Virtual Laboratories in Higher Education Enhancing Chemistry and Biology Learning Outcomes

Abstract

This research looks at whether or not primary school pupils' critical thinking and decision-making skills may benefit from the use of virtual labs. One hundred kids at a Chennai, India, public, all-girls elementary school were randomly assigned to one of two classes. In the beginning, the experimental group and the control group undertook different virtual laboratory tasks. Following this, Test I was given to both sets of participants. Next, we had both groups do some genuine lab work using real equipment, and then we gave them Test II. Statistical analysis, including independent t tests, was employed to evaluate the data from both groups. The findings demonstrated notable disparities between the two groups, with the experimental group surpassing the control group in their grasp of experimental concepts, execution of experiments, and attainment of precise results. Nonetheless, there was no substantial distinction in the accuracy of task completion. In summary, the study showcased a valuable transference of skills acquired from virtual laboratory exercises to the actual laboratory, consistently resulting in higher average scores for the experimental group