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Investigating the effect of virtual laboratories on students’ academic performance and attitudes towards learning biology

Authors:
Byukusenge Celine at University of Rwanda College of Education
Byukusenge Celine
  • University of Rwanda College of Education
Florien Nsanganwimana at University of Rwanda-College of Education
Florien Nsanganwimana
  • University of Rwanda-College of Education
Albert Paulo Tarmo at University of Dar es Salaam
Albert Paulo Tarmo
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Abstract and Figures

Research has revealed that learning, especially in the field of science, is strongly affected by various factors. These factors include students’ attitudes towards the subject matter, and the manner in which the subject is taught. Given their close linkage to students’ achievement, attitudes are relevant component in science learning. However, researchers have noticed a decline in students’ attitudes in pursuing science. Thus, the aim of this research was to delve into the impact of virtual laboratories on students’ attitudes toward biology and their performance in biology topics perceived as difficult. The research involved 168 Rwandan upper secondary school students. The study used a survey research combined with a quasi-experimental research design. The control group comprised 83 students and was taught with the conventional teaching method, while the experimental group comprised 85 and was treated under technology-based instruction using virtual laboratories. Furthermore, a focus group interview was used to get qualitative data about attitudinal change before and after the intervention. Concepts of nerve cells and identification of food nutrients, and enzyme activities were the focus of this study. The results indicated an important effect of an intervention to improve students’ attitudes toward the learned topics (p value < 0.05) and performance in favor of the experimental group. The focus group interviews revealed that prion to teaching interventions nerve cells topic was abstract and daunting to students and the visualization exercises helped them to understand while increasing their interest and engagement. However, a significant effect of the treatment on gender was not identified. The study recommends the use virtual laboratories for teaching difficult and abstract concepts to encourage positive attitudes toward learning biology.
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Education and Information Technologies (2024) 29:1147–1171
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12351-x
Abstract
Research has revealed that learning, especially in the eld of science, is strongly
aected by various factors. These factors include students’ attitudes towards the
subject matter, and the manner in which the subject is taught. Given their close link-
age to students’ achievement, attitudes are relevant component in science learning.
However, researchers have noticed a decline in students’ attitudes in pursuing sci-
ence. Thus, the aim of this research was to delve into the impact of virtual labora-
tories on students’ attitudes toward biology and their performance in biology topics
perceived as dicult. The research involved 168 Rwandan upper secondary school
students. The study used a survey research combined with a quasi-experimental
research design. The control group comprised 83 students and was taught with the
conventional teaching method, while the experimental group comprised 85 and was
treated under technology-based instruction using virtual laboratories. Furthermore,
a focus group interview was used to get qualitative data about attitudinal change
before and after the intervention. Concepts of nerve cells and identication of food
nutrients, and enzyme activities were the focus of this study. The results indicated
an important eect of an intervention to improve students’ attitudes toward the
learned topics (p value < 0.05) and performance in favor of the experimental group.
The focus group interviews revealed that prion to teaching interventions nerve cells
topic was abstract and daunting to students and the visualization exercises helped
them to understand while increasing their interest and engagement. However, a sig-
nicant eect of the treatment on gender was not identied. The study recommends
the use virtual laboratories for teaching dicult and abstract concepts to encourage
positive attitudes toward learning biology.
Keywords Biology science · Students’ attitude · Students’ performance · Virtual
laboratories · High school teaching
Received: 13 December 2022 / Accepted: 7 November 2023 / Published online: 30 November 2023
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
2023
Investigating the effect of virtual laboratories on students’
academic performance and attitudes towards learning
biology
CélineByukusenge1· FlorienNsanganwimana2· Albert PauloTarmo3
Extended author information available on the last page of the article
1 3
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
... By addressing future work opportunities and considering the broader implications, this research can contribute to advancements in high-quality and user-centred WVREA development for educational purposes. Bringing abstract concepts to life: Providing an immersive way to explore and understand abstract concepts Kim et al., 2023;Byukusenge et al., 2023;Parmar et al., 2023;Becker et al., 2023 Motivation: Enhancing student motivation through a highly interactive and immersive learning environment Parmar et al., 2023;Byukusenge et al., 2023;Becker et al., 2023;Di Natale et al., 2020;Makransky et al., 2019;Dirin & Laine, 2023;Newbutt et al., 2017;Gelsomini et al., 2016;Lee et al., 2017;Parong & Mayer, 2018 Accessibility: Providing inclusive learning experiences catering to diverse learning styles and preferences, overcoming geographical barriers, and adapting to individual learning paces Cecotti et al., 2024;Romero & Cecotti, 2024;Paxinou et al., 2022;Dunnagan et al., 2020;Kamińska et al., 2019;Neuwirth et al., 2018;Chen et al., 2017;Siddhpura et al., 2020;Qu et al., 2021;Grassini et al., 2020;Neuwirth et al., 2018;Smutny et al., 2019;Wolfartsberger, 2019 Context of use WVREAs can be utilised in various settings, including: Classroom setting: To enhance students' learning experiences. It provides a more interactive and immersive learning experience than traditional teaching methods and can be used to teach a wide range of subjects and concepts Bogusevschi et al., 2020;Sherman & Craig, 2018 Field of trips and outdoor learning: These applications can provide students with an interactive and engaging way to learn about the environment and nature around them (Rusu et al., 2011) VR apps Heuristics (Sutcliffe & Gault, 2004) VE Characteristic (Gabbard et al., 1997) User Interface Design Heuristics (Nielsen, 1994b) (Rusu et al., 2011) VR apps Heuristics (Sutcliffe & Gault, 2004) VE Characteristic (Gabbard et al., 1997) User Interface Design Heuristics (Nielsen, 1994b) (Gabbard et al., 1997) User Interface Design Heuristics (Nielsen, 1994b) 3 -SG3: Natural expression of action. ...
... By addressing future work opportunities and considering the broader implications, this research can contribute to advancements in high-quality and user-centred WVREA development for educational purposes. Bringing abstract concepts to life: Providing an immersive way to explore and understand abstract concepts Kim et al., 2023;Byukusenge et al., 2023;Parmar et al., 2023;Becker et al., 2023 Motivation: Enhancing student motivation through a highly interactive and immersive learning environment Parmar et al., 2023;Byukusenge et al., 2023;Becker et al., 2023;Di Natale et al., 2020;Makransky et al., 2019;Dirin & Laine, 2023;Newbutt et al., 2017;Gelsomini et al., 2016;Lee et al., 2017;Parong & Mayer, 2018 Accessibility: Providing inclusive learning experiences catering to diverse learning styles and preferences, overcoming geographical barriers, and adapting to individual learning paces Cecotti et al., 2024;Romero & Cecotti, 2024;Paxinou et al., 2022;Dunnagan et al., 2020;Kamińska et al., 2019;Neuwirth et al., 2018;Chen et al., 2017;Siddhpura et al., 2020;Qu et al., 2021;Grassini et al., 2020;Neuwirth et al., 2018;Smutny et al., 2019;Wolfartsberger, 2019 Context of use WVREAs can be utilised in various settings, including: Classroom setting: To enhance students' learning experiences. It provides a more interactive and immersive learning experience than traditional teaching methods and can be used to teach a wide range of subjects and concepts Bogusevschi et al., 2020;Sherman & Craig, 2018 Field of trips and outdoor learning: These applications can provide students with an interactive and engaging way to learn about the environment and nature around them (Rusu et al., 2011) VR apps Heuristics (Sutcliffe & Gault, 2004) VE Characteristic (Gabbard et al., 1997) User Interface Design Heuristics (Nielsen, 1994b) (Rusu et al., 2011) VR apps Heuristics (Sutcliffe & Gault, 2004) VE Characteristic (Gabbard et al., 1997) User Interface Design Heuristics (Nielsen, 1994b) (Gabbard et al., 1997) User Interface Design Heuristics (Nielsen, 1994b) 3 -SG3: Natural expression of action. ...
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... Comparative study 17 51.52% (Gibbons et al., 2004;Quesada, 2020;Paxinou et al., 2020;Chen et al., 2023;Byukusenge et al., 2023a;Bose & Humphreys, 2022;Leeuwen et al., 2023;Byukusenge et al., 2024;Byukusenge et al., 2023b;Makransky et al., 2016;Špernjak & Šorgo, 2018;Rinaldi et al., 2017;Oser & Fraser, 2015;Tavasuria et al., 2014;Sasidharakurup et al., 2015;Lamb et al., The results of comparative studies indicate that the effectiveness of virtual biology laboratories is greater than that of passive media laboratories. Students who learn via virtual biology laboratories show significant improvements in conceptual knowledge (Gibbons et al., 2004;Paxinou et al., 2020;Byukusenge et al., 2023b), self-confidence (Paxinou et al., 2020), selfefficacy (Chen et al., 2023), learning motivation (Byukusenge et al., 2023b), memory retention (Tavasuria et al., 2014), and experimental skills (Paxinou et al., 2020). ...
... The simulations in the virtual biology laboratory alleviate the cognitive load, especially for students with low visual processing abilities (Leeuwen et al., 2023). Visualization in virtual biology laboratories facilitates the learning of some complex and abstract biological concepts Byukusenge et al. (2023aByukusenge et al. ( , 2024. In addition, learning through virtual biology labs saves significant time for both the students and the teachers involved (Gibbons et al., 2004). ...
... Virtual lab Passive media Hands-on lab Virtual lab -Positive (n = 8) References (Gibbons et al., 2004;Paxinou et al., 2020;Chen et al., 2023;Byukusenge et al., 2023aByukusenge et al., , 2023bByukusenge et al., , 2024Leeuwen et al., 2023;Tavasuria et al., 2014) Equal (n = 5) References (Makransky et al., 2016;Makransky et al., 2019;Špernjak & Šorgo, 2018;Rinaldi et al., 2017;Oser & Fraser, 2015) Positive (n = 1) Reference (Quesada, 2020) Virtual lab + hands-on lab Positive (n = 1) Reference (Bose & Humphreys, 2022) Virtual lab + passive media Positive (n = 2) References (R. L. Lamb et al., 2019; Sasidharakurup et al., 2015) ...
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Virtual Laboratories in Undergraduate Science and Engineering Courses: a Systematic Review, 2009–2019
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Current technology has the capacity for affording a virtual experience that challenges the notion of a teaching laboratory for undergraduate science and engineering students. Though the potential of virtual laboratories (V-Labs) has been extolled and investigated in a number of areas, this research has not been synthesized for the context of undergraduate science and engineering education. This study involved a systematic review and synthesis of 25 peer-reviewed empirical research papers published between 2009 and 2019 that focused on V-Labs. The results reveal a dearth of varied theoretical and methodological approaches where studies have principally been evaluative and narrowly focused on individual changes in content knowledge. The majority of studies fell within the general domain of science and involved a single 2D experience using software that was acquired from a range of outside vendors. The perspective largely assumed V-Labs to be a teaching approach, providing instruction without any human-to-human interaction. Positive outcomes were attributed, based more on novelty than design, to improved student motivation. Studies exploring individual experiences, the role of personal characteristics or environments that afforded social learning, including interactions with faculty or teaching assistants were noticeably missing.
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Difficult topics in the revised biology curriculum for advanced level secondary schools in Rwanda: teachers’ perceptions of causes and remedies
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  • Jan 2022
Literature affirms that teachers’ difficulties in mastering the subject content and its teaching can be responsible for students’ negative attitudes towards that subject. The present study sought to explore biology topics in the revised Rwandan curriculum which teachers have difficulties in teaching, the reasons for their difficulties, and ways to improve teaching and learning of such topics. Data were collected from a sample of 67 teachers who agreed to join the survey, and analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results showed that 17 topics were considered difficult to teach and to learn. Molecular biology and biotechnology-related topics such as genetic engineering, gene technology, genetics, cell division, DNA replication, and protein synthesis were perceived as the most difficult to teach and learn. Teachers indicated a lack of content knowledge and visual teaching materials, inability to organise practical activities, overloaded curriculum, and the topics' abstractness to be among the reasons for the difficulty. Teachers suggested the use of virtual labs, 3D animations, provision of laboratory materials, reduction of the curriculum content, training and study visits as the practical options to alleviate the difficulties. Furthermore, the authors recommended different teachers’ professional development approaches and areas of focus for future research
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