Comparing Physical, Virtual, and Hybrid Flipped Labs for General Education Biology
Keywords:Virtual lab, science learning, inquiry, flipped, hybrid
AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the impact on learning, attitudes, and costs in a redesigned general education undergraduate biology course that implemented web-based virtual labs (VLs) to replace traditional physical labs (PLs). Over an academic year, two new modes of VL instruction were compared to the traditional PL offering: (1) all VL with an in-person help center (VL-A) and (2) a hybrid flipped VL model where online labs alternated with in-person labs every week (VL-H). All three lab types included a face-to-face lecture with the same materials. Engaging inquiry-based exercises were developed for each VL activity in which students were provided background information, guided through a series of basic experiments, encouraged to design their own experiments, and required to produce a simple scientific report that was delivered for evaluation electronically. The VL-A group had the highest proportion of repeatable grades (below a C, 2.0 grade points). Students in the VL-H group achieved significantly better grades compared to the other lab instruction groups. The VL-H group also experienced statistically significant favorable shifts in their self-reported attitudes towards biology. The personnel costs for the VL-A and VL-H models were 29% and 63% of the PL model, respectively, allowing more sections to be offered. These results suggest that carefully designed online lab opportunities can result in higher student grades and more favorable attitudes towards science while reducing costs compared to traditional labs.
Anderson, D.L., Fisher, K.M. & Norman, G. J. (2002). Development and evaluation of the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39, 952â€“978.
De Jong, T., Linn, M. C., & Zacharia, Z. C. (2013). Physical and virtual laboratories in science and engineering education. Science, 340, 305-308.
De Jong, T. (2006). Computer simulations - Technological advances in inquiry learning. Science, 312, 532-533.
De Jong, T. (2010). Learning by creating and exchanging objects: The SCY experience. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(6), 909-921.
Finkelstein, N.D., Adams, W.K., Keller, C.J., Kohl, P.B., Perkins, K.K., Podolefsky, N.S., Reid, S., & LeMaster, R. (2005). When learning about the real world is better done virtually: A study of substituting computer simulations for laboratory equipment. Physical Review Special Topicsâ€”Physics Education Research, 1, 010103.
Hennessy, S., Deaney, R., & Ruthven, K. (2006). Situated expertise in integrating use of multimedia simulation into secondary science teaching. International Journal of Science Education, 28(7), 701â€“732.
Jacobson, M.J., & Wilensky, U. (2006). Complex systems in education: Scientific and educational importance and research challenges for the learning sciences. Journal of Learning Sciences, 15, 11â€“34.
Klymkowsky, M W., Underwood, S.M. & Garvin-Doxas, K. (2010). Biological Concepts Instrument (BCI): A diagnostic tool for revealing student thinking. arXiv 1012.4501.
Klahr, D., Triona, L.M., & Williams, C. (2007). Hands on what? The relative effectiveness of physical versus virtual materials in an engineering design project by middle school children. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44, 183â€“203.
Linn, M. C., Lee, H. S., Tinker, R., Husic, F., & Chiu, J. L. (2006). Teaching and assessing knowledge integration in science. Science, 313(5790), 1049-1050.
National Research Council. (2006). Americaâ€™s lab report: Investigations in high school science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
National Research Council. (2007). Taking science to school: Learning and teaching science in grades K-8. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Rutledge, M.L. & Sadler, K.C. (2007). Reliability of the Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE) instrument with university students. The American Biology Teacher, 69 (6), 332â€“335.
Semsar, K., Knight, J.K., Birol, G. & Smith, M.K. (2011). The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) for use in biology. CBE Life Sciences Education, 10 (3), 268â€“278.
Tobin, K. (1990). Research on science laboratory activities: In pursuit of better questions and answers to improve learning. School Science and Mathematics,90(5), 403-418.
Triona, L., & Klahr, D. (2003). Point and click or grab and heft: Comparing the influence of physical and virtual instructional materials on elementary school studentsâ€™ ability to design experiments. Cognition and Instruction, 21, 149â€“173.
Welch, W. W., Klopfer, L. E., Aikenhead, G. S., & Robinson, J. T. (1981). The role of inquiry in science education: Analysis and recommendations. Science Education, 65(1), 33-50.
Windschitl, M., & Andre, T. (1998). Using computer simulations to enhance conceptual change: The roles of constructivist instruction and student epistemological beliefs. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 35(2), 145-160.
Winn, W., Stahr, F., Sarason, C., Fruland, R., Oppenheimer, P., & Lee, Y-L. (2006). Learning oceanography from a computer simulation compared with direct experience at sea. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43, 25â€“42.
Zacharia, Z. C., Olympiou, G., & Papaevripidou, M. (2008). Effects of experimenting with physical and virtual manipulatives on students' conceptual understanding in heat and temperature. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45(9), 1021-1035.
Zacharia, Z.C. (2007). Comparing and combining real and virtual experimentation: An effort to enhance studentsâ€™ conceptual understanding of electric circuits. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 23, 120â€“ 132.
As a condition of publication, the author agrees to apply the Creative Commons – Attribution International 4.0 (CC-BY) License to OLJ articles. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
This licence allows anyone to reproduce OLJ articles at no cost and without further permission as long as they attribute the author and the journal. This permission includes printing, sharing and other forms of distribution.
Author(s) hold copyright in their work, and retain publishing rights without restrictions