Field Teaching Microscopes: Uses and Advantages in a Variety of Fields
Not all lectures and researches are best taught or performed indoors. Oftentimes, students and instructors have to perform research and other hands-on activities in a different environment, which necessitates the use of optical microscopy that is especially designed for use outdoors. This is where field teaching microscopes are very useful because they are sturdier than conventional microscopes but also handy and quite functional.
What are field teaching microscopes?
A field teaching microscope is a light and compact version of the conventional microscope, allowing users to easily transport and store it outdoors. They come in different types and the choice of unit will depend largely on the microscopy requirement. Field teaching microscopes can use different microscopy configurations such as stereo microscopy, brightfield microscopy, dark field microscopy or phase contrast microscopy.
Field teaching microscopes also feature more than one set of eyepiece. This allows two users to view the sample at the same time, which makes it ideal for use by an instructor or teacher during field lectures. Unlike pocket microscopes, field teaching microscopes are highly functional but are built to withstand travel and other demands of outdoors use.
Field teaching microscopes usually utilize LED as a source of light, since outdoors lighting is often less than ideal for viewing. This type of optical microscopy may either be monocular or binocular.
Uses of field teaching microscopes
Field teaching microscopes are ideal for use during field research and hands-on lectures because they allow simultaneous viewing of the specimen by the student and the teacher. This helps facilitate a more effective learning and teaching experience where teachers can refer to the specimen during a lecture. Two students can also use the same microscope and work in tandem.
Because of their functionality and compact size, field teaching microscopes are often utilized in a variety of fields of study. These include:
Natural science (including geological science and biology)
Biologists and geologists spend a majority of their time performing research in an outdoor location. These are places that often offer less than ideal environments – rough terrain, no lighting, makeshift tables, changing weather, etc. However, these are the very conditions that field teaching microscopes can withstand.
Furthermore, having this type of optical microscopy on hand allows researchers to conduct observations immediately on site, especially if transporting the sample is not possible. Biologists, for example, have to perform studies of organisms in their environment, which requires that optical microscopes are on hand. Some organisms often will not survive being taken from their natural habitat, stored, shipped and then processed for observation. During lectures, students can immediately view specimens, often in their live, natural state.
Health and medicine
Many researches involving health and medical issues often involve outdoors study. For on location specimen observation, field teaching microscopes are often chosen because they provide immediate viewing of samples and often offer sufficient magnification power.
Crime scene investigation
Plenty of evidence found in crime scenes or scenes of accidents require the use of a microscope. This makes field teaching microscopes ideal for forensics, allowing immediate observation of trace evidence, blood samples, fingerprints and other similar matter. With a field teaching microscope on location, investigators can prevent any contamination of the samples, which may expire or be altered by the passage of time. Furthermore, a field teaching microscope can allow two investigators to view the sample at once.
Advantages of a field teaching microscope
In the classroom or on location, the field teaching microscope has several advantages over the conventional single-eyepiece microscope. These include:
Dual head
A field teaching microscope can facilitate instruction and learning effectively, allowing an instructor and a student to use the instrument at the same time. A teacher can immediately discuss the sample specimen with the student because they will be viewing the same specimen simultaneously. A teacher can also immediately evaluate the method the student uses when manipulating the microscope.
Portability
Field teaching microscopes are built to be compact and easy to carry and transport, making them ideal for field research and study. They are built with stable bases and enameled compounds to make them resistant against acid, corrosion and regular wear and tear.
Functionality
Most students would opt to use student microscopes for specimen observation. While these will provide decent magnification, they are often not enough because they usually come with limited features. Research microscopes offer more functionalities compared to standard student microscopes. Compared to a student microscope, a field teaching microscope can offer a magnification power of up to 1000X plus 10X or 16X eyepieces. That should suffice for the effective viewing of minute specimen samples.
Storage
Whether used indoors or outdoors, field teaching microscopes are easy to use and store. Because they are equipped with two sets of eyepieces for tandem viewing, they virtually occupy the same physical space as a standard microscope but offer the dual usage of two units.
