Virtual classroom using the Mconf web conferencing platform.

<p>Classrooms connected to the trainer and to other classrooms via the Mconf open-source web conferencing platform (<a href="http://mconf.org/" target="_blank">http://mconf.org</a>; in use here is the South African instance of Mconf <a href="https://mconf.sanren.ac.za/" target="_blank">https://mconf.sanren.ac.za/</a>, hosted by SANREN <a href="http://www.sanren.ac.za/south-african-nren/" target="_blank">http://www.sanren.ac.za/south-african-nren/</a>). Classrooms either activated their microphones or entered text into a chat box to ask questions to the trainer. Trainers activated their webcams while answering questions. Trainers were able to upload their session resources in the central panel of the Mconf interface should they have wanted to explain a concept on a particular lecture slide, for example. Note: Consent to publish this image was obtained from the trainer shown in the figure. Abbreviation: SANREN, South African National Research Network.</p

Location of classroom sites for 2016 iteration of the IBT course.

<p>Classrooms (20 classrooms across 10 African countries accommodating 364 participants in total) met each other virtually to widen the scope and improve the depth of biweekly contact sessions. Abbreviation: IBT, Introduction to Bioinformatics.</p

Screenshots of Vula site for IBT_2016 course.

<p>(A) Landing page of course site showing all tools. (B) Forums tool specifically showing the number of people that read the response to a particular question. In this example, at the time that the screenshot was obtained, 14 people had read the question, and 12 people had read the answer. Please note: Consent to publish this screenshot was obtained from participants of the relevant discussion. Abbreviation: IBT, Introduction to Bioinformatics.</p

Pre-recorded lectures.

<p>Screenshot of a pre-recorded lecture with webcam activated. Note: Consent to publish this image was obtained from the individual in the figure.</p