Teaching a large number of students simultaneously to use a scanning electron microscope (SEM) has traditionally been difficult. A typical classroom scenario would be of one student seated in front of the SEM next to the instructor while the remaining students stand idly behind the operating student. The truth of the oft repeated sentiment expressed by microscopists, "There is nothing more boring than watching someone else do microscopy", would be proven time and time again in such training sessions as the uninvolved students would quickly lose interest and either fall asleep or talk among themselves.