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Hello all. I am currently a student working to get my secondary education teaching license to teach high school Chemistry/Biology. My mentor teacher recently introduced me to the idea of virtual labs but I have never participated in one. I am interested in possibly using them in my classroom and I had a few questions about them.
I am curious to know what are other teachers' experiences using virtual labs? Do you feel that students learned the concepts as well as you would have liked? What are the strengths and weaknesses to assigning students a virtual lab? Do you have a favorite website where you obtain virtual labs? Do you have any other comments regarding virtual labs? I appreciate all responses.
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Hi Caroline,
I like to use simulations, like those found on the PhET site, along with hands-on labs. The strength of using sims is that it gives the students a 'view' of what's happening at the atomic level in many cases. If you go to the site there are ideas for how to set up an inquiry activity for each of the sims.
You should check with the school district to see if they have subscriptions to any of the educational websites. Some of these have virtual lab activities. I sometimes use the ones of SAS Curriculum Pathways as an alternative to a hands-on lab. They generally include a good set of questions that require some higher order thinking. I'm sure there are other websites as well, but these are two that I've used.
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I have had experience with virtual labs and simulations via the NSTA scipacks and sciguides as well as with DiscoveryEducation. They are great and they do teach the concepts well. Students are able to complete labs in a more timely manner and learn concepts through inquiry learning. Simulations and virtual labs are great when there is a limit to supplies and time, however, disadvantages would of course be the experiences of using real materials and seeing the processes in real time. Another is the lack of experiencing, first hand, the errors and drawbacks that also add to the learning experiences of students, as it is often through the errors and mistakes that they've made where unique and higher levels of learning take place. Pros and cons for both sides, but again, when there is a limit to supplies, funding, time, etc...having other options is a great thing.
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Yes, virtual labs and simulations are helpful to some extent especially when time, materials and supplies are limited. I have mostly used PhET simulations and NSTA scipacks/sciguides.
I do agree with Rochelle that these virtual labs and simulations have their disadvantages. I also believe that students learn more when they have first hand experience of the labs or experiments. The errors and mistakes are great learning experiences especially when they analyze all of them. Most of the time, this is their “aha” moment while we have our goose bumps.
But I would still like to try other virtual labs and simulations. I found this collection of online virtual labs in biology, chemistry and physics and would like to share it here http://www.jdenuno.com/TechConnect/OnLineLabs.htm
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All
This is a topic that interests me greatly. I would be especially interested in research than compares learning outcome for virtual versus hands on labs. I would also be interested in participating in research on this subject. One area that concerns me is understanding whether or not virtual labs get students to process information is a way that leads to conceptual understanding and retention. For example it has been notes that typing information into a PDA, phone etc does not lead to the same level of retention as writing it on paper calendar. One explanation is that typing and writing involve different cognitive processes. I wonder if we would see similar differences in virtual versus land on labs???
I have not yet completed a collection of resources on virtual physical science resources but I do have collection on biology. I will attach these for anyone with an interest. When I get a respectable collection for physical science I will add it too.
Virtual Disections Collection
(4 items)
Virtual Labs Biology Collection
(16 items)
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I just posted an online inquiry periodic table activity here
http://learningcenter.nsta.org/discuss/default.aspx?tid=DH/s5eSCrsg_E
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I have used some of the pHet virtual labs. Definitely a great resource for a virtual lab or to demonstrate the material in your lesson. I have had to use it mainly for my IPC classes. Though it is best to see which ones will best apply in your lesson.
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I did a PHeT lab with acid/base chemistry that I thought was helpful for my conceptual student with understanding pH. I also used a Vision Learning matter unit called Dalton's Playhouse http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=49.
I only used virtual labs to assist in illustrating a concept. My students are in the chemistry lab weekly because they need to practice safety, the scientific method and experience the transformation of matter.
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I have never used virtual labs, but I think it would be a great tool to use. Many of my students are low learners with limited English. Perhaps performing the lab in a virtual environment would be helpful. I like the idea of doing a simulation because with our class periods only being 46 minutes sometimes I don't have enough time to complete labs. I will definitely check out PhET and NSTA scipacks/sciguides.
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I like using GIZMO's from www.explorelearning.com. They help students visualize concepts that are otherwise invisible.
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Gizmo's are excellent! I use them for preparing my students for the HSA Biology examination....excellent virtual labs!
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Have any of you who have used virtual labs compared outcomes with instances where hands on wet labs were used. Do students grasp concepts or do the virtual labs become another computer game. I realize that there are pitfalls to hands on labs too (hands are moving while brains are in vapor lock)
One of the challenges in teaching chemistry is getting students to integrate the conceptual understanding from class with the kinesthetic experience in lab.
My question is ho effective are virtual labs in accomplishing this? What I would lost like to see is a three way comparison (1) wet labs, (2) virtual labs (3) both being used with the virtual lab as a segue to the wet lab.
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Our school uses Compass learning virtual labs.The labs are great and they are easy to use.Its a give and take when it comes to virtual labs.
Virtual labs are great when there are large classes and only one teacher. The impending danger of someone getting chemical burns, something exploding, or some other catastrophe occurring greatly reduces when doing labs via computer. There is no use of material chemicals, and chemical reactions using videos are usually exaggerated and easier to visualize for students.
Students, however, does get bored from doing thing virtually and do want 'blow things up' once in while. Do to large class size, I try to keep the ration 5:1, virtual to real.
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Thanks guys for the wonderful interactive web links. Unfortunately, I seldom saw any virtual labs for Earth Science. However, there are interactives from other subject areas that are covered in Earth Science, so maybe there is a possibility of integration of interactives into Earth Science. I agree with you Pamela, I do believe that there is a different section of the brain that is being used when imputing information data on PDAs, tablets, computers, etc. than traditional pencil and paper. A study on that would be an awesome idea.
Like most have stated previously, I like the versatility that virtual labs provide when you have large classrooms and limited lab resources. I also agree that an appropriate balance is needed in order to reinforce application of skill and concepts. However, considering that most testing is moving to the virtual format, I think that having the students practice these concepts virtually will help them be excel on state exams.
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Thanks guys for the wonderful interactive web links. Unfortunately, I seldom saw any virtual labs for Earth Science. However, there are interactives from other subject areas that are covered in Earth Science, so maybe there is a possibility of integration of interactives into Earth Science. I agree with you Pamela, I do believe that there is a different section of the brain that is being used when imputing information data on PDAs, tablets, computers, etc. than traditional pencil and paper. A study on that would be an awesome idea.
Like most have stated previously, I like the versatility that virtual labs provide when you have large classrooms and limited lab resources. I also agree that an appropriate balance is needed in order to reinforce application of skill and concepts. However, considering that most testing is moving to the virtual format, I think that having the students practice these concepts virtually will help them excel on state exams.
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One thing I forgot to mention was I also like virtual labs because it is a great way to create stations, especially for large classes. With limited resources, I can have students do independent work on the computers while I work with the other half on a hands on lab.
If there is a lack of virtual earth science labs, maybe you can create WEBQUEST for students?
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Ryan,
Splitting the classroom into a virtual and hands on lab sounds like an excellent idea to solve the problem for limited resources and large classroom size. I was wondering what to do for the virtual side but an independent webquest sounds like it would be an excellent idea that would need minimal supervision while I work with the hands on students. I love webquests as alternative assessments and reteaching tools for students that perform poorly on benchmark exams.
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Thanks Carolyn for the link! It's just the link I have been looking for. I'm beginning a microscope unit in a week, this will certainly help!
Kelly
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SAS Curriculum Pathways is a great resource for virtual labs, and they have webquests and other activities as well. They also supply ready-made handouts for the students (you have to print them, but you don't have to write them). And they have good labs for all areas of science - not just chemistry. I'm not sure about other states, but in NC it's free for public schools.
www.sascurriculumpathways.com
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I really like using the BBC website's virtual lab activities. There are several for each age range.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/ is geared toward middle to high school students
Both of these have activities for younger kids:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/science/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/science/
When I use these activities, I type up a "lab sheet" to guide students in experimenting with the materials presented in each activity, and to allow them to record their results.
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