Team+3

= = =**Virtual Laboratory Experiments** = =**in the K-12 Classroom** =

Introduction

What comes to mind when you hear the word "Virtual Laboratory." Maybe a doctor’s office, computer, technology... well a Virtual Laboratory is actually the umbrella word used to describe an experiment or experience that students have to learn using technology completely. According to Discovery Education, "They are designed to give students practice with designing and conducting virtual investigations in preparation for designing and conducting their own hands-on investigations" (Education, 2011). Virtual labs or virtual investigations are considered one of the forefronts of technological advances within the K-12 classroom. Teachers have the ability to show/demonstrate for students many unique experiments with minimal costs, time and supplies.

Definition of a Virtual Laboratory Experiment

According to eLearning Terminology, a virtual lab is “a simulation of a laboratory, often used in the hard sciences. These may include simulations of chemical processes, extractions, the effects of various forces on various materials, and other types of experiments.” This technological tool gives students the opportunity to simulate a laboratory on the computer. Much of learning science involves hands on experiences. Many schools cannot provide the hands on experience because of many different reasons such as time, expense, safety issues, and accessibility. “While students are unlikely to have access to many of these tools in the classroom, they can use similar technologies and multimedia tools to work like scientists; by collaborating with their peers, modeling scientific processes, conducting virtual experiments, and actively participating in research with scientists locally and around the world.” (“Using Multimedia Tools,” 2000)

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Advantages with a Virtual Laboratory Experiment

Although virtual labs can never fully replace hands on labs completed in a classroom, virtual labs do have their advantages. Virtual labs should be used to enforce a concept learned, but should not replace hands on classroom experiments and traditional lab work. However, virtual labs, according to the Cited research center (2000), increase the accessibility to students with special needs that would not be able to participate in certain labs. For example, students with poor functioning motor skills might not be able to dissect a frog. Those same students could use a virtual dissection and not miss out on the information gained from dissection. Virtual labs “Enable all students to participate in normally unavailable activities such as DNA testing and provide increased access to students with disabilities by virtue of different means for receiving information and manipulating materials” (“Using Multimedia Tools,” 2000). Students are able to repeat an experiment numerous times if a concept was not understood, or if the student wants to study for an exam. Virtual labs allow students to think critically, gather and analyze data, and problem solve. Students also learn to interact and collaborate with their peers. Online virtual labs are widely available for science content at every grade level.

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*The Virtual Laboratory above is an example of how to use technology in a Physics classroom.

Disadvantages with a Virtual Laboratory Experiment

Along with the advantages of virtual labs we find disadvantages. Stated by wiki.answers.com, “The main disadvantage of a virtual laboratory would be all experiments would be based on presumed results produced in earlier research.” With virtual labs the students are not able to do their own research but instead are analyzing data and information that is already known. According to Scheckler (2003), “In all cases of computerized exercises, a person or people designed the software that underlies the virtual lab. When they did this design work, they selected parts of the biological situation to model. Therefore, the model is fixed and definite and represents only a portion of the entire system. This partial model representing the entire situation (i.e., a synecdoche) is misleading to students who do not understand the process of modeling.” Virtual labs don’t give students the same experience as hands on experiments. I’m sure we can all remember the excitement, or fear, when we got the opportunity to perform experiments and labs in school. “The quality of experience from virtual labs does not have the immediate and embodied impact of handling specimens and live organisms. Even prepared microscope slides engage the student in interpretation of structure in ways that photographs, movies, and animations can never do” (Scheckler, 2003). In addition, some teachers don’t know how to effectively implement virtual labs into the classroom. For virtual labs to be useful they need to be used to enhance and enforce concepts learned during classroom instruction. Teachers need to be continually evaluating the effectiveness of the virtual lab because not all labs are good. Teachers also need to have a backup plan for the virtual lab in case the Internet server goes down. As stated by Scheckler (2003), “In the experience of a traditional lab, there is the feel and smell of science, and sometimes even the danger of science. There is the uncertainty of what will happen or what will be seen, and there is the sharing between peers of varying observations and findings.”

History of Virtual Laboratory Experiments

The first Virtual Laboratory was created in 1997 by Sven Dierig. It was called the Virtual Laboratory of Physiology. A year later in 1998, adjustments were made to the Virtual Laboratory of Physiology and a data base with texts and images was added. These adjustments added more topics to the Virtual Laboratory that included the new topics of the life sciences, arts and literature. Today, we still use the Virtual Laboratory that was updated in 1998. The new and improved Virtual Laboratory was presented at Stanford University during the conference Using the World Wide Web for Historical Research in Science and Technology. The updated Virtual Laboratory was also added into a research project called The Experimentalization of Life in the year 2000. Shortly after this research project, the Virtual Laboratory made another debut at a conference held at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Finally, in 2002, the first Virtual Laboratory was put online (Virtual Laboratory, 2010)

Future direction of a Virtual Laboratory Experiment

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Virtual laboratory experiments are a very popular item in many K-12 classrooms throughout the United States. Virtual labs have evolved over time from just simply watching a video of someone else performing a lab to actively creating an experiment with a digital manipulative. In the future virtual laboratories will have applications for many different experiments in multiple forms. One such example includes the Apple iPad. A variety of applications are available for purchase through the Apple iTunes store and online through educational websites. The use of iPads for virtual laboratories are just the beginning. Many new software programs that are released in the near future will provide students with a multitude of opportunities to learn and grow through the use of technology.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Conclusion/Opinions <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cal’s Opinion - <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Science is one of the most interactive classes that students will take during their school career. Many experiments provide students with invaluable knowledge about real life processes, situations and scenarios. Virtual labs are the next generation of these interactive classes! In a few short minutes, virtual labs provide the student with the essential knowledge about the various educational topics that used to require hours of prep and large amounts of class time to learn. Virtual labs are a great way to engage students within the technologically advanced world we live in. Who knows what the future may bring for education, maybe virtual teachers? Virtual Laboratory Experiments are just the beginning of the spectrum!

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Heather’s Opinion - <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When teaching science I would use virtual labs to reinforce a lesson plan. I do not think they can replace real hands on labs. Labs are one of the many joys of studying science, and I think many students look foreword to diving into the experiments. Labs allow students to make mistakes and analyze what went wrong. With virtual labs those same mistakes can not be made. I think virtual labs lack the luster that classroom labs possess. Science is about exploring, not having the answers handed to you.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bonnie’s Opinion - <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Virtual laboratory experiments are a great way to engage students. Teachers can use virtual laboratory experiments in the classroom to help their students visualize and gain a better understanding of science processes. Virtual laboratory experiments are also a great way for students to develop and engage their scientific thinking skills. Another plus to virtual laboratory experiments are that they allow students to conduct experiments using resources that are too expensive for schools to purchase. Lastly, virtual laboratory experiments allow students to explore areas in science they would not otherwise have access to. This allows students to explore a broader range of content; therefore, providing more learning opportunities.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">References

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(2011). Smart Science Tour [Online video]. You Tube. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__www.youtube.com/user/smartscienceed__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dubson, M. (n.d.). Projectile Motion. In Interactive Simulations. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/projectile-motion__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Education, D. (2011). Practice Investigation with Virtual Labs. In Science Fair Central. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/Science-Fair-Projects/Practice-Investigation-with-Virtual-Labs.html__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">E-Learning Terminology. (2010, December 17). In E-Learning Faculty Modules. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Retrieved September 16, 2011, from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://elearningfacultymodules.org/index.php/E-Learning_Terminology__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Karweit, M. (n.d.). A VIRTUAL ENGINEERING/SCIENCE LABORATORY COURSE <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In Virtual Laboratory. Retrieved February 29, 2000, from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.jhu.edu/virtlab/virtlab.html__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scheckler, R. K. (2003). Virtual labs: a substitute for traditional labs? International Journal of <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Developmental Biology, 47, 231-236. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__www.ijdb.ehu.es/web/paper.php?doi=12705675&a=f__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Using Multimedia Tools to Help Students Learn Science. (n.d.). In cited research center. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Retrieved February 29, 2000, from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=148__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Virtual Laboratory (2010, July 27). In Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 16, 2011

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Virtual laboratory. (2009, January 14). In mondofacto. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.mondofacto.com/facts/dictionary?virtual+laboratory__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What the disadvantage of a virtual laboratory?. (n.d.). In wiki.answers. Retrieved September 18, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2011, from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_the_disadvantage_of_a_virtual_laboratory__]