is available in all PC labs and can enhance lab teaching when used purposefully. You can monitor student screens from the teacher podium, share your screen across all PCs and limit access to specific websites or applications. When demonstrating key techniques, share your screen using full-screen mode for student’s undivided attention, but use picture-in-picture mode when students should follow along in real time. Restricting websites or applications can be particularly useful during focused tasks or closed-book assessment activities. Remember that using LanSchool should not be about surveillance, but to assist you in maintaining pace, making demonstrations accessible, and maintaining focus on task.

Build in structural checkpoints

Avoid presenting the lab as one large, open-ended task. Structure supports learning. Break the session into clearly labelled stages, starting with guided demonstrations (these could be pre-recorded activities to free up lab time), small foundational tasks, and move towards more complex and independent activities. It’s important to pause between stages to check understanding before students move on. This can take different forms, whole class facilitated “stop and check” discussions, or self-check opportunities such as Moodle quizzes or H5P interactive activities for immediate feedback. If students can work at their own pace, include stretch tasks for those who progress more quickly.

Dedicate time for questions and clarifications

Checkpoints are useful for addressing misconceptions and highlighting good practice. Consider ways to make questioning accessible, run a Mentimeter Q&A alongside the lab to collect anonymous questions then review and respond to questions at designated points, or even provide responses as a resource on Moodle after the session. Make use of LanSchool to share a student’s screen (with their consent) to showcase effective approaches, address common errors and normalise problem-solving as a peer activity. If using Moodle quizzes for self-check, monitor results in real time to identify trends and adjust your teaching accordingly.

Continue outside of the lab

Learning should not stop when the timetabled session ends. Virtual Desktop tools such as MyLab or Apporto (currently being trialled) allow students to access lab software remotely. Using these platforms, even during in-person labs, creates a consistent experience for students, without requiring them to use specific physical locations. This is particularly valuable for students who need additional time, those who were unable to attend, and for revision and consolidation before assessments. After the session, respond to outstanding questions, share clarifications or model answers via Moodle and reflect on whether to adapt the next lab based on performance in this one.

Adapting for online labs

Online labs require a more intentional design that their in-person counterparts. In face-to-face labs, students learn from observing their peers, hearing questions and answers and informal troubleshooting. When switching to an online context, these informal learning opportunities must be designed purposefully.

Consider additional pre-lab preparation materials, mandatory checkpoints before progressing, and remove the ability to move through tasks at your own pace - by controlling the release of tasks, you can provide clear opportunities to share results, ask questions and increase the chances for peer learning. Use Moodle forums for sharing work, Q&A, and consider scheduled Microsoft Teams drop-in sessions for live questions. Online labs often extend over a longer period rather than a single timetabled block. Clear timelines, expectations and structured milestones become even more important, though the principles remain the same, clarity, structure, monitoring, and feedback.

Challenge

Allowing distance students or students who are unable to attend in person to complete lab tasks
Limited availability of PC labs on campus

Solution

You can run a virtual PC lab using a cloud-based solution called Apporto. Lancaster University has a 12-month trial of Apporto due to end June 2026.

This can be added to your Moodle course and students will be able to access it from any device with an internet connection and web browser. This allows you to run a virtual PC lab either in person with students on their own devices, or asynchronously with students accessing the virtual lab at a time of their choosing.

Students will also be able to store files on their virtual desktop that will still be there when they return, and they can also link their OneDrive account to Apporto.

However you plan to run your lab, your first to steps will be:

Contact the Digital Learning team and ask to add the Apporto activity to your module Moodle space – this will create a virtual classroom attached to your module.
Upload any supporting files needed for the task (e.g. data packs)

Synchronous lab session (in-person)

Apporto can be used to run a virtual lab session on campus in a room without PCs. With future updates, it will be possible to run a lab synchronous lab session with teachers and students working away from campus.

Open the virtual desktop by clicking the link in the Apporto activity
Once students have entered the virtual lab, use Presenter mode to demo tasks as needed
Use the Virtual classroom to monitor your student look out for any raised hands
If students need any “over the shoulder” help, you can view their screen (and control it if needed).

Asynchronous lab work

To run an asynchronous virtual PC lab you need first to prepare students, so they know what the lab will entail. Pre-record any software demonstrations that you would usually give and explain how students can ask you for help. We'd recommend using a combination of Moodle forums to encourage peer-support, and Microsoft Teams calls to offer 1-1 support. The final step is to collect work from your students via Moodle.

Preparing students

Upload an overview of the lab task to Moodle - see adding individual items section of the Introduction to Moodle online course.help-ce
Describe the task students should complete.
Set an explicit deadline.
Explain how students can ask for help. (see below)
If appropriate, provide a link to the Virtual PC Lab Service instructions (see below).
Explain where to submit work (see below).
Record any software demonstrations and upload to Moodle.

Offering help via Moodle

Set up a forum on Moodle  to allow students to post questions.
Encourage students to answer each other's questions.
Check the forums periodically and answer the questions.

Note:  using a forum can be a great way to encourage peer support, though depending on the task, some students may not wish to publicly ask a question. You may want to offer a way for students to contact you directly, such as MS Teams.

Offering help via Teams

Set up a Scheduler tool on Moodle  to allow students to book an appointment with you.
Call students directly via Teams.
Ask the student to use the share screen functionality to show you their work.

Note: if you get asked a question that would be beneficial for the whole class to hear, consider posting the question and your answer to the Moodle discussion forum for others to see.

Collecting work

Set up a Moodle assignment for collecting work. If the work is summative, this should be set up via your Department Office using LUSI.‌

Notes

The Apporto desktop can take up to two minutes to load initially, so make sure to allow sufficient time before the start of the session (if running synchronously).
Add your OneDrive account to Apporto for secure, reliable data storage, and encourage your students to do the same.