Virtual Science Laboratories | 1

Virtual Science Laboratories: Rekindling Spark for Science Education

Jasmin S. Galano

Abstract

Learning science using laboratory activities enable students to realize concepts

through the manipulation of various laboratory equipment to control variables. Because

of this, students are allowed to go beyond definitions – they define a problem,

hypothesize, experiment, observe, and conclude. Also, some laboratories function as

students’ training ground before they perform high-risk tasks in the real world (e.g.

welding, aircraft piloting). However, due to limitations on the resources available in a

school’s laboratory and the physical restrictions brought by the pandemic COVID-19,

educational institutions aim to identify what technology can provide a similar experience

in laboratories. Although virtual science laboratories were already present before the

global health crisis, it is now seen as a tool that will shed light on science laboratory

activities in distance education. This paper reviews the description, strengths,

advantages, limitations, existing use in basic education and tertiary education, future

direction, and what challenges are being encountered as virtual science laboratories are

being integrated with science education.

Keywords: virtual laboratory, science education, 21st-century teaching

 Virtual Science Laboratories | 2

Laboratory activities in science are seen as great avenues for students to explore

what is around them. It is quite true that for every science class, students become excited

and highly engaged when they are tasked to use various laboratory equipment to inspect

a specimen or a phenomenon to understand a concept. Through these activities, students

define a problem, hypothesize, test variables, and analyze results. Thus, they are allowed

to become active learners – they are not expected to become receivers of knowledge but

rather constructors. This contributes to the aim of STEM education, to produce individuals

who can use the scientific process to solve problems for the improvement of life.

Raviv, Cohen, & Aflalo (2017) asserts that despite the limitation on the number of

laboratory equipment available for students’ use, students attained a better understanding

of a science concept and acquired better science skills after performing a cooperative

learning-centered activity in a laboratory. In a different study conducted by Stephenson &

Sadler-McKnight (2015), students’ critical thinking skills significantly improved after

incorporating it with Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) laboratory approach. This suggests

that if laboratory experiments are framed in a way that enables learners to use scientific

pieces of evidence to describe an event and interact with each other to discuss findings,

their 21st-century skills can be honed.

Despite these advantages, the sustainability of laboratory experiments became a

significant concern of educational institutions since it sometimes involves the use of

various biological specimens and chemical reagents which are either difficult to replenish

or may cause a biochemical hazard to the students. Also, due to the physical limitations

brought by COVID-19, schools were required to conduct modular or online learning. To

prevent the spread of the contagious disease, hands-on experiments inside a school’s
 Virtual Science Laboratories | 3

laboratory were compromised. This posed a challenge in identifying how can science

experiments become accessible to students even if they are in their own homes. An

emerging technology developed to shed light on this problem is virtual laboratories.

Virtual science laboratories provide a myriad of interaction modes through

simulation of a real science laboratory. This technology can be accessed through

software, an application, or a website that shows an interface that allows its users to

manipulate virtual equipment, producing an imitation of phenomena that can be observed

in a physical laboratory. In terms of breadth and depth of learning experience for the

subject area, virtual laboratories found in websites such as Labster, GO-LAB, PraxiLabs,

and PhET are arranged according to branches of science namely, Biology, Physics,

Chemistry, and Earth Science. Others specialize in a certain branch of science like HHMI

BioInteractive for Biology, the Physics Classroom for Physics, ChemCollective for

Chemistry, and Virtual Earth System Laboratory by NASA for Earth Science.

To determine the quality of a virtual science laboratory, its aspects shall be

carefully evaluated before use for science class instruction. For example, lessons on

anatomy require an accurate three-dimensional (3D) model of the morphological

specimen. Zhang, et al., (2019) suggests that the key factors, modeling, perception, and

interaction, should be taken into consideration. On the other hand, Potkonjak, et al.,

(2016) argued that these laboratories can be evaluated using the following criteria: (1)

“The user interfaces or each piece of equipment must be identical to the corresponding

real devices.”, (2) “The behavior of the virtual system (e.g. its state and control variables)

must be equivalent to the system behavior in the physical paradigm.”, (3) Visualization

must be provided that makes students feel like they are looking at a real authentic thing.”,
 Virtual Science Laboratories | 4

and (4) A 3D laboratory space must be created which allows for communication and

collaboration among students and with the lab supervisor (or expert in the field).”

This technology has been used by different countries to resolve concerns on

academic performance and lack of science laboratory equipment. In a study conducted

by Herga, Čagran, & Dinevski (2016), primary level students who were exposed to the

virtual laboratory, Crocodile Chemistry, attained statistically significant better scores in

lower-order and higher-order thinking skills-based questions. Physics Education

Technology (PhET), on the other hand, showed a significantly positive effect on students’

understanding of a science concept (Prima, Putri, & Rustaman (2018) and Maulidah &

Prima, 2018). By providing learning activities that enable learners to explore abstract

concepts such as those found in Chemistry and Physics without exposing them to

physical and chemical hazards and while solving issues on the inadequate number of

laboratory equipment for a whole class’ use, science educators found virtual science

laboratories as the “new normal” in teaching science.

Apart from the benefits on academic achievement, virtual laboratories also

promote students' motivation in learning science. From the study of Prima, et al. (2018),

not only students’ understanding improved, but their motivation as well. It was observed

from the said study that students who were not exposed to PhET Simulation had the same

level of motivation before and after instruction but those who used PhET Simulation

showed a slight improvement in their Science Motivation after the treatment. Asıksoy &

Islek (2017) asserts that students develop better attitudes towards learning Physics after

using Circuit lab software. This finding was accompanied by students’ perspective on the

positive and negative use of the virtual laboratory. Most of the students see virtual
 Virtual Science Laboratories | 5

laboratories positively since it allows “the opportunity to reconduct experiments”, “conduct

experiments quickly”, “design new experiments”, “enjoyable because conducted on a

computer”, “the opportunity to conduct experiments individually”, “the opportunity to

conduct experiments at the participants’ own learning pace”, “eliminates interpretation

and recording of mistakes”, and “fun”. On the other hand, negative perceptions are “not

being physical laboratory environment” and “difficult to use” (p. 25).

Despite the handful of positive comments, the negative perceptions shared by the

respondents are worth discussing. Although experiments in virtual science laboratories

guarantee safety from biochemical hazards, students might encounter problems in

developing their practical skills especially in manipulating laboratory equipment. If

teaching-learning activities in science are accompanied by virtual laboratories alone,

students will have limited opportunity to improve their dexterity. Also, this technology

offers experiences limited to visual and auditory. Thus, other events that are vital for

students to understand such as those involved in using other senses (e.g. olfaction when

describing released fumes from a chemical reaction) are not observed by the students.

This implies that virtual science laboratories are not replacements for physical

laboratories.

If the Philippine context will be taken into consideration, issues on the digital divide

have been a long time challenge even before the shift to online learning. The digital divide

is described by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and

Information Administration (NTIA), as “any uneven distribution in the access to, use of, or

impact of information and communications technologies (ICT) between any number of

distinct groups, which can be defined based on social, geographical, or geopolitical

 Virtual Science Laboratories | 6

criteria, or otherwise.” (1995). Aida Yuvienco, the Department of Education ICT Service

Director said in her interview for GovInsider, “Only 26 percent of public schools are

connected to the internet or can connect to the internet”. She also mentioned that around

5, 000 public schools in far-flung areas of the country are not connected with electricity.

In turn, DICT announced that it will work on extending internet connectivity to public

facilities such as libraries and procure solar panels and solar-powered computers to

support e-learning at schools that are not reached by the power grid.

Going beyond the basic education classroom, virtual science laboratories are also

being used in various technical-vocational institutions. For example, Torres, Tovar, & Rio

(2017) analyzed how virtual laboratories can be used to train students on how to weld.

Results of their study showed that this type of laboratory still has much to improve in terms

of functionality. Before being exposed to the virtual lab, students expected an audio-visual

stimulus. The study led to researches on how to develop the maximum experience to train

students in terms of welding difficulty level and correct welding posture. Other training

institutions for high-risk fields (e.g. aircraft pilot courses) offer virtual laboratories as part

of instruction. An example is the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 which started as a game

but is now also used as an instructional material in aviation schools in Australia.

If virtual laboratories will highly penetrate educational materials, learners may need

not to go to an educational institution just to experience how a certain process is done in

a laboratory. Learning experiences will become more accessible to those who have

access to the internet but may pose challenges in communities that are not well-reached

by internet connection or electricity. These communities might not have any choice but to

depend on the “real thing” until ICT infrastructures become developed.

 Virtual Science Laboratories | 7

Also, realizing the connection between virtual science laboratories in basic

education and its function on training for industry, it can be assumed that this technology

will help offer a learning experience for a great number of learners with less consumption

and hazard on various resources. For Biology, specimens for dissection such as frogs,

rats, and other organisms may need not be used as much today in Biology introductory

courses since virtual laboratories can show a digital model of the organism. For

Chemistry, accidents from mercury leakage from thermometer, fire, and mismanaged

biological and chemical waste disposal might be resolved. For Earth Science, students

and even surveyors can have a wide-scale view of the effect of an independent variable

(e.g. soil saturation) on a specific setting. Lastly, for Physics, students can visualize

experiments that require costly equipment such as the Van de Graaff Generator and

Electric Vacuum Pump if these are available on the virtual laboratory used or acquired by

the school.

As developers continue to bring about an accessible laboratory facility in a digital

set-up, optimization of the experience will be improved. In the future, virtual science

laboratories may become more encompassing, resolving issues sought on the current

characteristics of virtual laboratories today. First, users may be allowed to manipulate

more variables by enabling the control of different parameters. Instead of having limited

settings that the users can only change or adjust, virtual science laboratories may be

developed to a point that it can also show the effects of extraneous variables. Second, it

may enable inquiry-led and not recipe-based laboratory activities. Some of the virtual

science laboratories today are presented in a way that the user must follow a step-by-

step procedure to experiment. However, this limits the assessment and evaluation of
 Virtual Science Laboratories | 8

students’ mastery. Ultimately, laboratory activities should hone students’ critical thinking

skills which cannot be achieved if learners are only given “shallow” content. Third, this

technology may enable multi-user experience to foster collaboration. Since learners are

to become global citizens, learning activities that require collaborative effort will help them

attain better interest in learning (Richards, Konak, Bartolacci, & Nasereddin, 2015) and

innovate sustainable products through experiments (Miranda, et al., 2018). Lastly, in

terms of hardware, virtual laboratories may not only involve the use of a desktop or laptop

and a computer mouse but other digital tools or accessories which aim to imitate the “real-

feel” of a laboratory apparatus.

It is undeniable that virtual science laboratories contribute much in illuminating the

science teaching-learning process when schools have inadequate resources for

laboratory-based activities or were limited to offer instruction online. However, it is also

necessary to keep in mind that technology must only serve as tools and not masters of

any pedagogy. Educators must be equipped not only with content knowledge of a subject

area, or even what values or attitudes can be integrated into lesson plans, but sufficient

ICT knowledge and skills as well. Being aware and prepared with these three, 21st-century

teachers will be able to maximize the use of any educational technology as a tool, honing

learners to become active problem-solvers in their respective communities shortly.

Furthermore, although virtual science laboratories may allow unlimited trial for any

experimentation process, educators must seek ways to make students realize the value

of being creative and resourceful. In this way, when students encounter real problems

and are given real objects to use, they will not take resources for granted – they will learn
 Virtual Science Laboratories | 9

that whatever action they make, these will cause either micro or macro effects on their

surroundings.

References

Asıksoy, G., & Islek, D. (2017, April 14). The Impact of the Virtual Laboratory on Students’.
Retrieved from International Journal of Online and Biomedical Engineering:
https://onlinejour.journals.publicknowledgeproject.org/index.php/i-
joe/article/view/6811/4397
Basu, M. (2020). The Philippines gets serious about connecting its schools. Retrieved
from GovInsider: https://govinsider.asia/innovation/the-philippines-gets-serious-
about-connecting-its-schools/
Herga, N. R., Čagran, B., & Dinevski, D. (2016, July 01). Virtual Laboratory in the Role of
Dynamic Visualization for Better Understanding of Chemistry in Primary School.
Retrieved from MODESTUM: https://www.ejmste.com/article/virtual-laboratory-in-
the-role-of-dynamic-visualisation-for-better-understanding-of-chemistry-in-4487
Maulidah, S. S., & Prima, E. C. (2018, August 15). Using Physics Education Technology
as Virtual Laboratory in Learning Waves and Sounds. Retrieved from Journal of
Science Learning: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1226300
Miranda, J., Chavarría-Barrientos, D., Macías, M., Molina, M., Ponce, P., Molina, A., &
Wright, P. K. (2018, February 05). Experiences in interactive collaborative learning
using an open innovation laboratory: The design methodologies course as case
study. Retrieved from Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers:
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8280021
Potkonjak, V., Gardner, M., Callaghan, V., Mattila, P., Christian Gütl, V. P., & Jovanović,
K. (2016, April). Virtual laboratories for education in science, technology, and
engineering: A review. Retrieved from Graz University of Technology:
https://graz.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/virtual-laboratories-for-education-
in-science-technology-and-engi
Prima, E. C., Putri, A. R., & Rustaman, N. (2018, March 31). Learning Solar System Using
PhET Simulation to Improve Students' Understanding and Motivation. Retrieved
from Journal of Science learning: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1226323
Raviv, A., Cohen, S., & Aflalo, E. (2017, July 13). How Should Students Learn in the
School Science Laboratory. Retrieved from Springer Link:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11165-017-9618-2#citeas
Richards, R., Konak, A., Bartolacci, M. R., & Nasereddin, M. (2015, April 11).
Collaborative Learning in Virtual Computer Laboratory Exercises. Retrieved from
 Virtual Science Laboratories | 10

Penn State: https://sites.psu.edu/auk3/wp-

content/uploads/sites/7555/2013/11/Richards_Konak_Bartolacci_Nasereddin_AS
EE_MinAtl2015.pdf
Stephenson, N. S., & Sadler-McKnight, N. P. (2015, October 1). Developing critical
thinking skills using the Science Writing Heuristic. Retrieved from Royal Society of
Chemisty: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2015/rp/c5rp00102a
Torres, F., Tovar, L. A., & Rio, M. S. (2017, January 18). A Learning Evaluation for an
Immersive Virtual Laboratory for Technical Training applied into a Welding
Workshop. Retrieved from Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and
Technology: https://www.ejmste.com/article/a-learning-evaluation-for-an-
immersive-virtual-laboratory-for-technical-training-applied-into-a-4677
Zhang, X., Yang, J., Chen, N., Zhang, S., Xu, Y., & Tan, L. (2019, August 2). Modeling
and simulation of an anatomy teaching system. Retrieved from Visual Computing
for Industry, Biomedicine, and Art:
https://vciba.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s42492-019-0019-4