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Background Objectives Methods Results and Conclusions The adoption of virtual laboratories (VLs) has experienced a significant surge, catalysed by the global changes in the educational landscape, notably influenced by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Originally supplementary to traditional in‐person laboratory experiments, VLs swiftly transitioned into a primary source of hands‐on laboratory activities for educational institutions worldwide during the pandemic. As restrictions have eased, virtual, computer‐assisted learning platforms continue to be used, though now as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, hands‐on experimentation opportunities. However, their adoption presents both opportunities and challenges that require thorough investigation to maximize their effectiveness and equity.This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of VL resources utilized across various scientific disciplines. It evaluates their potential to enhance traditional hands‐on laboratory activities and examines the efficacy of computer‐assisted learning platforms from a constructivist learning perspective. By doing so, the study seeks to identify best practices, challenges, and strategies for the effective integration of VLs in science education.A content analysis was conducted on literature published from 2013 to 2023, focusing on VLs in educational settings. Thematic analysis was employed to categorize the findings into three primary pillars: Merits, Challenges, and Implementation Strategies. Multiple researchers participated in the analysis to ensure reliability and consistency. To further enhance reliability, regular cross‐checks and consensus meetings were held to resolve any discrepancies and maintain the integrity of the thematic categorization. A constructivist learning perspective was used to analyse the instructional implications, focusing on active learning to evaluate alignment with educational goals, adapted teaching methods, and assessments.The analysis revealed that VLs offer significant benefits, including enhanced accessibility, flexibility, and opportunities for active learning. Virtual labs provide scalable, safe opportunities for inquiry‐based science learning by replicating experiments in an accessible digital environment, enhancing understanding of scientific concepts based on research demonstrations of improved learning outcomes. However, challenges such as high initial setup costs, technological barriers, and the need for effective integration with traditional curricula were also identified. Despite these challenges, VLs have the potential to complement and enhance hands‐on laboratory experiences, provided they are implemented thoughtfully and equitably. Future research should focus on improving the efficacy, accessibility, collaboration among stakeholders, and economic feasibility of VLs to maximize their educational impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Advances in digital factory technologies are offering great potential to innovate higher education, by enabling innovative learning approaches based on virtual laboratories that increase the involvement of students while delivering realistic experiences. This article introduces a framework for the development of virtual learning applications by addressing multidisciplinary requirements. The implementation of the framework can be eased by the use of the proposed virtual learning factory application (VLFA), an open-source solution that takes advantage of virtual reality to support innovative higher-education learning activities in industrial engineering. A complete design and development workflow is described, starting from the identification of the requirements, to the design of software modules and underlying technologies, up to the final implementation. The framework and the VLFA have been tested to implement a serious game related to the design and analysis of manufacturing systems, also collecting the feedback of students and teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, engineering labs are expected to reinforce fundamental science, technology, engineering, and mathematical concepts that students need to demonstrate learning in the discipline. The emergence of online degrees, the COVID pandemic, and the development of virtual lab technologies have advanced how educators design lab courses. As these new laboratory environments and practices emerge, the need for tools to evaluate how students experience and value these labs are needed. The Student Perceived Value of an Engineering Laboratory (SPVEL) assessment instrument was designed to address this need. SPVEL is framed on the Technology Acceptance Model, Inputs-Environment-Outcome Conceptual Model, and Engineering Role Identity model. In this work, the SPVEL is validated for in-person engineering laboratories. An Exploratory Load Factor analysis was conducted on the responses to twenty-five questionnaire items using a dataset of 208 participants. The Principal Components Method was employed to extract five factors. Cronbach’s alphas for data reliability for each factor ranged from 0.65 to 0.93, indicating high internal consistency. SPVEL provides a mechanism for elucidating students’ perception of their laboratory experiences, how these experiences influence their engineering role identities, and how students value laboratory experiences as preparatory and reflective of the skills needed for their careers in engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Virtual Reality (VR) laboratories are a new pedagogical approach to support psychomotor skills development in undergraduate programmes to achieve practical competency. VR laboratories are successfully used to carry out virtual experiments in science courses and for clinical skills training in professional courses. This paper describes the development and evaluation of a VR-based microbiology laboratory on Head-Mounted Display (HMD) for undergraduate students. Student and faculty perceptions and expectations were collected to incorporate into the laboratory design. An interactive 3-dimensional VR laboratory with a 360° view was developed simulating our physical laboratory setup. The laboratory environment was created using Unity with the (created) necessary assets and 3D models. The virtual laboratory was designed to replicate the physical laboratory environment as suggested by the students and faculty. In this VR laboratory, six microbiology experiments on Gram staining, bacterial streaking, bacterial motility, catalase test, oxidase test and biochemical tests were placed on the virtual platform. First-year biomedical science students were recruited to evaluate the VR laboratory. Students’ perception of the virtual laboratory was positive and encouraging. About 70% of the students expressed they felt safe using the VR laboratory and that it was engaging. They felt that the VR laboratory provided an immersive learning experience. They appreciated that they could repeat each experiment multiple times without worrying about mistakes or mishaps. They could personalise their learning by concentrating on the specific experiments. Our in-house VR-based microbiology laboratory was later extended to other health professions programmes teaching microbiology.

Brazing of nickel-based alloys plays a major role in the assembly of turbine components, e.g., abradable sealing systems. In a brazed joint of nickel-based alloys a composition of brittle and ductile phases can be formed if the brazing conditions are not ideal. This heterogeneous microstructure is a crucial challenge for predicting the damage behavior of a brazed joint. The initiation and evolution of microdamage inside of the brittle phase of a virtual dual-phase microstructure representing the material in a brazed joint is studied by means of numerical simulations. A phase field approach for brittle damage is employed on the microscale. The simulation approach is capable of depicting phenomena of microcracking like kinking and branching due to heterogeneous stress and strain fields on the microscale. No information regarding the initiation sites and pathways of microcracks is needed a priori. The reliability of calculating the effective critical energy quantities as a microstructure-based criterion for macroscopic damage is assessed. The effective critical strain energy density and the effective critical energy release rate are evaluated for single-phase microstructures, and the approach is transferred to dual-phase microstructures. The local critical strain energy density turns out to be better suited as a model input parameter on the microscale as well as for a microstructure-based prediction of macroscopic damage compared to a model employing the energy release rate. Regarding the uncertainty of the model prediction, using the effective critical energy release rate leads to a standard deviation which is five times larger than the standard deviation in the predicted effective critical strain energy density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era of rapid evolution in educational technologies, Virtual Labs (V-Labs) have emerged as a promising solution, fundamentally altering how learners engage with scientific concepts and experiments. Despite their potential, ensuring their effectiveness and inclusivity in terms of accessibility to diverse students remains a challenging task. Currently, there is limited insight into the accessibility of V-Labs, a gap that our study aims to address. This study seeks to ascertain the effectiveness of V-Labs in terms of accessibility and inclusivity. We synthesized empirical studies, reviewing 36 articles published between 2000 and 2023. Of these articles, 69% of the studies were conducted in higher education and covered a wide range of learning environments. Our study revealed that 47.3% of the studies focused on various engineering subjects. Our findings provide insight into V-Labs' accessibility from four key perspectives: (a) students with limited abilities, (b) diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, (c) instructional design features and content availability, and (d) interaction supporting features. We also identified existing gaps in the accessibility of the V-Labs from the four perspectives. Furthermore, we examined the assessment methods of V-Labs, shed light on the aspects that are evaluated, and underscored the need for future work on assessment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work provides online learning modules and instructions on how educators can leverage these technologies to help students learn in a personalized online environment. In particular, we focus on Google Colab, and the features provided by the Gradio Python library to provide interactivity within these modules. The contributions of this work include: (1) Development of a teaching framework using Gradio/Colab that offers automated grading and feedback for both educators and students; (2) Design of a versatile proposal, accommodating beginners with a straightforward interface while addressing the needs of advanced learners; (3) Creation of a comprehensive set of examples tailored for teaching digital logic subjects, with adaptability for application in various computer science areas. (4) A classification of these example learning modules in terms of their learning level for the students; (5) A novel client‐server approach based on Colab/Gradio, allowing teachers to manage the main notebook efficiently while providing a lightweight and reliable interface for students. The goal of this work is to further expose educators to the remarkable capabilities that cloud computing brings to online supplemental education, noting that large language models such as ChatGPT complement this work, in that chatbots will be able to guide students in these dynamic simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory experimentation providing students with hands-on experiences can greatly enhance the teaching and learning of physics. However, traditional hands-on laboratories are very expensive, limiting the possibilities for practical activities. In addition, limited time for laboratory practices prevents teachers and students from conducting laboratory activities properly. A possible solution to these limitations could be the use of virtual laboratories (VLs). The present study was conducted to explore the availability of teaching resources to support experimental work, the use of these resources including VLs and the challenges teachers face in using VLs. An online survey with 107 secondary school physics teachers was used to collect data. The study is framed by the Concerns-Based Adoption Model for teacher use of curriculum innovations. Regarding VLs, a mere 6% of teachers reported regular use, revealing a significant gap in adoption. Challenges identified included a lack of awareness, limited information and communications technology tools and insufficient supporting resources. Cross-item analysis revealed that only 25% of 107 teachers reported having a well-equiped physics laboratory, 45% work without a physics laboratory but with science kits or improvised materials, while 30% have no access to a physics laboratory, science kits or improvised local materials. Thus, for teachers without access to a physics laboratory, science kits or improvised local materials, VLs represent a crucial opportunity to provide learners with a complete laboratory experience. The study recommends tailoring continuing professional development support to address teachers’ concerns regarding the use of VLs. This includes enhancing awareness and providing information for teachers without access to well-equipped physics laboratories, while addressing management concerns for those with or without such resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual Reality (VR) laboratories are a new pedagogical approach to support psychomotor skills development in undergraduate programmes to achieve practical competency. VR laboratories are successfully used to carry out virtual experiments in science courses and for clinical skills training in professional courses. This paper describes the development and evaluation of a VR-based microbiology laboratory on Head-Mounted Display (HMD) for undergraduate students. Student and faculty perceptions and expectations were collected to incorporate into the laboratory design. An interactive 3-dimensional VR laboratory with a 360° view was developed simulating our physical laboratory setup. The laboratory environment was created using Unity with the (created) necessary assets and 3D models. The virtual laboratory was designed to replicate the physical laboratory environment as suggested by the students and faculty. In this VR laboratory, six microbiology experiments on Gram staining, bacterial streaking, bacterial motility, catalase test, oxidase test and biochemical tests were placed on the virtual platform. First-year biomedical science students were recruited to evaluate the VR laboratory. Students' perception of the virtual laboratory was positive and encouraging. About 70% of the students expressed they felt safe using the VR laboratory and that it was engaging. They felt that the VR laboratory provided an immersive learning experience. They appreciated that they could repeat each experiment multiple times without worrying about mistakes or mishaps. They could personalise their learning by concentrating on the specific experiments. Our in-house VR-based microbiology laboratory was later extended to other health professions programmes teaching microbiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory courses can help students learn in a meaningful way. In the past, students encountered difficulties in chemistry laboratory courses due to limited access to equipment and space for practicing experimental operations. In recent years, virtual laboratories have allowed students to repeatedly practice in order to achieve their experimental goals. However, even when students follow the experimental protocol, some still cannot fully understand the principles and meaning of the experimental procedures. Therefore, when they encounter unexpected situations in experiments, they may not know how to handle them. Thus, this study incorporated a concept mapping-guided learning approach to facilitate students' understanding of the concepts of the experimental process and the relationship between experimental procedures before virtual laboratory practice. Using a quasi-experimental approach, 51 middle school students aged 12 to 13 years were assigned to an experimental group (M = 12, F = 14) using the concept mapping-guided virtual laboratory learning approach, and a control group (M = 12, F = 13) using the conventional virtual laboratory learning approach. The experimental group improved their science process skills, problem-solving awareness, and creative thinking tendency. Teachers can employ guided virtual laboratory learning approaches to help students experiment and understand concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Despite the growing importance of bioinformatics in molecular diagnostics, not all medical laboratory sciences (MLS) programs provide instruction in this field. We developed and assessed a virtual laboratory learning unit to introduce basic bioinformatics concepts and tools to MLS students. Methods The unit included a video tutorial, written instructions for the online laboratory activity, and a postactivity review video. The effectiveness of the instruction was evaluated using preassessment and postassessment questions, performance of the online tasks, and a survey assessing the students' attitudes toward the learning unit. Results A prototype of the module was tested with 32 graduate and undergraduate students. Modifications were made based on the pilot test results and student feedback, and the refined version was subsequently evaluated with a different group of 20 undergraduate students. The participants responded favorably to the learning unit and successfully achieved the learning objectives, gaining familiarity with fundamental bioinformatics concepts and terminology, effectively employing basic computational tools, and developing an appreciation for the field. Conclusions Our learning unit is a promising tool for introducing MLS students to the field of bioinformatics. As an open educational resource, it has the potential to be integrated into molecular biology education for MLS programs anywhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In teaching chemistry, laboratory activities increase student's interest because it provides hands-on experience for learning. Unfortunately, the school lack these facilities; thus, hands on learning were barely possible. Due to this reason the researcher opted to utilize virtual chemistry laboratory to address the problem. This study attempted to determine the effect of virtual chemistry laboratory to enhance learning performance and engagement of Grade 10 Learners. Pre-experimental research design involving one-group pretest-posttest was utilized. T-tests were used to determine the significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores. Pearson correlation was used to determine the significant relationship between the students' engagement and learning performance and Cohen's d was used to determine the effect size. The result revealed an increase in learning performance of students. Moreover, students agreed that they were moderately engaged. There was a significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores of both learning performance and engagement. However, there was no significant relationship between the two variables. The result further revealed that virtual chemistry Laboratory has a large effect to learning performance and engagement. In the teaching and learning process, technology plays an important role in providing an educational atmosphere that stimulate students and motivate them for better learning. In light of the results of this study, since the app utilized was downloaded by the researcher, modifications as to what the virtual laboratory should have been and should have been not possible. Thus, it is recommended that training and seminars could be provided to teachers in developing useful technologies that are personalized and based on their own context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructivism serves as a basic theory in education, and plays an important role, because this perspective views learning as a dynamic process in which students actively participate in constructing their knowledge. So, this research aims to produce a virtual laboratory that is valid and effective in developing constructivist thinking. This research and development use the Ploom approach which consists of initial investigation, design, construction/realization, testing, evaluation, revision, and implementation. Thirty-two electrical engineering students from Padang State University participated in this research. The instruments used are validity instruments and constructivism assessment tools. The research results show that the Proteus-based virtual laboratory developed is valid and effective in fostering constructivist thinking in electrical measurement practice. This study contributes to the advancement of virtual laboratories in educational settings, emphasizing the importance of constructivist pedagogy for meaningful and engaging learning experiences in the field of electrical engineering. The results of this research open opportunities for further research regarding the exploration of artificial intelligence to improve constructivism through virtual laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with increasing the complexity of learning objectives, the traditional Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are insufficient in improving students’ learning achievement. Advanced VLEs can be created to overcome this challenge by combining traditional VLEs with Virtual Lab Network Simulation (Vilanets) learning media. This research, conducted over a period of one year, investigates the effect of different VLEs (beginner, intermediate, and advanced). The participants were 58 students assigned into three groups: beginner VLEs using video, intermediate VLEs using the Cisco Packet Tracer simulator, and advanced VLEs using Vilanets learning media. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design and one-way ANCOVA were used for the statistical analysis. The findings revealed a significant effect of VLEs on students’ learning achievement posttest scores controlled by pretest scores (F = 4.03; p = 0.02; p

This paper investigates the role of learning pathway design in a web-based 360° virtual laboratory safety training. A linearly structured virtual laboratory safety training was designed and implemented. Student experiences with the linear learning pathway were compared with a previously implemented non-linear learning pathway. In the linear pathway, students complete the virtual laboratory tour in a predetermined order, while in a non-linear pathway the students can complete the virtual laboratory tour in any order. Student feedback was collected from over 900 students and the experiences from the linearly structured virtual laboratory were highly positive. Compared to the previously implemented non-linear learning pathway, the student feedback related to the learning experience improved significantly. The feedback also showed a difference between preferred learning styles, highlighting the importance of choosing the learning pathway based on the intended learning outcomes and offering different types of learning materials for different learners. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that the linearly structured virtual laboratory offers an effective and motivating learning environment for laboratory safety training. [Display omitted] • The role of learning pathway design in a web-based 360∘ virtual laboratory safety training was studied. • Significant proportion of students favored a linearly structured learning pathway over of free roaming. • Catering to diverse learning styles was important when designing virtual laboratories for safety education. • Students reported several benefits for the virtual laboratory training, including refreshing experience and interactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual laboratory is one of the solutions that can be used for practical or experimental activities in the context of independent learning on an independent campus, which is carried out outside the laboratory, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, in practice, there are several obstacles so the use of virtual laboratories has not been massive. This study aims to analyze the student's perspective on the virtual laboratory in forcing conditions during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research method uses a survey with a questionnaire technique to capture the perspectives of students of the Biology Education Study Program at one of the universities in West Java. The perspectives studied include innovation, urgency, usefulness, and motivation which are grouped into positive and negative perspectives. The results showed that most of the students had a positive perspective on the virtual laboratory by 81.64%, and a negative perspective of 18.36%. Among the four indicators, motivation is the smallest positive perspective although it is larger than the negative perspective. This research can give the conclusion that the virtual laboratory needs to be continuously developed along with the improvement of students' technological skills or literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to describe the development of a chemical representation-oriented virtual laboratory. It produced a learning media application which could be used in electrolysis study materials. The study described the analysis phase and the design and development phase. It also analyzed the results of limited tests towards the product. The study showed that the virtual laboratory features a colorful, attractive design and interactivity. The virtual laboratory can be potentially used as a learning media in chemistry learning on electrolysis concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual laboratory simulations (VLs), particularly in Biology education, are gaining popularity. This study focused on assessing students' and teachers' perceptions of VLs, developed by Labster, in a first-year undergraduate cell biology course. The evaluation involved surveys and interviews with 352 respondents. Findings indicate that over 90% of students found VLs user-friendly and visually engaging. However, around 60% noted the need for significant technical resources, which could limit accessibility. Over 80% of students reported that VLs increased their motivation, autonomy, interest, and confidence. While only 72% viewed them as potential replacements for traditional labs, more than 90% preferred using VLs as preparatory material for practical sessions. Teachers generally agreed with these perceptions, emphasizing the need for technical support for effective use. They suggested that VLs are better as pre-lab activities rather than full replacements. Both students and teachers recognized VLs as beneficial for academic performance and learning attitude but noted limitations in technical support for home use. The consensus was that VLs are most effective as complementary material before in-person lab sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is an important factor in online learning and is defined as the process of actively managing one's own learning process to achieve a desired outcome. However, many issues remain unsolved about how to improve cognitive strategies and self-regulation in online learning environments where teachers are not physically present. As a result, this study aims to explore the effectiveness of a web-based virtual laboratory on enhanced students' SRL. A quasiexperimental pre-/post-test with a control group design was employed involving 40 female students aged 14-15 years old. While the students in the experimental group carried out the practical activities using a specially developed web-based virtual laboratory, the students in the control group used a physical laboratory. The results obtained indicated that the virtual laboratory significantly enhanced metacognitive self-regulation, effort regulation, peer learning, and overall SRL more than the physical laboratory. These findings could be attributed to how students learn using the virtual laboratory. For instance, students can navigate the virtual lab website at their own pace at anytime and anywhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] As a fundamental course in engineering colleges, the control course is essential in electrical, mechanical, and automation majors. However, the teaching process is not easy. Aiming at the challenges of abstract knowledge and lack of visualization display in control courses, we built a virtual control engineering laboratory with a digital twin as the featured board based on the digital twin theory. [Methods] Through the digital twin experimental module, the simulation animation is synchronized with the kinematics of the solid model, and the hidden control theory is shown. Herein, LabVIEW is employed as the primary program platform to build a virtual laboratory applicable to the teaching of mechanical control engineering; the construction of the digital twin experimental module is achieved using SolidWorks software, STM32 microcontroller, and distance measuring laser module. Through the rich combination of controls, the time and frequency domain models of the adjustable control system are built in LabVIEW, the time and frequency domain characteristic curves are presented, and the modules of time domain, frequency domain, and stability analyses are written. To create the digital twin experimental bench, SolidWorks is used to establish three-dimensional models of the test bench, mass blocks, and springs; further, the three-dimensional model of the experimental bench is imported into the LabVIEW program, and the physical experimental bench was fabricated using metal machining processes. To achieve consistency between the virtual model and the physical motion state, the sensor needs to collect the motion state of the mass block in real time. To avoid the control system from external interference, we adopt a displacement laser sensor with a high sampling frequency to collect the real-time motion of the mass block. Based on the serial communication protocol, the STM 32 microcontroller serves as the slave computer to collect the data uploaded by the sensor and transfer it to the computer for subsequent processing. The data acquisition control driver available in LabVIEW acquires the amount of information from the serial port, processes it, and transfers it to the virtual model as a data stream. The position of the virtual model is updated at a high frequency in the program, achieving correspondence between the digital mirror and the movement of the physical entity, in addition to the digital twin synchronization. [Results] The developed virtual laboratory of mechanical control engineering achieved the following functions: showing the time domain characteristic, frequency domain characteristic curve, and Nyquist diagram of the control system; solving the gain and phase margins to solve the zero and pole; reproducing the two-system stability discrimination methods, i.e., Nyquist stability and stability margin criteria; showing the trajectory of the system pole with change in parameters; constructing different simulation models to realize the digital twin experimental module. [Conclusions] Through these functions, the organic combination of teaching, simulation, and digital twin is achieved, which boosts the experimental teaching link of the control course to a certain degree and offers guidance for the cultivation of innovative talents and the construction of virtual simulation laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plenty of information and communication technologies are frequently employed in educational activities to improve the opportunities for students to gain knowledge and experience, including the virtual laboratory. The virtual laboratory is quite often implemented into educational process in many science, technology, and engineering courses at the university level of education. However, the use of virtual laboratory in the field of electronic commerce education is rather rare. In our educational practice, a virtual laboratory of electronic commerce was designed and implemented within the course of electronic entrepreneurship. This paper presents the design of the virtual laboratory of electronic commerce and provides an outline of its integration into the university course's teaching process. The study examines the learning progress claimed by the students who participated in the most current edition of the course delivered utilizing this virtual laboratory. The findings revealed improvement of course participants' experience and abilities in the field of electronic entrepreneurship in e-commerce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vocational school students are not only required to master competency skills but also cognitive skills. Engineering mechanics learning is a basic calculation lesson that students should master. This research aimed to develop and identify the effectiveness of Android-based virtual laboratory (V-lab) media to improve students’ cognitive skills in learning engineering mechanics at vocational school in Surakarta. The subjects comprised 70 students of first grade vocational school majoring in civil engineering in Surakarta. This research was a research and development (R&D) study to develop an Android-based virtual laboratory media. Testing the N-Gain analysis in the experimental and control classes was to determine the effectiveness of virtual laboratory media in improving students’ cognitive thinking skills. Data were obtained from questionnaires and pretest and post-test test sheets. The developed virtual laboratory media was considered ‘very appropriate’ by media, material, and practitioner experts. The average value of N-Gain for the experimental class was 78.19% which was included in the effective category. Meanwhile, in the control class, the average N-Gain value reached 54.07%, which was included in the less effective category. This indicates that the use of Android-based virtual laboratory media for learning is more effective than conventional learning media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era of rapid evolution in educational technologies, Virtual Labs (V-Labs) have emerged as a promising solution, fundamentally altering how learners engage with scientific concepts and experiments. Despite their potential, ensuring their effectiveness and inclusivity in terms of accessibility to diverse students remains a challenging task. Currently, there is limited insight into the accessibility of V-Labs, a gap that our study aims to address. This study seeks to ascertain the effectiveness of V-Labs in terms of accessibility and inclusivity. We synthesized empirical studies, reviewing 36 articles published between 2000 and 2023. Of these articles, 69% of the studies were conducted in higher education and covered a wide range of learning environments. Our study revealed that 47.3% of the studies focused on various engineering subjects. Our findings provide insight into V-Labs’ accessibility from four key perspectives: (a) students with limited abilities, (b) diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, (c) instructional design features and content availability, and (d) interaction supporting features. We also identified existing gaps in the accessibility of the V-Labs from the four perspectives. Furthermore, we examined the assessment methods of V-Labs, shed light on the aspects that are evaluated, and underscored the need for future work on assessment strategies.

This study aims to test the effectiveness of the Internet of Things (IoT)-based virtual science laboratory on nervous system material in science lectures. The research method used was an experiment with a pretest-posttest control group design, with the research subjects being randomly selected A3 and A4 class students in the PGRI Yogyakarta University PGSD study program who take science courses. Data was collected by giving a pre-test and post-test and measuring n-gain to determine the increase in concept understanding after using a virtual science laboratory. Data analysis was carried out using the t-test to test the significant difference between the pre-test and post-test results and the n-gain test to measure the effectiveness of virtual science laboratories in improving students' concept understanding. The results of this study indicated that the Internet of Things (IoT)-based virtual science laboratory on nervous system material effectively improves students' understanding of concepts. It can be seen from the average n-gain result of 0.72 in the experimental group, which shows a high increase in concept understanding. The t-test results showed a significant difference between the control group and the experimental group in terms of the effectiveness of the IoT-based virtual science laboratory on nervous system material.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented substantial challenges to higher education, leading to economic loss and disruptions in STEM courses. This study addresses these issues through the successful implementation of a problem-based learning research project within the Instrumental Chemistry course at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). Focused on instrumental chemistry, the project spans various categories, requiring students to propose solutions to real-case scenarios using specific analytical instruments. Despite the shift to a hybrid teaching modality, students exhibited commendable preparation and investigation skills, as demonstrated by their projects. Assessment data, including a student survey and written report evaluations, underscore significant skill improvements in literature survey, instrument selection, experimental design, and data analysis. This problem-based learning approach not only mitigated the disruptions caused by the pandemic but also fostered enhanced capabilities and motivation among students. The study’s findings contribute insights into the adaptability and effectiveness of problem-based learning in analytical chemistry education within a hybrid teaching framework, offering valuable considerations for future educational strategies in STEM disciplines and beyond.

This article examines the process of creating and researching a virtual laboratory for training students in coding theory. General information about the virtual laboratories is presented. A methodology for conducting comprehensive scientific research is presented, as well as a specialized method for designing and developing the virtual laboratory, including the system’s architecture. The article also presents brief information about the developed system. The results of the experimental research, including a pedagogical experiment aimed at evaluating the influence of the virtual laboratory on the students’ success rate, as well as an analysis of the statistical data on their activity, are discussed in detail. In addition, a survey was conducted to assess the satisfaction of students with the use of the laboratory.

Laboratory learning has a vital role in science education. With the application of information technologies in educational domain, virtual experiment has become an effective supplement to traditional experimental teaching. Moreover, virtual experimentation can expand experimental field, enrich teaching content and reduce experimental risk, which provides strong support for the sustainable development of higher education. Using cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), computer simulation and interaction, we developed two public virtual laboratories and 41 virtual-simulation-experiment projects. They are integrated into an interactive learning environment, that is, virtual experiment learning management platform. The method is based on ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). In this paper, one virtual-simulation-experiment project is taken as a case study. The project includes 4 virtual practical activities mapped to the medical courses; and they were implemented in the third year of the bachelor's degree. The proposed virtual learning environment has been evaluated by learners for 2 years. The results achieved and similar findings from other studies, show that the use of virtual learning environment has a positive impact on the learning process and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power electronics is an engineering field dealing with the control and conversion of electrical energy. Many institutions are using CDIO (Conceive/Design/Implement/Operate) framework for their curricular planning and outcome-based assessment which demands huge self-learning. A virtual laboratory is an online platform allowing users to conduct simulations in a digital environment to improve self-learning. In this work, a virtual laboratory which provides an interactive platform for students to learn and experiment with power electronics circuits and devices, without the need for physical equipment is developed. The laboratory consists of a web-based interface that simulates the behaviour of different power electronics circuits. Learners can select different components and parameters to build and test circuits, and observe the results in real-time. The virtual laboratory also provides access to various measurement tools to analyse the behaviour of the circuits. The virtual laboratory has been designed to provide a user-friendly and intuitive interface, with detailed instructions and feedback to support students' learning. The laboratory has been integrated into a power electronics course. Feedback is collected through surveys from a total of 75 students including open ended questions and Likert responses. The learning of two set of students with and without using virtual lab before doing physical experimentation are assessed using a descriptive test. CDIO components analysis is done with the results of Mini projects developed by the students. The results indicate that the virtual laboratory provides a valuable and engaging learning experience and improves learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the laboratory work activity is an essential part of chemistry learning, recent studies on the effectiveness of Virtual Chemistry Laboratory (VICH-Lab) are proposed. This research aims to promote students' learning independence and achievement by implementing VICH-Lab in blended online learning of chemical equilibrium topics in a chemistry lesson. Quasi-experimental research with a post-test-only design was implemented in this research. The samples of this research cover two classes drawn from a public secondary school in Kulon Progo Regency, Indonesia. Both classes were established by the cluster random sampling technique. The students' learning independence data were collected through the Learning Independence Questionnaire (LIQ) and Observation Sheet of Learning Independence (OSLI). In contrast, the data on students' achievements were obtained through Chemical Equilibrium Test (CET). The two data types were analysed following the one-way Analysis of Variance (one-way ANOVA) technique. The analysis results indicate any significant effects of VICH-Lab in blended online learning on students' learning independence and achievement. Thus, the VICH-Lab in blended online learning can be used as an alternative way to promote students' learning independence and achievement, especially in this pandemic covid-19 situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the application of augmented reality (AR) technology to facilitate collaborative learning in science education. The study involved 30 secondary school students in Kazakhstan, who were divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group utilized an AR platform to facilitate collaborative learning during their science lessons, while the control group received traditional teaching methods. The study aimed to investigate the impact of AR on students' learning outcomes, communication and collaboration skills, and overall satisfaction with science education. The research design involved pre- and post-tests, as well as a survey of students' perceptions of the AR experience. The results indicated that the experimental group demonstrated statistically significant improvement in their science test scores compared to the control group. Furthermore, the students in the experimental group reported a high level of engagement and satisfaction with the AR platform, along with enhanced communication and collaboration skills. The study suggests that AR technology has the potential to improve collaborative learning in science education and provides new opportunities for engaging students and enhancing their learning outcomes. The findings have significant implications for educators interested in integrating AR technology into their teaching practices as well as for researchers exploring the use of AR in education. Further research is necessary to investigate the long-term effects of AR on learning outcomes and to determine the most effective methods for incorporating AR technology into science education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In private and expensive experimental laboratory studies, there are problems such as difficulty in accessing measuring devices and materials, space and time problems, and insufficient technical support due to the need for expertise. In this study, a fiber optic laboratory (FOL), which can be used for educational and scientific research purposes, has high installation costs and has difficulty in accessing devices, was designed and realized as a remote accessible/fully controllable. All devices in the proposed laboratory have been virtualized on the MATLAB App Designer platform, and communication protocols have been defined and made remotely accessible and controllable. In the proposed system, the user accessed remotely can perform all device controls, record the measurement results, take the measurement average as much as he wants to increase the measurement accuracy, monitor the experimental setup with a camera, and receive expert support. Afterward, a sample experiment was set up on the system and the results were compared. The proposed laboratory has a high potential to establish international collaborations in remote/flexible work and scientific research. Finally, a scale was applied to FOL undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral student groups. The Cronbach α coefficient showing the reliability of the applied model was found to be.934. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of virtual labs in higher education is gaining growing interest, with different debates in the literature about their role in addressing learning outcomes and balancing hands-on activities. This study seeks to understand how labs can be virtualised and thus structured to contribute to engineering education, by adopting an innovative perspective in studying the labs themselves as core assets to be developed for teaching and learning. Following the precepts of grounded theory, we performed a multi-case study of nine labs that underwent a process of virtualisation and their role within three programs of engineering education. Findings revealed (1) the dynamics in uncovering and exploiting the potentialities of different virtualisation paths, by overcoming difficulties in funding or a wider use in different courses, (2) the structural needs, such as stakeholder collaboration specifics and technical update intensity, and (3) the importance of education and research specifics in driving the design and development of virtualised labs. The pattern analysis of the relation between these features guided the development of a typology of virtualised labs that can be ascribed to three structuring phases – identified as foundational, intermediate, and advanced – and constitute the key contribution of this paper for both theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physics is recognized as one of the most difficult topics, which has resulted in a lack of enthusiasm and engagement among secondary students. Therefore, this study aims to (i) identify the difficulties encountered by students in learning Physics, (ii) determine the significant difference in students' performance in Force and Motion in Physics when using virtual laboratories based on gender, and (iii) identify the significant difference in students' performance in Force and Motion in Physics when using a virtual laboratory based on urban and suburban settings. Quasi-experimental research was employed to investigate students' difficulties in Force and Motion, with the research objective being to identify students' perception of computer simulation. The questionnaire was distributed via Google Forms to 40 respondents from secondary school students from Selangor, Malaysia. The findings of this study demonstrated that students encountered the expected problems and provided positive feedback after utilizing the virtual laboratory for learning Physics, indicating the effectiveness of computer simulation in Physics education. The data also revealed that gender did not influence interest in learning Physics, and rural areas showed no significant differences in student performance during the learning sessions. Furthermore, students provided positive feedback and agreed that the virtual laboratory teaching methods offer numerous advantages over traditional methods for teaching and learning Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the effectiveness of virtual laboratory-based distance learning as a means of improving the learning outcomes of students’ cognitive abilities and practical skills in the Computer Numerical Control course. This study utilized a pre-experimental design with a onegroup pretest-posttest structure. The research subjects were 31 second-year vocational students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Universitas Negeri Padang who had recently participated in four distance learning sessions. The research instruments included a pre-test, a post-test, and a student perception survey to assess the effectiveness of virtual laboratory treatment. The findings of this study demonstrate that the presence of a virtual laboratory enhances learning outcomes in terms of cognitive abilities. The pre-test value for cognitive abilities was 52.04, which increased to 82.36 in the post-test. Similarly, the pre-test value for practical skills was 56.98, which improved to 83.44 in the post-test. These improvements significantly contribute to the enhancement of learning outcomes, as indicated by an average N-gain value of 0.642 in the medium/effective category. We conclude that the use of virtual laboratory media through the Metaverse platform is effective for distance learning. This method reduces the initial requirement of 24 hours of face-to-face learning to just five hours of more effective self-study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this digitized world, the potential of technology in education is beyond our imagination as it has brought a 360-degree revolution to the education system. To achieve promising outcomes, a dire need arises to amalgamate technology with traditional methods of teaching and learning. Both academicians and researchers endorse the use of technology in pedagogy for theory as well as lab-based courses. With the constant tech invasion, it's likely that physical laboratories will lead to an obvious transition into virtual laboratories by facilitating an avant garde experience for students. It can mitigate the high costs of procurement of apparatus in traditional labs and can support distance and blended learning. Researchers have proven that virtual labs help students to save time, effort and keep abreast with the technological development in this digitized era. As per various studies, virtual laboratory enhances critical thinking, scientific attitude, science process skill, self-efficacy, and problem-solving abilities. As per various studies, virtual laboratory enhances critical thinking, scientific attitude, science process skill, self-efficacy, and problem-solving abilities. This meta-analysis is an attempt to observe the impact of virtual laboratories on the scientific attitude and self-efficacy inculcated among students across science subjects and different measurement methods. Key contributions of the study were: 1) 58% of the studies concluded that a virtual laboratory is more effective in developing scientific attitude. 2) 64% of the studies reported that virtual laboratories activities outweigh the physical laboratory activities in creating self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides for improving the educational system in the conditions of the information education environment in the Republic of Uzbekistan, improving the effectiveness of Independent Education by eliminating certain shortcomings in teaching on the basis of distance education technologies, ending repeatability and parallelism, improving the performance of teachers' functional tasks, organizing international research in the field of assessing the quality of Education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented substantial challenges to higher education, leading to economic loss and disruptions in STEM courses. This study addresses these issues through the successful implementation of a problem-based learning research project within the Instrumental Chemistry course at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). Focused on instrumental chemistry, the project spans various categories, requiring students to propose solutions to real-case scenarios using specific analytical instruments. Despite the shift to a hybrid teaching modality, students exhibited commendable preparation and investigation skills, as demonstrated by their projects. Assessment data, including a student survey and written report evaluations, underscore significant skill improvements in literature survey, instrument selection, experimental design, and data analysis. This problem-based learning approach not only mitigated the disruptions caused by the pandemic but also fostered enhanced capabilities and motivation among students. The study's findings contribute insights into the adaptability and effectiveness of problem-based learning in analytical chemistry education within a hybrid teaching framework, offering valuable considerations for future educational strategies in STEM disciplines and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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