Assessing the Impact of Virtualizing Physical Labs
Abstract
Virtual laboratories are the new online educational trend for communicating to students practical skills of science. In this paper we report on a comparison of techniques for familiarizing distance learning students with a 3D virtual biology laboratory, in order to prepare them for their microscopy experiment in their physical wet lab. Initial training for these students was provided at a distance, via Skype. Their progress was assessed through Pre and Post-tests and compared to those of students who opted to only prepare for their wet lab using the conventional face-to-face educational method, which was provided for all students. Our results provide preliminary answers to questions such as whether the incorporation of a virtual lab in the educational process will improve the quality of distance learning education and whether a virtual lab can be a valuable educational supplement to students enrolled in laboratory courses on Biology.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1711.11502,
title = {Assessing the Impact of Virtualizing Physical Labs},
author = {Evgenia Paxinou and Vasilis Zafeiropoulos and Athanasios Sypsas and Chairi Kiourt and Dimitris Kalles},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1711.11502},
year = {2017}
}
Comments
4 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, Submitted in November 14, 2017 in Bulleting of the Technical Committee on Learning Technology